Questions and Answers about Sponsoring a Deity at Pusarong

Q. What is meant by "conservation"?

A. The process consists of the following:

1. Repair of the temple roof (already under way).
2. Consolidation of the temple's walls - this means injecting a  glue-and-clay mixture into voids that have developed between the clay upon which the images are painted and the underlying stones.  If left alone, these voids will eventually cause the painting to separate from the wall beneath, fall off, and shatter.
3. Plastering of chips, cracks, and other defects in the painting surface, taking care not to cover or harm the images.
4. Cleaning the painting with water and weak solvents.  In Pusarong Temple the deities are marred by soot, clay, paint spatters, grease, and other substances, some of which have not yet been identified.  Cleaning proceeds slowly and carefully, inch by inch, layer by layer, always taking care that the pigments are not being removed along with the dirt.
5. Re-touching.  When it is possible to guess what was there before, missing portions of the images are re-painted.  When it is not possible to reconstruct the missing portions, the gaps will be stabilized and left unfilled.

For more information, see the Wayao project video.

Q. Who will do this work, and when?

A. A team of Italian, Nepali, and Tibetan conservators who have worked together already on another Kham Aid project will clean and protect your chosen deity.

The work will take place during a series of annual campaigns over 3-4 years. Each campaign will last 2-3 months and will involve teams of about fifteen conservators and trainees working at the site.  The process is slow and painstaking.  Typically, it takes four workers two weeks to clean and conserve a single deity.  The work cannot all be done at once because some steps in the process require a waiting period before the next step can begin.

Q. How will my money be used?

A.  The largest cost is wages for the conservators.  In addition to this, your donation also pays for the chemicals and materials used in the process, some of which must be imported from overseas.  Another major cost is transportation to the remote site where Pusarong is located and food and lodging for the team.  Finally, the project requires a great deal of staff time to administer.  All of these costs are included in the sponsorship fee.

Q. What will I get?

A. You will receive updates on the project at least once a year, and a set of before-and-after photographs of your chosen deity when the project is finished.

Q. Where can I get more information about the project?

A. See this press release about the discovery of the site, and a recent progress report on repairs to the temple roof.

Q. Can I visit Pusarong to see the work underway?

A. Yes, you can.  Please contact Pamela Logan for more information.

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