Secrets of Shangri-La

For centuries the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has remained as enigmatic and elusive to Western eyes as the legendary Abominable Snowman that ambles across its snowy slopes. Dotted with aerie temples and emerald valleys, ruled by a Dragon King whose subjects dress like Renaissance page boys, Bhutan relished the role of the world's last Shangri-La, and kept a closed door to foreigners. As a result it preserved a way of life indistinguishable from that of its countrymen a thousand years ago.

Today all that seems destined to change. Nestled next to Communist-ruled Tibet, Bhutan has become a last frontier between China and India--and one of the most strategic chunks of geography on earth. To dispel some of the question marks, its progressive king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, 39, recently invited three Swiss scholars, Geologist Augusto Gansser, his photographer daughter and Vienna-born Tibetologist Blanche-Christine Olschak, to observe and record the whole spectrum of Bhutan's culture. They have emerged with a fascinating photographic record including temples and monastic art treasures seen hitherto only by privileged lamas (see color opposite).

Snakes & Tiger Skins. Bhutanese art, the Swiss team found, is almost exclusively kept in the fortresslike dzongs, which serve as the administrative and religious centers for each district. Once inside the whitewashed stone walls capped by pagodalike roofs, they found the monastic quarters magnificently decorated with tapestries, sculpture and paintings. One of the most impressive was Paro Dzong, located on the old caravan route from Tibet to India. There, the Swiss group witnessed the traditional New Year's dance beneath the giant prayer banner, or thangka, which portrays Padmasambhava (Lotus-born), the Indian missionary--and central figure in Bhutan's art--who converted Bhutan to Buddhism in the 8th century. In his hand he holds a thunderbolt, symbol of enlightenment to the pageantry-rich people.

Bhutanese tapestries and wall paintings are a blend of Buddhism, Hinduism and Bon, the country's original cult of sorcery and spirit worship. There is little in them to distinguish today from yesterday. Works are not dated; subject matter is part of a continuous tradition handed down from monk to monk, generation to generation. Often the meaning of the centuries-old silk tapestries is obscure. The Mystic Spiral, intended for monastic meditation, is a vision whose precise symbolism is known only to a few learned lamas. To the Western viewer, its concentric circles, drawing him into a dizzying infinity, are startlingly like contemporary op and psychedelic art. The God of 1,000 Eyes, though menacing in appearance with his tiger skin and collar of snakes, is actually a protective deity in which the eye, symbol of wisdom and knowledge, appears even on his fingertips. Set against a threatening backdrop of flames and darkness, it seems a particularly apt talisman for Bhutan today.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.