PHOTO DOCUMENTATION OF THE RESTORATION
A selection of photographs documenting the restoration. At the top is a set of before and after images. Beneath that first gallery, the works are documented month by month with the most recent changes in the top galleries. At the very bottom is a gallery documenting the condition of the monument before the restoration. Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide captions for each image.
Before and After
Images showing the condition of the monument before and after the restoration. First, the temple from the outside, then the Entry Hall, the Assembly Hall, and the upper floor. Note that in-between, the entire wooden structure of the monument was dismantled and rebuilt on more solid foundations and with connections between all its members in place.
Year 3: 2025
Spring and Summer 2025: This gallery documents some of the follow-up works undertaken in 2025 with funds and the support of the Chuksang community. These include the completion of the clay layer on the roof, the building of furniture, the rebuilding of the mani wall that had to be taken down, the replacement of the remaining mani wall built in concrete and too close to the building’s side, the pavement in front of the temple, and other exterior works.
Year 2
October to December 2024: Images of finishing works across the site before the winter break. These include lighting, plastering the walls, topping the roof with clay and wooden flooring to the interior.
September 2024: Focusing on the works around the main image of Buddha Maitreya.
August 2024: Focusing on the area in front of the main image, the renovation of the last rows of pillars.
July 2024: Focusing on the renovation underneath and in front of the painted wall, one of the most complex works during the restoration.
June 2024: Focusing on the roof construction, with a plywood layer laid at an angle, topped by a bitumen sheet and large water spouts.
May 2024: Focusing on the dismantling and rebuilding of the third bay, including the sides of the painted top-floor walls. To level the building, these walls were shortened at the bottom, where they were not painted.
April 2024: Documentation focusing on the dismantling and rebuilding of the first two bays from the entry side in the Assembly Hall.
March 2024: Preparation of material; removing temporary roof; constructing roof above painted room in south wing; tying northeastern corner of Entry Hall on upper level across the corner; dismantling the entry side of the Assembly Hall on both levels.
Year 1
October 2023: Adding balcony above porch; adding floor on upper level of Entry Hall; finishing reconstruction of the wall in the northwest corner of the Assembly Hall; finishing wooden structure of painted room; installing temporary roofs everywhere.
September 2023: Introducing new support under painted wall; dismantling remaining structure of painted room and rebuilding it; dismantling upper level of bulging wall in northwest corner of Assembly Hall and rebuilding it.
August 2023: Stone floor in Entry Hall; continue reconstruction of top level; continue reconstruction of southeast corner of south wing; removing rotten support underneath the wall of the painted room; minor water damage due to heavy rain.
July 2023: Reconstructing porch and top level of Entry Hall; supporting painted room structure in the south wing to enable the exchange of rotten wooden members; continuing work on southwest corner and foundation; creating circumambulation path.
June 2023: Continuing reconstruction of Entry Hall; stairs in front of it; second floor of the western room in the south wing; rebuilding southeastern corner of the south wing; foundation work.
May 2023: Work on foundation; rebuilding lower floor of the western room of the south wing; starting the reconstruction of the wooden structure of the Entry Hall; removing the concrete mani wall north of the temple to enable proper drainage.
Main wall of the apse on the first floor behind the main image; by Sreekumar Menon.
April 2023: work on foundation; dismantling of the southwest corner structure, a poorly constructed later addition; dismantling of the two levels of the Entry Hall and its balcony; dismantling of the western room of the south wing to rebuild it.
March 2023: Blessing; work at the entry area, to the right side of the entry hall, along the circumambulation path and inside the temple; exploring the foundation of the walls and condition of the wooden supports.
Before
Gönpa Gang Prior to Restoration
