Trong Village, My Home: The Pride/Prestige and a Dream of Vibrancy!

Present roof view of Trong Heritage Village

Trong Heritage village few years back

"Our community and village are very important. One must look after villages and its people. Support wherever possible either in cash or kind"- Justice Sonam Tobgye (Retired)


My Village 'Heritage Village' of Trong (K/Crong), is My Pride and Prestige. I was first born, grown and nurtured there. I first smiled, spoke, ate, got educated, slept, shitted, played, prayed and farmed there. Like every home, I had almost all my life’s first thing at my home. It will be the last pride and prestige to call it my home. Even if I can't give anything back, It will be a die-hard thing to not be attached and forget about the care and love bestowed on me from my home till now. I just love my Trong Village!

Such was my pride and prestige of my village and those communities. The village was a blessed Gift for settlement from great ancestors and the very incarnation of a 'native' master of 11^th Century, Lama Drogyen Zhang Tsundru Drakpa. 

In September 2014, His Majesty The King visited my village. His Majesty found the clustered houses unique. His Majesty loved and admired the stones, doors, windows, footpaths, roofs of the houses.  Such would be village to be cherished and sustained for community and nation at large. The King through admiration commanded that it be preserved as a Heritage Village for all times to come. Every people there and the community must take this Command seriously. For me, the Command Visioned KhengRigNamSum and in particular Trong Village. It was another blessing of confidence and strength to withstand the Pride and Prestige of being a native son from there! These strengths of mine from my village and people there never worried me.

Since the day of announcement of Gift of Village as ‘Heritage Village’ by His Majesty, I felt and discovered that I had a dream of My Village. The Pride and Prestige was true in its hidden potentiality of beautifully unique ‘Trong Village’. Why not, A Village be made, most exemplary Culturally Democratic and Vibrant Village in Bhutan?

Trong Village: Brief History, Description and Vibrancy In and Ahead!

Recently built 4ft Lama Zhang statue

There is no definite written history of the settlement of Trong Village. However, the settlements of the village date back to the History of 5^th century Great Maha-Siddha of Tibet Lama DrogGyen Zhang Rinpoche of Boed-Zhang, Ralung.

Lama’s incarnation Lama Zhang Shacha Yoezer was believed to visit Kheng in 12^th Century. The trace of Lama Zhang stories can be heard around almost all parts of Bhutan. There are beautiful stories of Lama’s visit in Punakha, Lobesa, Tango-Cheri, Bumthang etc. A statue in the picture below shows a trace of Lama Zhang at Tango-Cheri. The statue was one of the sacred relics at Tango believed to be spoken. I was fortunate to see it while I was briefly enquiring about Lama.

Lama Zhang statue at Tango-Cheri

For the people of Kheng, Lama is most revered as The Founder of Zhemgang. Lama was believed to live his entire life with people of Kheng. Lama's presence throughout the locality also gave the name Zhang-Khang (hermitage of Lama Zhang at the valley hilltop). Today, the very name gave Zhem-gang was identified from Lama. The settlement of Village there was hence originally named as ‘K/Crong meaning ‘Village’ in the local dialect (Kheng-kha) which later was ignorantly spelled and pronounced as ‘Trong’,. (I will cover the detail of lama and how the nomenclature of the village was named.)

Let us now get to what Pride and Prestige would mean for me on Trong Village. How can one see Village’s Vibrancy within and beyond? Following are few things that sprint spontaneously to me:

Clustered beauty:

House founded on natural solid rock

The Heritage Village of Trong has a cluster of about 27 registered households and 35 houses altogether. Very typical Bhutanese, traditional and local made. The houses are unique two-three storied stone and clay-ed completely without modern or any foundations. If one can think about, a bare eye can do it to see it on natural solid rocks (see pictures). The houses are 

close up of the house founded on solid rock

just a foot away to each other while some completely attached. Besides founding houses on rocks, one can find a tiny shaped stone sediment like piled to build walls of houses. Not even an air can trace through yet sparrows, pigeons and birds chirp every morning from these walls. It is fashioned with complete varied shapes and sizes of wooden windows, doors, and staircases. The houses are clustered too close together. On an aerial view, one can see it as a beautifully knitted one Big House representing the unity as One Home-One Community at the elevated hilltop. It is a hilltop elevated similar to the Dochula.  While Dochula has stupas on the hill, the village has houses and communities.

