It was only in the early 60s that secular modern education of the Bhutanese began; in a small room located at a watermill at the base of Trongsa Dzong. There was just one teacher and just one blackboard. Until then, monastic education was the only form of education accessible to the Bhutanese. That too was...Read More
My moment of reckoning arrives when I say yes to a fateful trip that sparks childhood memories of leisurely hikes in the green valleys of my youth and so much else besides. It begins when― after too many years of urban indolence and monotony― I choose to accompany my friend and his group,...Read More
The Gentle Giants Face Rough Opposition One among the 50 rarest birds in the world with a population of less than 200, the white bellied heron, also referred to as the gentle giant because of its mild nature, has at present found its passage into the list of ‘critically endangered’ species. The heron still...Read More
A huge, bloody red nose is the first thing that strikes you about the Atsara. Then comes the exaggerated facial expressions – the perpetual grin as if to mock you to submission. And then the attire gets you, somewhere between a hippie and a gypsy doing an absurd dance. Say hello to the Atsara, the...Read More
The Chipdrel and Marchang ceremony is a sight we witness at any given scenario in Bhutan. It seems like the scale of occasion doesn’t matter – be it a Royal Wedding, a visit by a head of state, or the promotion of a high ranking official – a Chipdrel and Marchang ceremony can make one...Read More
Covering 38,394 sq. kilometers, Bhutan boasts of 70% forest cover, which is home to more than 700 species out of the 2,900 species of birds in Asia. Bhutan is considered a birding paradise with 678 recorded species. At least 14 species are globally threatened and ten fall within the restricted range. The white-bellied heron...Read More
The future lies along the avenue where religious enlightenment meets personal freedom Some years ago a young man chafing under what he imagined to be the restraining strictures of Buddhism posed the following question to His Holiness Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rimpoche: “Didn’t the Buddha say one should question and test every spiritual experience for oneself,...Read More
Two men face off amid a small circle of spectators. The young women in the crowd are aflutter and boys wait anxiously for the fight to begin. Pitting the strength, agility and stamina of one young male against another, wrestling fulfills a primal urge across all cultures. Keshey, the Bhutanese version, is no different. The word...Read More
There is an interesting myth behind the creation of the Takin ((Budorcas Taxicolor) that contributed to its high religious significance and therefore led to its adoption as Bhutan’s national animal. Legend has it that in the 15th century when Lam Drukpa Kunley also referred to as “The Divine Madman” arrived in Bhutan from Tibet...Read More
Of all the eyebrow raising objects in the wide world, the phallus, surprisingly, for centuries, has had the most loyal following in the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. It is painted on the walls of houses or hanging from them, it is seen in vehicles and on unexpected road bends. In fact, the phallus...Read More
