Bhutan, Beyond Heaven and the Earth...
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Gasa Valley, Bhutan, 2018.
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
-- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Gasa Valley, Bhutan, 2018.
The Fortress overlooking the mystical Gasa Valley shadowed by mighty peaks.
Lee 0.6ND Grad Medium
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“Should we continue to look upwards? Is the light we can see in the sky one of those which will presently be extinguished? The ideal is terrifying to behold... brilliant but threatened on all sides by the dark forces that surround it: nevertheless, no more in danger than a star in the jaws of the clouds.”
― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
Gasa Valley, Bhutan, 2018.
A glimpse of rural Bhutan with its characteristic terraces.
“The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.”
― Masanobu Fukuoka, The One-Straw Revolution
Paro is effectively the entry point for Bhutan having the only international airport. It is a small town, more famous for the Taktsang Monastery (Flying Tigress), and provides an ideal halt for acclimatization and savoring the beauty that Bhutan is. Paro also has the Rinpung Dzong which is a fortress-monastery overlooking the Paro valley.
Paro Valley, Bhutan, 2018.
"In the mountains the cherry trees were in full bloom, and the farther he went, the lovelier the veils of mist became, until for him, whose rank so restricted travel that all this was new, the landscape became a source of wonder."
― Murasaki Shikibu, The Tale of Genji
Photography has no rules. It is not a sport. It is the result which counts, no matter how it is achieved.
On the way to the Nyile La Pass, the path up can be seen to the right (still a long way to go!). Chomolhari mountain can be seen in the background.
Bhutan is “The Land of Happiness” that is known for bliss on earth. Individuals may not be rich, yet they are upbeat. The nation where Gross National Happiness (GNH) is esteemed more than GDP will consistently be special
On our first full day in Bhutan, we attended day 3 of the four-day Thimphu Tsechu, an annual religious festival held in Thimphu's Tashichhoe Dzong in 2006. Each day sacred Cham Dances (Mask Dances) are performed by dancers in a state of meditation, who embody Tibetan Buddhist deities. Folk dances are also performed. The festival was established in 1670 and has been performed every year since then. It commemorates the birth of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), who brought Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century. Today the Thimphu Tsechu lasts 3 days and is held annually in a purpose-built space adjacent to the dzong.
The Tashichhoe Dzong was built on this site in Thimphu in the 17th century, suffered repeated damage from fires and was struck by an earthquake in 1897. The dzong was renovated and enlarged from 1962-1968 by King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (ruled 1952-1972). Today it houses the throne room, offices of the King, the chambers of the Je Khenpo (the senior Buddhist leader in Bhutan), monks quarters, prayer halls, the secretariat, the ministry of home affairs and the ministry of finance. The dzong's southeastern tower, in which the offices of the King are located, is seen here.
Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom on the Himalayas’ eastern edge, is known for its monasteries, fortresses (or dzongs) and dramatic landscapes that range from subtropical plains to steep mountains and valleys. In the High Himalayas, peaks such as 7,326m Jomolhari are popular trekking destinations. Paro Taktsang monastery (also known as Tiger’s Nest) clings to cliffs above the forested Paro Valley.
It is also known as the Thimphu Chorten and is located on Doeboom Lam in the southern central part of the city of Thimphu. The stupa was built in 1947 to honor the third Druk Gyalpo, Jigma Dorii Wangchuck. The Druk Gyalpo is the Dragon King or the King of Bhutan and the Bhutanese people call themselves Drukpa which means the Dragon People.
The golden spires and bells makes it one of the prominent landmarks within the city. During 2008 it underwent extensive renovation and today it is well used by the people especially on special festivals which we were lucky to observe and freely allowed to share with the locals.
Gasa Tshechu, Gasa Valley, Bhutan, 2018.
Two Atsaras (clowns) entertaining the spectators during the annual buddhist festival.
“There is nothing in the world that is not mysterious, but the mystery is more evident in certain things than in others: in the sea, in the eyes of the elders, in the color yellow, and in music.”
― Jorge Luis Borges
The Tiger's Nest Monastery, perched high up on a mountain in Bhutan. This monastery complex in the Himalayas was originally built in 1692, and is known locally as 'Paro Taktshang'. Some monks live in this monastery and they meditate, study and pray here everyday.
Tigernest
Taktshang oder Tigernest - Kloster ist ein berühmtes buddhistisches Kloster im Königreich Bhutan auf einer Höhe von 3120 Metern Höhe ü. d. M. im Himalaya. Wikipedia
Paintings at Punakha Dzong.
The second oldest dzong in Bhutan, it was begun in 1637 also on the order of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The dzong was significantly expanded from 1744-1763 during the reign of the 13th desi (the secular ruler, as opposed to the Je Khenpo, who is the chief abbot of Bhutan, and who holds equal power), Sherab Wangchuk. The dzong has suffered numerous fires and was significantly damaged by the 1897 earthquake. The current king has ordered all repairs to be done using traditional methods and materials.