Gyama Trikhang

completion of Gyama  Trikhang is celebrated

Gyama, located 80 kilometers east of Lhasa, is the birthplace of king Srongtsan Gampo, founder of Lhasa. In the 12th century, a huge bumpa-type choerten was built here to house the relics of the revered Buddhist teacher, Sangye Wontoen Shongnue Jungnay. During the 1960s, the top was taken off, but the Gyama choerten's body survived. According to an old photo taken by Hugh Richardson (and recently published in his "High Peaks Pure Earth"), two minor choerten once flanked the site; they are now gone. The late Horkhang Sonam Pembar, and his son, Jampa Tendar, funded a first restoration in the late 1980s. THF completed the project, with full permission of the Medrogongkar authorities, by laying arga on the roof and reconstructing the top of the choerten modeled on the old photo. The interior stairs and some cracks in the huge steps leading to the platform on which the choerten rests have also been repaired. A total of US$2,226 was kindly donated by Ms Pamela Ross and Mr. Charles Gay.