Expressions of faith, a photo from Bumthang, Central

Photographer's Note

My photos today have nothing to do with the new year, but I would like to wish everyone on TE a safe and prosperous 2019 anyway.

And now to the photos:

This is from Jakar, the main town of Bumthang district in central Bhutan. Bumthang is regarded as the cultural and religious centre of the country and is filled with monasteries, temples and other public expressions of Tibetan Buddhism, including stupas of different kinds, prayer flags, prayer wheels and holy mantras painted on walls or carved on rocks.

A stack of stones like this one seen outside a temple is regarded as a kind of stupa. Generally a stupa is a building containing the relics of a person who had reached a high level of religious enlightenment. But stones laid upon stones by devout people as a token of their faith, or just to memorize their visit, will also be thought of as a stupa.

There may among these stones be those that have the holy mantra "om mani padme hum" (see WS #2) carved on them. More often such carved stones can be found separately outside temples or small roadside shrines.

Here is a larger version.

More expressions of Buddhist faith can be seen in the WS photos. One shows a small gathering of devout people, the other shows holy words painted on a rocky hillside.

All these photos from 2003 were scanned from Kodachrome slides.

macjake, alvaraalto, ikeharel, lousat, Royaldevon, Fis2, jhm, ChrisJ, jean113, adores, worldcitizen, mcmtanyel, rychem, rychem, pierrefonds, adramad, COSTANTINO, tyro heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

mesutilgim (0) 2019-01-01 1:04

Hello dear Gert,
Another nice and interesting "oldie" in your gallery. Very good sharpness and many interesting and usefull notes.
One of my hobbies is painting of big sized Stones, and this hill of Stones is such mouthwatering for me :-)
TFS and all the best for a happy and prosperous new year
MESUT ILGIM

pajaran (115989) 2019-01-01 1:16

Dobar dan.
Lepi pogledi, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Dobar rad sa lepim fotografijama u radionici, lepo pokazano, lepe fotografije i secanje.
Zelim vam lep dan, sve najbolje u novoj godini koja je pocela, srecno.
Paja.

macjake (98456) 2019-01-01 1:20

Hi Gert
what do we have here...i'll have to read the note first.
Well I can honestly say I don't think i've seen this type of Stupa before. I've learned something new today, I guess thats a good way to start the new year :) its nice how the photo hase a couple of layers in the bg, layers of depth. First are the stones, second is the large building, thirdly are the trees. It turned out very well. cheers
Craig

papagolf21 (152607) 2019-01-01 1:25

Bonjour, cher Gert,
Pour cette nouvelle année, je souhaite de belles surprises et de grands moments de joie avec votre famille et tous les gens qui comptent pour toi. Meilleurs Vœux de bonne année 2019.
Amitiés.
Philippe

alvaraalto (42804) 2019-01-01 1:27

Hello Gert,
Three beautiful photographs that show us different aspects of Bhutan.
Of course not specific photos to herald the new year, but I think it's a very good idea to start the year with Expressions of faith.
Although it sometimes seems difficult we can not lose hope for the future.
Best Wishes for 2019, groet Rob

lousat (139332) 2019-01-01 2:14

Hi Gert,3 beautiful memories from your rich archive to start the new year. Interesting post,a symbol of faith it's a symbol of hope too,so it's good for the first post of the year. Lovely composition,and i like the 2 ws too with the painted rock and the people too,well done! All the best and thanks,Luciano

Nicou (193806) 2019-01-01 2:17

Hello

Merci pareillemetn tous mes voeux pour 2019 et une très bonne année et merci pour cette iamge quelle compo et vue quel expression avec ce tas de pierre quelle forme et ces maisons blanches en fond quel ensmelbe superbe
Belle journée bonne année
Nicou

Royaldevon (85932) 2019-01-01 3:25

Good Morning Gert,

Three photographs that are as interesting and well taken as we have begun to expect! (No pressure then!)
I loved to peruse these, they are so very different from anything that I have encountered and give many fascinating details.
The main photograph, with the stone 'stuppa' was a most interesting concept.
It made me wonder about stone cairns that have been found in the U.K. Some are very old, they have not been explained and though people have excavated them, they have found nothing beneath. I wonder if they follow this Buddhist tradition of having their own importance as a result of the person's visit.
Anyway, I have loved looking at these fine photographs, a visual memory of your travels.

Have a good day and a very Happy and peaceful New Year,
Bev :-)

Fis2 (170861) 2019-01-01 4:17

Witaj Gert!
A very interesting place.
View makes impression.
Interesting houses and heap of stones.
Good framing, colors and sharpness.
Well done.
Warm regards in new year.
Krzysztof

jmdias (115252) 2019-01-01 5:00

gert

in india I found many abandoned sandals in the temples after a long pilgrimage, I presume these stones have a similar meaning, despite religion is different.nice view of the rocks and the temple ahead.
here an intense heat..
take care and happy 2019

jorge

jhm (211736) 2019-01-01 5:06

Hello Gert,

I find all three your picture a main photograph value
Real pictures for to learn, sharp and clear.
Lovely picture with nice colours and pleasant presentation
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards on first day of the year,
John

Silvio1953 (221729) 2019-01-01 7:54

Ciao Gert, interesting stack of Stoner, excellent clarity, splendid light and wonderful colors very well done, my friend, Happy New Year, ciao Silvio

ChrisJ (171884) 2019-01-01 8:03

Hi Gert

This Buddhist custom is still practiced in South Korea and Mongolia, where they are called 'ovoo'. Some of the 4wd tours I took on Mongolia would collect rocks along the way to place on the piles of stones at the next stop. Tfs.

http://koreantemples.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/CSC_0253-1024x678.jpg

http://es.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/Mongolia/West/Hovsgol/Khatsgal/photo839754.htm

jean113 (27893) 2019-01-01 9:19

Hello Gert, three pictures that give us a flavour of your trip to Bhutan.
Your main post has been composed with great care,and all the features are in excellent sharpness.
I like the inclusion of the people, all getting on with their daily lives, totally oblivious of you it would seem.

