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Article: THE MYSTICAL MOUNTAIN KINGDOM OF BHUTAN; In the Heart of the Himalayas, Secrets of the Past Survive
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- July 17, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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The "black hat" dancers swept into the medieval courtyard of
the Paro, Bhutan, fortress in a kaleidoscope of swirling silks and
exotic masks, dancing the sacred steps passed down by generations
and hidden from the outside world for centuries.
Hundreds of festively clad Bhutanese villagers and maroon-robed
monks jammed the courtyard and packed the balconies of the massive
stone edifice, entranced by the dance troupes, each more exotic than
the last. Four stories above the rainbow of colors and cacophony of
drums, gongs and horns, we watched the spectacle of the Paro
Festival from a monk's stark room, sipping yak butter tea and eating
spiced yellow rice.
The setting provided a rare window ...