A two-storied Lhuendrupchholing Lhakhang in Dzomi Gewog, Punakha was consecrated by the Tshugla Lopen of Zhung Dratshang yesterday.
It took more than nine months to complete the renovation works and bring it to this grandeur. Since the earlier lhakhang had become old and nonfunctional, people faced problems for several years while conducting religious activities in their village.
“We did not have any budgets from anywhere to renovate this lhakhang. Since our former lhakhang was out of service, a group of contributors initiated and contributed the whole amount of money for the renovation works. We have spent about Nu 1.1 M to complete this work.” Wangchuk, the Lama of Lhuendrupchholing Lhakhang, said.
With this, they expect to solve the issue of lacking a proper and designated place to conduct any religious activities in the Mendagang village. According to a local leader, this Lhakhang will conveniently serve the purpose and bring greater benefits for the public hereafter. This lhakhang, in Mendagang village, is situated on the crossroads of three gewogs of Dzomi, Shelnga-Bjemi and Chhubu. Therefore, all the people of nearby villages from different gewogs can reap the benefit.
“Earlier, our people faced various problems for not having a lhakhang, especially when people died in the village. And the biggest problem of all was when our people could not manage the entire required items by themselves while performing at their homes. However, this lhakhang will now not only benefit Dzomi Gewog but also the nearby gewogs like Toedwang and Shenga-Bjimi gewog,” said Dawa Tashi, the mangmi of Dzomi Gewog.
The lhakhang has the main relics of Choelong Truelsum with other various sacred relics and religious significant wall paintings inside it. To make it more convenient for the locality, the ground floor of the temple is designed for guesthouse and kitchen purposes.
As per a source, a local man, for the benefit of community firstly founded this temple about twenty-five years ago on his own land, but later he died before completing it. The incomplete lhakhang could not benefit the public much. Likewise, local leader says though the gewog has some other lhakhangs in the gewog, it does not benefit the locals of Mendagang much because the other lhakhangs are located in other chiwogs, far from there.
Today, the gewog has about three lhakhang including the newly consecrated one. Currently, there is one Lam and two monks in the Lhuendrupchholing Lhakhang.
