The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Tshendu Goenpa lhakhang in Nagya Gewog has no protection from the heavy monsoon rain downpour it has no roof. The floors have the lhakhang are flooded from the recent rainfall.
A source said the roof of the lhakhang was blown off a month ago due to a windstorm. Nothing has been done to repair the roof and the lhakhang is in a pathetic condition. The source said that the kuten sungten are being damaged by the rain water. The walls and the wooden planks on the floors of the lhakhang are also being damaged by the rain trickling inside.
The lhakhang caretaker was informed that the lhakhang was soon to be reconstructed by the government, but he said no renovation works being carried out as of now, as nothing is being done by the local resident in the gewog or the government.
This paper learned that a proposal by the local residents to renovate the roof of lhakhang to protect the belongings of the lhakhang was rejected by the caretaker of the lhakhang.
Tshendu Goenpa lhakhang is considered as a sacred temple with its main nangten as Gyelp and Tshen (local deity). Many people across the country, especially in Paro, Thimphu, Haa and Samtse make annual offerings (kencho choeni) in the lhakhang.
“There is no space to walk inside the lhakhang as floors are wet all over. Even the walls and statues were being washed by rain water,” said a 52-year-old Aum Zam from Haa who came to make her annual offerings.
While talking to Nagya Gup Kado, he said that the gewog made a budget proposal for the lhakhang reconstruction to the government through the Dogar-Shaba MP Kezang Wangmo. He said once the budget is approved, the old lhakhang will be dismantled and a new lhakhang construction will take place. Gup Kado also added that though there is no plan to renovate the old existing lhakhang, the dzongkhag engineers have already visited the lhakhang area. Meantime, the Nagya gup said that a temporary shelter will be made to keep the Nangtens safe.
Sangay, 27,a taxi driver said the farm road that heads towards Tshendu Goenpa lhakhang is also not good as only one vehicle can travel at a time due to small width of the road. He said the condition is worse when it rains. “Vehicle wheels and fuel that can be used for a month is being wasted within an hour on the bad roads here,” he added.
