The only temple, or lhakhang, of Soe Gewog in Thimphu is located at the base of Jomolhari. Getting to the temple is a four-hour knee-jerking trek. The distance poses numerous challenges.
People in the gewog are not able to visit it frequently to make offerings. Performing communal religious rituals is not easy as well. It is particularly hard during the time of deaths.
When someone in the family dies, it means trekking all the way up to the Johmolhari base camp to conduct death rituals, or all the way down to Paro as some of them do. Tashi Penjor, a villager from Soe, says he and his family usually travels to Paro for any kind of religious works. “We face a lot problem when someone in the community dies,” he said.
“It’s a three-day affair. We go down to Paro, conduct the rituals the next day, and return home the following day.”
“It’s not as if we do not have a temple,” said Chogyal Zangmo. “We do, but it’s located far away, so the lhakhang does not benefit us.”
Things are likely to change for better soon. The Gewog Administration has finally proposed budget for the construction of a temple in the gewog in the 12th Five Year Plan. “The people have repeatedly asked for a temple in the gewog,” Gup Kencho Dorji said.
Village temples are integral part of every community. The people of Soe say having a temple in their locality would make them feel complete.
