Featured Post

"Always Trust Your Feeling." Really?

Image
"Always Trust Your Feeling?"  This dictum sounds familiar and appealing. It is often used by my colleagues to address the students who consumes without any thought analysis. It sounds wise, thus the popularity. However, the reality is nuanced and misleading. This article discusses why the dictum is appealing and explores to interrupt the assumptions that frame the popularity of the dictum. Why does this dictum sounds fascinating?  The combination of "trust," "your," and "feeling" powerfully blends to tap into appealing aspect of human psychology and experiences. It can be safe to assert that it is powerful enough to hijack our rational self. "Trust your feeling" offers us utterly unique reason that equivocally sound reasonable to justify our feeling and actions. This phrase also helps us shield from societal judgement which is either dichotomies or are not of our liking. Simply put, it helps in what I may call "social-self preserva...
Post a Comment

The Mask Dance of Tiger and Bear (སྟག་དང་དོམ་གྱི་སྐུ་འཆམ་)

The mask dance of Tiger and Bear is one of the iconic and thematically suited performance during the annual Lampelri Rhododendronn festival. The mask dancers consist of two performer one wearing mask of tiger and the other wearing bear. 

The dance is said to be hour long performance with fourteen episodes of dances that comprises of wrathful, peaceful and playful episodes symbolizing the interaction between tiger and the bear. The performance during annual Rhododendron festival is usually curated to fit the time and mood of the festival. The dance captures and fascinates the tourist so much so that it is often performed repeatedly at the request of tourist. 

Tiger and Bear Dance

The Origin of the Mask Dance

The dance Originated from Hongthso, a modern day subsidiary town of Thimphu which was originally a peaceful hamlet occupied by very small group of people. The origin of the dance is credited to Token (the realized) Nindha Yeshi, (date unknown) a Lama of Hongthos Phendhay (Phendhaykha) Lhakhang. 

Once, while the revered Lama was meditating at New Yatshendra (name verification needed), a sacred site near Hongtsho Phendhay Lhakhang, he experienced a vivid dream. In this dream, a tiger and a lion appeared before him and performed a dance. The following day, as the Lama was deeply immersed in meditation, the very tiger and bear from his dream appeared physically in front of him and graced him with a most captivating dance. 

Lama, pleased and captivated by the dance of tiger and bear, choreograph spread the significant mask dance of tiger and bear from Hongtsho. Although this dance is not popular in other regions and hardly performed during Tshechu festivals in Dzongs, it hold a special significance in the hearts of people of Hongtsho and nearby community. 

During Lampelri Rhododendron festival, it is not only performed to mark religious and cultural value of the dance, but also to celebrate the significance of such prime predator in our ecosystem in maintaining otherwise delicate ecological balance. 


Read More

Comments

Post a Comment

We welcome your comments

Popular posts from this blog

Menchu of Menchuna: A Hidden Gem in Tobesa, Punakha

Image
Nestled in the serene village of Menchuna, Tobesa, Punakha, lies the mysterious and historical site of Menchu. As its toponym may suggest, Menchuna is a place where tradition and nature intertwine in fascinating ways. Once renowned for its medicinal hot springs, Menchu has a story that reflects both the resilience of its people and the enduring allure of its natural gifts. Here’s a journey into the intriguing tale of Menchu and its place in the heart of Bhutan. The Legacy of Menchu: A Once-Prominent Hot Spring Menchu was once celebrated as a revered hot spring, its waters believed to hold remarkable healing power with medicinal as well mineral properties. For centuries, the people of Bhutan trekked to Menchuna, as it is ideally situated near traditional Punakha-Thimphu trek trail. The hot springs, with their mineral-rich waters, were a vital source of therapeutic relief, providing solace and healing to countless visitors. The Struggle and the Change However, as is often the case with p...
Read more

Mythical Temple of Lugi Raw ༼ལུག་གི་རྭཝ༽

Image
Lugi Raw Temple Have you heard of Lugi Raw? Many haven't. If you are one of them you are on the right platform. This is for you.  3200 meters above the sea level, secluded among the towering mountains that feed Tshachuphu river, surrounded by fragrant cypress, juniper and pine trees, the temple of Lugi Raw (Rawa) is mystically yet snugly tucked at the heart of perilous cliff. Once you are at the temple clouds scudding overhead and the eerie silence of the surrounding perfectly blends with mysterious existence of temple. The old and rugged structure looks straight from the mythical era of 10th century. Very little is known about this temple. That is no wonder since the temple was established sometime between 10th and 11th century by some renowned Buddhist master.  Ngog Chöku Dorje (C@Mar Ngog.Org) The huge rocky cliff on which temple sits is believed to be meditation cave of Guru Rimpoche. The founder of the temple, however, is attributed to Lama Ngog Chöku Dorje (AKA Ngog Ten ...
Read more

A Melon at Rukubji

Image
Rukubji As I dissolve among the ordinary Drinking the ecstasy of sublime thoughts, Burrowing through what-ifs, and Rejoicing the best in my mind, I re-make myself every day. As I spread the deed, With no ego of having nor fear of not having I offer this chunk of melon To the deity of Pelela Who opens the door to scenic Rukubji,  I offer this chunk of melon To the serpent of Rukubji Who once slithered through the valley, I offered this chunk of melon To the omnipresent Pema Who pinned down the snake demon,  I offer this chunk of melon To the divine Kinley Who blessed the valley with mastered, I offer this chuck of melon To the red-cheek beauties of Rukibji Who shines the valley with unique art. In my humble offering May I find more solace, and May Omteng Tshomem bless them more. Lake below Palela (not Omteng Tso) Read More Here
Read more