I recently took a visit to Langtang in the Nepalese Himalayas, having heard through the charity Community Action Nepal that the Buddhist monastery there was at serious risk of collapse. They were right. The threat is imminent, not only to the centuries old monastery, but to a series of original Thanka murals which cover the interior. Their value of these treasures is incalculable to the history of the region and the tradition of Buddhism, but more importantly, to the everyday lives of the people of Langtang. The culture of Tibetan Buddhism has witnessed terrible destruction in the last few decades, and without the support of investment it could be on the road to insidious decline in these mountain areas. Despite having so little, the local communities have gathered together around a third of the cost of repair. Such is their desperation to save their monastery, that those without money are donating their strength to carry stones and wood from the nearby forests and mountains, for the construction process. But, they can't do it alone. The survival of this beautiful monastery, beautiful culture, and beautiful way of life needs our help.

Langtang Gompa was founded by the Tibetan lama Mingur Dorje, a highly respected and renowned Gelung-pa master, and reincarnation. The monastery was sited overlooking and honouring Langtang Lirung mountain (7234m), a local god in pre-Buddhist Tamang culture. Extensive Thanka murals cover the interior, concentrated on the eastern second storey and dating from the original construction phase. Following six hundred years of dedicated use, the Langtang gompa has reached a state of dangerous disrepair. A five degree westerly lean, and 8cm bowing from the midline of the wall due to compression from the roof, is prising the Thanka murals from the masonry. Additionally, an estimated three hundred Tibetan manuscripts must be housed in the compromised structure, at great risk.

In a bid to restore the gompa, the Shree Samling Monastery Restoration Group (SSMRG), with the help of the charity Community Action Nepal (CAN) and the Himalayan Exploration and Archaeological Research Team (HEART) project, will work with local artisans in the reconstruction of the gompa, the preservation of interior paintings, and skills training for 18-25 year olds who are increasingly being forced to seek employment in Kathmandu. Twenty people will be involved in the construction effort, but the whole 600 inhabitants of the Langtang Valley will contribute to sourcing materials, including a rare white clay that can only be acquired from 5000m up in the Himalayas from a source known only to a few. Responsibility for stone-by-stone recording is held by Dawa Sonam, a local master architect, who oversees construction of local houses and other religious monuments. Dawa is a wood carving specialist, and will ensure traditional techniques for the roof timbers are employed.

Myself and Suzi Richer (also a member of the HEART team) are busy fundraising for the initial £16,000 towards critical repair work. Your money will go into emergency renovation materials, and will cover the cost of local artisans, ensuring the structural stability of the gompa before the summer monsoons. Grant aid applications will cover later phases of renovation to recover the Thanka murals, continue non-emergency construction, and create a small local museum to promote Tamang heritage.

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