Special prayers

January 23, 2012Posted inReligion1 Comment
The Zhung Dratshang, our central monastic body, concluded the "Druk-lo Doe-choed" prayers yesterday. The prayers are performed once every 12 years to usher in the year of the dragon, and to secure peace and prosperity for the people and all sentient beings. The banner features some of the 300-or-so monks involved in the 5-day prayers at Punakha's Puna Dewachen Phodrang.  

Zaedja Pagsam Thishing

August 17, 2011Posted inReligion11 Comments
Yesterday, I had the opportunity of visiting Rigsum Goenpa in Bomdiling, Trashiyangtse. The monastery is famous for its history, sacred artifacts and, most of all, its murals. If you visit Trashiyangtse, make sure to do the 2-3 hour trek to Rigsum Goenpa. The trail is broad, and the views of and from the monastery are spectacular. And once you get there, make sure to visit Lhakhang Wogma, the lower monastery. That’s where you’ll see the rare and exquisite murals of the Zaedja Pagsam Thishing, which is an account of the Buddha’s 108 previous incarnations. These include the popular “Thuenpa…

Droelma Jig Chompa

March 21, 2011Posted inReligion12 Comments
The Central Monk Body offered three days of continuous prayers throughout the country for the people of Japan. Yesterday, the officiating prime minister, speaker, chairperson, cabinet ministers, MPs, civil servants, and other well wishers joined Japan’s new ambassador to Bhutan, the resident coordinator of JICA, and Japanese experts and volunteers at the Kuenrey in Tashichhoe Dzong to participate in the concluding day of the prayers. Lopen Gembo explained the prayers and delivered the following statement on behalf of the Dratshang: May I take this opportunity to welcome all to Tashichhoe Dzong to take part in this very special ceremony…

Happy Dashain!

October 17, 2010Posted inReligion
Yesterday, I joined Thimphu’s Hindu community to mark the conclusion of the nine-day Durga Puja. During the puja, the Goddess Durga’s blessings were invoked for the long lives of Their Majesty the Kings, and the peace, prosperity and happiness of the people. The sacred ceremony, which has been organized annually since 1981, is still conducted in a make-shift temple in the PWD Colony. So I’m happy to hear that the government has allotted land in Thimphu to build a proper mandhir. Today, I wish my fellow Bhutanese who observe Dassera, a very happy Dashain! I’m off to celebrate this…

Prophesy fulfilled

October 14, 2010Posted inReligion
Many years ago, while resting in Mesina, Je Geshe Gedun Rinchen, surveyed the horizons, and predicted that, one day, a monastery would be built on the high hill that stood before him. Yesterday, that prophesy was fulfilled. In a sacred ceremony, His Holiness the Je Khenpo consecrated Bhutan’s newest monastery, the Sangchhen Dorji Lhendup Lhakhang. The monastery, built in traditional Bhutanese style, stands on the prophesized site, a prominent ridge overlooking almost all of Punakha, Wangduephodrang and Toebasa. The monument was painstakingly built by Yab Ugyen Dorji over the last two years, and is a showpiece of traditional art…

Summer residence

May 18, 2010Posted inReligion
His Holiness the Je Khenpo and the central monastic body took up their summer residence in Tashichhodzong last Saturday. This week's banner celebrates this centuries-old tradition. The gallery has a few more photos of the soelthap arriving at the Tashichhodzong.

Praying for help

March 25, 2010Posted inReligion
Yesterday, at the opening ceremony of ECB’s annual conference, I sat near Lam Sangay Dawa and his student-monks from Semtokha shedra. They were there, beside the choesham, microphone in hand, ready to preside over the sacred marchang ceremony. The marchang, which was composed and popularized by Zhabdung Ngawang Namgyal, is an offering of wine – an oblation – to the lama, yidam, pawo, khandrum, choechong sungma, neydag and zhidag to secure their blessings for the removal of obstacles, and for the successful outcome of the endeavour being inaugurated. Naturally, the sacred ceremony is important. And Lam Sangay and his…

Born again

September 15, 2009Posted inReligion, Women
Our last poll says that almost half of us go to our villages at least once a year. And that 83% of us go to our villages a minimum of once every five years. That is good. As increasingly more of us abandon our villages in favour of city life, it becomes that much more important to stay in touch with our roots. And to support our relatives back home. Our next poll is a continuation of the previous one that asked if women face discrimination. Think about it carefully.

