Lhakhangs play an important role in the lives of Bhutanese who are mostly Buddhist. It offers a place of worship and house sacred objects. It is where people seek spiritual guidance. But people of Berti under Trong Gewog in Zhemgang are not happy since the construction of a Lhakhang in the locality is taking too long.
Until today, people in Berti have been using an old small temple built in the 1980s. Then came the news of the construction of a new Lhakhang nearby. Their excitement knew no bounds.
Berti community Lhakhang construction began in 2016. It was supposed to be complete by the end of last year. But work continues. People of Berti said it has discouraged locals from performing any religious activities.
‘‘It has been almost four years since the construction started but it is not yet complete. We don’t understand whether there is no support from the gewog administration or from the ministry. We are confused,” said Dorji Namgyel, from Berti under Trong Gewog in Zhemgang.
However, the Trong Gewog administration said about 90 per cent of the work is complete and remaining is expected to be complete by the end of September this year. They said the budget is released in phase-wise and could not carry out construction at one go.
Nu 4.5 M is allocated for the Lhakhang construction which will benefit about 26 households.
Pema Samdrup
