poon cho tang SG Introduction BBC reporter Martin Plaut has been on a visit to Bhutan's Buddhist festivals. These events go on for days. This one - at Bhumtang - is known as the Jambay Lhakhang Drup Festival. This is held to commemorate the founding of the Jambay Lhakhang temple in 7th century and to honour Guru Rinpoche, the saint who introduced the Tantric form of Buddhism to Bhutan. Text and pictures by Martin Plaut
poon cho tang SG Traditional dances A variety of traditional and mask dances are performed. This is a form of story telling, with each having its own special significance and importance. Most explain how evil has been overcome and demons driven out.
poon cho tang SG Strict policy The festivals have become a magnet for tourists, especially in the spring and autumn. Sometimes the visitors outnumber the locals. Bhutan has a strict policy of trying to limit the number of foreigners visiting the country at any one time. Tourists have to be booked with a local tour company, and must spend at least $200 a day.
poon cho tang SG Religious treasures Young monks peer into the "flaming lake". This is a deep pool on the fast flowing Tang Chu river in the Bumthang valley. Here the guru Pemalingpa is said to have dived in and discovered religious treasures hidden centuries before by Guru Rinpoche.
poon cho tang SG By permission Bhutan is one of the most heavily forested countries in the world, with close to 70% of the country covered by dense vegetation. Unlike neighbouring Nepal, which has lost much of its forest cover, Bhutan has conserved its trees by insisting that any logging must be undertaken by permission. Many towns and villages now draw power and heating from the country's vast hydro-electric schemes. Exports of electricity to India are a key source of foreign exchange.
poon cho tang SG Distraction Archery is the national sport, and widely practiced by men in traditional costume, known as a gho. The bows are made of two strips of bamboo and it is a highly skilled sport. At championships women flap their scarves at the archers to try to distract them.
poon cho tang SG Threshed and winnowed Around 85% of Bhutanese make their living on the land, and rice is the staple crop. In the autumn the terraced fields are harvested. The rice is then threshed and winnowed in the wind.
poon cho tang SG Dzongs Great fortresses, or Dzongs, were built in the 17th century to keep out the invading Tibetans. This one, at Punakha, is on the confluence of two rivers. It is not only one of the largest in the country, it is also one of the most beautiful.
poon cho tang SG Administration Young monks learning traditional instruments at the Punaka Dzong. These fortresses are today administrative as well as religious centres.
