Je Khenpo

The Je KhenpoThe Je Khenpo (Tibetan: རྗེ་མཁན་པོ་, Wylie: Rje Mkhan-po; "The Chief Abbot of the Central Monastic Body of Bhutan"^[1]), formerly called the Dharma Raj by orientalists, is the title given to the senior religious hierarch of Bhutan. (Tibetan: རྗེ་མཁན་པོ་, Wylie: Rje Mkhan-po; “The Chief Abbot of the Central Monastic Body of Bhutan”^[1]), formerly called the Dharma Raj by orientalists, is the title given to the senior religious hierarch of Bhutan.

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Sharing my thoughts and experiences of Bhutan has been an ongoing process over the past 6 years. Beginning with a road trip in 2014 with Jeeth, where I first met Ugyen and Gyelmo, up until the present (2020) as they prepare to move into their newly built house, this story has developed over our conversations over many meetings in Bhutan and Bangalore. This blog, which talks of architecture through the lens of personal experience and in the context of Bhutan, had its genesis in the attempt to understand different cultures and in the realisation of the many similarities that emerge.

Photography credits for this blog are shared between Ugyen, Jeeth and myself.

Conversations with Rajni Chavda, Pem Gyaltsen (Jason), Dorji Yangke and other architects in Bhutan provided valuable insight into the focus of our exploration, and for that we are very thankful to them.

Tharunya has been the latest entrant into the process, and has been an excellent editor. She has helped identify the core of numerous and varied ideas and presented them in a structured and coherent pattern, without losing the flavour of what is being said.

This blog is dedicated to the many Bhutanese we have met over the years – from the vendors in the markets to the carpenters and masons on the numerous building sites; from the people in Ugyen and Gyelmo’s families and neighbourhoods, to the officials in the ministry – who have shared their perspectives with us generously, and whose stories we are honoured to tell.

Ugyen Wangchuk

Punap Ugyen Wangchuk is a Bhutanese photographer, serial entrepreneur and ex-monk. He spent his early years in the monasteries of Punakha. He moved into an administrative role before leaving to the US to study English and photography. Upon returning, he began his quest to marry his love for his country with his entrepreneurial spirit. His endeavours have been diverse - a specialist touring company, an authentic bhutanese crafts shop, and an ecolodge. Through it all, he has sought to bring traditional sustainable practices into the mainstream, believing that the wisdom of the past must adapt to the realities of the present.

Jeeth Iype

Jeeth Iype is a social entrepreneur with a background in sustainable architecture. His vision of the world is built on the themes of community, collaboration and ecology. As Director of Good Earth, he has been involved in the development of numerous eco-friendly and context-sensitive residential developments. His quest to further the cause of threatened and rare environments has led to his projects in ecotourism in places like Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Bhutan. Jeeth is a passionate photographer with a specific interest in astro-photography.

Tharunya Balan

Tharunya Balan is a planner and architect with a passion for the written language and a burning desire to change the world. Her studies and work in the field of urban planning have repeatedly brought home to her the importance of, and need for, sustainable development. Tharunya believes in the power of communication and the ability of stories to change hearts and shape minds. She currently teaches English and Theatre to school students while freelancing as a designer and editor. Tharunya lives in Bangalore with her cat. Her email id is balan.tharunya@gmail.com

Natasha Iype

I am an architect who has been involved in building sustainable communities in Bangalore since 1995. Until 2017, I headed the design studio at GoodEarth, In my work which focused on making users understand and be a part of the design and building process, my enthusiasm for studying human behavior in the context of architecture was infectious and it was through the telling of anecdotes about places and people that I received encouraging responses. This blog is an outcome of wanting to share these observations and reflections with the reader.

Natasha on Looking Ahead…
Nataraj on In search of the evolving vernacular
Marcy on Looking Ahead…
Vinay on Looking Ahead…
Sandeep Basrur on Tshechu in the Dzong