President of Central Tibetan Administration, Lobsang Sangay (right) and Minister for Home, Sonam Topgyal, throwing rice in the air for good luck during the foundation-laying ceremony for a new hall in McLeod Ganj, India, on 5 February 2021. Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal
By Lobsang Wangyal
McLEOD GANJ, India, 5 February 2021
President of the Central Tibetan Administration, Lobsang Sangay, laid the foundation stone of a new hall for Tibetans in McLeod Ganj.
“A hall has been a wish of the people of McLeod Ganj for a long time. The new hall is being built with the funding assistance of the Cabinet, which has granted 85% of the cost,” said Tibetan Settlement Officer Kunga Tsering.
The new hall, named Phuntsok Khangsar, will be built at the cost of INR2.8 crore (US$384,000), and is expected to be ready in nine months. “We may inaugurate the new hall in October. It will have capacity for 150 people,” Tsering says.
Sangay said he suggested to have the new building in Tibetan style architecture, as McLeod Ganj is known for being the capital of the Tibetan Diaspora. The building will have office spaces and shops apart from the hall.
An old structure right beside the Tibetan Settlement Office on Bhagsu Road, which used to be called the Environment Hall, has been dismantled to build the new hall.
The structure was once the branch Mentseekhang (Tibetan Medical Centre) in McLeod Ganj. Since Mentseekhang’s moving to a new facility, the old building was given to the Tibetan Settlement Office, which was called the Tibetan Welfare Office until a few years ago.
The dilapidated structure had a hall, an environment office, a gym, recycled paper factory, a few smaller offices, and a kitchen.
Along with Sangay, Minister for Home of CTA Sonam Topgyal, the Home Secretary, and Nechung Kuten were among the guests during the event.
Nechung Kuten and three monks from Nechung offered the prayers of blessing for the site.
one suggestion: The hall should have a roof with rain shade. This could be a bar/caffee for visitors. Dharamshala has a lots of artists, film-makers, and young people bustling with ideas and energy. This hall will be a nice meeting place for various societies, clubs, and events.
One may not have the planning permission. So you wait till inspectors come, and then queitly build the rooftop area.
A hall has been long overdue in McLeod Ganj. It’s so great that it is finally happening. My concern is about the shape and the hall itself.
From what this report says, the structure will be Tibetan style, which I interpret as gompa style. If that’s the case, it will not fit in the area. Authorities should reconsider the style. Since the structure is not for gompa but some other purpose, it shouldn’t be a gompa style. In any case, all Tibetan architecture are not the typical gompa style. Look at Potala, you will understand what I mean.
My bigger concern is the hall itself considering how the TIPA hall is built. The audience after few rows can’t see the stage. Similarly for those sitting in the balcony. They can’t see the stage. Sittings are also terrible. Seven crore rupees phus.. went down the drain. Sikyong should own up for these terrible mistakes, as it was his decision that resulted in what it was. He didn’t heed to the suggestions of the TIPA staff to make it amphitheatre style. LS isn’t architect, and has no idea about halls, but imposed his ideas to end in that terrible blunder.
Hope the Welfare Officer Kunga la read this and consider making the right decisions so that it doesn’t become another blunder story.
It is commendable to come up with the long overdue hall in McLeod, we should also keep in mind how the materials are transported to the construction site in Dharamshala. While we pride in calling ourselves Buddhist and followers of The Dalai Lama, we don’t care about those poor donkeys who had to undergo a harsh time. Please don’t torture these poor animals.
Am tempted to say, “About time!” Plenty of large expensive government buildings going up at Gangkyi. Good to have something for the people to use.