Worship and spirituality are an age old tradition and are done in many common places of worship such as a church, a monastery and other ‘houses’ of worship. There are also natural structures or ‘power places’ of worship. These are for mass worship amongst groups of peoples and yet there are also kinds of worship of the individual that may vary from memorabilia items such as lucky charms to amulets. But the most interesting type of individual worship, are the portable shrines or altars, which I think are found all over the world, in all spiritual beliefs. In Bhutan, we have the Tashi Gomang, portable altars in the shapes of miniature stupas and Zangtogpalris. The information needs to be verified, but apparently these Tashi Gomangs are unique to Bhutan as they are an invention or creation of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who commissioned a few to be made by a Parop Zow(Carpenter) and then copies were made in most monasteries, to the point of which almost each monastery had one.
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They serve a two-fold purpose. The foremost and most important being that they are spiritual reliquaries that are supposed to bless those upon sighting them. They are usually replicas of Guru Rinpoche’s Zangtogpalri, Kuntuzangpo’s Zangtogpalri, Chenrigzee’s Zangtogpalri and so on. They are usually depicted with great details in miniature workmanship and the ways they are opened are also a sight to behold, I daren’t touch it for worry that I might break it. They are also considered beneficial for the one who carries these portable stupas, as the physical struggle and fortitude to carry such a heavy thing around the country and to sing the lyrical spiritual songs accompanying the stupa, is considered a spiritual journey and meritious development for the custodian.
They also, looked in another way; create a kind of revenue for those remote monasteries that send these stupas around the Kingdom. From what I am told, in Zhabdrung’s time, they used to collect in kind (butter, cheese, rice), around 4-5 times a year, which would be sent to the respective custodian monastery.
Around 3rd King’s time, when barter trade was converted to currency, it was valued at Nu.500. Currently in 2011, most reliquaries collect Nu.2000-3000 per year from ngendhar(donations) and the rest can be kept by the custodian carrying it, for food and other necessities.
Around 3rd King’s time, when barter trade was converted to currency, it was valued at Nu.500. Currently in 2011, most reliquaries collect Nu.2000-3000 per year from ngendhar(donations) and the rest can be kept by the custodian carrying it, for food and other necessities.
Sadly, many of these Tashi Gomas, have been sold at cheap prices to foreigners who are aware of the value of these portable houses of worship, and today, with modernism, roads and rural-urban migration; we only see a few of these custodians, now old men, still struggling to carry these ancient tradition on their backs, while negotiating traffic, rising food prices and general lack of interest shown by the public.
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I hope, in the future, though it is impossible to hope for their revival, that atleast a book can be published to create awareness, of this one piece of unique heritage that is special to the Kingdom of Bhutan.
