Official Vandalizing- Saving the fading future of Chortens




Bhutan is known throughout the world for our exotic collection of cultural sites and monuments. These monuments echo the prosperous root of Buddhism and we make no mistake in showing our rich culture.
Chortens were and are the most famous monument ms that dots all hills, passes, valleys, near rivers, villages, near the temples and Dzongs, cremation grounds and many more places. These various-sized stone monuments were built to ward off the evil spirits and bring peace to the locality. Some of them were erected after subduing the local demons and deities by great lamas.
These chortens hold a great significance as they are as old as Buddhism in Bhutan. They retell the history and the situation, and believe our ancestors had.
The chortens were constructed with almost the same materials- mud and stone but their shape and size varied to suit the purpose and the financial wellness of the sponsors. These materials have become vulnerable with time.  
The unknown and the known reasons prohibited people of those days to record the history of the chortens in their timeline. Though some have, most chortens lack records when it was built and by whom. All we know is the rationale for the construction- for the well being of the locality.
As we all know, chortens are useless if it has no inner relics some of which are very precious. Our ancestors sacrificed the most precious jewel they had for the benefit of all. These inner relics (as we believe) included cat eye (Dzee), religious texts and instruments, god and silver coins, religious vase and many more which, some of us have never seen.
Because of these inner relics, vandalizing of chortens can be traced town to the time the chortens were built (that’s what I believe). The precious objects inside have lured people to vandalize these monuments. And today after hundreds of years, people are rampant to try their luck at every chorten they can see. No one knows what is inside. All they can do is guess and bring down the walls of the chortens.
The people and the government are facing the toughest hurdles of the time to protect these monuments which are scattered through the country.
Now let us think of a WILD IDEA. Why not we vandalize all the chortens in the country? WHAT? People would think I am insane but let me justify my thoughts.
A chorten with a scar
The government can form a committee and vandalize the chortens- for a good cause. The committee can record all the relics with details and photographs and then secure them in a safe box and then seal the chorten with concrete because the recent concertized chortens are not vandalized. . This may sound impossible task for country like ours but I think it will stop if not reduce the crime. The government can trace the relics when they are vandalised and the pictures can help the police in nabbing the culprits with these relics.
  The records can also help the historians to dig out the history of our country. The local area officials and relevant stake holders can be briefed about the relics, so that they can help the government in protecting the relics.
It is very sad to see and hear chortens being vandalized. I have rarely seen a chorten without the scar of the wound. It’s time to think- be it a wild one.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Taag Lhakhang

Image
 There is a small one-storied lhakhang about 200 meters from the Thangbi Lhakhang. The author could not authenticate the name of the lhakhang but the locals call it as Taag Lhakhang. It is not known whether Taag refers to the horse or the tiger (In Dzognkha). The lhakhang was built by Lam Ngopa, a great Tibetan master in 14th century. When Lam Ngogpa reached the top of the hill above the village, he threw a dumpling-shaped rock to check his prophecy. Descending down to the valley, Lam Ngogpa found the rock at the present location. Taking it as a good omen, Lam Ngogpa built the small temple.  Lam Ngogpa is said to have established a lhakhang in Dhur, about 9kms from Kujey and Lamlung, another Lhakhang in Tang. Both the temples are in Bumthang. Lam Ngogpa was one of the closest disciple of Lam Marpa. Lam Ngogpa is also reflected in Milarepa's namthar as the latter's friend who studied under the same master.  Lam Ngogpa's Kudung chorten The lhakhang houses the Buddhas of Three
Read more

Luck and the Kharam Shing

Image
 Luck is what we think we deserve to have every time but it is otherwise. People seek interference of seen and unseen forces in hope to have the tinniest fraction of luck. Luck, in laymen term can be defined as absence of bad things happening. according to Chophel (2018),  Kharam means ‘together,’ reflective of the event’s communal nature. It is believed to have evolved from a Bön ritual, and includes a particular wooden structure marked by a phallus. The lucky phallus (Image:Google) In Bhutan, there is a special way to drive away evil and bring luck; having a kharam shing around. It is a phallus craved from wood. The size and the wrathfulness can vary from place to place. Sometimes it is painted on the walls of the homes. The idea may be taboo for the west but it serves a purpose here. According to Kinga. (2005, p.157), kharam shing offsets evil influences and empowers people. It is a common sight to see traditional houses decorated with the kharam . The culture is more evident in
Read more

Nyantse Lhakhang

Image
The Lhakhang was established by  or  Nyangrel Nyima Wozer  (1124/1136 - 1192/1204) in the 12th century. It is said that the lama shot an arrow from Tibet (During those days, most of the Buddhist masters were from Tibet as Buddhism was yet to set its root in Bhutan) to seek his destiny to establish a Lhakhang. Following the direction of his arrow, the lama reached the place. The lama pulled out his arrow only to see holy water gushing out. Thus the place came to be known as CHUMED. "Chu" meaning water and "MED" meaning lower land. The Lhakhang is located at the end of Chumey gewog and the settlements. Today the gewog is better spelled as Chumey. This holy water is located about 40 meters from the lhakhang. According to the locals, the water can cure various illness. There are stories how the holy water has cured warts of many people. The holy water is preserved with a wooden box and the water looks fresh and clean. According to Karma Tenzin, a local from Nangar who n
Read more