House founded on solid rock

 The epicenter of services:

Trong Village is located at the Heart of the town. Indeed, a Thromde in itself which has refrained villagers to be part of Gewog’s election and other facilities of village. However, benefited from Thromdes facilities while enjoying heritage and village lives. (The people are also gifted with land kidu from His Majesty to replace each house as a part to area recognized as heritage). 

Trong Village is strategically located. The hilltop beneath is easily stretch to reach out for any services for health, spirituality, central school, shops, police, livestock, agriculture, childcare, court etc.. Anyone from old to young can reach out to any services in less than 10 minutes. Anyone can either opt to drive or reach out on foot. Houses also serve a gross experience of homestay to civil servants. Shops and beauty parlours are hosted in these houses. Every entry in a house is attached with a prayer wheel (mani Lakhor) each.   Beyond these door-on services, the mountains, rivers, temples, forest, places in all directions from the village are wonders:

The East:

One can visualize the village as Mount Meru as in precious mandala offering. Right at the top hill above the village, a squared temple of guardian Yumchen Palden Lhamo and Pema Yoeling Gompa (prophesied by Polo Khen Rinpoche and Jadrel Rinpoche and believed to be one of the first and oldest Dungkhor gompa in Bhutan).  It is east where monks and yogi such as Meymey Baza Guru and others meditate and enter retreats. Old and other devotees being served for spiritual consumption and find solace of community. Children and family picnic.  The fresh water (both for drinking and irrigation) is being sourced from these hills of forest for villagers, civil servants, monks and others. Beyond it, one can find a thick forest which I am not sure of area coverage. This place also served my late grandfather on his retreat and community services there. This is the place where the sun rises every morning towards the Village.

Trong Yumchen Palden Lhamo's Zimchu Phodrang right at above and towards the east of Village. My siblings and I constructed 108 Mani Lhakor around Lhakhang in fulfillment apa's and late grandmother Chimmi Rinzin's wish in 2014. The picture was taken the day after the entire painting of Lhakhang and consecration of lakhors. 

The West:

At the West, right opposite of the village there lies the majestic Druk Dechen Yangsi Dzong (my grandfather was longest serving as first and oldest monk then), few inches elevated to Trong village. The Fortress is the very place where Lama Zhang settled his hermit in the 11^th Century. The very name ‘Zhemgang’ derived from ‘Zhangkhang’ venerating its founder. Thus, the Dzong was believed to its first foundation in 1163. Later it was built around 1165 and renovated under the Third King’s Command. It was then named as Druk Dechen Yangsi Dzong by Third Durk Gyalpo.  In 1963, Zhemgang created as separate district/dzongkhag. Today, for the villagers and devotees, the 9inch statue of Lama Zhang (believed be molded by Lama’s barehand) and Local guardian Naib Dorji Rabten, who was believed to be tamed by Lama on his way to Bhutan accompanied Lama Zhang all the way to Bhutan from Tibet amongst others are revered for the protection from blessing from West. The dzongkhag administration is right at the nose of the village. Further downhill, a wonderful sight from Dzong, one can see fertile farmland with paddy fields where red rice and other food and cash crops are supplied to the village. That was very farm, I spend my 21 years of farming as early as dawn to sunset subsequent to my schooling. Opposite to these farms also have sacred cliffs and caves of Drubthob Meymey Baza Guru. We call it Jawang Ney (believed to be an endpoint of sacred place/ney of Lhasa, Tibet). Beyond it you can see mountains of a thick and green forest.

The North:

Towards North, you can see a black mountain full of forest. Beside it, another tallest, green and majestic mountain unfold. There is a hill called Kawapang (a Plain of eagles), Kyibu Lungtshen Phodrang (sacred, peaceful, thick-forested Palace of guardian Lungtshen).

These three mountains are revered for people of Trong village, Dangkhar and other villages nearby. Black mountain admired for riches in hidden lakes with minerals. Kawapang for showering the reflection of the First light of the sun rays to Dangkhar, a nearby village, which relates to its name and story of Lamazhang. Kyibu Lungtshen, for showering protection and peace for the villagers. Villagers say that only one man could have reached to Kibulungtshen mountain and that could be Drubthob Baza Guru!

