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.