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SHALU
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SEKHAR GUTHOK
A PROJECT FOR THE RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION
OF MILAREPA'S TOWER IN TIBET
OVERVIEW
Shalu Association had the opportunity in October 1996 to inspect the site of Sekhar Guthok, "nine-storey son's house", the legendary tower Marpa ordered Milarepa (1040-1123) to build for his son. The site is situated in Lhodrak district, north of the Bhutanese border. The tower is said to have nine floors but in fact has only seven, each three to four meters high. Three of the floors still contain finely-executed wall-paintings. Covering most of the wall- surface of the central chamber on the third floor are highly original wall-paintings dating back to the late twelth - early thirteenth century depicting Tilopa, Marpa, Naropa, and Milarepa (possibly the earliest representation of the saint), the five Buddhas, and the five Tathagatas. The paintings are still in relatively good condition but suffering from water infiltration due to the lack of a proper roof (the former pagoda-style gold-gilded roof was sold during the cultural revolution to buy a television).
The main aim of this project is the restoration of the tower's roof (respecting as much as possible the style and dimensions of the previous roof) in order to protect these invaluable wall-paintings from further deterioration, and ultimately the restoration of the wall-paintings themselves. This will require:
Estimated budget for roof restoration: 16,427 US$ (I'm still waiting for Heather to translate from Tibetan the detailed budget for the roof provided by our Tibetan partners. I would try to do it myself, but unfortunately its written in that impossible cursive handwriting and I simply can't read it !)
Shalu association is a non-profit organisation for the restoration and preservation of monuments in Tibet. The organisation is currently working in collaboration with the Cultural Department of the T.A.R. on various sites throughout Central Tibet. The choice of these sites was guided by their historical and artistic importance, as well as the urgent need for protection and preservation. Each project is discussed with the local responsible officials and monks, and local craftsmen are hired to do the work. Projects underway:
Projects in preparation:
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