According to many local people, the entrance to the temple consists of three main areas: Tram Mountain, Vu Vi – But Mountains and Sen Pond.

The Sen Pond is semicircle where lotus were planted since 1966. In the middle of the pond is an oval ground, where there are two columns with the temple flag. This ground was shaped from the time of the Le-Trinh dynasty of several centuries ago.

According to VietnamNet’s research, on June 1, 2010, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tuan, a local man, re- hired the land area in front of the Tram pagoda until 31/12/2012, from another man who was allowed by the Phung Chau commune government to use this area.

However, since he hired the area, Tuan has filled up the pond to make a surface of 300m2. Tuan’s act has made local residents extremely angry.

The authorities of Chuong My District have concluded that the Phung Chau commune government broke the law when it allowed a local man to use the land area in front of the Tram pagoda. The process of awarding the contract and implementation of the contract of the contractor breached the law but the Phung Chau commune government did not handle it.

Mr. Pham Van Dinh, Vice Chair of Phung Chau commune, admitted to VietnamNet that there are many mistakes in signing and implementing this contract, which has harmed the landscape of Tram Pagoda, a national monument.

According to Dinh, Nguyen Dinh Tuan’s leveling of the Sen Pond came from former Chair of Phung Chau commune, Mr. Nguyen Kim Quang’s approval. Before Quang retired, he permitted Tuan to level the lotus pond.

"The commune government has requested the contractor to maintain status quo of the Lotus Pond for investigation. From now to the end of 2012, Tuan must have to finish the contract. After investigation, anyone who broke the law will be punished, including officials who lent a hand to Tuan," Dinh said.

Tram Temple is a historic site but its boundary is not defined in any documents and records of this relic of the Phung Chau commune.

According to Mr. Trinh Van Thanh, Head of the Culture Department of Phung Chau commune, the authorities of Chuong My district and Hanoi have only one written document certifying that Tram Pagoda is a national relic but that document does not show the relic’s boundaries.

According to local people, the abused area in front of the temple is around 20.000m2, including 1863m2 of agricultural land assigned to five households and 17,788m2 of public land.
    
Phung Chau commune’s vice chair Thanh admitted that within the area in front of the temple, there is some area of the national relic being violated but he did not know how wide it is.

When the area in front of Tram pagoda has been blatantly violated, the local authorities kept repeatedly saying: "We do not know where is the boundary of the national relic, and still check?”

Tram Pagoda is located in Phung Chau commune, Chuong My district, Hanoi. It is about 20 km from the center of Hanoi. The relic is ranked as a national cultural historical site.

The temple was built in the early 16th century, by a general-Buddhist. The temple is located at the foot of Tu Tram Son Mount, and is an architectural complex of northern temple architecture and natural mountains, caves.

The temple complex includes many beautiful landscapes: Mau Temple is located halfway up to the mountain; the cave Long Tien has a path up the Tram Mountain and cave leading into the mountain. In the cave there are stone-made statues of Buddhas, fairies, etc. It also hosts ancient poem engraved on rocks, musical stones, bronze bells, etc.

The temple complex used to be the destinations of Kings Le, Lords Trinh thanks to its romantic and elegant landscape. Especially, Tram Pagoda is also known as the place where President Ho Chi Minh read the call for national resistance on the Radio Voice of Vietnam in 1947.

Standing on Tram Mountain one can see the panoramic land and neighboring scenic spots such as Vo Vi or Tram Gian Pagodas. 

The Lotus Pond in the past and at present:

            The pond in the past.

The pond at present.

Source :Vietnamnet