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TRONGSA TSHECHU
Trongsa, the sacred and temporal heart of the country is a two day journey from Thimphu. Situated in central Bhutan, it was once the seat of power over central and eastern regions. Both the first and second kings of Bhutan ruled the country from this ancient seat and it is customary for the crown prince to serve as the Trongsa Penlop (“governor”) prior to ascending the throne.
The dzong built in 1648, is a massive structure with many levels, sloping down the contours of the ridge upon which it is built. The dzong’s highly strategic position, on the only connecting route between Eastern and Western Bhutan allowed the Trongsa Penlop to control travel and trade in the country effectively placing him in command of the whole of the Central and Eastern regions of the country.
Of the many festivals held in various parts of Trongsa, the grandest is the three day annual Tshechu. This festival brings together people from all walks of life and falls sometime in the month of December. In addition to traditional mask dances, visitors can witness the unfurling of the sacred Thongdrol and receive blessings from high ranking monks. People also receive blessings from the sacred Nangtens that is opened during the last day of the Tshechu.
This image made it to be cover of Lonely Planet Bhutan travel guide. License this image at www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/tiger-nest-with-prayer-f...
Perched on a cliff-top, Bhutan's Taktsang monastery, also known as the Tiger's Nest, is one of the most breathtaking temples in the world.
The Buddhist place of worship is built on a rock around 3,000m (10,000ft) above sea level.
The main temple complex was built in 1692 and is considered to be one of the holiest for the Bhutanese people.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during a trek to the Tiger's Nest Monastery, near Paro, Bhutan, during day six of the Royal tour to India and Bhutan.
Bhutan's hills are full of trees and they are the only carbon-negative nation in the world!
Thimphu, Bhutan.
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 secretariat, ministry of home affairs and the ministry of finance. Monks on the steps at the entrance of the Utse (the dzong's Central Tower) are seen here.
Phallus paintings in Bhutan are esoteric symbols, which have their origins in the Chimi Lhakhang monastery near Punakha, the former capital of Bhutan. The village monastery was built in honour of Lama Drukpa Kunley who lived at the turn of the 16th century and who was popularly known as the "Mad Saint" (nyönpa) or “Divine Madman” for his unorthodox ways of teaching, which amounted to being bizarre and shocking. Traditionally symbols of an erect penis in Bhutan have been intended to drive away the evil eye and malicious gossip
TRONGSA TSHECHU
Trongsa, the sacred and temporal heart of the country is a two day journey from Thimphu. Situated in central Bhutan, it was once the seat of power over central and eastern regions. Both the first and second kings of Bhutan ruled the country from this ancient seat and it is customary for the crown prince to serve as the Trongsa Penlop (“governor”) prior to ascending the throne.
The dzong built in 1648, is a massive structure with many levels, sloping down the contours of the ridge upon which it is built. The dzong’s highly strategic position, on the only connecting route between Eastern and Western Bhutan allowed the Trongsa Penlop to control travel and trade in the country effectively placing him in command of the whole of the Central and Eastern regions of the country.
Of the many festivals held in various parts of Trongsa, the grandest is the three day annual Tshechu. This festival brings together people from all walks of life and falls sometime in the month of December. In addition to traditional mask dances, visitors can witness the unfurling of the sacred Thongdrol and receive blessings from high ranking monks. People also receive blessings from the sacred Nangtens that is opened during the last day of the Tshechu.
Perched on a cliff-top, Bhutan's Taktsang monastery, also known as the Tiger's Nest, is one of the most breathtaking temples in the world.
The Buddhist place of worship is built on a rock around 3,000m (10,000ft) above sea level.
The main temple complex was built in 1692 and is considered to be one of the holiest for the Bhutanese people.
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 held every year since then. It commemorates the birth of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), who brought Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century. The dances were performed in a courtyard in front of the dzong's Kunrey Lakhang (main prayer hall). Today the Thimphu Tsechu lasts 3 days and is held annually in a purpose-built space adjacent to the dzong. Bhutanese are required to wear the traditional men's Gho and women's Kira inside the dzong. Foreigners must dress conservatively with shorts, tank tops, jeans and sports shoes not allowed.
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, ministry of home affairs and the ministry of finance.
TRONGSA TSHECHU
Trongsa, the sacred and temporal heart of the country is a two day journey from Thimphu. Situated in central Bhutan, it was once the seat of power over central and eastern regions. Both the first and second kings of Bhutan ruled the country from this ancient seat and it is customary for the crown prince to serve as the Trongsa Penlop (“governor”) prior to ascending the throne.
The dzong built in 1648, is a massive structure with many levels, sloping down the contours of the ridge upon which it is built. The dzong’s highly strategic position, on the only connecting route between Eastern and Western Bhutan allowed the Trongsa Penlop to control travel and trade in the country effectively placing him in command of the whole of the Central and Eastern regions of the country.
