Download or read book Bhutanese Tales of the Yeti written by Kunzang Choden and published by Proglen Trading Co., Ltd.. This book was released on 2013 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bhutanese Tales of the Yeti is a collection of twenty-two stories set in four different regions of Bhutan. The presence of the yeti is ubiquitous to the kingdoms of the Himalayas, where beliefs and attitudes related to it go beyond scientific judgment and analysis. The Bhutanese consider the yeti, or the migoi, to be an essential part of the backdrop of their existence. Believed to possess supernatural powers enabling it to become invisible at will, the yeti often manifests itself in a tangible form and then suddenly vanishes, leaving behind nothing but an unexpected void. Folklore about the abominable snowman has existed for centuries; however, with the far-reaching impact of the media, the perpetuation of this oral tradition is threatened. This collection of stories is an attempt to document a vital tradition before it is wiped out entirely. The book is well illustrated and includes maps of the four regions.

Download or read book The Circle of Karma written by Kunzang Choden and published by Zubaan. This book was released on 2005 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Caught in the everyday reality of household life, fifteen-year-old Tsomo is suddenly called upon to travel when her mother dies. She makes her first journey to a faraway village to light the ritual butter lamps in her mother's memory. Beginning here, her travels take her to distant places, across Bhutan and into India. As she faces the world, a woman alone, Tsomo embarks on what becomes a life journey, in which she begins to find herself, and to grow as a person and a woman. The first novel by a woman to come out of the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, The Circle of Karma, written in English, is rich in detailed descriptions of ritual life in Bhutan. The measured pace of its prose, the many nuances of the story, the different levels at which the narrative works, weave a complex tapestry of life in which the style and content are closely interwoven, each informing and enriching the other.

Download or read book Beyond the Sky and the Earth written by Jamie Zeppa and published by Doubleday Canada. This book was released on 2011-01-28 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the tradition of Iron and Silk and Touch the Dragon, Jamie Zeppa’s memoir of her years in Bhutan is the story of a young woman’s self-discovery in a foreign land. It is also the exciting début of a new voice in travel writing. When she left for the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan in 1988, Zeppa was committing herself to two years of teaching and a daunting new experience. A week on a Caribbean beach had been her only previous trip outside Canada; Bhutan was on the other side of the world, one of the most isolated countries in the world known as the last Shangri-La, where little had changed in centuries and visits by foreigners were restricted. Clinging to her bags full of chocolate, hair conditioner and Immodium, she began the biggest challenge of her life, with no idea she would fall in love with the country and with a Bhutanese man, end up spending nine years in Bhutan, and begin a literary career with her account of this transformative journey. At her first posting in a remote village of eastern Bhutan, she is plunged into an overwhelmingly different culture with squalid Third World conditions and an impossible language. Her house has rats and fleas and she refuses to eat the local food, fearing the rampant deadly infections her overly protective grandfather warned her about. Gradually, however, her fear vanishes. She adjusts, begins to laugh, and is captivated by the pristine mountain scenery and the kind students in her grade 2 class. She also begins to discover for herself the spiritual serenity of Buddhism. A transfer to the government college of Sherubtse, where the housing conditions are comparatively luxurious and the students closer to her own age, gives her a deeper awareness of Bhutan’s challenges: the lack of personal privacy, the pressure to conform, and the political tensions. However, her connection to Bhutan intensifies when she falls in love with a student, Tshewang, and finds herself pregnant. After a brief sojourn in Canada to give birth to her son, Pema Dorji, she marries Tshewang and makes Bhutan her home for another four years. Zeppa’s personal essay about her culture shock on arriving in Bhutan won the 1996 CBC/Saturday Night literary competition and appeared in the magazine. She flew home to accept the prize, where people encouraged her to pursue her writing. Her letters from Bhutan also featured on CBC’s Morningside. The book that grew out of this has been published in Canada and the United States to ecstatic reviews, followed by British, German, Dutch, Italian and Spanish editions. Although cultural differences finally separated Jamie and Tshewang in 1997 while she was writing the book and she returned to Canada, she will always feel at home in Bhutan. Zeppa shares her compelling insights into this land and culture, but Beyond the Sky and the Earth is more than a travel book. With rich, spellbinding prose and bright humour, it describes a personal journey in which Zeppa acquires a deeper understanding of what it means to leave one’s home behind, and undergoes a spiritual transformation.

Download or read book Tales in Colour and Other Stories written by Kunzang Choden and published by Zubaan. This book was released on 2012-06-25 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: These deceptively simple stories uncover both the complexity and irony of women’s lives in Bhutan today. They show how ordinary lives, choices and experiences are both remarkable and poignant. In ‘I am a Small Person’, a despised woman uses her femininity as a means to control a man; the young girl in ‘I Won’t ask Mother’ suddenly feels empowered and confident when she makes a decision without consulting her mother. All the stories take place in rural settings, to which creeping urbanisation brings gradual change, and tensions surface between the new and the old, or the traditional and the modern. For many rural women, being able to connect to the city and all its perceived power and glamour is a very real aspiration. This yearning is exemplified in ‘Look at her Belly Button,’ where a young woman effortlessly slips out of the role of a farmer to become a ‘real Bhutanese’ urbanite. Published by Zubaan.

