Romancing in Punakha

Posted on March 23, 2012

Unlike the West we don’t have movies to go on dates. Nor do we have endless malls to hold hands and meander around. But we have the mountains to express our love. And those river beds too.

I wish I was the guy who drew this on the banks of the Pho Chu in Punakha. This photograph was taken from the Pho Chu suspension bridge, behind the Punakha Dzong. It was there for anyone who crossed the bridge to see. I hope the girl was impressed. I would be if I were her.

Who says Bhutanese guys aren’t romantic?

A giant heart on the banks of the Pho Chu, Punakha

A giant heart on the banks of the Pho Chu, Punakha.

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Thimphu Tashichhodzong

Posted on March 19, 2012

Almost every other evening I ride my bike from Thimphu to Dechencholing and back. On the bike ride back from Dechencholing, this is the view of the Thimphu Dzong – always a treat after the saddle sores.

Thimphu Tashichhodzong is the grandest of all the Dzongs in Bhutan. The Dzong was lit-up for the first time during Royal Wedding celebrations in 2011. The beautifully lit Dzong is a fantastic subject for night photography.

Thimphu Tashichhodzong is the grandest of all the Dzongs in Bhutan

Thimphu Tashichhodong all lit up.

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Forest Fire in Thimphu

Posted on March 12, 2012

Thimphu had a strange feeling yesterday. Smoke from the forest fire in Namseling had blown north and cast an eerie feeling, almost foreboding.

Bhutan looses hundreds of acres of forest to forest fire, especially in the winter when its dry and windy. Almost in all cases, human carelessness is the main cause. It is sad to think about the loss. A forest that takes centuries to mature gone up in smoke. It is very sad.

Smokey Thimphu because of forest fire in Namseling.

Smokey Thimphu during the Namesling forest fire.

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Bhutan Desktop Wallpaper Calendar – March 2012

Posted on March 1, 2012

We Bhutanese buddhist are a superstitious lot. I don’t know any fellow countryman who dosent wear a Sungkey. A Sungkey comes in many forms, the most common kind being the string Sungkey. The colorful string is worn around the neck, which would have been blessed by a high buddhist priest. Don’t let the humble string fool you – it will protect you from harm’s way, which is why all of us wear it until it disintegrates and falls off. Since it is a religious trinket, it must be discarded in a way that it will not be desecrated.

This photograph is a HDR taken on the way to Dechenphu, north of Thimphu. There was this tree where pilgrims to the temple have used a tree to discard their Sungkeys.

Bhutan Desktop Wallpaper Calendar - March 2012

Dreamcatcher of the Buddhist kind. Discarded magical neck strings on the way to Dechenphu is on my 2012 March calendar.

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Happy Dragon Year

Posted on February 18, 2012

A very Happy Dragon Year to everybody. The dragon year is supposed to be special, so make special happen.

This is a photograph of lake Tshophu with Jichudrakey in the background. Its pretty special because it is a black and white HDR. This the the only black and white HDR I have done so far, and I am mighty pleased with the result. Also, couldn’t resist being childish to start off the dragon year. Hence the animated GIF. Never ever did I imagine myself doing animated GIFs. Stay hungry, stay foolish said Steve Jobs.

My Dragon Year Losar Card

A very happy Losar to everybody.

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