Simon Urwin
‘A monk returns from a juniper-cutting expedition in the remote Paro Valley. Juniper is the key ingredient in incense, and the day following a heavy rain storm is considered auspicious for harvesting.’ Left ‘A painted parchment shows Dugpoema, the Himalayan goddess of incense, who holds a smoking wand in her right hand.’
‘At Nado Poizokhang, the oldest and largest maker of handmade incense, ingredients are ground into a powder, mixed with water and natura dye into a dough, then fermented and extruded through a machine.’ Left ‘Incense powder at the market in Thimphu.’
‘Farmer’s wife Am Choden, dressed in her fnest traditiona kira (ankle-length dress), burns incense wands at a loca shrine in the Paro Valley.’ Left ‘Incense at Nado Poizokhang is laid out, straightened by hand and left to dry and harden in a drying room for at least fve days.’