Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon

Not so long ago i saw the movie - Travellers and Magicians, made by Khyentse Norbu (a.k.a. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche), who is a buddhist monk and is officially recognized as the reincarnation of a 19th century Tibetan saint. This was his first movie ever made in Bhutan. It’s a beautiful movie, i liked it very much and would recommend it to everyone. Coincidently, same week, there was a first-ever Bhutanese song and dance performance happening at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. So, naturally, we went. I really enjoyed the show, loved the dances and the singer Kencho Wangdi had an amazing voice. Here’s one of the dances they performed, it’s called the dance of the cremation ground:

Bhutan is a small kingdom in the Himalayan mountains, which is the 8th happiest country in the world, the most isolated and the least developed one. The landscapes of Bhutan are amazing. Bhutan is called Land of the Thunder Dragon or the Land of Medicinal Plants. In an effort to preserve its culture and environment, the government has put limits on tourists visiting Bhutan. Tourists have only been allowed into the country since 1974. Bhutan is also one of the last places on Earth where the Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism) form of Buddhism is practiced. Bhutan’s rich historical past has resulted in cultural traditions which came with unique customs, manners, language, modes of dress, arts, and different types of dances and folk music. Bhutanese masked dances reflect highly complex symbolic understandings of life in a complex universe.
Some day, i hope, i’ll make it to Bhutan