Flying Phalluses

Thinking about sprucing up the exterior of your house? Why not try some Bhutanese-style decor (at right)? Yup, that is what you think it is. Like India, Bhutan is a country where bare shoulders and legs are frowned upon, and opposite-sex displays of affection are rare. So I was startled, driving through the beautiful Himalayas, to see a house sporting this jumbo-sized painting. I chuckled, not believing my eyes and chalking it up to my corrupt Western imagination. Then came another. And another. It turns out that the festival jester is not the only one fond of his phallus.

Many homes in rural Bhutan display these elaborate paintings, anatomically explicit down to the last gory detail. They're featured on the front of many a home, sometimes one on each side of the front door, like columns flanking the main entrance, sometimes worked into the elaborate and colorful trim around windows.

Phallic icons are fairly common in India also, but most are so abstract that I wouldn't assume that's what they were unless someone pointed it out to me. There is no mistaking these babies though -- they are there in all their anatomically correct glory.

 

 

Also commonly found are these "flying phallus" sculptures (below) which dangle from each corner of the house. They looked like flying pencils to me, but I was assured that they were definitely not pencils.

This phallic imagery originated with a tantric Buddhist saint, Lama Drukpa Kunley, also known as The Divine Madman:

"Well known to common Tibetans through the oral tradition of legends and songs, as well as to scholars and mystics through his biographies, he is greatly loved by all the people of Tibet as an enlightened master and an exponent of 'crazy wisdom'. He taught through outrageous behavior and ribald humor in order to awaken the people he met to a higher awareness free from conventional morality and self-obsession. In particular he took his female friends and disciples along the path of sexual desire and relationship to free them from attachment to the illusory world and to awaken their buddha-nature. He would constantly taunt the monks with jest and insult to dissolve their hypocrisy and hidden faults." From: Keith Dowman, The Divine Madman

Displaying the images on the walls of your home is said to bring fertility to the humans and animals in the household, and to ward off evil spirits. And they're not just sprouting on buildings. Miniature wooden phalluses are sold like keychains in the village stores.

So it got me thinking. Given that sexual harassment of female tourists is unheard of in Bhutan, perhaps this is what it takes to curb eve-teasing ? (Sexual harassment of Bhutanese women is reportedly also infrequent, though this is more difficult to confirm.) If we let the boys plaster their pride and joy on the walls for all the world to see, maybe they won't feel so compelled to constantly prove their manhood in more destructive ways?

I'm a little skeptical of the anatomical accuracy of this one...

Comments

[aerilmonoco]

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[Clare Dygert]

Well, this entry in your blog has me speechless! I am just sitting here with my mouth hanging open in amazement!!!!

[Basia]

Well Clare, you did say you wanted me to write more about Buddhism, didn't you? ;o)

[Shannon]

Wish I would have known about this when I was trying to get pregnant! What would the neighbors have said???????

[Gayathri]

Phew! That IS gross. Thankfully its not a tradition we follow in India. Can't imagine how I'd invite guests home with these on the door.

[Misty]

Whoa!!! I gotta show it to my peeps!
And I am sooo jealous, I always wanted to go to Bhutan! Lucky you!

[Jan]

Ah, but they are pencils. This is from an etymological blog: "The Latin penis, in addition to "male member," also meant "tail." The sexual sense seems to have been the original one. Which gives an interesting twist to pencil, which is literally a diminutive of penis." See here: http://vernondent.blogspot.com/2006/03/carnival-of-etymologies.html

[Basia]

Hi Jan, welcome to the blog! I've heard a lot about you... :o)

That's very interesting about the origin of the words. So I wasn't mistaken after all! Penis, pencil - who can tell them apart??

[suresh]

That is so fascinating. I never knew that a waving penis can ward off evil spirits? See I knew god had some higher purpose for this ugly piece of flesh that we men have to lug along whereever we go. I thought the penis was the cause of all evil in this world but now I know the opposite is true. Thank you Lord Buddha and Basia . :-)

[Moksh Juneja]

Oh My God!! I always wanted to go to Bhutan.. gives me another reason...

[Basia]

You are most welcome, Suresh and Moksh Juneja-

[Barbie Speer]

For some reason, it reminds me of a small funeral parlor in Northeast England with a flourishing garden, and an arbor flanked by two flower-filled porcelain toilet bowls. Just goes to show you, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and not always where you expect to find it!

[sumit]

never seen such colourful ones before !!! couldnt help buying one for myself .keep 'UP 'the tradition !!

[rhoda alex]

how so very utterly amazing...art culture and religion are such a heady mix!! thank you for this titbit of a news. as always your observation skills are awe-inspiring.