Bhutan has sent an SOS to India to help restore its centuries-old fortress, Trongsa Dzong, which is threatened by mining activities carried out for the construction of 750 MW Mangdechhu hydroelectric project in its vicinity. The project is a collaboration between the two neighbouring Governments.
Funded by India, the Rs 380 crore project is spread over 325 hectares and is located on the river Mangdechhu in Trongsa Dzongkhag (Dzongkhag is an administrative and judicial district) in central Bhutan, around 200 km from the capital, Thimphu.
The project to be commissioned by 2017 includes the construction of a 56-metre-high and 141.28-metre-wide concrete gravity dam, a 13,661-metre-long head race tunnel, and an underground powerhouse with four units of 180 MW Pelton-turbine-driven generator set.
However, the construction work, which kicked off last year, is having adverse impacts on the monument, and its walls seem to be the first casualty. Sources in the Union Culture Ministry said that Bhutan had sent a letter last month through its Embassy to the Government, saying that soon after the project took off, observations indicated that the historical fortress was experiencing “distress” in the walls and one of the probable reasons may be the blasting activity being carried out in the dam area of the power project.
It asked the Government to send a team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for inspection and repairs to be carried out in Trongsa Dzong. The Bhutan Government would fund the expenditure incurred on the restoration job.
“The ASI is studying the proposal and soon a team is likely to be send to the neighbouring country to assess the damage and prepare a report, including estimated funds needed in this regard,” said sources in the Ministry.
Trongsa Dzong, an exemplary of Dzong architecture, is an extensive complex — the largest in all of Bhutan — and is set on many different levels. It consists of a maze of courtyards, passageways and corridors and the complex contains as many as 25 temples — the first one built way back in 1543.
The most important temples are those dedicated to the Tantric deities of Yamantaka, Hevajra, Cakrasamvara and Kalacakra. The Maitreya (Jampa) temple was erected in 1771 and today contains a clay statue of the Buddha of the Future, donated by King Ugyen Wangchuck in the early 20th century while the temple of Chortens is located on the spot where the original 1543 temple had stood. In 2008, a museum was added to this complex, following Austrian donations. It is also a major monastic complex, with around 200 monks.
Built in 1648, it was the seat of power over central and eastern Bhutan. Both the first and second kings of Bhutan ruled the country from this ancient seat. All four kings were invested as Trongsa Penlop (“governor”) prior to ascending the throne.
The dzong is a massive structure with many levels, sloping down the contours of the ridge on which it is built. Due to the dzong’s highly strategic position, on the only connecting route between east and west, the Trongsa Penlop was able to control effectively the whole of the central and eastern regions of the country from here.
If given approval, it would be the second project of the ASI being undertaken in the neighbouring country. Between 1987-88, two missions were sent to Bhutan for the preservation of murals of Nekhang-lhakhange, Mithrape-lhakhang of Tongza D Zong and Do de Drak monasteries and for the chemical preservation of murals.
The Mangdechhu project for which NHPC ltd, an Indian public sector undertaking, is the design and engineering consultant, is one among the ten hydro electric projects planned under the 10,000 MW hydropower development by the year 2020 programme of the Royal Kingdom supported by India.