The Divine Madman

The Divine Madman is of great importance to the Bhutanese. On almost every house you will find his imprint – a phallus symbol – painted on the wall or hanging from the roof as a wooden giant.  The phallus symbol is important to ward off evil and to bring luck.

Chimi Lhakang is situated on a hill in this beautiful rural area – the small white building to the left close to the mountain.

This day, we had some slow raindrops contributing to the green fields.

Clouds hanging low, but not a wind.

Blessings are important – even to the fields that should feed the people.

On our way up to Lobesa and the Lhakang, we had lunch and stopped by several shops selling masks and phalluses. The red mask is worn at the dances and the phallus on top is to swing out and bless people in the audience.

On reaching the temple, the rain had stopped, and young men and women were spinning the prayer wheels while circumambulating. Both men and women come to Chimi Lhakhang, and not only for fertility wishes. Often, when their child is born, they come back here to give him or her a name. Inside the temple there are bamboo sticks with names on them, if you prefer to let chance decide.

Equality is essential in Bhutan, and often it is the woman who inherits her parents. Marriage is no longer a business matter – people marry out of love.  It is also no big deal with a divorce – should the couple not be happy in their marriage. And, I think I said it before – I have never seen so many men taking good care of and playing openly with their children.

 

Thursday Thoughts – 108 Chortens and A Himalayan Panorama

Between Paro and the Capital of Bhutan, Thimpu, the road takes you over the Dochula Pass (3140 m) with its 108 chortens. A chorten is a kind of stupa, often built at crossroads and passes to ward off evil. And all chortens contain religious relics.

The Druk Wangyal Khang Zhang Chortens are red-band or khangzang chortens, built in a central hillock at the pass, under the patronage of the Queen Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk. In local language they are called ”chortens of victory”, because they were built as a memorial in honour of the Bhutanese soldiers who were killed in the December 2003 battle against Assamese insurgents from India. It also marks the victory of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck who dislodged the rebels from their camps in Bhutanese territory.

This is a peaceful place for slow walks – contemplating life, feeling the fresh air and nature’s beauty.

Circumambulating clockwise.

When the sun comes shining through – my heart shines too.

The rhododendrons and magnolias touch the sky.

After the completion of the chortens, the temple known as the Druk Wangyel Lhakhang was built in June 2008 – as a memorial to celebrate 100 years of monarchy in Bhutan.

From the Dochula Pass you will, on a clear day, have a panoramic view of the Himalayan  range. The best time is in October/November, but we were still quite lucky this day.

On the far right you will find the highest unclimbed mountain in the world, Gangkar Puensum, 7564 meters. It is also the highest mountain in Bhutan.

Since 1994, climbing of mountains in Bhutan higher than 6,000 meters has been prohibited out of respect for local spiritual beliefs, and since 2003 mountaineering has been completely forbidden.

But somewhere, far away behind the treetops, these enigmatic giants are waiting…

 

WPC: Prolific

Krista, at WordPress, asks us to show what we think about when hearing the word ”prolific” My first thought went to the prolific Spanish sunflower fields – they made me happy just looking at them. They still do.

 

Walking Home – Slow Contemplation

After Paro Tsechu, we decided to walk home to our hotel, Nak-Sel, in the lovely evening light. Some kilometers that would take about an hour on the narrow, dusty road.

 

A walk well worth the effort in the thin air – giving us the chance to take in the beautiful countryside and to talk to some of its harmonious inhabitants.

The Bhutanese houses are built to dry the hay on the open upper floor. Even if you don’t have any hay, you build this way – many washed clothes were hanging in this space, and old furniture leaning on the structures.

The last hours of light for hard working farmers.

The old farmsteads lay mostly quiet in the setting sun – and the first cherry blossoms  enchantingly aglow.

Always 108 flags for the dead. Everywhere on the hills, where the wind is blowing. Naturally there is a religious meaning, but according to our guide, the exact reason to just 108 is lost in history.

An overwhelmingly interesting day had come to an end. And with the stunning views of Jomolhari, 7326 meters, we reached Nak-Sel and went to enjoy a lovely dinner.

Thursday’s Special: Pick a word in April

 

For Paula, I have picked four words in April – pictures from Sweden, Spain and Scotland.

In the header, Coalescing – the first choice.

Dawning

 

Verdant

 

Sempiternal

jupiter najnajnoviji

WPC: Favorite Place

Cheri asks us to pick a favorite place where our thoughts can run free. A place to return to, at home or in a foreign country. I guess many of us have more than one spot…

In the header my mother and the dogs are sitting at my favorite spot – the beautiful old beech in the forest meadow. I walk there almost every day, and in summer I usually sit down to contemplate the loveliness of the soft wind through the grasses and the canopy.

But there is one more place of quiet contemplation, and that is the waterline close to our summerhouse. Horses and birds and foxes – and me…we all love it. It is the first and the last glimpse of water during our Blekinge summer.

 

 

 

Thursday’s Special: Traces of the Past Y4-03

For Paula at Lost in Translation.

 

This is the Roman bridge in Verzasca valley, Switzerland. In fact, my favorite bridge – in a very special and surprising landscape. A real treasure of the past.

 

Thursday’s Special: Wintry

Paula, at Lost in Translation, asks us for Wintry… at least in our photos this week. As I posted my best ones this winter yesterday, I return to Iceland for some Real ”wintries.”