Three centuries old Monument

Over 370-year-old choretn at Do-kha kay Goenpa in Chapcha Geog under Chhukha Dzongkhag is finally restored after it was hit by a landslide. The chorten was consecrated today. It was consecrated by Trulku Ugyen Droduel Thinley Kuenchab from Paro.

The chorten was built by Choe-Zhi Thinley Jamtsho, a descendent of Phajo Drugom Zhingpo in around 1640’s. Few years back the chorten was hit by a landslide and was damaged. However, the chorten was later restored by one of the local residents.

“It was built by our ancestors, today if we don’t restore it, it becomes like we are not aware of the religion. That’s why I thought it would be better if I restore it”, Ap Changlo, a local resident said.

Some of the villagers said the renovation of such old monument will be of great significant for future generations. They said the structure was built by their ancestors and it can be a living example for their future generations.Along with the consecration of the Chorten, a 40 bedded hostel for the monks of Do-kha Kay Goenpa was also consecrated today. The hostel is expected to benefit over seventy monks.

The construction was supported by Her Majesty the Royal Grand Mother Ashi Kesang Choeden Wangchuck. Currently there are about 32 monks in the Goenpa.

The consecration ceremony was attended by Lam Netens from Gasa and Trashigang, civil servants and the people and business community of Chapcha Geog.

Thorthormi mitigation project

The lake mitigation project manager, Dawchu Dukpa said about Nu 5M was spent in 2008 purchasing equipment and tools required for engineering and excavation works at the site.

Apart from that, he said, the study they had conducted of the lake some time between late 1995 and early 2000 had to be reassessed with a group of experts from abroad.

“So much time had elapsed since the first study and we wanted to find out the possibility of better excavation sites,” Dawchu Dukpa said, adding the intention was to start work on the mitigation of the lake following a detailed survey of it in 2008.

“But it just wasn’t possible,” he said.

The real mitigation works on the lake began in 2009. The project spent about Nu 26M for transportation of equipment to the campsite at Thanza, and monthly transportation of ration for the workers, including their salary.

This year, the project spent around Nu 30M, leaving it with close to Nu 70M of the total fund allocated.

Although the four-year project ends next year, the remaining amount, project officials said, was enough to squeeze in a space for one more year, should they fail to achieve their target of reducing the water level to five metres by next year.

“We have enough justifications to get the project board approve of an extension,” he said, adding that in 2009, the project was delayed by more than a month after it was struck by a cyclone; while this year the continual rain until September 24 and death of a few workers caused two months delay.

“Had it not been for these calamities we’d have reduced the water level in the lake by at least two metres in each year,” Dawchu Dukpa said. “The possibility of achieving this target is still good, as long as the factors are favourable.”

He clarified the total amount of money for the mitigation project came from the least developed country (LDC) fund, an accumulation of contributions from various rich nations.

“The global environmental fund only facilitates, while the UN development program coordinates between us and them,” he said.

Dawchu Dukpa said the fund contributed an overall USD 3.45M for the mitigation project, while the Austrian development corporation injected USD 800,000 and WWF USD 30,000.

“This year the Larsen and Toubro company, working on the Punatsangchu project, gave us Nu 200,000 to buy workers’ gumboots,” he said.

The whole money, he said, was split into three components of the project – mitigation, which was allotted USD 2.7M, of which USD 1.3M has been used, USD 900,000 for installing early warning system to be ready by mid-next year, and USD 400,000 for creating awareness on climate change and disaster risk and management.

[Courtesy:Kuensel]

President of Mahaboddhi society

“By serving as the president of the Mahabodhi Society, I, as the prime minister of Bhutan, a country that has been guided by the philosophy and teachings of Buddha, and the people of Bhutan, consider ourselves indeed privileged to have the honour to serve the society,” said Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley.

He was addressing a gathering of more than 200 Buddhist monks and members of the Mahabodhi Society gathered at the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya, India on Saturday evening as they welcomed their new president.

The members have come together for their 113th annual general meeting on September 25.

Mahabodhi Society of India is a south Asian Buddhist society founded in 1891 by the Sri Lankan Buddhist leader, Anagarika Dharmapala. The organisation’s self-stated initial efforts were for the resuscitation of Buddhism in India, and restoring the ancient Buddhist shrines at Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinara.

Lyonchhoen said that he accepted the offer as the president of the society for the next three years, because he believes that the Mahabodhi Society has and can further strengthen its capacity to serve human society in pursuing happiness.

“In my three years, we’ll be able to work together with a purpose in mind and it will be my endeavour to raise interest towards the Mahabodhi Society, increase the number of members and to further consolidate the support the Mahabodhi Society has received from all sections of society,” the prime minister said.

The home minister Lyonpo Minjur Dorji, ambassador of Bhutan to India maj. gen. V Namgyel, tsugla lopen Samten Dorji and drabi lopen Sangay Dorji of the zhung dratshang, members of the choedey lhentshog, Sri Lankan ambassador to Bhutan, who is also the high commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, Prasad Kariyawasam, and chief sanghanayaka of Sri Lanka, venerable Agga Ratnapala, were also present at the annual meeting.

The outgoing president of the Society, who is from Sri Lanka, Prasana Jayasuriya, said that the 113th annual meeting was a historic occasion for the society, as such a meeting was being held in Bodhgaya for the first time, instead of being held at its headquarter in Kolkata. “The prime minister of Bhutan has also given his consent to take over the presidency, which is a privilege for the society,” he said.

The governing body of the Mahabodhi society has 75 members, who elect the president. Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley was called upon to undertake the duties of the president on August 24, 2009 during the secretary general of the society, venerable Dr Rewatha Thera’s visit to Bhutan.

Lyonchhoen, during the three-hour annual general meeting, congratulated the secretary general venerable Dr Rewatha Thera and outgoing president Prasana Jayasurya for their dedicated service to the society and to dharma.

Lyonchhoen also paid tribute to the founder of the Mahabodhi society, Anagarika Dharmapala. “It’s because of him and those, who supported his vision that today we find in India the birthplace of Lord Buddha, where the most holy of shrines have been restored and whereby, we as Buddhist are able to pay homage to Buddha and dharma - the way of life,” he said. “We as Buddhists are indeed grateful that the provisions of bodhisattva has been realised by the endeavours of this Mahabodhi Society, and by the support and patronage of the Indian government, government of Bihar and local governments in the districts, where these important places are located.”

[Courtesy:Kuensel]