Singaporean Sets Up Social Enterprise Cafe In Bhutan To Give Back To Monastery
Neyphug Heritage’s Your Cafe in Paro offers a farm-to-table food concept.
Night view of the Neyphug Heritage complex
(Source: Daily Bhutan)
Located just below the road on the way to Paro from Thimphu, and a five-minute drive away from Paro International Airport, is a cafe establishment that is housed in a previously abandoned ruins. After restoration, the traditional Bhutanese mud-rammed building is now a landmark that can be seen from afar and its unpainted facade exudes a rustic character to the entire place.
Neyphug Heritage's Your Cafe just below the road on the way to Paro (Source: Daily Bhutan)
The establishment – a house built in the 17th century and was the former residence of the Neyphug Trulku and is part of Neyphug Monastery – is now known as Neyphug Heritage. Making up a large part of the refurbished building is a cafe called Your Cafe. Serving fresh vegetables and fruits from the farmer’s market nearby, Your Cafe – the only eatery in Paro that is fully vegetarian – has adopted a farm-to-table concept that dishes out fresh seasonable produce.
All proceeds from this cafe goes to the sustainability and funding of Neyphug Monastery, its sangha and other employees. The monastery currently has 71 monks and relies on private funds solely from Rinpoche (Ngawang Shedrup Choki Nima) students overseas. Expenses for food, utilities and education comes to 1.2 million Ngultrum annually. Being a privately owned monastery, they do not receive subsidies from the government or any other entities.
9th Neyphug Trulku Ngawang Shedrup Choki Nima (Source: Neyphug Foundation Facebook page)
Concept came from a Singaporean dharma student
The brainchild of the social enterprise cafe originated from a Singaporean student of Rinpoche, who has been studying dharma with him for the past 15 years.
Madam Suparmi Sakri told Daily Bhutan: “In the past years, I have noticed how Rinpoche has to upkeep Neyphug Monastery singlehandedly, looking after the welfare and education of 70 monks. Neyphug Heritage was created for the self-sustainability of the monastery.”
70 monks in Heypu Gonpa under 9th Neyphug Trulku (Source: Neyphug Heritage Facebook page)
She added that it was a great privilege to work on the Neyphug Heritage project with Rinpoche and all the Bhutanese talents.
"Our vision is to create a community built upon positive karma and our mission is to inculcate the principles of self-sustainability through education and opportunities for advancement. It (Neyphug Heritage) is a commercially viable platform that has been created for the purpose of education and skill training. Through this platform, we enhance lives by giving them a purpose, relevant skills for a brighter future and a positive outlook.
“All the proceeds from Your Cafe and the services provided at Neyphug Heritage go to support Neyphug Monastery. By having meals and shopping here will also make you a patron of the monastery" said Madam Sakri, who is also the CEO of Neyphug Heritage.
Neyphug Heritage’s historical past
The restored ruins house the Neyphug Heritage centre today, but in the past the heritage farm house used to belong to Zhabdrung Rinpoche. During the reign of 10th Desi (political leader), Mipham Wangpo Bhutan confronted a tough rebellion by the Tibetans in the years of Bird. Dog and between Pig and Mouse. The 10th Desi Mipham Wangpo was born in 1709 A.D and was recognized as the reincarnation of Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye.
The 4th Neyphug Trulku Sangdag Nueden Dorji managed to clear the conflict caused by Tibetans by performing the wrathful ritual of Rahula that displayed terrifying spells of power and repelled all Tibetan attacks from its origin.
Thereafter, Bhutan never saw any threats from the hands of Tibetans and 4th Neyphug Trulku won much respect from the governor (Zhabdrung Choglay Namgyal and the second reincarnation of Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye, Jigme Norbu and 10th Desi Mipham Wangpo. In recognition of 4th Neyphug Trulku's services, the government offered him Zhelgno Zhhichim (a farm house) and seven archers of the land, which is now registered as the property of Neyphug Monastery.
Since 2005, the 9th Neyphug Trulku Rinpoche has offered all the rice from his land to the Dratshang (monastic body) for monks for their breakfast. Over time, the farm house became ruined that Rinpoche was not able to live in it.
Old Timber from Neyphug and old wall of Shaba, two ruins into 3-story heritage complex
In 2011, the main temple of the Rinpoche at Neyphug Goenpa was destroyed by an earthquake. He decided to bring down all the timbers , doors, windows, floor and pillars to restore the farm house.
"We used the old timber from Neyphug and the old wall of Shaba together. These two big ruins became a 3-storey heritage complex”, said Neytrul Ngawang, the current (9th)Neyphug Trulku.
(Source: Neyphug Foundation Facebook page)
The restoration program of the farm house educated and inspired the next generation of young engineers and architects. At the same time, it helped preserve the traditional Bhutanese architectural engineering knowledge, skills and rich cultural heritage. The construction started in 2016 and completed in October 2018. The cafe was also opened in October 2018 as part of Neyphug Heritage.
