Ever since Bhutan emerged from its self-imposed isolation and opened its doors to guests in the 1970s, the country has acquired a mythical status as the last Shangri-La. And, to add to that mystique, is the country’s developmental philosophy of Gross National Happiness or GNH that has garnered a lot...
Over the course of its history, Bhutan has been known by many names such as The Land of Medicinal Herbs and The Land of the Thunder Dragon. It was only about a century ago that the country became Bhutan. So when did Bhutan become Bhutan? There are numerous theories floating...
There are some dishes that you simply must sample when in Bhutan. While every region has its own specialty, we’ve tapered it down to seven dishes that are a hit with our guests. It would be unjust to not begin with the most sought after dish in Bhutan – ema datshi. The more...
In Buddhism and Hinduism, a mandala has profound spiritual significance. It stands for the age-old idea that the universe is a phenomena that never ends and that the wheel of life and death turns repeatedly in a cyclical manner. A mandala is often interpreted as a symbol of the universe...
Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric or Mahayana Buddhism. Vajrayana ideas and practices such as altruistic intention, compassion, emptiness, Buddha Nature, and its rituals dominate the Buddhist system in Bhutan. It is for this reason that Bhutan is frequently branded as the last bastion of Mahayana Buddhism. Vajrayana is...
