Completion of the Monastery reconstruction

The main building and prayer hall in Tengboche has been rebuilt with help from The Himalayan Trust a but some parts of the monastery remain unfinished. The Tengboche Master Plan has made recommendations on how to finalize the work, but unfortunately there has not been the means to complete all of it. Following is a list of work still to be completed in the monastery:

* A staircase into the upper shrine room.
* A room, kitchen and toilet for the caretaker [pujari]. 
* Bathroom and kitchen facilities for the upper guest rooms.
* Monastery sanitation facilities: wash rooms and toilets.
* Complete the classrooms and provide teachers' accommodation.

Monks' Accommodation

Previously monks would be supported by their families and would build their own hut in Tengboche. As social structures are changing these days some poorer monks are entering the monastery. They can not afford to build their own huts and there is a shortage of accommodation. When there is no other accommodation available the younger monks sleep on the floor in the classrooms. This is not appropriate for the older students who need some privacy for their studies.

Thus the Tengboche Master plan envisaged a wall in front of the Monastery incorporating more monks' accommodation. Since building material is scarce and labour expensive, this is a very expensive project to undertake. There have been some donations made for the project and eight new monks' huts have been built. It is planned that further twelve more will be constructed as soon as funds are available.

Library and Cultural Center

Himalayan culture is inseparably linked to the practice of Buddhism. Tengboche, as one of the few active monasteries left in Khumbu is an important center for education and culture. In order preserve and strengthen this a Sherpa Culture Center was developed in Tengboche in 1988 with the help of the American Himalayan Foundation and Ms. Frances Klatzel. Unfortunately, the building became unsafe and the back wall, which had been damaged by earthquakes and damp, began to collapse and the exhibits had to be placed in storage.

With the help of the Dutch organization SNV, Tengboche Development Project was able to rebuild the back wall. As the rooms are restored, the exhibits can be reinstalled. It would be good if the center could be refurbished and expanded.

On top of the Cultural Center a library has been established. More then 500 Tibetan Buddhist books have been bought to replace the ones destroyed by the fire in 1989. There is new shelving in the library but tables and chairs are still required.