FERTILE GROUND

One of Bhutan’s most important religious sites is not for the giggle-inclined. Beyond the village of Lobesa, with its traditional cottages painted with vibrant phallus murals designed to drive away evil and malicious gossip, is Chimi Lhakhang, a 15th-century temple dedicated to Drukpa Kunley, a Tibetan Buddhist saint who is said to have defeated evil spirits with his “magic thunderbolt of wisdom.” His unorthodox style of teaching, which included song and dance with distinct sexual overtones, earned him the nickname the Divine Madman and fostered the monk a cult-like following among women seeking fertility blessings. Within the prayer hall of the temple, pilgrims assemble to be blessed by a tap on the head from a large wooden phallus with a silver handle.