Completing the Guru Padmasambhava Statue at Garphu
Last year we were very happy to share the news that the nine metre statue of Guru Padmasambhava at Garphu, in Upper Mustang, Nepal, had finally been completed. The statue was dedicated to the memory of our beloved Master, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu.
The whole project was only possible thanks to the generosity of many people. Friends and practitioners from all over the world contributed, and a number of artists and friends very generously donated works of art which were sold to help fund the construction. We are enormously grateful to everyone who helped us.
I recently had the opportunity to travel through Upper Mustang and visit Garphu to see the statue now that it is finished. The main artist responsible for the statue and the lama of the village came to meet us and very kindly spent time showing us around the site, explaining how the work had been carried out and also what still remains to be done.
It was quite moving to finally see it there.
Mustang is really an extraordinary place. The immense landscape, the colours of the mountains, the old villages and monasteries are incredibly beautiful. And the art is quite exceptional. Some of the temples preserve extraordinary paintings and sculptures, and travelling through the region you are constantly reminded that this is not simply an artistic heritage from the past. Buddhist practice is still very much alive and part of people’s everyday lives.
Lama Lhakpa Gurung welcoming the SOAS University Tibetan Art PhD students to the statue
This is particularly true of the devotion to Guru Padmasambhava, or Guru Rinpoche. Throughout the Himalayan world he is revered as the Second Buddha, and his presence can be felt everywhere, in monasteries, caves, paintings, prayers and stories that have been passed down for generations.
For this reason, it was especially nice to see that the statue at Garphu is not simply a monument. People from the village are already coming there to circumambulate, pray and recite the Guru Rinpoche mantra. It is gradually becoming a place of practice in its own right.
The statue itself is really impressive. It stands above Garphu looking out across the valley, and when you see it in that immense landscape it is difficult to imagine a more appropriate setting. The craftsmanship is wonderful, and everyone we met seemed very happy and proud of what has been achieved.
You can get a much better idea of the statue and its setting in this short video:
Watch the video of the Guru Padmasambhava statue at Garphu
There are, however, a few things that still need to be finished.
More than half of the slate paving around the statue still needs to be laid. We need to complete the electrical system so that lights can be installed around the perimeter, and we would also very much like to plant trees around the complex and on the surrounding hillside. In a place as remote as Garphu, even relatively straightforward work becomes more complicated and expensive because everything has to be purchased, transported and brought up to the site.
We estimate that around US$10,000 would allow us to finish all of this work.
Since so many people helped us to build the statue in the first place, we thought we would make one last appeal to see whether we can now finish the surroundings as well. It does not need to be a large donation. If many people contribute something, we should be able to reach the amount quite quickly.
It would be wonderful to complete the site properly and leave Garphu with a beautiful and cared for place where people can circumambulate, practise and recite the mantra of Guru Rinpoche, where pilgrims and travellers can stop and sit for a while, and where this extraordinary statue can remain for generations to come.
Most importantly for us, it will continue to be an offering in memory of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, in a part of the Himalayan world whose culture, teachings and traditions he dedicated so much of his life to preserving and making known.
If you would like to help us finish the project, you can make a donation through the Shang Shung Institute UK website. There are also still artworks generously offered by internationally renowned artists which can be purchased to support the project.
Donate or see the artworks offered in support of the statue.
https://buy.stripe.com/dRmaEXeD30qif9uc0Yco000
And finally, thank you again to everybody who has already helped through donations, artworks, practical support and encouragement. Seeing the statue standing there in Garphu made me realise just how much has been achieved through the generosity of so many people. We are almost there, and hopefully with one last effort we can now finish it completely.
https://www.shangshunguk.org/%20completing-the-guru-rinpoche-statue-at-garphu/