Of the many festivals held in various parts of Trongsa, the grandest is the three day annual Tshechu. This festival brings together people from all walks of life and falls sometime in the month of December. In addition to traditional mask dances, visitors can witness the unfurling of the sacred Thongdrol and receive blessings from high ranking monks. People also receive blessings from the sacred Nangtens that is opened during the last day of the Tshechu.
Inside the Paro Dzong, Paro, Bhutan, 2014. 14mm wide-angle lens.
For outsiders, Bhutan society appears to have a complicated heirarchy, not only within the monasteries, but in the secular world as well. What I like about this angle is that it is quite complex and takes a little time to understand. There are several different levels in the image that in some small way relate to different levels of society.
Of course, this is purely the imagination of the photographer (me) and I can't expect anyone who hasn't visited Bhutan to really understand what the photograph says to me. Then again, that's not something I have control over in any photograph.
The portrait was taken during a festival and, down stairs in the courtyard of the dzong, an elaborate series of costumed dances were being performed. While photogenic in their own right, I found the things happening around the periphery to be even more interesting. During the festivals, the locals are used to seeing a few tourists and aren't too worried about our cameras. In fact, these youths had been following me around for half an hour or so, hence their engagement with the camera.
What struck me about this location is the way the light comes from both above and below, plus I loved the angles of the architecture, but to capture it required an ultra wide-angle lens. This was shot on a Nikkor 14-24mm and I'm thinking the new 11-24mm Canon will be every bit as useful.
However, it's not as sharp as it could be. My exposure was 1/40 second at f2.8 and ISO 800. Things were happening quickly and my camera wasn't set correctly for this situation. I should have pushed the ISO higher to give me a faster shutter speed, which would have ensured my subject was tack sharp, but on the other hand, everything else about the image is what I like.
So, while this might not make the cut for a competition entry, it will definitely feature in my book and audio visual on Bhutan 2014. Technical perfection is something we should strive for, but far more important is the mood, the gesture and the story. We should all give ourselves permission to keep shots like this with our personal favourites.
Perched on a cliff-top, Bhutan's Taktsang monastery, also known as the Tiger's Nest, is one of the most breathtaking temples in the world.
The Buddhist place of worship is built on a rock around 3,000m (10,000ft) above sea level.
The main temple complex was built in 1692 and is considered to be one of the holiest for the Bhutanese people.
TRONGSA TSHECHU
Trongsa, the sacred and temporal heart of the country is a two day journey from Thimphu. Situated in central Bhutan, it was once the seat of power over central and eastern regions. Both the first and second kings of Bhutan ruled the country from this ancient seat and it is customary for the crown prince to serve as the Trongsa Penlop (“governor”) prior to ascending the throne.
The dzong built in 1648, is a massive structure with many levels, sloping down the contours of the ridge upon which it is built. The dzong’s highly strategic position, on the only connecting route between Eastern and Western Bhutan allowed the Trongsa Penlop to control travel and trade in the country effectively placing him in command of the whole of the Central and Eastern regions of the country.
Of the many festivals held in various parts of Trongsa, the grandest is the three day annual Tshechu. This festival brings together people from all walks of life and falls sometime in the month of December. In addition to traditional mask dances, visitors can witness the unfurling of the sacred Thongdrol and receive blessings from high ranking monks. People also receive blessings from the sacred Nangtens that is opened during the last day of the Tshechu.
Just playing with textures again. Took this in Bhutan a few years ago. Texture by Photomorphis moon by Kerstin Frank.
Young Monk deep in thought, Bhutan.
Canon EOS 5DSR, 300mm lens, 1/640 second @ f2.8, ISO 100
When it comes to portraiture, expression is everything. Think about the photographs taken of you, perhaps for a family portrait or a wedding. If you don't have a good expression, you won't like the portrait no matter how good it is technically. This doesn't mean technique isn't important. If you capture a wonderful expression and your subject is overexposed or out of focus, that's not much good either!
If you click through to the website, you can see the four frames I took when photographing this monk. He wasn't there for long and his hand to his temple for just a few short moments. However, immediately I saw the gesture, I started pressing the button. And kept pressing it everytime he changed his expression.
Shooting on the street like this, you don't have time to think and compose, only react. And the only reaction we really have available is to take another photograph. Of course, I have a rough idea of the type of photograph I'm looking for. You don't attach a 300mm lens to your camera and expect to shoot from the hip. Rather, a telephoto is useful for capturing big close ups and, as in this case, isolating the subject.
Note the blank wall behind, simplifying the composition, making sure the message is clear. I was lucky there - he could have been standing somewhere else. So what's the message?
Read More: www.betterphotography.com/peter-eastways-blogs-sp-19033/p...
