The Himalayan Buddhist system of medicine or Sowa Rigpa is still practiced today in Bhutan. When Buddhism was first introduced in Tibet, some of these sacred scriptures and texts from the time of King Kashiraja were translated into Tibetan. It was only in 1616, when the Zhabdrung came to Bhutan,...
Zhungdra is the oldest style of traditional Bhutanese folk music and it is distinguished by the way it is sung using extended vocal tones in complex patterns. Singers and dancers form a long line and hold hands when they sing the song. They move in a slow, synchronized order, following...
The longest suspension bridge in the country that connects the villages of Dzomi and Chubu in Punakha valley sways rapidly in the ferocious wind, and so do the colorful prayer flags that adorn it. Connecting the two riverbanks, the bridge is secured by thick cables fixed to humongous blocks of...
On any given day inside the traditional boot house in Chubachu, Thimphu, you will find a handful of boot-makers glued to their machines. And the noise from the machines will take a little getting used to. But, once you’re past that, you marvel at the craftsmanship of their work. The...
Dr. Karma Phuntsho, a former monk, is a Bhutanese scholar who specializes in Bhutan, Buddhism, Tibetan and Himalayan studies. He has a D.Phil. in Oriental Studies from Oxford University. He has also worked as a research fellow at Cambridge University and CNRS, Paris. His book “The History of Bhutan” has...