All these mountains are not only gigantic but also sacred, perilous, concurred in a thicket in deep and rugged rocky terrain, forest and wild animals. This would be the reasons why Zhemgang was never listed as battleground of civil violence, wars and crisis from West. While the country was isolated, Zhemgang was sacred to its isolation even within Bhutan. This isolation could have derailed the pace of development now but it has its charm in itself. The isolation or pace of development will definitely do better in next 30-50 years to come when the height of development and its implications cannot sustain in developed urban. 

The South:

The South of the Village served with rich of culture, trade and religion. If you travel just over 100 meters from village to enter into roads, you will be crossing through the sights of forests, langurs, hornbills, monkeys, birds and others. It will take you to other beautiful KhengRigNamSum (The Lower (Tamchok), The Middle (Nangkhor) and The Upper Kheng (Chikhor)). You will reach to sacred places of Guru Rinpoche, Pema Lingpa, Khandro Dorji Phagmo’s temple, Buli-tsho (lake), traditional songs and dances, national parks, crafts and arts of bamboo and rattan etc.. Further, you are reached easily to Gelephu and India.

It was this South corridor for trade and relationship with Trong Village and Khengrignamsum. Salt and tea are never difficult to trade in shortest distance in those days. Today, the district management and administration, civic engagement and participation of community are comfortably operationalized conveniently from the present location. Somehow, this was destined and blessed by Lama Zhang and created to be a perfect location by Third King. Not in future will the Dzongkhag Administration and Dzong will do better than present sanctified location.

The Centre: The Village itself.

Like I mentioned before, the hilltop of village syndicate to Dochula pass. It serves as Mount Meru. For villagers the energies are immersed to its beauty. For many visitors, it mesmerized with its unique features of the village. Engineers, experts and foreigners from Japan, Helvetas, ADB and others are flabbergasted with its traditional engineering. For example, one mentioned earlier, the mesmerizing feature of houses merely built on rocks without any concrete or modern foundations. Many say such could be only Zhabdrung’s style of miraculous displays to build dzongs without foundations but on natural rocks and hills. In contrast, people consider Lama Zhang was another Buddhist master, who would have architecture the traditional Bhutanese houses. This relates to the 1^st Lama Zhang of the 5^th century who was equally taking charge of both political and spiritual governance in Lhasa, Tibet during the time of 5^th Dalia Lama.

Spacious and splendid pathway avenue:

 video courtesy: Instagram

Scenically lined like an old medieval town of Greek, the 35 houses are built parallel to each other leaving a spacious pathway in between. The path-ways also serves as corridors inside the village. One could sense a feeling of walking in the corridors of gigantic traditional houses. The Village is a Fortress in itself!

The Historic Trace:

The pathway between the village has a greater significance. The pathways for once and many times in past were used as a national footpath for travelers to the South towards Gelephu and India, towards central and western Bhutan Trongsa, Bumthang Wangdi and Thimphu.  Lama Zhang, 16^th Karmapa, The Kings of past and present, the revered Drubthob Meymey VajraGuru, the visiting guest from the South, North and West walked through the same path. This was another source of Pride and Prestige, each time I walk my village.

Recreational ground:

School going youth playing on the pathway of village

A village women basking in the sun

I also saw villagers pasturing their cattle through the path-way space. Many times, I also crossed it while looking after cows. I walked through it to school, hospital, dzongs and temples. We grew playing marbles, dancing and enjoying variant other fun games. Even day, kids and children enjoy playing fun games and sports, such as marbles (both boys and girls), futsal, soccer, badminton (mostly girls), singing nursery rhymes etc. At all times, there are over a soccer team enthusiastic youth from village. The old, mothers and family laze out their time basking in sun and settle for shade. People picnic their meals, dance and campfire. We also sang Dewali songs. At times, we organize cockfights, bullfights and other fun fights. At times, ending in real fights. The festive moments of appeasing local deities and festival such as Choedpa, a Bon practice of appeasing and offering to local deities are performed through the corridors.  On the flip side, that was also the path, the night hunters and courtship happen. If it was to count on steps taken on the path, it should take about 21 years of my life, until my secondary school there.

