Khumjung Gumba-Khumjung (3,790 m)

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An Initiative Project of Himalayan Sherpa Foundation

Reconstruction of KHUMJUNG GOMPA August 2016

Introduction:

At an altitude of 3,790 m, a one-hour walk north of Namche Bazar, Khumjung Gompa is located in the beautiful landscape of Khumjung village at the foot of the sacred peak Khumbila. This monastery is an important source of spiritual guidance to the local communities. Over its lifespan, the Khumjung Gompa was extended several times. Its original small size and weak foundation required much renovation and restoration. The last renovation was completed in the year 2000 with the hard work of local community members from Khunde and Khumjung.

The April 25^th, 2015 earthquake has not left this monastery in the same position as the year 2000 reconstruction. The locals were very unhappy as they thought that they would face difficulties in the days coming to perform religious festivals such as Dumjee and Nyingne due to the destruction. The people of Khunde and Khumjung spiritually suffered horribly due to the damage to its monastery.

As a chairman of Himalayan Sherpa Foundation, our president Mr. Phurba Gyaltsen Sherpa has visited Khumjung and Khunde twice to see the damages of the monastery and other local houses. During his visit, he found that the local people were very disheartened for the damages of the monastery. The monastery was not destroyed fully but there were many cracks everywhere in the wall and ceiling leaving it very fragile. The locals did not dare to go inside the monastery comfortably to perform any kind of ritual activities with fear of sudden collapse or mishaps.

Mr. Sherpa conducted few meetings with the locals and the leaders of the village regarding the reconstruction of the monastery. Since other organizations did not take interest or give importance to their issue, they were very pleased to learn that Himalayan Sherpa Foundation would take initiation for the reconstruction of the Khumjung Monastery and formed a rebuilding committee for the reconstruction.

The monastery reconstruction committee, also known as Gompa reconstruction committee, of 11 members under the leadership of Mr. Sonam Tsering Sherpa has been formed as below:

1. Sonam Tshering Sherpa – Chairman
2. Phurba Tashi Sherpa – Vice Chairman
3. Chhering Sherpa – Treasurer
4. Laxman Adhikari – General Secretary
5. Lhakpa Nuru Sherpa – Speaker
6. Ang Tshering Sherpa – Khunde Member
7. Mingma Temba Sherpa – Khunde Member
8. Ngima Yanji Sherpa – Khunde Member
9. Ang Serki Sherpa – Khumjung Member
10. Naga Dorjee Sherpa – Member
11. Nawang Karsang Sherpa – Member

The Gompa management committee immediately has started the dialogue to discuss the fund that is required for the reconstruction of the monastery. The president, Mr. Sherpa, and the team of Jing Foundation felt very proud to inform the Gumba reconstruction team that Jing Foundation will overtake the fund of Rupees. 13,000,000 (Rupees. One crore thirty lakh only) as the International Chairperson and the Founder of Jing Foundation has accepted the request we have made to support the reconstruction of Khumjung Gumba. After this, Mr. Sherpa has started to allocate some funds from Nepal Tourism Board and he personally, also tried to do some token of financial support for the reconstruction of this monastery. Himalayan Sherpa Foundation is keen to take the initiative role to reconstruct this monastery as this monastery is one of the most important monasteries with great value and situated in the most beautiful and biggest Sherpa village in Khumbu.

The Gompa reconstruction committee immediately started to have the architect design from the young and energetic architect, Mr. Saurav Shrestha, with his best knowledge of locals and outside engineering/architect. There were few gatherings taken place in Kathmandu and Khumbu regarding the architect design of Mr. Shrestha, and most of the people have few comments as below:

1. To have in its original shape and value
2. To have the architect design of its origin
3. Build the monastery using the best materials such as cement, iron rod, aluminum using the modern construction in order to have the building to withstand an earthquake of up to 9.0 magnitude.
4. Build one extra museum to keep the antique items of the monastery including the Yeti Skull.
5. Start the reconstruction after the Dumji festival that takes place in July and complete the reconstruction of the monastery by March 2017.

The Khumjung Gompa Rebuild Committee has requested all the local Sherpas living in Nepal and abroad as well as all other friends to Sherpa of Khumjung for the reconstruction of the monastery as this is the dream project shown in front to all Sherpas of Khumjung and Khunde.