Bhutan’s 78-year-old monk working unwaveringly to develop sacred site at Gongza Ney

Thimphu [Bhutan], February 25 (ANI): Tshampa Dawa, a 78-year-old lay-monk from Bhutan’s Khamdang village has been working unwaveringly for more than three decades to develop a sacred site at Gongza Ney, The Bhutan Live reported.

Dawa has been taking care of the sacred site for more than three decades now. No one else took the initiative to take care of the site, though many were aware of its existence.
It was Tshampa Dawa who cleared the area and revived the sacred site to construct the Lhakhang in 1993.

He said, as quoted by The Bhutan Live: “When I was at Aja Ney, people who came for pilgrimage gave me Nu 5-6. Out of sympathy, some even gave me a watch and mattress. Eventually, I gathered around Nu 30,000. And with that money, I thought about developing Gongza Ney, so that’s how I started.”

Gongza Ney is at a walking distance of around two hours from Bhutan’s Dooksum town. It is believed to be a sacred place blessed by Guru Rinpoche.

Although the site is popularly known as Gongza Ney, the real name is Gungja, derived from an event in the eighth century when Khandro Yeshi Tshogyel offered ”midday tea” or Gunja to Guru Rinpoche, while he was on his way to Subdue a demon in Gomphu Kora.

People from across the country visit the site between September and March.