Her Majesty Gyalyum Tshering Yangdoen Wangchuck placed the Sachu Bumter of the main pinnacle or the Utse of the Sangchen Choekhor Monastery in Paro today. The Dorji Lopen of the Central Monastic Body presided over the ceremony. The Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, Sudhakar Dalela, and Home Affairs Minister Tshering also attended the ceremony.
The ceremony began with a cleansing (Lhabsang) ritual. The Sachu Bumter of the main pinnacle of the Sangchen Choekhor Monastery was put in its original location.
Additionally, new dining facilities and monks’ dormitories were also inaugurated. The relics of the main Lhakhang are being kept at the new dining hall today.
“This ceremony is to appease and seek the blessings and protection of the deities living in the area. Moreover, it is to avert the risks of natural disasters. That is why the Sachu Bumter is installed in all Dzongs and monasteries as it has been regarded as an important aspect of buildings for generations,” said Norbu Gyeltshen, the principal of Sangchen Choekhor Monastery.
The Sangchen Choekhor reconstruction project began in June 2021 led by the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development and funded by the Government of India.
In 2009 and 2011, the monastery sustained damages from earthquakes. Around 250 monks are studying at the monastery.
“Now the third phase is the construction of the main temple. The total cost of the project is Nu 370 M and so far we have spent around Nu 200 M. Over 60 per cent of the works are completed and we are on track to complete the project by 2026. The five-year project is due for completion in 2026,” said Dechen Dorji, the project manager of the Sangchen Choekhor Reconstruction Project.
“Earlier, the dormitories were built to accommodate only up to 25 to 30 monks but today we have over 250 monks here. So, with the increase in the number of monks, there are accommodation issues. Now with the new hostel facility with better amenities, the issue is addressed. Even if the construction is not complete right now, we now have better facilities here,” added the principal of the monastery.
The monastery was established by the Zhabdrung’s second speech reincarnation Choglay Shacha Tenzin in 1765. It served as the residence to a series of reincarnations of the Zhabdrung till 1932.
It was reconstructed by Rinpung Dzongpoen Tandin Peljor and the followers of Chogley Yeshi Ngedrup after it was razed to the ground by a fire in 1932. It currently serves as one of the four Buddhist universities in Bhutan.
Namgay Wangchuk, Paro
Edited by Kipchu