His Majesty’s advice
In 2008 when Rinpoche was granted an audience with His Majesty the Fifth King of Bhutan for the monastery restoration project, His Majesty said that "it will be important for you to make this temple self-sustainable rather than building a grand temple. In our country, many great masters built great temples but when the master dies, the temple dies too."
Rinpoche said he had no idea how to make it self-sustainable and somehow saw it was blessing that he still had an old farm house. He claimed that it is his service to the country and to the King, and so while keeping the words of His Majesty on his mind, he decided to turn the farm house into a commercial enterprise.
Beautiful view of the paddy field from Your Cafe (Source: Neyphug Heritage Facebook page)
Rinpoche said he decided not to tear the farm house down out of respect to all the successful Trulkus (4th to 9th) before him, the historical importance of it and also His Majesty’s command.
One of Rinpoche's students had offered about $100,000 Singapore dollars to build a temple but he requested her to divert the fund to restore the farm house instead.
Things to do at Neyphug Heritage (Source: Neyphug Heritage Facebook page)
Things to do at Neyphug Heritage
- Your Cafe
Your Cafe is mainly a farm-to-table concept restaurant that serves fresh and organic food. They grow their own vegetables as well. Your Cafe is just below the road along the way to Paro from Thimphu and is just below the Neyphug Heritage's three-storey building.
Night view of Your Cafe (Source: Daily Bhutan)
The cafe is vast in size, with outdoor and indoor seating areas with beautiful wooden furniture. Their huge menu boards just by the entrance offers a plethora of healthy meal sets, and freshly baked goodies like pastries and bread. They serve a large variety of coffees like lattes, Americano, cappuccinos, and so on, all freshly brewed. The free and uninterrupted Wi-Fi makes the place even more enticing for people who want to hang around a bit longer. With quick and warm services, this café is one of the most beautiful cafes in Paro valley.
Indoor setting of the cafe (Source: Daily Bhutan)
Enjoy the beautiful view of the wide Paro valley and rice terraces, while having meals in Your Cafe. It also serves various cuisines ranging from Bhutanese ema datsi (chilli cheese), Indian Thali, and so on.
Yummy Sandwiches (Source: Daily Bhutan)
2. Your Shop
Your Life style shop is yet to be opened and once the project is complete they will be selling locally made goods and crafts such as Woolen Jackets, Wooden masks, Bags and cane and Bamboo products and many more things.
Locally made products for sale (Source: Daily Bhutan)
- Your Foot Reflexology
Your Foot Reflexology is an area where people can get a massage. After a long day of hiking up to Tiger’s Nest, this is a place where you can get a bit of relaxation time. It is also a good pit stop after a long and tiring flight.
- Your Business Centre
On the first floor of the Neyphug Heritage complex is the Your Business Centre, also called Your Office. It is basically a workspace sharing concept room. For example, if you have a project in Paro for two weeks, you can rent an office or table with them, where you get access to a desk to work, an office assistant from Neyphug Heritage and you can have your conference there at Neyphug Heritage's conference hall.
"Since it’s a new concept in Bhutan, it is a bit difficult to materialise. Hopefully people will appreciate this,” said Ngawang Shedrup Choki Nima, 9th Neyphug Trulku Rinpoche, referring to the Your Business Centre concept. At the same time they have little conference hall, business centre and they call it your office.
- Your Farmers Market
Neyphug Heritage also has a Farmers Market alongside the street. This is where local farmers can bring their homegrown vegetables to sell.
Your farmer's market (Source: Neyphug Heritage Facebook page)
- Retreat Centre
On the second floor is the Your Retreat Centre. There is a small altar where people can come and meditate with their own teacher, and they can also do a conference. The purpose of this retreat centre is for people to do retreats or to rejuvenate, be it through an exercise session, or spiritual or yoga workshops.
Neyphug Trulku with his followers at retreat centre of Neyphug Heritage (Source: Neyphug Heritage Facebook page)
- Nang Gi Aum
There will also soon be a small food stall within Neyphug Heritage called Nang Gi Aum (housewife). Local food such as ema datshi (chilli cheese), ezay (chilli paste), suja (butter tea), and red rice will be sold and people can stop by to enjoy it.
Neyphug Heritage will also have a play room for children on the ground floor, so when parents come here to dine at Your Cafe, they can let their children play there. The attic is kept as a multipurpose room, where small events can be held while overlooking the beautiful view.
What does Rinpoche get as the owner of it?
He get his meals free. Otherwise, he and his family members all have to pay. It was a practice established as the money goes to the monastery and Rinpoche said that nobody has a right to take anything from the Cafe. He also has to pay the guest he is entertaining.
All the revenue and net profit from the entire Neyphug Heritage go to Neyphug Monastery's well-being. The Neyphug Monastery is governed by Neyphug Foundation.
