Chungthang’s Sacred Paddy Field Deserves Cleaner Environs

Hemmed in by constructions, the sacred paddy field at Chungthang, believed to have been blessed by Guru Padmasambhava, is a cramped space. Unfortunately, it is also surrounded by general apathy and disturbing disrespect, complains TSETEN LEPCHA, in his letter to the Chief Secretary [reproduced below] seeking immediate action to protect the sacred field….

To,
The Chief Secretary
Government of Sikkim
Gangtok,Sikkim                                                                                                       Dated :30/04/2011
SUB: REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PROTECT SACRED PADDY FIELD AT CHUNGTHANG FROM FURTHER DEFILEMENT
Sir,
With due respect I, the undersigned, a resident of Chungthang, would like to state these few lines for your kind information and immediate consideration.
That, While the State Government and the Ecclesiastical Department are busy building new places of worship and the secretive underground monastery at Chungthang being the most ambitious, it is unfortunate that the most sacred paddy field near the world famous “Leydo” is completely ruined.

It is a common Knowledge that, this paddy field is considered sacred as it is believed that the paddy started growing here after the left over rice that Guru Padmasambava had bought along with him on his visit to Tibet in the 8th Century was thrown in this particular spot next to the holy stone Leydo/Neydo” with perennial source of holy water and the footprint of Guru Padmasambava.
The Field is under the Chungthang Monastery and earlier on it was maintained by community service to plant paddy every year. The yield used to be distributed to the member of the public and rest by the monastery.
The Decline in the field started due to what one would call the economic development of the people due to which numerous houses got constructed adjacent to the field and since small town do not qualify to get sewerage treatment, some amount of sewerage and other impurities started flowing in the field. The huge girls’ hostel and the construction work of the RDD complex and Gurudawara largely contributed garbage in the field. In fact the field is also garbage dumping ground for people living around the vicinity.
As a preventive measure, drainage was constructed by the Irrigation & flood control Department under the Border Area Development Programme to channelize the water and the local people were made to construct proper septic tanks to prevent defilement of field. Due to above two measures the flow of drain water and sewerage was contained to large extend but damage caused by the pollutant and continuous dumping of garbage has more or less made the field unsuitable for paddy cultivation.
The most serious cause of concern is the utter lack of effort from the Monastery and other authorities to do anything to preserve the most holy and sacred paddy field. No official of the ecclesiastical department has ever visited this place for many years and so no action what so ever has been taken.
The daily sight of the neglect and loss of religious heritage of such importance is big blow to the religious sentiment of the people. The Local public and civil society are more than willing to participate in any effort to revive and preserve the site, but in Sikkim everything needs official approval and so until and unless the concerned authorities permit and take necessary steps at the earliest, no initiative can be launched.
If the neglect is continued by blame game and other unnecessary impediments the world will lose one of the most scared and revered Buddhist site and the Govt. and the People of the Buddhist state of Sikkim would be only to blame.
Therefore, your kind intervention is requested to take necessary steps to protect and preserve the sacred paddy field at Chungthang, North Sikkim. Recent Photographs are attached for your kind reference.
Tseten Lepcha
Chungthang,North Sikkim