With its lofty five-storeyed central tower, Haa Dzong looms large. Built in 1895, Wangchuck Lo Dzong, as it is formally known, was rebuilt in 1915 after it was destroyed by a fire. The whitewashed walls create the perfect backdrop for the intricately designed wooden balconies and colourful artwork. "The Bhutanese word 'dzong' translates to 'fortress' or 'castle'," says guide Tshewang Phunstso. The majestic dzongs serve as the religious, military, administrative, and social centres of their district.
Traditionally built on strategic locations like hilltops or the confluence of rivers to provide natural defence and command views of the surrounding areas, dzong architecture is massive in style: the walls embrace a veritable maze—courtyards, temples, corridors, offices, classrooms, and accommodation for monks. Bhutanese dzong architecture reached its apogee in the 17th century under Ngawang Namgyal, the 1st Zhabdrung Rinpoche, who is said to have relied on visions and omens to site each of the dzongs. In 1629, he built the Simtokha Dzong, the oldest surviving dzong in Bhutan.
Denne historien er fra December 29, 2024-utgaven av The New Indian Express Mangaluru.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 29, 2024-utgaven av The New Indian Express Mangaluru.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Transition phase, finding balance challenge for India
As the third umpire's decision - OUT - was displayed on the giant screen at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday evening for one last time, the stadium erupted, bringing to a close what had been a rollercoaster year for Indian cricket.
Hoping for fulfilling 2025 after controversial 2024
Despite not-so-very savoury 2024, Indian sports hope for a better 2025
GM Vaishali qualifies for World Blitz quarterfinals
INDIAN Grandmaster R Vaishali surprised herself with a stellar performance to enter the quarterfinals of the World Blitz Championship here, even as recently-crowned rapid champion Koneru Humpy made an early exit.
BSNL Employees Union opposes 2nd phase of VRS
THE BSNL Employees Union (BSNLEU) has opposed the proposed second phase of the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) introduced by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) management.
Fiscal deficit at 52.5% of target by Nov-end
THE Centre's fiscal deficit at the end of the eighth month of financial year 2024-25 was at 52.5% of the full-year target, according to the government data released on Tuesday.
Proclamation of the July Uprising in Bangladesh coming, says govt
BANGLADESH's interim government has announced plans to prepare the 'Proclamation of the July Uprising', a day after it distanced itself from a proposed declaration with an identical title that was put forward by a student movement instrumental in toppling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
China hackers access secret treasury dept papers: US
CHINESE hackers remotely accessed several US Treasury Department workstations and unclassified documents after compromising a third-party software service provider, the agency said on Monday.
US attacks Houthi targets in Yemen: CENTCOM
THE US military said on Tuesday its forces had hit Houthi targets in Yemen's capital that the Iran-backed rebels used to attack American warships and commercial vessels.
Musk softens stand on H-1B visas, calls for reform
AFTER vowing to \"go to war\" to defend the H-1B visa programme, tech billionaire Elon Musk has softened his stand on the issue by calling for reforms in the \"broken\" system used to bring skilled foreign workers to the US.
Share full data on Covid origin, WHO asks China
THE World Health Organization urged China to share data on the origins of the Covid pandemic, five years on from its start in the city of Wuhan, BBC News reported.
