Archery, national sports of Bhutan. Image: flickr/Göran Höglund
Archery is their favorite sport, and it is one of the few sports that the country participates in at international sporting arenas. Thus, it is to be expected that much care goes into the making of the sport’s implements, namely, the bow and the arrow. The sporting bow measures 72.5 cm in length and weighs around half a kilo, and at its broadest part, is 3.5 cm wide. Continue reading
Kurjey Lhakhang Tsechu. Image: flickr/Anja Disseldorp
Bhutan has a score and more festivals throughout the year. Most of them are religious events known as tsechus, and they are celebrated on the 10th day of a month of the lunar calendar corresponding to Guru Rimpoche’s (Guru Padmasambhava’s) birthday. Continue reading
Punakha Festival. Image: flickr/David Orgel
In the 17th century, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal of Punakha in western Bhutan defeated the invading Tibetan forces which led to the unification of the country as one nation. To honor this victory, a grand celebration, the Punakha Drubchen (a.k.a. Puna Drubchen), was held. It went on to become an annual festival of the district. Continue reading
Paro Bhutan. Image: flickr/Jean-Marie Hullot
Kathmandu is of course your first destination as you embark on the tour of your lifetime, and you can be assured of having a rich experience indeed. At the same time, Kathmandu serves as a most convenient gateway to some of the most exotic regions in the eastern part of the hemisphere. Continue reading