Download or read book Married to Bhutan written by Linda Leaming and published by Hay House, Inc. This book was released on 2011-04-01 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tucked away in the eastern end of the Himalayas lies Bhutan: a tiny, landlocked country bordering China, India, and Nepal. One of the most remote places in the world, Bhutan is rich in natural beauty, exotic landscapes, and ancient wisdom, where people are genuinely happy with very few material possessions and the government embraces "Gross National Happiness" instead of Gross National Product. As one of the few Americans to have lived in Bhutan, Linda Leaming offers a rare glimpse at the peaceful mountain kingdom so many have only dreamed of. For over ten years, Leaming has lived and taught in the small town of Thimphu, where there are fewer than 100,000 people and no traffic lights. "If enlightenment is possible anywhere," she writes, "I think it is particularly possible here." The Bhutanese way of life—quieter, slower, and more tranquil—can seem daunting to most Westerners, consumed with time, dates, speed, and efficiency. In Bhutan, people rarely check their e-mail and take their time answering their telephones. But, as Leaming shows us, a little patience—over a cup of warm tea and friendly conversation—can help soothe the most distressed mind and soul. In this funny, magical memoir, Leaming takes us with her on her travels through South Asia, sharing her experiences as she learns the language, customs, and religion; folklore of a revered Tibetan holy man who gave blessings to the people by whacking them on the head with a big wooden phallus; her unlikely romance with a Buddhist artist; and her discoveries about the unexpected path to happiness and accidental enlightenment, where true bliss resides. Married to Bhutan is a reminder that following our dreams is the way to be truly happy.

Download or read book A Field Guide to Happiness written by Linda Leaming and published by Hay House, Inc. This book was released on 2014-10-01 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the West, we have everything we could possibly need or want—except for peace of mind. So writes Linda Leaming, a harried American who traveled from Nashville, Tennessee, to the rugged Himalayan nation of Bhutan—sometimes called the happiest place on Earth—to teach English and unlearn her politicized and polarized, energetic and impatient way of life. In Bhutan, if I have three things to do in a week, it’s considered busy. In the U.S., I have at least three things to do between breakfast and lunch. After losing her luggage immediately upon arrival, Leaming realized that she also had emotional baggage—a tendency toward inaction, a touch of self-absorption, and a hundred other trite, stupid, embarrassing, and inconsequential things—that needed to get lost as well. Pack up ideas and feelings that tie you down and send you lead-footed down the wrong path. Put them in a metaphorical suitcase and sling it over a metaphorical bridge in your mind. Let the river take them away. Forced by circumstance and her rustic surroundings to embrace a simplified life, Leaming made room for more useful beliefs. The thin air and hard climbs of her mountainous commute put her deeply in touch with her breath, helping her find focus and appreciation. The archaic, glacially paced bureaucracy of a Bhutanese bank taught her to go with the flow—and take up knitting. The ancient ritual of drinking tea brought tranquility, friendship, and, eventually, a husband. Each day, and each adventure, in her adopted home brought new insights and understandings to take back to frantic America, where she now practices the art of "simulating Bhutan." This collection of stories, impressions, and suggestions is a little nudge, a push, a leg up into the rarefied air of paradise—of bright sunlight and beautiful views.

Download or read book Under the Holy Lake written by Ken Haigh and published by University of Alberta. This book was released on 2010-03-01 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A child’s face, a forgotten scent, or a distinctive flavour engages memory and inspires longing. Ken Haigh brings us tantalizingly close to his own vision of longing for a place, a people, a time, as he revisits those all-too-fleeting years as a young school teacher in the remote Himalayan village of Khaling, Bhutan. These experiences in an exotic country will leave you yearning for ancient Buddhist temples, winding mountain trails, and a simpler way of life. This memoir will captivate the vicarious traveller in each of us.

Download or read book The History of Bhutan written by Karma Phuntsho and published by Haus Publishing. This book was released on 2014-08-15 with total page 830 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2008, Bhutan triumphantly took the stage as the world’s youngest democracy. But despite its growing prominence—and rising scholarly interest in the country—Bhutan remains one of the least studied, and least well-known places on the planet. Karma Phuntsho’s The History of Bhutan is the first book to offer a comprehensive history of Bhutan in English. Along with a detailed social and political analysis, it offers substantive discussions of Bhutan’s geography and culture; the result is the clearest, richest account of this nation and its history ever published for general readers. A 2015 Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Title Award Winner

Download or read book Within the Realm of Happiness written by Kinley Dorji and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Autobiographical pieces of the Bhutanese journalist's observations.

