“Multipurpose” lhakhang gets facelift

8 December 2008

An ageing guru lhakhang brings out the best in a community committed to its restoration. Sonam
Rinchen reports.

The students, instructor and some volunteers helped carry stones for the renovation of a Guru Lhakhang last week, which had been built in 1972 by the people of Begana, Thimphu. “We don’t have funding for the renovation of the lhakhang but we have a committee that is helping us with a modest budget for the renovation,” said Khenpo Jampel Dorji.

He said that they have received Nu 200,000 from Dharamsala for renovation. “If we don’t renovate the lhakhang, it might crash with even a slight earthquake since there are several cracks on the lhakhang’s walls,” he said. “We are looking to get help from the government during the roofing and painting of the lhakhang, and if possible we want to form a dratshang here.”

At present the lhakhang’s guest room is used for taking Non Formal Education (NFE) classes. The local people perform monthly ceremonial activities in the lhakhang on the auspicious days.

Some 13 female NFE students and the instructor along with some few volunteers carried stone for the renovation of the Guru Lhakhang.

Chokey Zangmo, NFE instructor, said that they had been asked by the Khenpo to help in the renovation of the lhakhang, “We are carrying the stones because we use a room in the lhakhang for taking classes,” she added.

She said that the NFE students were cooperative and hardworking not only in studies but also in doing social service.

Yangzom, an NFE student, said that she was overwhelmed to help in the lhakhang renovation with her contribution of service, explaining that carrying stones was difficult but “it is a good deed that will help in my next life.”

She said that she walks about three kilometres to the lhakhang every weekday for the NFE class from her residence after finishing house work and returns back late night in the dark.

Dik Maya, a mother of two who is a volunteer, said that she came to help renovate the lhakhang as well.

“I am not an NFE student,” she said. “I volunteered to carry stones for the lhakhang as it is an opportunity for me to atone for the sins that I have committed in my life.” Jamtsho, a farmer in Begana, said that the lhakhang was the only public property that the community had and most public meetings were conducted there.

“This is not only the lhakhang but it is also the conference hall and the meeting centre for us,” he said. The lhakhang was inaugurated by His Holiness the late Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche in the 1970s.

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