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TSHERINGMA DRUPCHU

The small spring located at Tangsibji village in central Bhutan is considered the holy water of goddess Tsheringma. The spring sprouts out from a small catchment area from the middle of a meadow located on a hill believed to be the citadel of the local deity Dragpa Gyaltshen (also known as Seju Gentse or simply Agay Yosey). The hill believed to be the citadel of the local deity of Tangbibji The residents of Tangsibji village revere the deity as their khelha (natal deity), yuelha (village deity), and dralha (protector deity). In earlier times, He is said to impregnate local girls and His offspring were known for their super human strength. Due to the reverence to the deity, the areas surrounding His citadel have very minimum human interference. However, the entire villagers use the meadow as a grazing ground for their bulls for few days very year. The outlet of the drupchu is located few meters below the source on the Trongsa-Thimphu national highway As per oral history, a
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LONGEVITY BLESSINGS AT TSELUNG NYE

Tselung Nye – the place of Longevity Blessings – is considered a sacred place of longevity blessed by Padmasambhava and other highly regarded masters. The site is serenely nestled between mountains and surrounded by mixed coniferous forest, with a small stream following nearby. The picturesque valleys along the hike trail While the site is connected with motorable road, we had to hike from Gidakom hospital since the road was undergoing some major maintenance. We can either hike along the road or choose to hike the ancient trail. The nearby villagers often use the trail and it follows a small stream. Various stupas, village houses designed in ancient Bhutanese architecture, the pleasing austerity of the surroundings make the hike exceptionally pleasant. Just a few meters from the parking lot, you will come across a spring water – believed to be blessed to give long life by the thousand dakinis. Further up, an imprint of the skull of the celestial beings is located on a rock be

FLOATING STATUE OF CHUMPHU

Chumphu in Paro can be reached after about four hours hike from the nearest road point at the cremation ground of Chumphu Nye. The hike follows the riverbank through the forest with lots of shade and cool breeze, making the hike quite moderate. The hiking trail follows the small stream You will come across several imprints, which documents various activities of Guru Rimpochhe (Padmasambhava) and Dorji Phamo (Vajravarahi) on huge rocks and caves as you climb along the hike path. After two hours or so, you will arrive at a small stupa, which is believed to be the standing on the site from where Vajravarahi offered mendrel (mandala) to Padmasambhava. Mandala offering is a powerful method for accumulating extensive merit in a short time in Buddhist practice. It is said that the merit accumulated by the devotee depends on the purity and quality of offerings that the devotee imagines. After few meters of hike, you can choose two paths: the longer one and a shorter one. The long

Few Shots

Castles in the Air

"CASTLES IN THE AIR: Experiences and Journeys in Unknown Bhutan," an article written by John Claude White for 'The National Geographic Magazine', and published in 1914 gives an interesting account of pre-monarchic Bhutanese life. He writes in detail about Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuk and the way of life in BHutan. He also gives a detailed description, along with images, of Drugyel Dzong. Well, I am not going to get into the nitty-gritties of what is being written here; that's why I have uploaded the original article for you to read. I hope you will have a good read!

Chili: An obsession among Bhutanese

Imagine if all countries were asked to send one person for a gathering at a certain place and showcase a talent which will distinguish themselves from all the others. What could that lone Bhutanese possibly do? Showcase Buddhism? Lozees and Tsangmos? Zhundras and Boedras? Dramestse Nga Chham? Well, what about ema-datse and our ability to consume spicy chillies? After all, ema-datse is considered our national dish and just the sight of chillies is enough to send shivers down the spine for those foreigners. So here is a rule of thumb – the more chillies you add to your dish, the further they [ foreigners ] will stay away from your food. I think the affinity for spiciness is more of a conditioned rather than an innate characteristic for Bhutanese. As little toddlers, the number of times you hear that you are handsome or beautiful is in proportion to the amount of chillies you eat; And toddlers can do anything just to hear that they are good looking. Foreigners often say that chili is use