Chimi Dema | Dagana 

Thuji Om, 62, from Peling in Tseza, Dagana, was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia, a condition that causes irregular heartbeat two years ago.

So it was with Thuji Om for a very long time until she decided to take a dip in menchu (medicinal water).  Her cardiac arrhythmia just disappeared.

Peling menchu in Dagana is famous for curing diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, joint pain, tuberculosis and piles, among others.

“Benefits of this menchu can be felt within 30 minutes of soaking in it,” a resident said.

Many do not know about the menchu because of its remoteness.

Gyatshay, 69, remembers visiting the menchu once about a decade ago. “There wasn’t a road. It was a long and difficult journey to the menchu. We’d have to collect firewood from far away.”

Except for a wooden bathtub, which is also partly broken, there is nothing at the menchu site even today.  But there is now a guesthouse under construction for visitors.  Other amenities are being planned.

The project worth Nu 2 million will construct new bathtubs, toilets and a canal.

The construction of a 1.6km farm road to connect Peling village to the menchu was completed last month.

Tseza Gup Phurba said that the project was one of the gewog’s priority activities in the current plan.

“Once the site development is completed, we hope that more visitors will come,” he said.

Besides residents, the gup said, commuters are also expected to come once the Dagana-Wangdue bypass, which will connect through Laptsakarchu village of Tseza and Wogayna village in Wangdue, is through.

Peling menchu is about 19km away from the gewog centre.

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