Wangdue Phodrang Dzong On Fire

About three hours ago or 5.30PM BST, I heard that the 374 years old Wangduephodrang Dzong was on fire. Even as I write this, I am told that the fire is blazing and sections of the Dzong’s structure are crumbling to dust every passing minute. It appears that it will be totally razed to the grounds. It is a depressing thought but I suspect that by tomorrow morning, there may be nothing left of the Dzong, except charred woodwork and the soot-covered partial remains of the Dzong’s stone walls.

It is an irreplaceable loss. Bhutan has lost one of its most iconic tangible heritage sites. My only hope is that the people had enough time to save some of the ancient Buddhist texts and priceless religious objects that were housed in the Dzong.

The Dzong was under renovation. I am told that the fire started around 4PM from the temporary sawmill installed for processing timber for the Dzong’s renovation.

I photographed the historic Dzong about seven months back

There cannot be more calamitous news than the news that the Dzong has been wiped out without a trace. With the Dzong was entwined nearly four hundred years of Bhutanese history; her trails and tribulations. It had borne witness to Bhutan’s painful march from a primitive feudal state to a peaceful and progressive Kingdom under a stable monarchy. For the country, the loss represents a colossal decline in our cultural wealth. Wangduephodrang’s landscape will never be the same again.

I am going to feel terribly sad when I next pass the Wangdue bridge because that hillock on top of which the Dzong stood is going to look so terribly empty.

I will miss the Dzong. 

UPDATE:
There is encouraging news. The priceless artifacts have been not been lost because they were relocated and stored elsewhere since the Dzong was under renovation.

As of now, no loss of life has been reported.

Without the Dzong, Wangdue Phodrang will never look the same ever again. As my contribution to posterity, I herewith allow everyone of my readers who visit my blog to FREELY download the above image. You may never get an image of Wangdue Phodrang looking like this ever again. The landscape of Wangdue remains altered for eternity! 

It seems like the news has spread around the world. As of now, my blog is being read  by readers from following countries:

Countreis     10PM Sun    5.50AM Mon

Bhutan                   31                         121

United States       28                      1,352

UK                          13                         214

India                        8                           22

Singapore                6                            6

Australia                 6                           37

Nepal                       4                             4

Canada                    2                         315

Thailand                 2                             2

Afghanistan           1                              1

Germany              66                           69

Netherlands         42                          42

Sweden                 23                           23

Denmark              19                            21
Japan                      0                              9
New Zealand         0                              7 
Spain                      0                              5

Bhutan declares 25.06.2012 as a day of mourning. Offices will remain closed.