The devastating earthquakes of April and May severely affected Shechen Monastery in Nepal: the main temple and some of the buildings in the complex were very badly damaged, and  need either major repairs or to be entirely rebuilt.

Five thousand-plus people were attending an empowerment at the monastery on April 25 when the first earthquake struck. Fortunately,no one was hurt and people remained calm. Many stayed on for weeks in the compound seeking shelter and care.

Teams for Relief
Shechen monks had previously been trained in emergency preparedness, and relief aid and they sprang  into action caring for the large crowd camping out on the monastery grounds. Even though their home monastery sustained substantial damage, their main concern was for the people of Nepal.

Our monks began outreach missions  to some of the hardest-hit remote villages, distributing food, tents and building materials, and providing basic medical care They traveled in organized teams that included volunteers, often in dangerous conditions.  Over the next two months they visited eight districts and over 50 villages, and directly helped more than 40,000 people. Shechen has spent over $180,000 on this work.  We are grateful to our local partner, Karuna-Shechen, and the many donors who sent funds to help us accomplish so much.

First Steps
In 1980, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche began building Shechen Tennyi Dargyeling Monastery. For almost ten years, master craftsmen,
stonemasons, sculptors, painters, goldsmiths, and master tailors worked to make the monastery one of the most beautiful examples of Tibetan art. The main building also contains an invaluable resource library of rare Tibetan texts and art. Many great teachers have given empowerments and teachings in our temple and countless prayers and drupchens have been performed under its roof.

In May, emergency repairs needed to be to be done to protect the badly damaged temple’s structure. This included external support of pillars and beams, epoxy work and waterproofing. Work was also started on the areas identified by the engineers as needing immediate attention. The Guru and Tara Temples were damaged and waterproofing and emergency repairs were quickly done.

The Temple’s Future
Initially, we were not sure if the temple building could be saved or if it had to be torn down. It was Rabjam Rinpoche’s wish that we try and save the temple, the home of so many blessings and teachings and the seat of previous Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. The engineers and experts performed extensive tests and did painstaking research over the last two months to find feasible options and solutions to try and save it.

We are relieved that the main temple building will not have to be torn down. Instead, we will restore and rebuild it based on findings of the teams of engineers, experts, and architects.

Rebuilding and Resettling
The foundation of the main temple has to be re-secured and rebuilt. All the columns have to be retrofitted and strengthened and the walls of the ground and first floors need to be rebuilt using lighter materials. This construction will likely take one and a half to two years. The main temple’s precious frescoes, designed and overseen by Khyentse Rinpoche, will be lost, and will have to be completely redone.

Rabjam Rinpoche’s residence and the surrounding walls have to be torn down and rebuilt, as will the Butter Lamp House, the main entrance archway, and the back wall of the children’s compound. Several buildings still need to be checked for severe damages and repaired: the children’s classroom building, their hostel, and the buildings housing the Guru Rinpoche and the Tara Temples.

The home for seniors in Namo Buddha was completely destroyed in the first earthquake and will have to be rebuilt.

Both of our teachers have lost their residences. The pujas have to be conducted outside in the courtyard tent and in the philosophical college, and some bedrooms rooms are still unsafe. As small quakes and tremors continued to shake the area, the engineers suggested waiting before beginning other construction and repairs. But now it is time to begin….

We have a long road of recovery ahead, as do so many in Nepal. It is a heartbreaking situation to see this destruction and devastation that has affected so many lives.

We are still waiting for the first estimate of costs for this extensive work. We hope that you will donate to the rebuilding and
offer your support so that, once again, Shechen can be a center of learning, prayer, healing, and a refuge for the community. You can donate through shechen.org indicating it is for our rebuilding fund:

Please mark your donations REBUILD AND RESTORE SHECHEN!

Thank you for your continued support.