Tag: buddhism

PUNAKHA, BHUTAN ART: UPHOLDER OF COSMIC ORDER

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This mural depicts Naga Raja, also known as Varuna.
Naga Raja is a deity in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. He is often depicted as a serpent king or a dragon, and is associated with water💦 , rain 🌧️ , and fertility. He is considered to be the guardian of the underworld and the protector of treasures.
He is often depicted as having a blue or green complexion, and is associated with the ocean, rivers, and rain. He is considered to be the upholder of cosmic order and the punisher of those who break the law.
In this painting, Naga Raja is shown with a human upper body and a serpent lower body. He is holding a mirror in his right hand and a staff in his left hand. He is standing on a lotus flower that is floating on a body of water.
This mural is in the Punakha Dzong.

Punakha, Bhutan 🇧🇹
24dec24

PUNAKHA, BHUTAN ART: LOCKED AND ALIVE

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Doors in Punakha, bright as the sun, dressed in yellows and oranges, flowers blooming in painted stillness. The wood whispers stories of mountain winds and monsoon rains, while a tiny demon face guards its secrets with a grin. Around it, the walls crumble with time’s gentle touch, but the colors—oh, they burn eternal, a hymn to Bhutan’s soul. Life, locked and alive.

24dec24

PUNAKHA, BHUTAN ART: HOLINESS WITH EDGE

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On the walls of Punakha, the phallus stands bold—ancient, untamed, a symbol of life and protection. Spirals of smoke wrap around it, warding off the evil eye, laughing at prudish stares. It’s not obscene, but sacred—a nod to Drukpa Kunley, the Mad Saint, whose wild, enlightened wisdom shakes the straight paths of life. This is Bhutan—spirituality with humor, holiness with edge.

Punakha, Bhutan 🇧🇹
24dec24

PARO, BHUTAN ART: GARUDA, BRING BLESSINGS

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This is an image of Garuda, a divine bird-like creature in Bhutanese Buddhism, symbolizing power, protection, and the triumph of wisdom over ignorance. Often depicted with snakes in its claws, it represents its ability to overcome negativity and harmful forces. Such murals are painted to protect spaces and bring blessings.

19dec24

PARO, BHUTAN ART: A SYMBOL OF LIFE

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On the walls of Paro, the phallus stands bold—wild, unapologetic, swirling with ribbons of color. It’s not obscene, but a protector, a sacred charm to ward off envy and evil spirits. Bhutan laughs with it, prays with it, paints it everywhere, a symbol of life, creation, and irreverence spun into tradition.

19dec24

PARO, BHUTAN ART: WIND HORSE

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This is the Wind Horse (Lungta), a symbol of prosperity, good fortune, and spiritual energy in Bhutanese Buddhism. Often depicted carrying the “wish-fulfilling jewel,” it represents the balance of strength and spiritual aspiration, connecting earthly life with higher realms. Painted on walls, it serves as a talisman to protect and bless the space with positive energy.

20dec24

PARO, BHUTAN ART: FIERCE AND FREE

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The dragon roars, a guardian of the sacred, wild and untamed, curling in fire and clouds. Above it, the mystical bird rises, feathers aflame with wisdom, perched between worlds. Symbols of protection and power, they hum with the pulse of Bhutanese Buddhism—earthly and eternal, fierce and free.

December 2024

PARO, BHUTAN: DILGO KHYENTSE RINPOCHE’S MEMORIAL RESIDENCE

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Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’s Memorial Residence in Paro, Bhutan, served as his home during his later years and was preserved after his passing in 1991 as a tribute to his life and teachings. A revered Buddhist master and meditation teacher, Rinpoche had close ties to Bhutan’s royal family, who were among his devoted students. The residence houses sacred relics, texts, and artifacts, symbolizing his spiritual legacy and enduring influence.

With great devotion Her Royal  Majesty Ashi Kesang Choeden Wangchuck offered the house to Rinpoche in the 1970s.
The throne Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche would sit on when advising his disciples.

Memorial House, Kyichu
Paro, BHUTAN.
Tel: 00975 8 271797
Cell: 00975 17531177
Email: ngrabten@yahoo.com
Hours: 10am to 4pm, closed on Mondays
Entry fee: 50 ngultrim

19dec24

PARO, BHUTAN ART: FOUR FRIENDS

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Alright, let me break it down for you—The Four Friends, Bhutanese style, is like the ultimate harmony anthem! Picture this: an elephant, a monkey, a rabbit, and a bird, all teaming up for the vibe of unity and balance. The bird plants a seed, the rabbit waters it, the monkey nurtures it, and the elephant stands tall so everyone can reach the fruit. It’s about friendship, cooperation, and making magic together, babe. Think Culture Club meets Buddhist wisdom—colorful, meaningful, and totally iconic! 🌈✨

18december2024

PARO, BHUTAN ART: LIFE, SPIRIT, EVERYTHING

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Paro, Bhutan. A street, a wall, a yellow burst of life in the mountain air, and there it is—the symbol of it all, the cosmic jest painted boldly in strokes of faith and humor. The phallus. It’s not just a phallus. It’s an ancient mantra written in form, dripping with the smoke of timeless prayers and the laughter of monks who know the secret of the void. This is not prudishness; this is freedom.

You see it everywhere here, on the houses, on the walls, on the winds that swirl around the hills—meant to ward off the evil eye, a divine joke on the demons who seek to invade the sacred space. It’s the Buddha’s outrageous, earthy truth, telling you to let go, to laugh at the absurd, to see the spirit in every line and curve of creation.

The mustard-yellow wall and that window, framed with its carved wood, cradle the painted phallus like it’s holding the pulse of the earth itself. It’s alive in a way Western minds might struggle to grasp, standing tall against shame, speaking for joy, for life, for raw, beautiful existence. It’s the wisdom of the Himalayas that says, “Here is life, here is spirit, here is everything.”

december 2024