Eternal flame of gratitude in Dochula dedicated to the Great Fourth

Under the initiative of Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk a pure golden butter lamp named “Eternal Flame of Gratitude” or the ‘Sithar Selwai Khoryug’ was lit on 9th November in a sacred ceremony to commemorate the 60th birth anniversary of the His Majesty the Fourth King.

Her Majesty graced the occasion along with Her Royal Highness Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck and Tulku Vairotsana.

The Dorji Lopon and other senior Zhung Dratshang figures took the lead in consecrating the golden lamp.

The four and a half feet tall golden butter lamp made of 11 kg of gold stands inside the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang.  It has the capacity to hold 28 kilograms of butter in its golden bowl and the lamp has a heating devices set at room temperature to prevent butter from freezing.

The shimmering golden lamp will provide people with the opportunity to make offerings at the Eternal Flame of Gratitude.

The President of Center for Bhutan Studies, Dasho Karma Ura, did the designs and administered the work.

During the ceremony, Dasho Karma Ura said that Her Majesty preferred the offering-lamp to be unsurpassed in size, value and artistic quality.  The shape of the stand of the lamp is that of victory stupa filled with precious relics.

The pure silver base of the lamp is by itself around 50 kilos.

The ‘Eternal Flame of Gratitude’ has 216 gems with pictures of birds, animals, gods and extraterrestrial forms, plants and flowers thriving in Bhutan on its gold surface.

The outer part of the golden bowl has the eight lucky signs in print on which the portraits of  Desi Jigme Namgyel, Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck, King Jigme Wangchuck, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, first Je Khenpo Paykar Jungney and Je Gedun Rinchen is curved to symbolize succeeding kings and Chief abbots and the synchronization between Buddhism and the state.

The earlier 108 victory stupas built to commemorate the 2003 victory with their structural designs indicate the driving out of obscurity, ignorance and divergence. Similarly, the light from the golden lamp will shed light on creatures with intrinsic worth, peace and accord.

The lamp is special as the golden reign of the Great Fourth brought brightness to the lives of every Bhutanese people with good health, peace and prosperity and so the Eternal Flame of Gratitude will be the point where people can offer their eternal gratitude for showering every citizen with his undying love and affection.

The lamp will also remain, as a pinnacle where people can pray and cherish the Great Fourth’s legacy.

Similarly, Her Majesty donated a bronze butter lamp of same size and impression but different features, with a gold surface and 210 gems. The Bronze lamp has been installed in the Kuenrey of the Punakha Dzong.

In order to create theses two glorious butter lamp, five goldsmiths spent 11 months to complete the entire work.

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