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Chortens need a change of guard

11 November 2009

“ Dhue ne mejur menam jur” Thus prophesied Guru Rinpoche in his biography – Katangdepa. Rendered in English, it’s the peoples’ behaviour that change, not time.
Our country has seen calamities of kinds and kinds this year. The cause of it all is yet to be fathomed with our simple minds. Moreover, going by our media reports, suicides rate and juvenile problems such as gang fights, drug abuse, murders, robberies have increased manifold. To say nothing about the upping cases of divorce and homeless kids.
There has been a rampant destruction of chortens and lhakhangs in our country. And this has been going on for a long time. The deteriorating sentient behaviours could be one of the reasons why misfortunes such as earthquake, storm, fire and flood wreck our homes and cities.
Certain pertinences and reasons guide the building of chortens and lhakhangs. Some are built to subdue evil and demons, some for the wellbeing of the sentient beings.
When people start to desecrate these monuments, naturally, misfortunes will ensue. Chorten vandalism is a great sin; there is no easy absolution.
We have laws and measures to stop the destruction of our national monuments, but despite all measures instituted by our government, cases of chorten and nangten vandalism have increased. Even life imprisonment has failed to deter the vandals from scooping and trading nangtens.
Whatever else must we resort to, to put an end to nangten vandalism? Local people took turns to guard chortens and lhakhangs – a measure that failed utterly.
And how much else would this measure been successful anyway? Our farmers work the whole day and when they are done out thoroughly, they are made the sentinels to protect these monuments at night. Naturally, the custodians fail.
We need trained guards to keep vigil on our chortens and lhakhangs. A small number of police and armed forces ought to be stationed near every chorten and lhakhang in the country. We could save them. It only calls our will and effort.
Ugyen Chophel B.Ed Final year Samtse College of Education.

“ Dhue ne mejur menam jur” Thus prophesied Guru Rinpoche in his biography – Katangdepa. Rendered in English, it’s the peoples’ behaviour that change, not time.

Our country has seen calamities of kinds and kinds this year. The cause of it all is yet to be fathomed with our simple minds. Moreover, going by our media reports, suicides rate and juvenile problems such as gang fights, drug abuse, murders, robberies have increased manifold. To say nothing about the upping cases of divorce and homeless kids.

There has been a rampant destruction of chortens and lhakhangs in our country. And this has been going on for a long time. The deteriorating sentient behaviours could be one of the reasons why misfortunes such as earthquake, storm, fire and flood wreck our homes and cities.

Certain pertinences and reasons guide the building of chortens and lhakhangs. Some are built to subdue evil and demons, some for the wellbeing of the sentient beings.

When people start to desecrate these monuments, naturally, misfortunes will ensue. Chorten vandalism is a great sin; there is no easy absolution.

We have laws and measures to stop the destruction of our national monuments, but despite all measures instituted by our government, cases of chorten and nangten vandalism have increased. Even life imprisonment has failed to deter the vandals from scooping and trading nangtens.

Whatever else must we resort to, to put an end to nangten vandalism? Local people took turns to guard chortens and lhakhangs – a measure that failed utterly.

And how much else would this measure been successful anyway? Our farmers work the whole day and when they are done out thoroughly, they are made the sentinels to protect these monuments at night. Naturally, the custodians fail.

We need trained guards to keep vigil on our chortens and lhakhangs. A small number of police and armed forces ought to be stationed near every chorten and lhakhang in the country. We could save them. It only calls our will and effort.

Ugyen Chophel
B.Ed Final year
Samtse College of Education.

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Posted by Bhutan Observer · Filed Under Voices 

Comments

2 Responses to “Chortens need a change of guard”

  1. Lobxang on November 16th, 2009 6:57 am

    Surveillance cameras and security alarms might help too.

  2. galingpa on December 16th, 2009 1:32 pm

    i agree laa

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