[ Prem Chetry ]
BOMDILA, 3 Aug: Lhagyala monastery, a seventh-century-old living heritage, has been poorly connected by an un-metalled road for over two decades. However, it will soon have an all-weather road and other amenities to boost heritage tourism, assured local MLA Tseten Chombay of Kalaktang constituency in West Kameng district.
“Lhagyala monastery, the oldest surviving monastery in the state, is deeply rooted in our cultural, historical, and religious spheres. It will receive all possible infrastructure development,” he said.
An all-weather road with adequate width from Morshing village will soon connect to the monastery, which will be funded by the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive State Rural Road Development Plan.
The MLA said also that additional funding and schemes for infrastructure development and amenities will be secured to preserve the sanctity of the monastery and facilitate access for pilgrims, tourists, researchers, and scholars, ultimately boosting heritage tourism.
The Lhagyala monastery, believed to have been constructed by Kachen Lama in the 7th century, stands on a hillock near Morshing village, making it the oldest surviving monastery in the state.
Oral accounts passed down through generations recount that King Kalawangpo of Tawang, while hunting, lost his dog. He found it near a hut where a beautiful lady lived. He married her, and they had a son, Gyapu Kundu Lekpa, and a daughter, Kundu Zangmu. The Lhagyala rinpoche is believed to be the reincarnation of Gyapu Kundu Lekpa.
The name ‘Lhagyala’, meaning a repository of more than a hundred large icons, is a treasure trove of Buddhist antiquities and valuable artifacts. Historical records suggest that the monastery was built through the initiatives of two disciples of Tanpei Dronmey -Gyaptang Ngawang Namje, an ancestor of the Shertukpen, and Shen Trangpodar, an ancestral chieftain of Morshing – between the 12th and 13th centuries AD. It is believed that Tanpei Dronmey named the monastery.
Located approximately 80 kms from Bomdila, the Lhagyala monastery is a repository of Buddhist sectarian treasures and antiquities. It has played a significant role in the socio-political and economic life of the region. The monastery continues to serve as an important pilgrimage site, perpetually drawing devotees from Tawang and West Kameng districts.
