We started the day by going to the Coronation Park to watch the Khuju Luyang Bhutanese traditional dance group perform 12 traditional dances. They wore costumes appropriate to the dance and part of the country represented by the dance. The dancers were accompanied by a Yangchen – a type of hammered dulcimer; a Dramnyen – a stringed instrument like a lute, Rim Cymbals; and two Dung-chen horns – long horns what look something like alpenhorns.
Walking Buddha statue in Coronation Park
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Khuju Luyang Bhutanese traditional dance presentation
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Khuju Luyang Bhutanese traditional dance presentation
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Khuju Luyang Bhutanese traditional dance presentation |
Khuju Luyang Bhutanese traditional dance presentation
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Khuju Luyang Bhutanese traditional dance presentation Notice the elderly gentleman intently watching the performance. |
Khuju Luyang Bhutanese traditional dance presentation |
Khuju Luyang Bhutanese traditional dance presentation
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Yangchen (dulcimer) and Dramnyen (lute)
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Yangchen (dulcimer) and Dramnyen (lute) |
Rim Cymbal accompaniment
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Next we went to see the National Memorial Choeten or Stupa. This is a stupa where people come to pray. Many elderly people spend their daytime hours at the stupa, spinning the prayer wheels and praying with their beads.
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Sign at the National Memorial Choeten |
National Memorial Choeten
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National Memorial Choeten
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Offerings at the National Memorial Choeten |
Elderly man with his beads and USS Iowa cap
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Next we went up the mountainside to see the site of the construction of the great Buddha Dordenma, a gigantic Shakyamuni Buddha statue that overlooks this whole valley. The statue is enormous – 169 ft. high and is made of bronze and gilded in gold and will cost over $100 million US dollars by the time it is finished. Mind-boggling!
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Construction is still in progress at the site of the Buddha statue |
Construction is still in progress at the site of the Buddha statue
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Buddha Dordenma, a gigantic Shakyamuni Buddha statue |
View of Thimphu from the site of the Buddha statue |
View of Thimphu from the site of the Buddha statue
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After lunch, which was one of the best meals we had in Bhutan, we visited the Tashichho Dzong to see more decorative art and monks.
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Lunch Bhutan-style
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Lots of veggies |
