The freshness that the Bhutanese Culture holds despite its ancient status is one of the major attractions that lures in many a curious backpackers to this land of folklores. Bhutan’s rustic environment, and the laid back populace who return home after a hard day’s work remind us of the by-gone era each civilization has shed, to become the advanced economies that they are now. Here, each day is idyllic, where folklores about monks with magical powers, flying tigers and sleeping demons still circulate to much of our delight. No matter where you are, the Dzongs, Monasteries, the Lhakangs and the Chortens have an inside story behind its creation. Some were built to commemorate the dead, some were erected to pin angry demons, some were reached on the back of flying felines who shape shift, et cetera.
To visit these landmarks, meet the people, hear their fables & drink in the heady concoction of make-belief is a lifetime experience. Sweeping, meticulously decorated roofs adorned by stark white walls protecting century old religious relics, the aura of each Bhutanese Dzong & Monastery is aesthetic & pristine to the bone. A walk on any normal day to the locally trodden streets of Bhutan and you are bound to pass through melees of monks solemnly marching towards the cliff-hugging monasteries after a daily chore. Red-cheeked kids bantering behind traditionally clad women, wearing the most vibrant of colors. Roads flanked by endless threads of prayer flags dancing tirelessly against the tune of the whipping wind. All of these "usual" sightings in Bhutan on any normal day makes it the most unusual one.
Their culture is the most pious one, devoid of evolution or infringement. They still bang the ancient gongs to enunciate the verses of thousand year old prayers within the walls of monasteries. The monks still dance to the songs that were passed on to them from centuries forgotten. The locales still adorn the vintage masks and dance to the religious tunes that are believed to shower good luck. Professionals and amateurs alike size up in the dusty grounds to exhibit their flair in the art of archery. Their everyday lives are the strongest remnants of a culture that has survived the tests of time solely through the dedication of a population that was hell bent to wholeheartedly preserve it. Bhutan is a utopian window that is still visited by millions to sneak a peek of the old times, when life used to be mellow and devoid of stress.