Today, I still walk on the same pathways whenever I visit for annual lochoe and gathering in winter.  It is just splendidly beautiful, safe and happy to be there every year and spend time meeting, talking, walking, playing and dining with villagers. 

A Democratic Platform:

Because it provided a friendly, comfortable and spacious platform, many good things happened. It can continue to happen just in the corridor. Democracy can easily operationalise and will just work out well. For example, the pathway can be used in setting up a public forum. Assemblies for democratic engagements will be easy like in the structure of ancient Greeks medieval assemblies. Any community events, villagers and people can witness and participate right from the doors, windows, balconies of attached houses. The call for village zomdu was easier in the past and will be easier to share information just by calling little loud from one end of door or window to other. As we take democratic public forum for 3^rd NA campaign, the footpath, right in the center of the village would be terrific.

with Meymey Thaiyla

selfie with village kids

A Green Village:

The Village will be easily organic, green and cleanest. There are gardens and space in and out of the village. Any flowers and plants could grow there. Thus, the flowers, vegetables, bamboos and plants can be nurtured and well established surrounding the village. A nature-friendly pavement and parks can be built in.  

The Village has a most fertile and adaptive climate and explorable soil. A various fruit grows there. Fruit plants can be easily plucked right from its window without having to visit a market.

A Temple Village:

The Village can be a temple in itself. Spiritual and conscious ambiance can be created and made easily accessible. This can be done right from the Kotopong, a junction at highway through the village until gompa Pema Yoeling. In an attempt, last year every household are gifted with a prayer wheel each. Further, the pathways can have sizable prayer wheels sending sounds of peace and happiness in day and night. Prayers can also beautifully erected surrounding the village with even disabled friendly pavement. Old, young and differently abled can circumambulate around it. A village can have sounds, lights and feelings of spiritual wellbeing with electrical and digital engineering not only for a day but for evenings and night experience. This will also digitize the village. Already there are promises on free netpacks to add advantage on this initiative.  A Bhutanese prayer flags (not Tibetan) can be hoisted on top of the hills each time to bless the air and wind that visitors and villagers can breathe.

Today, many consider Zhemgang or villages around might be remote. Known for underdeveloped from the economic or capitalistic edge which I always denied. I proclaim that social structure, cultural preservation and environmental conservation and biodiversity of Khenpas are exorbitantly rich and natural. For me, Zhemgang is rich. More prosperous today. It will be richest in 50-100 years to come.

Forested Zhemgang Hilltop

Otherside of the Zhemgang Dzong

While urban development in other parts of the world had plundered its natural richness, Zhemgang and Khenpas did not. According to LCM 2016, we have about 94.27 percent of forest cover with 100 of flora and fauna species. Manas national park capturing about 22 endangered species. Most of these are protect and secured.  If UN finds a solution for climate change, Bhutan proclaims for being carbon negative and The Constitution of Kingdom of Bhutan commits to 60% of forest cover for all time to come, Zhemgang and Khengpas had silently contributed to it. Such Pride and Prestige cannot be second for any Khengpas and entire Bhutanese than this!

Carried Away:

I was serious about this dream. I was emotionally carried away of such self-importance and stature of being Khengpa, from Trong Village of Zhemgang. I thought I must care first. Do whatever I can but How can I do little to that.

The first thing I was passionate and attempted to work was at physical and mental level. I put it as 3S; Spirituality. Security and Safety. Spirituality on mental development and rest for physical development:

1. SPIRITUALITY:
Spirituality is the first and easiest thing to begin with. Spirituality connects people in mind and body. It builds vibrancy in a population of the community. It can connect social, education, agriculture, environment, health and others areas. No Khengpas, rather Bhutanese cannot come together if it wasn't for spirituality. I attempted to begin from spirituality quite for some time now. It was proven by four initiatives (focused purely to the community there) besides small others to test it: 

1. Project to construct the statue of Lama Zhang, First-ever golden lamp to Kheng and yearly 3 days commemoration ritual of Lama at Dechen Yangsi Dzong. Commenced in 2012 and successfully completed in 2016;http://www.kuenselonline.com/zhemgang-to-dedicate-golden-butter-lamp-to-hrh-the-gyalsey/

