Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, is the mystical Kingdom of the Himalayas. The great Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambhava) meditated here and taught and passed unique incense formulas to students and disciples. Due to the abundance and remarkable varieties of medicinal flora, the land is also called Lhomenjong, the Valley of Medicines. About the size of Switzerland, Bhutan is located just south of Tibet, bordering Sikkim on the west and India on the east. Mountain peaks reach over 7,000m. With its pure conditions and adherence to traditional teachings, Bhutan has achieved ecological harmony, resulting in the cultivation of exceptional, purposeful incense.
Traditional and Monastery Incense | Loose Incense (Sang) | Special Collections
SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT & ETHICAL SOURCING: A Bhutanese partner states: “Bhutan is a paradise of exotic herbs and plants and these sangs are harvested by the highlanders as their source of income. In Bhutan we preserve our lands and its flora and fauna knowing very well that we might be the last standing country which has some of the endangered plants and animals and birds like the “black necked cranes” and “white bellied heron” etc.These herbs and plants are harvested in very small quantities so that the very source of growth and survival are not harmed and endangered. We have our natural resources and forestry division who oversee such issues and if it’s not permitted then we cannot harvest at all. We can be imprisoned if we do anything against the law of our lands. These exotic herbs are harvested by only a handful of people who live in the mountains and it’s their livelihood apart from their cattle. In fact in Bhutan, all is monitored and permitted so that the livelihood of these mountain nomads are sustained. Not all are allowed to go into these regions and harvest. If not permitted it will not even pass the postal counter as everything is checked before shipping. Bhutan has protected itself from modernity to look after after our pristine environment that nature has given us bountifully, which most have lost in their race for modernity and development. We will continue to love and take care of our country and always work in sync with Mother Nature for she is all that we can boast of.”