Best wishes Jean.

adores (46979) 2019-01-01 10:08

Hi Gert!
One of the countries I'd like to visit, but it's not so easy now. But I'll try it, it's on my list. I see you've been there many years ago, it was surely very different then, like almost all the countries. Good shot!
Have a great New Year!

Tue (92470) 2019-01-01 13:16

Hej Gert,
Et interessant billede der fortæller os lidt om kulturen og religionen i landet. Hvem ville have troet at bjerget med stenene har et religiøst mål? Landskabet i baggrunden med de lavthængende skyer er også smukt. Godt nytår!
Lars

ifege (48159) 2019-01-01 15:32

Hi Gert
A very interesting one. The stupa is like none that've ever seen. Good background to frame the stupa as well.
Cheers
Ian

worldcitizen (16104) 2019-01-01 17:12

Hello Gert,
This is another fine upload from Bhutan, with the stupa featuring prominently in the foreground. I like the WS with all the people standing around; it's interesting to see their clothes. Happy New Year to you! :-)

mcmtanyel (68623) 2019-01-01 20:08

Hello Gert,
Three beautiful photos from Bhutan. I like the colors in the WS photos.
A happy 2019 to you and to your loved ones, too!
MT

Cricri (176) 2019-01-01 23:08

Hi Gert
Intéressante composition, tout comme les deux WS, bonne lumière, bon travail
Meilleurs vœux 2019
cricri

notrap (7812) 2019-01-02 3:11

Hello Gert,
as always an informative entry, pictures of very good quality and notes I like to read. Your WS made me smile: "small gathering of devout people", but they may be only waiting for the bus. That is what we should learn about the world: there is a lot we cannot understand only by looking at it.
Regards,
Elvira

rychem (72187) 2019-01-02 8:21

An interesting kind of stupa, I think it is the older typ of stupa, made traditional spontaneous by people, A very good photo from your archive
I wish you all the best in 2019
regards Ryszard

ikeharel (113427) 2019-01-03 7:21

Hello Gert,
It is well known that a pile of stones, rocks and a mix of both, has sonething to do with superstition or a belief of some intention.
All three photos shows the place and the surrounding in fine outcome.
Good afternoon,
Ike

pierrefonds (114536) 2019-01-03 9:31

Hi Gert,

The presence of the people is animating the scene. The point of view is showing the details of the stupa and of the temple. The light is making the colours to stand out. Have a nice day.

Pierre

adramad (73006) 2019-01-03 9:56

Hello Gert.
The three images are very interesting, expressing images from day to day with the different customs of this country so religious, low architecture and all very green and wooded, this small pyramid of river stones is curious.
Wonderful images, sharpness, exposure, colors and POV are excellent.
Photo very well made. I like it
Enjoy a good day.
Very best regards.
Luis.

COSTANTINO (116580) 2019-01-03 11:32

Hello dear Gert
My warmest wishes for Happy New Year 2019
I always read your useful notes and now
from Jakar the main town of Bumthang district
regarded as the cultural centre of the country
different traditions different culture!!!
beautiful memoriew from your rich archive
regards
Costantino

rbassin (27472) 2019-01-03 11:34

hello Gert
Une bonne composition de cet amas de pierre, belle réalisation documentaire.
Amicalement
Roland

emka (158204) 2019-01-03 15:08

hello Gert,
In many places in different parts of the world, I saw small stacks of stones - in New Zealand, Peru, Uzbekistan or Tibet. But never it was a stupa like this. Sometimes there are stones instead of flowers in cemeteries. Your note, the view of the monks and the temples remind me of Tibet. The letters on the stones look Tibetan, like here.
Fantastic quality of the scanning from the slides. But this oldie is not so old.
Kind regrads Malgo

tyro (30513) 2019-01-04 1:04

Hello Gert,

A lovely trio of interesting photographs and three fascinating and very informative notes, all of which give us some insight into the religious beliefs and practices in this part of Bhutan.

Excellent!

Kind Regards and Very Best Wishes for 2019!

John.

carlo62 (81265) 2019-01-04 15:57

Ciao Gert
un altro post molto interessante, corredato di altre foto e di una nota completa e dettagliata.
Anche la qualità delle foto è notevole, considerando gli anni che sono passati e il cambiamento di tecnologia.
Buon we
Carlo

kasianowak (17676) 2019-01-06 6:14

Religion permeates all aspects of life in Bhutan. So much so that, I assume, for the inhabitants of the country it becomes less special and more part of everyday life. For us travellers, on the other hand, it's an occasion to experience and record something really unusual and colourful. You used that opportunity very well to capture a range of images showing the local traditions.
It's great to be able to see all this... as long as you make sure you don't circumvent all the makeshift stupas in the wrong direction... ;-)

Miguel82 (47110) 2019-05-17 12:13

Gert, that pile of stones seen outside of a temple is similar to a stupa. It is often decorated with prayer flags. It was built by the believers to express their faith. Splendid Himalayan mountain landscape in the bg. Instructive photo note