Today the 24th of june 2012 is a very sad evening in Bhutan’s history.
Fire which started at about 4pm in the evening has completely razed the Wangduephodrang Dzong to ashes.
This Dzong was the 3rd Dzong built in Bhutan after the simtokha and Punakha Dzongs.
The latest news is that our beloved king of Bhutan and the Bhutan ministers are already in Wangduephodrang and helping in bringing down the fire.
25th June 2012: Today has been declared as a National Holiday because of the loss of our Bhutan’s National Treasure “The Wangduephodrang Dzong”. The armed forces and the locals along with volunteers and the Government officials under the leadership of the Kings of Bhutan(Fifth and Fourth Kings of Bhutan),are still at the Fire site and trying their best to salvage what ever can be recovered from the Dzong Site.
The Minister representing the Prime Minister of Bhutan,Lyonpo Yeshay Zimba, has spoken on Nation TV the BBS and has promised to built a new Dzong at the same site along the architecture plans as per the previous Dzong. It has also been known that there have been no human casualties and that all sacred relics from the 17th century times that were in the Dzong have been safely recovered.
The cause of the fire is still unknown but its suspected that maybe a electric short circuit caused the fire.
Its sad that many tourists and travelers to Bhutan have visited this Dzong and now since last night,its said that the Dzong does not exist anymore. Its been felt by the people of Bhutan that “Either the Dzong has been swallowed by the Earth or has flown away.”
People in Bhutan are in shock cause the builder of the Dzongs in Bhutan is Shabdrung Namgyel, the 17th Century leader who unified Bhutan as one country.
Dzongs were built at strategic points usually overlooking the lands and roads below so that better vigilance is reached.
Wangduephodrang Dzong was built in 1638 and was till date was housing the Monk Body and the Administrative Offices of the Government of Bhutan.
It is truly a very sad day in the History of Bhutan.