Dochu La is located on the way to Punakha from Thimphu (30 km) at an altitude of 10,460 ft / 3,140 m. The pass is popular for tourists for its ideal location from where one can enjoy 360 degree of beautiful panoramic view of Himalayan mountain range, especially on clear winter days. The beauty of this place is further enhanced by the Druk Wangyal Chortens -108 stupa built by the eldest Queen Mother Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk. The pass is also popular spiritual place for both locals and tourists because of an important temple that is located on the crest of Dochula pass. More: www.tourism.gov.bt/map/dochula
The resort has 13 double rooms and the harmony of the pass, its nature is well maintained in its rooms and restaurant. The areas around the pass is rich in wildlife, birds and flora.
Please note that one need to get permission from Thimphu to visit Dochula.
TRONGSA TSHECHU
Trongsa, the sacred and temporal heart of the country is a two day journey from Thimphu. Situated in central Bhutan, it was once the seat of power over central and eastern regions. Both the first and second kings of Bhutan ruled the country from this ancient seat and it is customary for the crown prince to serve as the Trongsa Penlop (“governor”) prior to ascending the throne.
The dzong built in 1648, is a massive structure with many levels, sloping down the contours of the ridge upon which it is built. The dzong’s highly strategic position, on the only connecting route between Eastern and Western Bhutan allowed the Trongsa Penlop to control travel and trade in the country effectively placing him in command of the whole of the Central and Eastern regions of the country.
Of the many festivals held in various parts of Trongsa, the grandest is the three day annual Tshechu. This festival brings together people from all walks of life and falls sometime in the month of December. In addition to traditional mask dances, visitors can witness the unfurling of the sacred Thongdrol and receive blessings from high ranking monks. People also receive blessings from the sacred Nangtens that is opened during the last day of the Tshechu.
License this image at www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/trongsa-tsechu-royalty-f...
RONGSA TSHECHU
Trongsa, the sacred and temporal heart of the country is a two day journey from Thimphu. Situated in central Bhutan, it was once the seat of power over central and eastern regions. Both the first and second kings of Bhutan ruled the country from this ancient seat and it is customary for the crown prince to serve as the Trongsa Penlop (“governor”) prior to ascending the throne.
The dzong built in 1648, is a massive structure with many levels, sloping down the contours of the ridge upon which it is built. The dzong’s highly strategic position, on the only connecting route between Eastern and Western Bhutan allowed the Trongsa Penlop to control travel and trade in the country effectively placing him in command of the whole of the Central and Eastern regions of the country.
Of the many festivals held in various parts of Trongsa, the grandest is the three day annual Tshechu. This festival brings together people from all walks of life and falls sometime in the month of December. In addition to traditional mask dances, visitors can witness the unfurling of the sacred Thongdrol and receive blessings from high ranking monks. People also receive blessings from the sacred Nangtens that is opened during the last day of the Tshechu.
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 held every year since then. It commemorates the birth of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), who brought Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century. The dances were performed in a courtyard in front of the dzong's Kunrey Lakhang (main prayer hall). Today the Thimphu Tsechu lasts 3 days and is held annually in a purpose-built space adjacent to the dzong. Archery is the national sport of Bhutan. This young man proudly posed as spectators watched the festival dances.
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, ministry of home affairs and the ministry of finance.
Paro. Apparently it was unusual to have snow on the peaks this early after the summer monsoon season. This year the monsoon rains also lasted around 1-2 weeks longer than usual but fortunately we only had rain on the first day in Bhutan - nice patchy cotton ball clouds thereafter.
TRONGSA TSHECHU
Trongsa, the sacred and temporal heart of the country is a two day journey from Thimphu. Situated in central Bhutan, it was once the seat of power over central and eastern regions. Both the first and second kings of Bhutan ruled the country from this ancient seat and it is customary for the crown prince to serve as the Trongsa Penlop (“governor”) prior to ascending the throne.
The dzong built in 1648, is a massive structure with many levels, sloping down the contours of the ridge upon which it is built. The dzong’s highly strategic position, on the only connecting route between Eastern and Western Bhutan allowed the Trongsa Penlop to control travel and trade in the country effectively placing him in command of the whole of the Central and Eastern regions of the country.
Of the many festivals held in various parts of Trongsa, the grandest is the three day annual Tshechu. This festival brings together people from all walks of life and falls sometime in the month of December. In addition to traditional mask dances, visitors can witness the unfurling of the sacred Thongdrol and receive blessings from high ranking monks. People also receive blessings from the sacred Nangtens that is opened during the last day of the Tshechu.
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 held every year since then. It commemorates the birth of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), who brought Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century. The dances were performed in a courtyard in front of the dzong's Kunrey Lakhang (main prayer hall). 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, ministry of home affairs and the ministry of finance.