I recently came to know the story of the phallus and how it came to be widespread in Bhutanese society. The story is different and probably older than that of Lam Drukpa Kinley’s. It involves two gods. The Story of the Phallus There were two gods: Lha Uma and Lha Wangchu. At the time, Lha...Read More
When planning a trip to Bhutan, it’s important to carefully consider how many days you intend to spend there. Cost Factor Bhutan is a comparatively expensive country to visit. The Bhutanese government charges visitors USD 100 daily– termed as the Sustainable Developmental Fee (SDF). The SDF excludes costs for flight tickets, hotel, food, and a...Read More
On a quiet Sunday afternoon, I spent my time talking to Passang Tobgay, at VAST. VAST is Bhutan’s first and major art studio and center. For nearly a month now, Passang’s solo exhibition Long For The Pure Land, has been on display, for free. Passang trained at the Zorig Chusum and recently returned from the...Read More
His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Bhutan’s King—widely known as the People’s King—has received an honorary doctorate from the Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan. This is the latest in a growing list of honors awarded to Bhutan’s King. In 2024 alone, several Thai universities also conferred honorary doctorates on His Majesty. Chiba Institute...Read More
I travelled to Lobneykha twice. The first time for a familiarization tour ; Our manager had introduced the place as being near to Thimphu and Paro, on the old Thimphu-Phuentsholing highway. He had said that the place, largely unexplored, was a good spot to send guests to. I had imagined Lobneykha to be flat and...Read More
I finally watched the Bhutanese film Thank You, Sir! after years of meaning to. Written, directed, and acted by Tshering Gyeltshen, the film runs for over two and a half hours, but it took me three days to finish watching the film. The story follows Jigmed, a teacher who seems almost too perfect. He’s wise,...Read More
A few days before attending Paro Tshechu (festival), I called my friend, Om, and squealed on the phone from excitement. We had planned to attend the final day of the festival, known to start at the crack of dawn. On the final day, the Guru Thongdrel, a giant-sized painting (on cloth) of Guru Rinpoche, is...Read More
Thimphu, Bhutan – 18 April 2025 – Little Bhutan, the Kingdom’s bespoke tour company known for immersive cultural journeys, today announced its official membership in the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the region’s foremost network of responsible travel businesses. “Bhutan is the world’s only carbon-negative nation; partnering with PATA, which achieved full carbon neutrality for...Read More
I was born and raised in Thimphu but moved away and always made it back for the holidays. However, the town had drastically changed after I returned from the U.S.. What once felt like ample space lately only feels like blocks of white clustered together. I didn’t like that so many buildings had popped up,...Read More
The Thai King and Queen are set to visit Bhutan later this month. This will be the first state visit to a foreign country during the Thai monarch’s reign. The visit is being made on the invitation of His Majesty, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who will officially introduce Their Majesties to Bhutan’s Fourth King...Read More
