My first memory of the water bowl offering dates back to childhood, when I watched my grandmother enter and exit our altar room. Early each morning, at the break of dawn, she filled the bowls. By evening, when she emptied them, it marked the end of the day. We always poured the water outside, over...Read More
In Buddhism, there are many gods. This article will talk about some of the Buddhist gods—Bodhisattvas and Buddhas—you’ll see in temples and homes across Bhutan, and what they symbolize. ZambalaZambala is the god of wealth. A manifestation of Chenrizig, the Buddha of Compassion, there are five different Zambalas. For instance, the Yellow Zambala holds a...Read More
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
