Free admission.
10nov24
Atop a mountain overlooking Thimphu, the Buddha Dordenma Statue stands serene, golden and watchful, like a guardian of the valley. Towering at 169 feet, (some say 177 feet) this is one of the largest Buddha statues in the world, radiating peace across the mountains. Inside, 125,000 smaller Buddhas rest—each a symbol of compassion, each a reminder to find stillness within. Unfortunately, you aren’t allowed to take ANY photos inside! 😞
Beneath its gaze, one feels the weight of silence. The plaza around it is vast, allowing for your own singular contemplation with him. The Buddha’s face is calm, and he reminds me of the beauty in simply being.
The Buddha Dordenma Statue སྟོན་པ་རྡོར་གདན་མ། was built to fulfill an ancient prophecy that said once built on this specific site, it would spread an aura of peace and happiness across the entire world. Hasn’t quite happened yet, unfortunately.
Constructed from 2006-2015. Free Admission.
I took a taxi to it, but walked down the mountain afterwards. On the way down, I stopped at Durga Mandir, Thimphu’s first Hindu Temple, and Bhutan Hydroponics, where I got a Papaya Green Smoothie for the equivalent of $1.94.
10nov24
🇧🇹
Post-election blues. The streets of Thimphu yesterday. I walked around with a hollowness, felt like I couldn’t find my center, lost my ability to make decisions, no desire to purchase the things I had come to town for…felt so alone and far away from my country and my people and this expressionless demeanor created by the utter numbness that took over me…and the only thing that could remotely comfort me was taking photos of the streets where I was reminded, but not convinced, that life does go on.
6nov24
In Bhutan, I have found that the depiction of Buddha in art holds profound spiritual and cultural significance, reflecting the country’s deep-rooted Buddhist heritage. Buddhism is central to Bhutanese identity, and images of Buddha in various art forms—such as paintings like this—are more than mere representations. They serve as visual guides to spiritual enlightenment, reminding the Bhutanese of the Buddha’s teachings on compassion, wisdom, and mindfulness.
The mindfulness aspect of Buddhism is the most alluring for me. This is my favorite quote about mindfulness from the great Buddha:
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
This quote captures for me the essence of mindfulness by urging me to release my attachment to what has already happened in my life, and to resist the urge to anxiously anticipate my future. Instead, Buddha emphasizes focusing fully on the present, the only moment where life unfolds and where true awareness can be cultivated. I find this teaching to be foundational in Buddhism, encouraging me to have a clear, calm, and compassionate state of mind. When a feeling of overwhelm begins to take over my mental state, I breathe and return to this beautiful advice.
Artist unknown. Wall painting in Pemako Thimphu Hotel. October 2024.
Monkey D. Luffy also known as “Straw Hat” Luffy.
OCTOBER 2004
Bhutan, the ‘Land of Happiness’—but here, in the shadows, graffiti tells another story. Scrawled on hidden, and not so hidden, walls, the words are raw, profane, a kick to the idyllic image the world holds. Drugs, anger, a kind of desperate freedom spelled out with black markers. It’s not the Bhutan they show you, but it’s real, it exists. A clash between the serene and the street—like finding chaos in paradise.
Thimphu, Bhutan 🇧🇹
October 2024
September 2024
1sep2024 Downtown Thimphu
The tiger and dragon are ancient symbols of yin and yang, forces that combine to make up the universe. You see them painted on many residential and commercial buildings in Bhutan.
August 2024
July 2024
