NAME-KAVYA SHARMA

CLASS-2/C
One of the first things you notice about Bhutan is its distinctive
architecture. The solid, rammed-earth farmhouses, the cliff-hugging
goembas (monasteries) and lhakhangs (temples), and the impressive
dzongs (fort-monasteries) follow a traditional pattern. Yet the absence of
written plans means that there are many variations on the theme
dictated by the local topography and available materials.
Whilst basic architectural design elements have been retained, the
construction methods have however changed over recent decades
alongside expectations for indoor thermal comfort.
Due to its history Bhutan is essentially a country without a long standing
urban tradition, with the two major conurbations of the country, Thimphu
in the western Bhutan region and Phuntsholing to the south on the
Indian border, having experienced rapid growth over recent decades as
a result of large migration pressures from the countryside for
employment opportunities .This has created new challenges not only in
terms of societal development but also for the construction sector as the
requirements for buildings and the surrounding infrastructure have
changed alongside these developments. In addition, the introduction of
new construction methods and materials previously unknown to the
country have played a significant role in the changes that have
happened to the construction sector.
Culture is a living manifestation of civilization. Because it exists in the
minds of people, it cannot be defined in static terms. If it is to continue to
survive and flourish, to continue to serve as a source of inspiration, and
to give spiritual, moral and psychological content and guidance to the
Bhutan’s future process of development, it must be understood in
dynamic terms, and we must seek to ensure that it retains its value and
relevance to a society in transformation. Without such efforts, the rich
legacy could lose part of its value and, ultimately, become an unintended
hindrance to change rather than a positive force and a source of
inspiration, especially for the young people. This requires us to look
forward as well as backwards in formulating future strategies.
I'm not quite sure what it all means, whether the individualistic consumer
culture that is coming in over the wires will be good for Bhutan. But that's
probably not the point. The point is that it is coming, that it's already
come. More importantly, is how the Bhutanese youth deal with it as they
grow up and go into business, politics, and start families.
Despite the xenophobic smear in Bhutan's past, as a country, it's doing a
really good job. The whole time I was there I was searching endlessly for
the caveat, for the hidden slums and broken homes, but all I found was
what you can only expect when looking at any large group of humans;
some unemployed, some alcoholic fathers, some rebellious youth.

PUNAKHA DZONG- From Living to Propelling Monument

The object of study concerns Bhutan’s state-religious architecture,

embodied by the monastery-fortress or dzong. Designated as Bhutan’s
architectural tour de force, the monastery-fortress exhibits the very best
of what this particular dwelling culture can achieve at a specific time
juncture. To a large extent it is the majestic and monumental character
that provides the monastery-fortress with its predicate of Bhutan’s
architectural frontispiece. The issue at stake here, however, is not
prompted by typological nor aesthetic concerns. The monastery-fortress
not only exemplifies the endurance of a ‘lived’ medieval concept; it
represents Bhutan’s archetype of public, political and collective
architecture.

Representing the Past in the Present: What Makes the Dzong a

‘Living’ Monument?

Fortresses and castles are among those form-expressions of material

culture that, despite their culture-specific context, architectural definitions
and manifestations, are evocative of a commonly shared past, namely
feudalism or medievalism.
SOURCE-https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/apr/14/bhutan-city-banker-turned-buddhist-nun-
emma-slade-set-free?page=with:img-5#img-5

In Buddhism, the contribution to the realization of a spatial environment

complying with Buddhist ideas about life and after-life is considered a
deed of virtue, irrespective of one's rank, position or talent. From a
religious perspective, the Buddhist doctrine of the ‘impermanent’
character and condition of all modes of existence has never associated
buildings with eternity. Like other aspects of material culture,
architecture does not escape from this same wheel of existence, the
cycle of life, death and rebirth (samsara); architecture too is subjected to
a continuous process of construction, demolition and re-erection.
Dzongs serve as the religious, military, administrative, and social centres
of their district. They are often the site of an annual tsechu or religious
festival.
The rooms inside the dzong are typically allocated half to administrative
function (such as the office of the penlop or governor), and half to
religious function, primarily the temple and housing for monks. This
division between administrative and religious functions reflects the
idealized duality of power between the religious and administrative
branches of government.

The fascinating thing about Bhutanese issues of architectural

preservation, as demonstrated by the present wave of major
reconstruction works throughout the nation, is the plurality of reasons
that may justify an approach which goes much beyond what we
understand by ‘restoration’ and ‘renovation’. The need to demolish and
rebuild a monastery-fortress, a temple, a house can be drawn from a
variety of reasons: practical, technical, socio-political, cultural, religious,
cosmological.... all and none of them at the same time identifiable as the
ultimate motive.

