5 Purna Rai - 4 months ago
Kharbandi Monastery about 5 km drive from Phuntsholing Town is mostly visited Lhakhang/Monastery in the town. The Monastery is located in a such space that onencan see whole Phuntsholing Town and the Jaigoan town below.
The people prefer to visit it in auspicious days Fullmoon, Guru Rinpochhe and Buddha's Birth anniversaries and Parinirvana. It is called Duechen Nga Zom in Dzongkha-Bhutanese Language which means Five Auspicious Conciding Period in Buddha's life. (Duechen-Auspicious Period/Time, Nga-Five, Zom-Conciding). In this very day Buddha was conceived, born, defeated evil, got enlightenment and passed into Nirvana. Thus, it is most revered and meritful spiritual occasions in Buddhist Dharma. In this day one is believed to get the good merits for good deeds and one need to have a mindful mind with good intention. People fast and avoid meat atleast for a day. The month is also Saga Dawa in Bhutan which means Dry Meat Season. Meatless Month. But people keep in stock and dry for thier daily diet and for guest which has no good merits ofver this belief. Some even use nin-veg in rimdos which is not advisable and we must do away with such culture of meat.
Today being the Lord Buddha's Parinirvana I also happen to visit it today for the first time on the way to Pasakha with my family and inlaws. There was a crowd of people mostly students and also senior citizens. It was drizzling day and overcast with the prayers inside the Monastery by Lamas and Monks. The devotees patiently in queue to prostrate infront of Lamas and Lord Buddha's Satues for wisdom and blessings.
The students mostly prayers for their good performance and results in the exam even if they have not prepared well for the test or exam. This is something where our society have gone other way round. People think and pray that God help is direct in prostration and submission infront of God without practical input of mind and action. Poor mind we are to do all these. Its our action and preparedness that brings good results and fortunes not bad or good luck. People travel far and thousands miles to get blessings where we get it on the very place we stand anywhere if we are truly mindful and prayerful.
However, in this most prayerful day, the triggering slides just near by caught my attention more than the God's blessings. The place looks quite risky and over the time as the slides has triggered in the South-western slopes and already a portion of the old Monastery building has been damaged as shown in the photos below. The area needs proper Geotechnical stability study sooner or later. The slide is just about 5 to 7 meters away from the main Monastery base foundation. The Thromde Authorities must look into the matter seriously for future safety of the Monastery building and the devotees who visits the site for prayers and don't look into safety aspects of the area. They are more blind into faith of God than the actual geology of the areas. This is what happened in one of the most visited temples in the world in Kedarnath, India few years back. Natural disasters are more powerful than the God's measures. Having said this, I don't mean to say there isn't any God's favor but one need to be more practical. The plan most have been already laid down as we can see some blue taurpolin/plastic to protect the rain from direct rain and some basewall below. The area looks sliding right from the International boundary wall about 100 meters below. Thus, taking up this protection Wall or knotbolt grouting would save this important structure before keeping full faith in the miracle ????.
Most monasteries and Bhutanese temples are in such solitude place of advantageous beauty right from Paro Takshang -The Tigress Nest to some Cave Nyoes of Rangtsi in Haa but this one looks scary, if not now but in times to come.
Visit and get blessings along with the breathtaking views of Phuntsholing and Jaigoan!
