houses of the holy

Ever since I was a little girl I was fascinated by places of worship. I grew up in Sevilla (Spain), a Catholic country where churches are as plentiful as the local tapas bars. I didn’t have the mental capacity at 8 years old to fully understand what it all meant, or even to make the leap from the stories of the Old and New Testaments to these houses of worship. Stepping into a church was a haven for more than just the soul: it offered a cool, dark respite from the oppressive Andalucian sun, and a visual experience in the form of icons — some of them rather grotesque — of emaciated-looking Christs and weeping Virgins. On a wall, a series of offerings in the form of candles and milagros, the latter usually of disembodied limbs and other body parts tied in dark purple ribbons. The smell of frankincense was a beacon for me, and to this day it brings back a lot of memories. These days, the candles are electric, triggered from a small alms box. You put your centimos in, and you press the button to light your candle. Instant offering.

It’s no different anyplace else. Maybe the incense smells different, or the prayers are in another language, but the ritual-making stays the same.

Offering Joss Sticks, Jade Emperor Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh City, 2008

again with the dumb luck

Imagine my delight to find out I’ll be in Thimphu, Bhutan, for the coronation of the 5th King, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck.

Earlier in 2008, Bhutan became a parliamentary democracy after 100 years of absolute sovereign rule. A draft constitution currently provides for two houses of parliament — a 75-member national assembly and a 25-member national council — with the king as head of state.

On November 6, King Jigme Singye Wangchuk steps down to make way for his son. A member of the royal staff has said “(t)he prince needs enough experience and exposure in the art of governance, so the king has decided to step down earlier than planned.”

His Majesty had commanded that, “the Coronation must, therefore, transcend the formal ceremony of the Crowning of the King and should instead symbolize the People’s unified first step in to the bright future of a strong and prosperous democratic Bhutan.”

Word.

Some facts about Bhutan:

• The country is about the size of Switzerland with a population under 700,000
• Fewer than 10,000 tourists visit each year
• Smoking is prohibited
• Television was first introduced in 1999
• King Wangchuck the 4th has 4 wives, all of whom are sisters
• Crown Prince Wangchuck is 28 and unmarried and was educated in Oxford. Oh, and he’s incredibly good-looking