So far, we have looked at some factors that may justify the dzong’s title
of ‘living’ monument. The fact that dzongs still fulfils more or less
unchanged historical tasks was one argument to support this idea. The
dzong in use is evocative of a stage of development and as such
provides it its title of ‘living’ museum. The dzong in Bhutan
commemorates the construction of a spatio-cultural identity, expressed
in material culture. However, the factor that may provide the dzong with
its ultimate status of ‘living’ monument concerns the Buddhist cultural
idea of the impermanent state of being of all form expressions of
material culture. Historically important monuments too, as exemplified by
the case of Punakha Dzong, do not escape from this peculiar cultural
practice of architectural demolition.

The valley in which Punakha Dzong stands is situated in the

southernmost part of the Punakha district (dzongkhag) under which it
administratively resorts. Compared to many other valleys in central
Bhutan, Punakha represents a relatively wide and relatively flat open
environment. s. For any early traveller, the confluence of two rivers that
suddenly appears from behind a bulky mountain foot, may have served
as a prominent landmark, useful for geographical orientation. From the
viewpoint of oriental geomancy, the dzong of Punakha could not have
been better positioned: embraced by two merging rivers, attributed with
human feminine (mo) and masculine (pho) characteristics.
 VIEW OF THE RIVER FROM THE BRIDGE LEADING TO THE DZONG

The overall layout of the building complex comprises an oblong square

of around 180 metres long and 72 metres wide. This implies that the
building complex developed along its north-south axis, letting the
entrance of the dzong face the entrance gate of the little fortress
(Dzongchung). By facing each other, the little fortress faces the east,
Punakha Dzong faces the north. If one looks carefully, the dzong seems
to look upstream (of the mother river) avoiding a direct confrontation with
the Jilligang Hill. Depending on the season of the year the dzong literally
forms an island, made only accessible by two traditional cantilever
bridges.
After you climb the steep staircase, and just after you step in through the
huge door, you will find the painting of Buddhist astrology on the wall on
your right. Buddhist astrology is a mix of Indian and Chinese indigenous
systems. In Bhutan, astrology plays a significant part in the everyday
lives of the people. Astrology is consulted right from birth to death, and
for all the major highlights in a man’s life. With the help of the painting,
try to find out what animal sign you are.

ENTRANCE TO THE DZONG

The entrance porch opens up to the first courtyard (doshen) around

which the civil wing of the dzong is accommodated.A dark corridor leads
to the second courtyard from which the access is possible to the six
storeyed central tower (utse), which houses a series of temples. The
second courtyard is hardly existing since a new temple was built there in
1983, bringing the total to 21 temples.
 PAINTINGS AT THE ENTRANCE PORCH OF THE DZONG

PNDSJ BDHM NDNM

PPAJ NHM U

UTSE-THE TALLEST BUILDING OF THE DZONG

We finally enter the ecclesiastical wing of the monastery fortress. The
third courtyard provides access to the Machen Lhakhang, the temple in
which the embalmed body of the first Zhabdrung is kept, along with the
sacred relic he took along with him from Tibet. It is also here that the
remains of the Buddhist Saint Pema Lingpa (1450-1521), another
reincarnation of Guru Rinpoche is preserved. The monks’ great
assembly hall (kunre), credited to Bhutan’s second temporal ruler, Desi
Tenzing Drugda (1656-67) opens up to this courtyard.

DIFFERENT COURTYARDS OF THE DZONG

There is something about visiting the Punakha Dzong in the afternoon.

The afternoon sun brings out the richness of the paintings. The rays
slant just enough to hit the organically painted and carved wooden
railings. Monks seem more relaxed in the afternoon, and if you are a
photographer, you won’t get enough of the red of the beetle nut
glistening from the mouths of our maroon robed monks.

Bhutan is at present confronted with the consequences of a

modernization process that is, slowly but rather effectively, affecting its
built environment. This modernization is a recent phenomenon, resulting
from the opening up of the country that started in the sixties and
seventies. Up till now its effects are most of all visible in the urban area
of the capital Thimphu. This urban valley is urbanizing at a rather fast
pace, giving rise to all kinds of interactions between modernity and
tradition. Throughout these interactions, however, Bhutanese people are
very concerned about preserving their cultural identity. Tradition for them
is a living entity, which they do not wish to give up in favour of imported
values or goods. They thus seek for a negotiation between tradition and
modernity that would allow them to preserve their identity while at the
same time taking advantage of some selected aspects of modernization.
REFERENCES
 All photos from my gallery
 https://www.unusualtraveler.com/punakha-dzong/
 https://www.bhutandzongs.com/punakha-dzong
 https://coloradomtn.edu/the-punakha-dzong/
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punakha_Dzong