A fire that broke out in the wee hours of this morning at Tharpaling Monastery in Chhumig Gewog of Bumthang razed the kitchen and dining hall of the monastery to the ground. Along with the structure, the monastery also lost a year’s worth of rice and cooking oil besides other kitchen utensils.
Bumthang’s fire brigade and other volunteers reached the site at around 4 am but the damage was already done. Students from Chhumig Technical Training Institute are currently building a temporary kitchen while people of neighbouring villages are providing meals for the monks and volunteers. The Bumthang Dzongkhag Administration provided ration to the monastery.
The cause of the fire is not known as of now and no casualties have been reported.
Tharpaling has several sacred temples and pilgrimage sites blessed by Guru Rinpoche and Kuenkhen Longchen Rabjam. Located about 40 kilometres from Bumthang town, there are about 150 monks and meditators living at the campus.
Kipchu
