Hello everyone,
 
We already are mid-May and rushing against the time to complete several tasks before the raining season truly starts around June. Since last February a lot of work has been done to beautify the place and to make it more comfortable to live. Fencing is one of the main new tasks of this year. Yes, fencing big areas of the land in order to plant more trees, fruit trees and vegetables as well as flowers in a place protected from the goats, cows and villagers. This shall bring a big change on the overall feeling of the place, while waiting to have a proper boundary wall. At the moment we could say we are half way through the work.
 
In the mean time work to drain parts of the land is being done by digging channels and putting up some pipes in order to direct the water through the land to avoid living in a swamp during the 3 months of the raining seasons and to protect the plantations from these overflowing waters coming from the surrounding rice fields.
 
The other major task of the year is to paint Rinpoche’s Stupa as well as the Gompa on the outside. It is already 7 years since the Gompa was first painted and to protect the building it really needs to be done this year. So it was for the Stupa.
The Stupa just got completed yesterday after three weeks work, then the Gompa shall follow. Of course this incurs big expenditures.
 
Painting wise, we finally could get an artist to complete the Gompa paintings inside. Jampel is from Bhutan and was part of Khumbu’s apprentice while the paintings were made here in 2002. Khumbu being too busy in Bhutan for the past 2 years we invited Jampel to come. He has just arrived and has a lot of work. He is requested to paint the four guardian kings and the wheel of life on the ground floor. The green and white Tara at the entrance of the Chenresig lakhang on the first floor and to paint Dorje Drollo mandala inside Rinpoche’s Stupa together with the lineage gurus. That shall give him 3 months of work minimum.
 
Meanwhile the kitchens of the Guest House got completed. A set of 3 kitchens and a dining room is now available for the guests who wish to stay here for some time. The Guest House is now surrounded with a nice and comfortable veranda, flowers and trees are being planted all around, so we could say that the Guest House is finally completed.
 
We also have another two projects pending:

First of all, Tulku Ugen wishes to give shelter to our novices while they are receiving teachings in the wood during the hot period of March to November. Which means building 3 study grounds with roof as it is done in Shantiniketan. The three locations have already been defined and marked in the wood next to Rinpoche’s Stupa. This project will give proper seats and tables for our young lamas to study well. So far they are seating on the floor with small mat only and have to dismantle their black board, teachers’chair and tables at each break, which is tedious and not convenient for them.
 
 
The other project is to build a cremation ground on the land. Tulku Ugen has asked Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche and Dodrupchen Rinpoche’s view and opinion for such project; both were very surprised with the idea and were very much in favor of it, encouraging Tulku Ugen to get it done.
In the surrounding area there is no proper cremation ground for the Buddhist community all around Siliguri, yet a lot of Buddhist families live there especially during the winter period, there are also many Bhutanese people who come here to undergo treatments for their cancer. We believe this cremation ground would be for the benefit of all and will make our Gompa take a step further within the local community while being asked to perform the rituals for the deceased.
 
Programs:
 
Tulku Ugen Chencho Lama

At the moment Tulku Ugen is trying to organize his summer tour in Europe according to the several invitations he has received. Details will be sent to you once confirmed.
 
Otherwise regarding Khordong Byangter Gompa and its program, some changes will occur this year and some new event shall be organized.
 
19th Butterlamp retreat:

First of all the time of our annual Butterlamp retreat shall be moved forward in order to start on January 24th afternoon and end on February 11th, 2010 one day before the Gutor ceremony which is performed in all Gompas at that time in order to dispel all obstacles for the year to come and which will prepare us for the celebration of Losar, the Tibetan New Year on February 14th, 2010.
Then a 6 days tour to Sikkim together with Tulku Ugen shall be proposed to the participants to go and perform pujahs together at Tashiding and most specially at Kachopelri Lake this year from February 16th to February 21st, 2010.
This change will allow us to link the Butterlamp retreat together with the Tibetan New Year celebration and will allow the western participants to celebrate Christmas and New Year at home with their family and friends.
 
2nd Nyungnae:

After last year first experience and people’s wish to have it renewed, a nyungnae of 4 “Cha” meaning 8 days shall take place at our Gompa in the month of November. As last year all participants are most welcome to take part in this very simple and profound practice of Thugje Chenpo.
 
1st Kangyur and Tengyur Recitation:

It has been Tulku Ugen’s wish to organize the recitation of the Kangyur an Tengyur here at Khordong Byangter Gompa since the inauguration in 2002. But there always were other priorities to attend first. After last year success of 100.000 Sampa Lhundrub recitations and thanks to our capacity of receiving lamas with proper accommodation and general structure we now feel confident to organize such event.
This recitation is being done on yearly basis in all main Gompas, it requires several weeks for quite a good number of lamas to successfully complete the reading of Lord Buddha’s teachings and their commentaries. The recitation shall be ended with the taking out of the texts all around the land as it was done every year at the time of our beloved Rinpoche, H.H Chhimed Rigdzin Lama.
Dates must be confirmed, but it shall take place between October and November 2009. It also depends if enough donations are being received to make it happen.
 
Whoever wants to take part into our projects and events here are most welcome. Those of you who will have the chance to meet Tulku Ugen in Europe could get more details about it directly from him; otherwise we will keep you posted through further emails.
 
Sarwa Mangalam,
Khordong India
http://www.khordong-india.org/

E.mail Gompa: thechhimedrigdzinsociety (at) yahoo (dot) com on 21st of May 2009