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The Tara Temple is the physical heart of Tara Mandala's retreat center in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. It is a three-story, 12,000-square-foot mandala-shaped structure completed in 2009 by traditional Bhutanese wood carvers and Tibetan artists. The Temple Fund sustains its preservation, restoration, and ongoing maintenance so it remains available to practitioners for generations.
The Tara Temple's architecture follows the geometric logic of a Vajrayana mandala. Its three stories and sacred imagery correspond to specific doctrinal principles within the lineage, not aesthetic preference. Tibetan artist Lama Gyurme Rabgye painted the entire structure, interior and exterior, in close collaboration with Lama Tsultrim Allione and David Petit. Each of the four entrance facades carries unique imagery. That combination of traditional craft, doctrinal specificity, and named artistic authorship cannot be reconstructed if it is allowed to deteriorate.
The temple is more than fifteen years old and operating in the demanding climate of the San Juan Mountains, with heavy snowfall, high elevation, and severe seasonal temperature swings. Drainage and snow melt systems require remediation to prevent water infiltration that will damage the interior artwork. The exterior paintings face irreversible UV and freeze-thaw degradation. Water damage and ultraviolet exposure are the two most common causes of permanent loss in painted Buddhist temples, and both are far more cost-effective to address early than after structural failure.
The fund addresses six specific areas: drainage and snow melt remediation; water damage repair and interior repainting; exterior artwork restoration; new meditation cushions and furnishings for the Main Shrine Room; AV, film, and live-streaming equipment upgrades; and a permanent maintenance endowment for the temple, gardens, and irrigation system. The endowment shifts the care model from reactive fundraising to continuous, budgeted stewardship.
Tara Mandala is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 84-1270902). All Temple Fund contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Join us! Your gift, in whatever amount feels right for you, will ensure our Temple will be preserved and maintained for generations to come.
Suggested giving levels:
$50, $75, $100, $150, $250, $500
$750, $1,000, $1,500
$2,500, $5,000, $10,000
*If you are considering donating $5,000 or more, and would like additional information about our Temple Fund projects, please email our Donor Support Liaison, Angela Pabich.
