PARO, BHUTAN ART: MAHAKALA!


This powerful artwork depicts a wrathful Buddhist deity, most likely a form of Mahakala, a fierce protector in Vajrayana Buddhism.

The third eye symbolizes higher wisdom and omniscience.

The fierce expression and fangs are not symbols of evil, but of fierce compassion—wrathful deities destroy ignorance and obstacles to enlightenment.

13july25

PARO, BHUTAN ART: WATCHING YOU


The faces are powerful: flushed cheeks, intense eyes outlined in deep blue, and lips like petals mid-bloom. The crown of swirling flowers and foliage speaks to both divinity and fertility—life ever-renewing. There’s a spiritual playfulness here, a sense that these beings is watching you, not the other way around.

13july25

PARO, BHUTAN ART: THE BUDDHA

“The trouble is, you think you have time.”
—Buddha

Time is the great illusionist. It stretches out in front of us like it owes us something—like we’ll always have more of it, like the people we love will always be within reach, like we can afford to wait to start living.

It reminds me to write the story now.
To speak what’s in my heart while the room is still full.
To sit in the sun a little longer.
To choose the scenic route, the risky leap.
To call my friends. To forgive. To dance, anyway.

I’ve known goodbyes that came too fast, silences that lasted too long, moments I didn’t know were “lasts” until they were already gone. So now, I try to live eyes wide, heart open, every breath a gift I won’t get back.

Not in a frantic way, but in a sacred one.

Not because I’m afraid—but because I finally understand.

13july25

PARO, BHUTAN ART: TALENT THAT SHOULD BE OUT ON THE STREETS

The Twinz are a remarkable duo of identical twin brothers—Tashi Dendup and Ugyen Samdrup—from Sarpang, Bhutan, who create art collaboratively.
Their work draws deeply from Vajrayana Buddhism, shamanism, and Bhutan’s tangible (temples, sculptures) and intangible (wisdom, rituals) cultural heritage, blending traditional iconography and symbols with semi-realistic human portraits. A common theme of theirs, is Warrior Sisters.

These works are currently on display at Paro Airport

13july25

PARO, BHUTAN ART: GARUDA, BRING BLESSINGS


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


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 STREETART: BRIGHT THREADS


In Paro, a wall bursts with gohs and kiras—bright threads of tradition spun in street art. The old ways made new, flowing in color, standing proud against the wall.

19dec24

PARO, BHUTAN ART: WIND HORSE


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


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


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