Shedra expansion going slow

28 March 2009

The expansion work of Pema Shedrup Choeki Gatsheling Shedra, the nunnery of Tang in Bumthang, is past its deadline. The 59 metres long and 40 metres wide building was started in 2004 with the plan to complete it in 2008. Now, the deadline has been extended by three years.

Occasional volunteers from the village and about 15 volunteers from the hotel industry, including Amankora, help construct the shedra.

Sangay, 51, the head carpenter, said, “We cannot do work effectively in winter because of frost, and in summer, because of rain. While in winter the mud gets too hard, in summer, the construction site gets too muddy.”

However, according to the workers, it would have been completed on deadline if there were no problems regarding timber permits, lack of enough labourers and fund.

A maximum of 15 people and a minimum of 2 people work at the construction site every day.

The construction fund and meals for the nuns are provided by Gangtey Truelku Rinpoche. UNICEF has provided the fund for construction of toilets and drinking water supply infrastructure. Besides, there is a committee in Thimphu that has been providing financial support to the establishment of the nunnery since 2001.

Kinley Om, 24, a nun at the shedra, is one of three nuns looking after the construction. She said, “Though we are able to help in construction now, we won’t be able to do so once the classes start. We are very grateful to Gangtey Rinpoche for providing us a khenpo from Mysore, India, and proper meals.”

Today, 105 nuns stay in a two-storey building with 22 rooms. Between five and six nuns live in a room. Before the construction of their dormitory, they had put up in a small bamboo hut. Kinley Om said that, during that time, nuns suffered a lot during monsoon season.

Senior nuns worked early in the morning to complete the present building, said one of the junior nuns.

There is a plan to build a lhakhang occupying 108 sq feet, guest house and a kitchen near the nunnery.

When completed, the building will accommodate 500 nuns.

BY ESHORI GURUNG

Ratings: 1 Star