The tribute to the Father of Modern Bhutan >> The renovated National Memorial Choeten, dedicated to His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, was consecrated by His Holiness the Je Khenpo yesterday

June 29, 2008-Thimphu: After more than a year long restoration works carried out by the department of culture, His Holiness the Je Khenpo consecrated the Gyelyong Jhedren Choeten or the National Memorial Choeten in Thimphu yesterday.

The consecration ceremony was graced by His Majesty the fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, and Gyalyum Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck.  Other members of the royal family, cabinet ministers and parliamentarians, civil servants, officials from the embassies and international dignitaries attended the ceremony. Hundreds of devotees, young and old, also thronged the choeten. 

The rabney was hosted by Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley as part of the celebrations of the 100 years of monarchy and the coronation year of the fifth King, a press statement from the department of culture stated.

The restoration and development of the site was carried out to pay tribute and to commemorate the life and deeds of a great King and also to cater to the need for a larger spiritual space within the city.

The Nu 27.8 million restoration project started in March last year has extended the Choeten area by almost threefold. This would allow over thousand people to circumambulate the Choeten at the same time. Earlier, only a few hundred people could circumambulate and often during tshechus and auspicious occasions, it was overcrowded.

Several new structures have been constructed around the choeten. These include a new drasha that can accommodate 20 monks, a new choekhang (prayer hall), a butter lamp house, and a new pavilion for the Lhamu statue.

Two new incense burners (sangthab), a new open hall for 10 larger prayer wheels (mani dhungkhor), a new public toilet block and metal fencing around the site were other new constructions carried out. The four lion pillars, the Lhamu statue outside the Choeten and all the statues and murals within the Choeten were also restored.

The National Memorial Choeten was built in 1974 under the leadership of Her Majesty the late Queen Mother Ashi Phuntsho Choden Wangchuck in memory of the late third Druk Gyalpo, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.

The Choeten was designed by the late His Holiness Dudjom Jigdral Yeshey Dorje Rinpoche and was constructed under the direct guidance of many religious heads including the late Lam Sonam Zangpo and Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche.

Funds for the Choeten was mobilized from five different sources: late Majesty’s own coffers, Her Majesty the late Queen Mother Ashi Phuntsho Choden Wangchuck, HRH Ashi Sonam Choden Wangchuck, HRH Ashi Dechen Wangmo Wangchuck, and the ngendar offered by the public who had come to pay respect to the late Majesty.