The residents of Peltari chiwog in Kabisa Gewog, Punakha are in a dire need of a community Lhakhang. Currently, due to a lack of Lhakhang, the residents struggle to perform religious rituals in the community. Moreover, they are also facing difficulty in getting monks to conduct rituals.
Sigay, a resident of Peltari said they have been conducting community rituals in some private households which is not convenient.
“In the absence of a Lhakhang, it is difficult to get monks to perform funeral rites when someone dies. Also, it will be convenient for us to borrow religious items to perform rituals if we have a community Lhakhang,” said Ugyen Penjor, another resident of Peltari.
There is an architectural remain of what looks like an old Lhakhang, covered in trees and bushes, at Rimegangkha in Kabisa Gewog. Inside the ruins, one can see old statues and some religious objects which according to the chiwog residents indicate that it was indeed a Lhakhang in the past.
And so, they wish to construct a community Lhakhang there. However, they have not received approval for the construction as the land belongs to the state.
“It will be of great benefit for us if we can construct a Lhakhang on the remains of the old Lhakhang at Rimegangkha. We are planning to construct it there and even the district administration has been supportive of it. But they are also helpless as they do not have any authority in the matter as the land belongs to the state,” said Namgay Tenzin, a resident of Peltari.
Following an appeal from the gewog, the district administration has proposed the Department of Culture approve the construction of a one-storied Lhakhang at the site of the ruins. The district administration has also submitted a budget estimate along with the drawing of Lhakhang to the department.
However, the department has asked the community to obtain a land-use certificate from the National Land Commission to construct Lhakhang on the state land. The department also said that construction activities on state land have been temporarily suspended for now.
Currently, there are more than 40 households in Peltari chiwog which is located about 20 kilometres from the town.
Changa Dorji, Punakha
Edited by Phub Gyem
