The historically significant Tsangkha Lake in Dagana is on the verge of drying up. Residents and relevant agencies’ past efforts to revive the lake to its former glory have proven ineffective. In a recent move, a mermaid statue was installed at the lake premises in the hopes of reviving the lake. Legend has it that the lake formed after a mermaid named Mendrel Zam from Tibet reached the present location over a millennium ago.
Works like removing debris, fencing, and recharging the lake with water were carried out in the past.
Today, only a small swampy area remains of the lake, which served both humans and animals in the past.
With urgent interventions required, the Tsangkha Gewog, Dagana District Administration, and an individual undertook a joint initiative to revive the lake.
The initiative spent almost Nu 200,000 to install a 42-inch mermaid statue and a lumbum.
“After consulting an astrologer, the astrologer told me that the situation of the lake has become worse. After that, I felt something had to be done to revive the lake. Accordingly, I started seeking voluntary donations from relatives and acquaintances,” said Namgay, Tsangkha Lake revival project’s coordinator.
“If we have sacred monuments in the community, we should initiate regular prayers and offerings. Likewise, when it comes to Tshomen here, we should seek blessings from the statue by reciting prayers, performing prostrations, circumambulating it, and maintaining cleanliness in the premises. If we perform all these appeasing acts, the mermaid will definitely answer all our wishes and aspirations,” said Sonam Tenzin, Dagana Lam Neten.
According to oral history, as shared by the locals, the mermaid fled Tsang Province in Tibet to escape Guru Rinpoche subduing local deities.
People say the present village was named Tsangkha only after Tsangkha Tsho was formed following the mermaid’s arrival.
“Following the mermaid, Guru Rinpoche also visited Dagana and resided in Tha Namkhai Dzong. Guru Rinpoche once again brought the mermaid under his dominance and subdued her. The mermaid was then made a protective local deity for the region,” said Tshewang Lhamo, a resident.
While people attribute the drying of the lake to climate change, some blame human negligence.
“When I first reached Tsangkha, crops like maize and paddy fields in the lower parts of the lake thrived. But now it has been around seven years since crop production has decreased significantly. The lake started drying drastically after it was fenced with barbed wires. People have also caught fish from the lake for consumption, and now we do not see fish anymore,” said Dawa, another resident.
“What we heard is that the lake was polluted or defiled because animals used to drink water from the lake and reside nearby. Some people even used to wash clothes in the lake and play sports in the premises of the lake,” said Tshewang Lhamo.
“If Tsangkha Tsho regains its volume, we are hopeful that it would recharge other small water sources in the lower areas and resolve drinking water issues. It could also attract more tourists to the area since people visiting Tha Namkhai Dzong have to pass via the lake,” said Dorji Dukpa, Tsangkha Tshogpa.
According to a 2022 report, the district has 21 lakes. Seven lakes have dried up, and six more are on the verge of drying up.
Pema Tshewang, Dagana
Edited by Sherub Dorji
