Artifacts recovered from Thongpong stupa wreckage
Some 13 Buddha statues and other religious artifact have been recovered from the wreckage of a collapsed sacred stupa at Thongpong village temple in Sikhottabong district, Vientiane.
Thongpong village United Front member Mr Bounthai Vongsengdeuane yesterday said that on June 7, two days after the collapse, village authorities in charge of the wreckage dug into the foundations and retrieved several Buddha statues and artifacts which are now in storage.
According to Mr Bounthai, the discoveries include a figure made of red crystal, which has been broken in half.
However, amateur excavations have been halted by village authorities while an expert commission is set up to preserve as much of the stupa and its contents as possible.
Mr Bounthai, who has lived in Thongpong village since its founding, believes 84,000 other small statues and valuable crystals were buried underneath the stupa, in line with Buddhist principles, at the time it was built.
“According to Buddhist principles, large stupas should contain a total of 84,000 religious artifacts placed in the four corners of the foundations during construction, and the stupa here is no exception,” he said.
Mr Bounthai also talked of the miracles that occurred at the temple soon after it was built, including a monk's dream that turned into reality after the Buddha statue he envisioned was located within the temple grounds.
Thongpong village temple, also known as Vat Phonesavanh, is located on the border of ancient Souvannaphoum city, which covered an area stretching from the Mekong River at Kaoliew to Thongpong.
The 37-metre high by 8-metre wide stupa named Prabhouthabath Phrathat Phonesavanh was built only in the 1960s but collapsed on Monday morning after a sustained period of heavy rainfall.
Locals are already flocking to see the wreckage and make donations for its restoration.
Mr Bounthai said donations made during the first three days reached 50 million kip, but he estimates that over 100 million kip will be needed for complete restoration.
According to the Vientiane Information and Culture Department, a meeting yesterday between Vientiane authorities and the Ministry of Information and Culture set up a committee to supervise the removal of the contents of the stupa. Work is expected to begin on Friday.
By Somxay Sengdara
(Latest Update June 10 , 2011)
