In the hope of getting their sacred nangtens (relics), Pema Om, had been praying and conducting rituals at Lhading Goenpa and beyond since August 5 when the 13th century lhakhang was robbed of its sacred relics.  Yesterday, a three-day ritual appeasing the protective deity of Bhutan, Mahakala, concluded at the goenpa.

Pema is confident. She trust in the divine powers. Having heard that the relics are in Nepal for sale, she is assured that authorities will sweep in and ensure that it does not cross the mighty Himalayas, beyond her and Lhading Goenpa’s reach.

The sacred relics, a treasure of the Kingdom of Bhutan must return to where it belongs. For those negotiating the price of the sacred relics, it is about money. The conversation in the black market in Nepal is about millions of dollars. For us and Pema,  it is about a priceless heritage.

Lhading goenpa is a private lhakhang. In the current case, it is not about the ownership. It is about national treasures. Bhutan’s authorities must help Lhading Goenpa get its relics back.  It has been more than a month since the lhakhang was robbed. Many of us are clueless. Something must be done and done immediately.

The national loss, meanwhile, can be a lesson for Bhutan. Trade in antiques globally is a million-dollar business. This is evident from the countless cases of choeten vandalism and robbery of relics from sacred monuments. There is money in the illegal antics business and it  encourages those in the business of making quick money to desecrate  sacred religious monuments,  if not robbing the country of its heritage.

When it comes to sacred relics, we should not differentiate whether it belongs to private individuals, communities or a dzongkhag. Every sacred and rare relic, whether registered with the government or not, is a treasure, most of it are priceless considering how our parents and grandparents preserved it even at the cost of their lives.

While we pray for the Dorje Namjon and Dorji Chang statues to return to where they belong, it is a lesson of how we lack in safeguarding our heritage. Owners of private lhakhangs or precious relics should not feel that the  government or authorities are after their property. In most cases, the relics are revered or become priceless when the public believes in its sacredness.  In other words, it is safer as a national heritage.

From the Lhading Goenpa case, we can conclude that there are complications when private property even if with national importance are embroiled in problems. We believe in the sacredness and not the price it would fetch in the illegal artifact trade. The best way to secure our heritage is to safeguard them. Once out of the country, it is valued by the price and not the sacredness.

For Bhutan and Bhutanese, there is no price tag on our relics. They are priceless!