| Chorten
and shrines |
Bhutan |
Click on an image to enlarge
A 'chorten' is a type of pagoda peculiar to the Himalayas. They are built to commemorate dead monks and to ward off evil influences from places deemed "thresholds", such as strategic points in mountains or the confluence of rivers (or roads). Chorten in Bhutan come in three varieties: a square surmounted by a pyramid, a farmhouse-like roof variety, and an "eye" type like those found in Nepal (see Kathmandu, Nepal on this website for examples).
Chortens are often surrounded by prayer flags, which 'release' a prayer to the wind with every flap.
Bibliography:
All images copyright 1994-present Galen R. Frysinger (these photographs taken 1994)
Karan, Pradyumna P. Bhutan:
A Physical and Cultural Geography
University
of Kentucky Press, 1967. Lexington
Schicklgruber, Christian &
Pommaret, Francoise. Bhutan: Mountain Fortress of the Gods
Shambhala
Publishers, 1998. Boston
Visit his website at www.galenfrysinger.com