coffe table book in aid of tawang monastery

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110113/jsp/northeast/story_13430517.jsp   Volume to save monastery - First coffee table book in tribute to Tawang’s beauty

ROOPAK GOSWAMI

The rear side of Tawang monastery, after being hit by a landslide. Telegraph picture Guwahati, Jan. 12: The first coffee table book on Tawang will provide a helping hand to Tawang monastery. The author, Pomi Baruah, an Assam civil servant, has decided to share the proceeds of his first coffee table book to repair the damaged monastery. In September last year, landslides triggered by continuous rainfall, ripped away the entire chunk of landmass below the monastery. “A part of the proceeds from the book will go to the Tawang monastery,” Baruah told this correspondent. Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu had released the book, Tawang — Land of the Dawnlit Mountains, on Maitreyee Diwas on December 28. “The monastery is very close to my heart and I am in touch with my friends there for doing whatever I can for it. It is our heritage and pride,” she said. Baruah is a programme officer and officer on special duty in the state finance department. The 170-page colourful book pays homage to the beauty of Tawang and is a gift to the unforgettable hospitality and love of its people. “We have issued an appeal asking for help and advice. If they think Tawang monastery is a priceless property, they should come forward,” the spiritual head of the monastery, Guru Tulku Rinpoche, told The Telegraph. He said various rituals were being carried out and stupas erected at the site to stop landslides but the situation remains as vulnerable as before. “We are trying our level best. We are living in the 21st century and solutions should be there,” he added. Rinpoche said concrete steps should be taken on time, as continuous rainfall in summer and snowfall in winter would completely wash away the entire landmass behind the monastery. The monastery consists of a main prayer hall, library, administrative building, school, main kitchen-cum-dining hall, museum and 65 residences accommodating more than 500 monks. All these old structures will suffer great damage if the landslides continue. The monastery has requested the Centre, state and the departments concerned to take tangible steps to stop the landslides. It has requested various organisations and individuals to disseminate this information to form a pressure group that would request the government to take measures. The Environment Protection Society has been conducting surveys on landslides at Tawang monastery since September. The third survey conducted on December 26 found that landslides were still taking place in the area. An eight-member inter-ministerial central team had visited Tawang last month to assess the damage by unprecedented rainfall and landslides in the area. Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso had founded the famous Gaden Namgyal Lhatse, popularly known as Tawang monastery, in 1680-81. “Tawang monastery is our pride but unfortunately for the past few months there has been continuous landslides and we are all concerned about it,” Nawang Choidak, a resident of Tawang, said.