Where?
You’d have to know your map for this one. A kernel of a country sandwiched between China and India, Bhutan is one of those places you just have to know is there or else you will never find it.
And yet, the world has long been pulled by the country’s allure. Intensely Bhuddist in mindset, Bhutan has the perception of being a sort of utopian Shangri-La, a land of monasteries and spirits, dragon-kings and Himalayan mysteries.
So what is with all the painted penises?
On walls and roofs, on temples and ordinary homes — I am talking ev-ery-where — and most so impassioned as to be at the point of, shall we way, “conclusion.” For a country that is actually quite conservative (not “homophobic,” just “conservative”) in a Himalayan-Tibetan Buddhist sort of way, I will be the first to say that this is not what I expected to see.
So just how did this tradition come about? Funny thing: Around 500 years ago, “Holy Madman” Drukpa Kunley (1455-1529) hit upon a one-of-kind way of exorcizing demons. He hit them with his erect penis.
And to what must have been wild success. Today, the penis (fuzzy testicles included), as the source and symbol of the spark of life, is widely regarded as a potent good luck symbol and a charm to ward off the evil spirits that jam-pack the Bhutanese cosmology. And do not think that Kunley’s methodology has receded into the mists of history. At the Chimi Lhakjang monastery, you might very easily find yourself coldcocked by a dildo-wielding monk bestowing fertility. With the occasional concussion thrown on for color—those things are made out of wood, not nice, soft latex. It’s also not unheard-of to see “holy clowns” — basically the light-hearted face of Bhutanese Buddhism — drapped with phalli to dispel any troublemaking imp lurking arout.
Curious? FYI, just getting to Bhutan is a challenge. This is a country that managed to fly under the radar for centuries, and has absolutely no need for the outside world, thankyouverymuch. Only a certain amount of tourists can get in each year, and this is a nation that prides itself on being a backwater—TV wasn’t allowed until 1999. So of course, this is the one country that tends to be on everybody’s bucket list, so be prepared for a waiting list. On the upside, it’s the only country that literally measures the happiness of it’s citizens: Gross National Happiness. With all those penises around, I’d certainly be a little joyous.
Steele Luxury Travel offers discounted business and economy class airfare plus an array of luxurious hotels with VIP perks in Bhutan. Contact [email protected]for all of your travel needs.