A new temple for Khangmar
[Jan 09] Khangmar Monastery in eastern Tibet is a major focus of The Good Fortune Trust's fundraising efforts. It is a small, very poor monastery in the countryside near the town of Kardze. Since 1959 the main building, housing the main temple and assembly hall, administrative area, and kitchen — the very heart of the monastery — has fallen into serious disrepair. Its upper two storeys have collapsed. What remains is unstable and potentially dangerous but still in use as there is no alternative. The Good Fortune Trust is aiming to help by raising awareness and funds to replace the ancient temple which is beyond practical repair. Any support will be gratefully accepted.
Read on ...
A new roof for Sera's House 12
There is an urgent need for more accommodation in Geshe-la’s house at Sera Je Monastery. Adding a second story to the old wing of House 12 will provide reasonable accommodation for another two dozen Khangmar monks who are studying in exile in India. The first phase is replacing the roof of the existing building and bracing the structure so there is a stable foundation for a new storey to be added.
The work become urgent because the old roof was eaten out by white ants and had to be replaced before it caved in! Adding to the pressure, the cost of raw building materials climbed steeply during 2008. Thanks to the generosity of Trust supporters, $10,000 was sent in October 2008 and work began without delay. Another $20,000 is required to complete this first phase — although labour is cheap in India, materials are not.
Here's the story in pictures of the work as it happened.
Photos of the second story
When Geshe Tashi Tsering last visited Sera Je in early 2006, the second story on the new wing of House 12 was taking shape but there was no roof and all the interior work was still to be started (story here). We have finally be able to get photos of the completed building and it looks fantastic! Click the thumbnails for full size images and captions.
