Finally, after over two years in pandemic lockdown, we return to Tamagi to pick up where we left off. Arriving in Tamagi and experiencing the pre-monsoon atmosphere and leeches was invigorating! Thanks to the efforts of our resident custodians and recently recruited staff the buildings and their surroundings were intact but in need of minor maintenance, e.g. replacing prayer flags, cleaning & tidying up, etc. The TMLC team now includes two new members who will be responsible for local management, security, sourcing and coordination of all future construction. Krishna Maya Gurung and Suraj Sunar are both local residents and thus familiar with the resources that will be required to complete construction of the TMLC.
For some time it has been our intention to partner with like-minded academic institutions in Nepal that see the potential in a long range collaborative venture with TMLC. With that goal, three members of the TMLC team (Hem Gurung, Per Helmersen and Dr. Sumitra M. Gurung) journeyed to Lumbini where they received a very warm welcome and engaged in an open dialogue with the VC and several top level academics at Lumbini Buddhist University (LBU). This dialogue will continue in the days to come.
Building foundation work for a two-room administration annex on the TMLC site will start this Summer, scheduled completion by November. A flexible solution will ensure a more efficient working environment for TMLC staff during the initial construction phase of the museum and, after opening, serve as administrative headquarters. Finally, the main access roads leading to Tamagi are continuously being upgraded to accommodate small and large vehicles during the entire year. Locally, two days of intensive landscaping around the TMLC museum building has increased its ’visibility’ and made access by vehicles safer and more convenient.
