In the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu, local leaders in Thimphu once again brought the issue of taking care of religious monuments. The two gewogs of Chang and Kawang look after lhakhangs and chortens which are in the Thromde area. And they want the Thromde to take care of the monuments.
The Barp Lhakhang in Babesa, located near the expressway falls in the Thromde area but it is looked after by Chang Gewog. Local leaders are frustrated because this area has been under the Thromde since 2000.
The Chang Gup raised the issue in the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
“With the change in time, chortens and Lhakhangs are being vandalised. We are worried since we are supposed to look after it. So, we requested the meeting to ask Thromde to take over all the lhakhangs and chortens which falls in the Thromde area,” said Ugyen, the Chang Gup. He also said there might be problems if something happens to these structures.
“If these monuments are vandalised, there might be problems between the Thromde and the gewogs. The gewogs might say the structures are in the Thromde area and the Thromde might say the gewogs are supposed to look after it.”
Today, the two gewogs look after more than a hundred lhakhangs and chortens which are in the Thromde area. But the Thromde said otherwise.
“The Thromde has been looking after the chortens and lhakhangs in the Thromde area. For example, we have been looking after the Changangkha Lhakhang and developed the site. We have been taking care of all these structures that fall in the Thromde area,” said Ugyen, the Deputy Chairperson of the Thromde Tshogde in Thimphu.
The gup said the issue was also raised back in 2011. That time, thromde had said they don’t have a cultural office, so it was not possible. The Thromde had a plan to open a cultural office then. Even today, it is still in the plan.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