Download or read book Lights in the Darkness written by Norbu Jamtsho and published by . This book was released on 2020-06-19 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Title: Lights in the DarknessGenre: Non- fictionCountry of origin: Bhutan A heart - wrenching non-fiction story of a young boy from a land of Gross National Happiness - Bhutan.The kid`s Spiritual maturity and seriousness in his dealing with life is so impressive ( Astee's memoir,2/09/2016). Norbu Jamtsho's difficult journey has taken him from his peaceful childhood village, where he spent his days in harmony together with his family, to the hopeless role of acting father to his three younger siblings. Through it all he has, and continues to, tirelessly pursue his education with hopes of a better future.Norbu is the fourth of the seven children to his parents born on 2nd of September 1996. Life was easier with parental warmth where togetherness was the culture, herding the cows in the rain and leeches were the only worries then. His educational journey began at the late age of eight with immense self-motivation and interest for learning. Everything went well until his father had to say goodbye to this world and his mother had to play the dual role of a parent. Life was not easy for Norbu.Life for Norbu worsened when his mother remarried and with no option left him and his three younger siblings back at home. Things were becoming tough to toughest. Norbu and his three younger siblings become like a wingless chicks. Now Norbu had a responsibility of a father and mother to shoulder- taking care of his siblings and continuing his education. No matter what odds life brings to Norbu he did not give up his education. He consistently scored near the top of the class. Raising three kids when he is still a child is a big appreciation. He did it both. Norbu's shortened childhood is a becoming of a man. The boldness he exhibits in becoming the man of the house is an inspiration to all. The audacity of the "manly child" undertakes to feed the younger ones and the circumstance he overcomes against the departure are sheer joy to admire (Astee's memoir, 2/09/2016). Reflecting on his life, Norbu finds that he has more than his fair share of memories- some cherished and many more that bring him to tears.From his tales comes not only an understanding of Norbu and Bhutanese life, but also an understanding of humanity. We are made to see the full impact of our actions on one another. He gives his memories without criticisms or embellishments of an adult mind; they are given with clarity and simple honestly that hi found only in youth. Death, religion, family, development and cultural norms are all presented in his simple, innocent way.

Download or read book The Plight Witness written by Y. N. Chamlagai and published by . This book was released on 2023-02-24 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is English translation of Nepali novel "Saxchi". It depicts the life and struggle of Bhutanese people who flee the country and took asylum in eastern Nepal during early 1990s.

Download or read book A Hare Marked Moon written by David Lascelles and published by Unbound Publishing. This book was released on 2021-05-13 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the spring of 2004, David Lascelles invited a group of monks from Bhutan to build a stupa in the gardens of Harewood House in Yorkshire. It was a step into the unknown for the Bhutanese. They didn’t speak any English, had never travelled outside their own culture, had never flown in an airplane or seen the ocean. Theirs was one kind of journey, but the project was also another kind of voyage for David. It was an attempt to reconcile a deep interest in Buddhism with the 250 years that his family has lived at Harewood, the country house and estate – with its links to one of the darkest chapters in Britain’s colonial past – that he has loved, rejected, tried to make sense of and been haunted by all his life. In Buddhist thought, one of the functions of a stupa is to harmonise the environment in which it is built and subdue the chaotic forces at work there. Would this stupa have a similar effect, quelling the forces of Harewood’s past and harmonising the contradictions of its present? A Hare-Marked Moon tells the story behind the extraordinary meeting of cultures that resulted in the Harewood Stupa, interspersed with accounts of David’s travels in the Himalayas which delve into the rich and turbulent history of the region, and the beliefs that have shaped it.

Download or read book Home Shangrila written by Lingchen Dorji and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2014-08-23 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Graduating from Sherubtse College, Bhutan's only college nestled in the Himalayas, Rinzin finds himself scared by the thought of his unknown future, a blank slate as he describes. His quest for a job takes him far beyond his expectation of a life after college. Set in Bhutan, Delhi, London and Scotland, Home Shangrila tells a story about dreams and hope, magic and secrets, strength and courage... and a man's quest for happiness. Can Rinzin find the happiness he seeks?

Download or read book Tales from Dragon Country written by Kusum Kapur and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this collection of Tales from Dragon Country Kusum Kapur has captured the spirit of Bhutan and its people. There are tales of adventure in the form of skirmishes with giants and demons, of tragedy in the stories of star-crossed lovers, and of humour in the exploits of Moten Phago and Dawa. While the folk tales about the mischievous monkey and the pesky toad provide plenty of fun, others like 'The Master-Craftsmen' and 'The Borrowed Gho' are shrewd comments on human relationships. The stories are told with sensitivity and reflect the affection and understanding which the author developed for the people of Bhutan during the two years of her stay in this beautiful mountain kingdom. Twenty-six striking illustrations by Tapas Guha enhance the enjoyment of these delightful tales.

Download or read book Dear Seday written by Ugyen Gyeltshen and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 147 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Library of Congress Subject Headings written by Library of Congress and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 1160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Talisman of Good Fortune and Other Stories from Rural Bhutan written by Rinzin Rinzin and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: