Initiative: Hundreds of devotees attending the Rinchen Terdzo Wang Lung at Takila, Lhuentse received free hot baths on April 13 and 14.

Led by Tshering Gyeltshen, 40, farmers from Radhi, Trashigang took the initiative to provide hot water and bathe the devotees who currently live in temporary shelters.

Tshering Gyeltshen, who funded the initiative, said devotees have been living in temporary shelters for more than two months. They remain busy receiving empowerment and teachings during the day, and evenings are windy and cold.

“Hence, people hardly took bath. Many hadn’t taken bath for the last two months,” he said. “I learned about it when my father became seriously sick during the Terdzo Wang and had to be admitted in a hospital.”

After consulting about the situation at Takila, he decided to contribute towards improving the hygiene of the devotees. He formed a group from Radhi, hired eight Boleros and headed back carrying 12 huge pots.

He paid Nu 4,000 for hiring one Bolero and Nu 500 each to the 40 men. He also purchased two truckloads of firewood from Lhuentse. In Takila, a fire brigade aided in transporting about 22,000 litres of water in two days.

“We designated separate areas for men and women. We literarily bathed the older lot and provided our service to whoever required it,” Tshering Gyeltshen said. “We would have stayed for a few more days but it was too windy out there.”

With the Terdzo Wang continuing for two more months, he said it would immensely benefit the devotees if someone could take up a similar initiative in the coming days.

Tshering Wangdi | Trashigang

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