Known as chyem in Dzongkha, rosaries or prayer beads are an integral part of Bhutanese culture and a common religious artifact in the country. Bhutanese spend large amounts of money to acquire good rosaries while some are passed down as family heirloom. Rosaries used by religious and spiritual masters are...
Set against a backdrop of the Black Mountains, Phobjikha is unlike any other place in Bhutan. It is a mesmerizing hidden bowl-shaped glacial valley of vast expanses of green fields. Once there, your first view will be of the Gangtey Monastery perched slightly higher, as if floating in the clouds...
Bhutan may be best known for its mountains, monasteries and fortresses but it is also home to some of the world’s finest jungles. A case in point is the Royal Manas National Park. Snow Leopard Deemed as a safe sanctuary for several rare and endangered species, the park is also...
Throughout the world the raven is seen as a symbol of power, wisdom and intelligence. And so it is in Bhutan, too. Here, the bird is indeed special as it is not just the national bird of the country but it is portrayed as well on the royal crown. The...
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...
