Jim Schroder's Travel

Home
Trips

Select Page

Bhutan

Going home from the field

Women working hard in the fields

Famous Red Rice fields that have medicinal values

Another shop with the same items in the window

Monastery Chimi Lhakhang (Lhakhang in Bhutanese languages means monastery or temple)

Punaka is the home of Chimi Lhakhang, a small Buddhist Temple with a very interesting story of how it was formed. It is known as the Temple of Fertility. What is with all the Phallus/Penis drawings around the Village? In founding the site it is said that Lam Drukpa Kuenley, known as the "Divine Mad Buddhist Monk" subdued a demoness by the name of Dochu La, with his "magic thunder bolt of wisdom" his penis. He also chased 2 other demonesses down that had terrorized the valley and turned them into a dog. He buried the dog under a mound, A chorten.

Drupka Kuenley was know as the "Mad Saint" or Divine Madman" for his unorthodox ways of teach Buddhism by bizare behavior, shocking and secual overtones. The overtones of his actions and antics were a deliberate method of provoking people to discard the preconceptions.

He is the Saint that advocated the use of these symbols seen in the village on walls, and through Bhutan have been intended to drive away the evil eye and malicious gossip. today he is the most revered and followed Saint in Bhutan. His symbol the phallus can be found all over Bhutan - even as door knockers - Go figure!

There are stories of tourists from the US and Europe who make pilgrimges to Chimi Lhakhang and promptly got pregnant within a year of their visit. Women come to the monastery seeking blessing of children will be hit on the head by the presiding Lama with a 10 inch wood and bone phallus used by the devine Mad Man hundreds of years ago.

Monastery on the hill

Children returning home from school through the rice fields

This photo is one of my favorites on the trip. A mother with her young children walking through the rice fiends on the way home from school.

Punatsangchhu Cottages in Wangduephodrang our home for two nights

Across the river from the hotel a new town has been built in recent years

Evening at the Cottages

View of the valley

Women building a home

View of the Punakha area Valley

Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhanag nunnery

[Show slideshow]

◄ 1 ... 9 10 11 ... 15 ►

© 2025 Jim Schroder