Traditional fertility treatment

September 10, 2009Posted inHealth, Religion
I read, with interest, Kuensel’s story about Tibetan traditional infertility treatment that is said to be effective in treating 70% of women who are unable to conceive. The same article quotes the National Institute for Traditional Medicine as confirming that serkhaps (golden needle acupuncture) and traditional medicine can successfully treat infertility. But, in addition to traditional medicine, we, in Bhutan, also seek fertility from a wide range of local deities, monasteries, and festivals. Chimi Lhakhang, for example, has granted offspring to countless struggling couples, including international tourists. There are many interesting stories about Chime Lhakhang. If you know any,…

Big butter lamp

August 27, 2009Posted inReligion
I enjoyed reading your answers to the last Big Picture. And knowing that we’d get a few more interesting answers, I was tempted to keep the question open. But I visited the National Memorial Chorten today, and decided to announce the answer. The big picture was, indeed, a big butter lamp in the National Memorial Chorten. Dinesh Pradhan answered first. He didn’t mention “butter lamp”, but it’s obvious he knew what the picture was and where it was taken. Dinesh, please contact me, by email, to claim your prize: lunch at the Musk. The gigantic butter lamp, a tshen…

Guru’s birthday

July 2, 2009Posted inReligion
Today, the 10th day of the 5th month, the Zhung Dratshang, our central monastic order, performed Tsho-khor for Trel-da Tshechu to commemorate Guru Rimpoche’s birth anniversary, and to offer prayers for the welfare of our country. The Trel-da Tshechu­­ was first performed, on the 10th day of the 5th month, by Guru Rimpoche to mark the completion of Samye Monastery, Tibet’s first and oldest monastery. The monastery was built by King Trisong Detsen in the 8th century. This week’s photo banner features monks performing the Tsho-khor for Trel-da Tshechu at the kuenra – the main assembly hall – ­of…

Eye of the Buddha

June 30, 2009Posted inReligion
I’m impressed at the response to the “What in our world” challenge I posted yesterday. Your answers were interesting and varied. They ranged from the imaginative (Tshewang Nidup: “…this is the symbol of the sun and the moon”) to the wishful (Phub Dorji Wang: “Eye of our Fouth Druk Gyalpo, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck”). One used the opportunity to express frustration (Sonam Tshering: “Megatron, the evil leader of deception”), while another was filled with adulation (Postman: “Genghis Khan”). Most of you got the answer: the iconographic eye of Lord Buddha. But, only two knew that it belonged to…

Moenlam chenpo

June 21, 2009Posted inReligion
Yesterday I attended the moenlam chenpo in Haa and, with my extended family, offered lunch to the devotees. The prayers for universal peace and harmony have been conducted in Haa annually since its inception in 2001. And His Holiness the Je Khenpo has personally led the prayers there every year. People from every village in Haa, some having walked for several days, are participating in the moenlam chenpo, which is being conducted in the compounds of the Lhakhang Karpo. Devotees from neighboring Paro and Thimphu are also attending the sacred event. The photograph shows the faithful circumambulating the main…

Moenlam chenpo in Haa

June 16, 2009Posted inReligion
I've posted another set of photographs. They were taken earlier today while accompanying His Holiness the Je Khenpo's entourage to Haa. His Holiness is in Haa to lead the moenlam chenpo prayers for world peace and harmony. The moenlam choenpo was started in 2001 by three cousins - Dasho Nob Tshering (a civil servant), Desang Dorji (a businessman) and Nob Gyeltshen (a retired RBG officer). That year, the three of them sponsored the prayers and contributed Nu 100,000 each towards the moenlam chenpo fund. Other devotees quickly joined them and, before the end of the week-long prayers, the fund…