Preparing for the Meteor Shower on August 12, 2009

Our earth will pass through a stream of dusty debris from the comet Swift Tuttle. It will pass through the densest debris stream sometime on August 12 and will continue till early hours of August 13.

The cometary single burns on entering the earth's atmosphere often leaving a trail of light across the sky. On August 12 when earth passes through the densest part of the meteor we can see dozens of meteors an hour.

This meteors is believed to come from the constellation of Perseus - hence this phenomena is called Perseid.

No special equipment is required to see this event. Its a good opportunity for all sky-gazers.

If the weather is clear I will be posting some pictures taken of the perseid from Bhutan.

Phallic Tradition

Phallus painted on the wall of a house



Wooden phallus hung in my jeep

A clown holding a phallus during a festival

Wooden phallus hung on the four eaves or painted on the walls of the houses in the village is a common sight in Bhutan. No one knows when the phallus worship started in Bhutan. It’s believed; it started even before the introduction of Buddhism in Bhutan. Some attribute it to the bon tradition where object worship and sacrifices were common.

In Bhutan the phallus is an integral part of ceremonies ob

served by communities, commonly used to ward off evil spirits and counter evil. Be it a newly constructed house or a new purchased car. Wooden phallus of different shape and size are used

to ward off evils. Some even consider the phallic tradition to be a legacy of the saint Lam Drukpa Kuenlay (popularly known as divine madman, he refuted aga

inst dogmatic practices and taught Buddhism through his unrestrained sexual practices. He always looked for beautiful girls and good wine).

The inauguration of a new house is an elaborate ritual. Four huge giant phalluses are carved from a wood, tied together and put in a basket. The men folks on the roof try to pull the basket up while the women pretend to pull it down. When the phalluses are hung from the four eaves, scriptures are read and men and women sing and dance till the wee hours.

But contrary to the popular perception, the phallus has a world of meaning beyond its obvious symbolism to ward off evil influences.

The phallus, in essence represents a centre of male ego, and did not symbolize celebration of sex. The phallic symbol in the Bhutanese context does not denote domination of womanhood by man. In Bhutanese belief the phallus rather represents a worldly illusion of desires.

The phallus symbolism is losing its vibrancy in urban Bhutan. Now the urban dwellers feel it’s offensive and indecent.

Little Angels

We are the champs!!!


Friend in need.....

When the rain comes down...

..more than i can swallow

My hard earned meal.

I hate weekends and hate it even more when I have nothing planned. I twist and turn in my bed trying to catch some extra sleep i miss on weekdays. Every dot on the ceiling or uneven paint comes to live and invites me to the "wonderland". I lie there till i feel i can sleep no more.

This weekend was different as i was mountain biking to one of the remote villages some 50km to the south of Thimphu (capital city). I don't usually go biking as i work out thrice a week. But this time with few friends we plan to go to this place.

The trail leading to the village is just wide enough for a pick-up truck. To ride this dirt track is a daunting task. The ascent is steep and one side is a sheer cliff of several meters drop to a ravine below.

Puffing and panting we made it to the village by lunch time.

We visited a village elementary school and took some pictures. This village is a paradise at this time of the year.

Total Solar Eclipse viewed in Bhutan

I got up at the crack of dawn as we had several clients viewing the eclipse from a vantage point. We were hitting the trail leading to one of the highest passes on the Thimphu (capital of Bhutan) and a central Bhutan town located little over 50km away.

Dochula pass standing at 3050mts is a lovely spot for picnicking family and tourist alike. From Dochula on a clear day one can see the surrounding mountain ranges coated in white and some of the remotest settlements miles and miles away.

The moment i stepped out of my house and gunned the engine of my jeep (Japanese Suv)i was disheartened to see the overcast sky. The could stretched from one end to the other and was threateningly dark.

With no option, i was speeding uphill maneuvering the hair-pin bends. As i drove further up the weather was even worse. The pass was enveloped in a blanket of thick fog. I thought there was no escape and our clients would have to return thinking what another total eclipse would be like in 2132 long after we all would be gone.

From the light and the predicted time i knew the moon was already eating its way across the sun. Several times i looked at my eclipse shades (thanks to a family of four from USA who were kind to spare 15 pairs for my guides and drivers) and thought i would keep it as a souvenir.

Feeling the chill around my bones i decided to drive further down where it would be bit warmer. Within I prayed for a miracle and expected a natural force to blow the cloud away.

At the right moment miracle did happen. The cloud around the sun gave way to a beautiful celestial spectacle.

The totality lasted for few seconds. About 200 people applauded and shouted when the diamond ring formed and a brilliant light flashed.

The was the first total eclipse of my life.

Link below will take you to some of the scenes. I apologise for the clarity as its a amateur video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asXXBxj3N7Q

Total solar eclipse 2009

On July 22, 2009 early morning Bhutan will fall on the path of the total solar eclipse. This will be the longest total solar eclipse in our life time. The next total solar eclipse will be experienced only in July 11, 2010 over the majority of South Pacific Ocean.

Bhutan will experience around 4mins totality as it falls on moon's umbra. This unique event will be closely followed by astronomers and enthusiasts.

We have over 50 people of different nationalities witnessing this event from Bhutan.

July is a time of torrential rain in Bhutan. We are bit apprehensive of the weather but if the weather cooperates we will be a part of the Total Solar Eclipse of July 22, 2009.

So far the weather has been good, and India is already experiencing drought.

This eclipse will start early morning in the western coast of India and move across north India, southern part of Nepal, Bhutan, China, southern Islands of Japan and the pacific where the totality will be of 6mins 39secs.