2. Gift of Mani Lakhor (Prayer wheels) to 75 households in four villages (Trong, Dangkhar, Pam and Dungbi). Started on an auspicious 4^th day of the 6^th Lunar calendar and successfully completed in 6 months;https://www.facebook.com/search/str/gift+of+mani+lhakhor/keywords_search 

About 76 households received the gift of Mani Lhakhor

3. Monthly feast and libation offering for Kibu Lhakhang for Dangkhar and Dunbi Community. Crowdfunding was generated to sponsor Yarngo (waxing moon) and Marngo (waning moon) offering for years. Project duration 2016-2017. Successfully completed; and

4. Khengpa Dharma Connection (KDC), A teaching over a mobile app. Aimed for Khengpas devotees (far-flung) by facilitating easier access to Dharma as public goods.  Started in April 2014 and still continuing.

First three are successfully completed. The latter successfully completed with various discourse and is continuing with almost 500 participants on 37 verses of Bodhisattva practices.

2. SECURITY and SAFETY:

At least for a physical/infrastructural level, the Trong village must be secured and safe from any natural disasters at any cost and time. It is first thing from this first ever fire tragedy that one can learn. With prone to fire, rain floods and earthquake, measures must be put in place. Any development must provide sufficient drainage, sewerage, and fire hydrant systems.

Any limiting factors for safe, sound and security of village would mean compromising the Vision of His Majesty The King. The ambiance of heritage must be lived up to day or night. Unless this is timely done with quality, heritage could just live for the BIG namesake. A complacency defined and trapped in 70:30 logic.  

The security and safety are deemed urgently for the village and its fragile traditional houses. To recollect an incidence. I visit my home every year for annual Lochoe (ritual) and commemoration of Lama Zhang.  Last year, I saw Trong village need to urgently improve its existing drainage which is narrow and drenched, fire hydrant to make more accessible, traditional heritage ambiance where new development has already made the traditional houses dwarf, stocky and insignificant, electricity setting where the poles design and location can be improved for spacious pavement and safety. Lastly, a flagstone used for corridor walkways could have easily leveled beautifully against rainwater flash maintaining height ambiance of the houses.

 

Rain flash water gushing into the traditional house

At one point, I learned that monsoon rain has flooded the village because of poor drainage system! This is another first of its kind for a village to encounter flush of rainwater from recent development undertaken for the village. Probably influenced by poor uneven leveling of pathways and narrow drainage systems. I was informed that the budgeted bid lower and allocation accordingly have compromised the development.

Forward-looking:

I have kept sharing these dreams of pride, prestige, opportunity and strength of Kheng and this village to whoever I felt like. Importantly to my family, fellow villagers and youths, dispositioned senior citizens, my constituent elects, Lam Neten and the monk body.  It was most shared verbally when I first started the Lama Zhang project.

I am still excited and proud to share about it. Recently, with so much of enthusiasm, I shared to new Dasho Dzongdag and Dzongrab who both felt soul-closer to Zhemgang and the villages there. I must admit that my pride, hopes and expectation to present and future of entire Kheng, Trong village, in particular, was boosted. Judged through conversation, deep inside, I felt Zhemgang is now getting leaders like never before!

I must admit that I now see the advancement of greater Trong Village and KhengRigNamSum. If it is not for these two apolitical leaders (political leaders in collaboration to prove), whose faith His Majesty the King and people bestowed, it won’t be Greater Zhemgang for any others. Which in this case, the brighter the future of my home through these two men have actually pushed me to write and share this article. It was the most natural and easiest article ever written in a few hours over weekends and I request a pardon for any errors. Thus, I, the youths, Trong community and Kheng in whole not only live in mouthpiece Pride and Prestige but also a written piece record of Pride and Prestige!

Note: I will cover the hidden and original myth of naming Trong Village and its implication in the next article. Naming matters and popularizing it can implicate in many ways.  I argue that the popular myth of aligning Trong village to the assignation of Lama Zhang was a one-sided myth, which does not hold any truth. This popular publication has done nothing good but harm to family and community of KhengRigNamSum, in particular, Trong and Dangkar Village. The youths like myself and many others are psychologically affected during schooling and social gathering. This must be stopped and changed for the common benefit.