The Unseen

 

 

Where do we go after our death? Today I witnessed ‘Lokhor Chunyi Chham” at Punakha Dzong. This Chham is performed to show people what happens right after their death. There were more than 24 performers led by the head commonly known as the ‘chhampoen’. Here they make a big round with the head chhampoen in the center with the dead body of a person. The head chhampoen cuts the body in a plus sign and scatters it. It is believed that the scattered remains serve as a food for the dead souls who are yet to be redeemed from the never-ending dimension called ‘bardo’ and ‘nyelwa’. The whole concept of death and after death has always been a big question to me. Throughout my life I have been wondering whether the heaven and hell as described immaculately in religious scripts really exist. I even asked my brother who is studying in shedra about the ‘nyelwa’ and he answered “thayri bari ra yoe maray Kinley”. One cannot escape death and the ‘after life’. Are you scared of death?