Prayer flags in Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan

© John Warburton-Lee/DanitaDelimont.co

Make your own rainbow. Prayer flags in Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan

This kaleidoscopic column is a series of prayer flags, blown by the breeze in the Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan. Prayer flags are most commonly hung along a line with five repeating colours, each representing an element in nature. The fluttering fabrics, inscribed with spiritual scripts, are usually raised during times of prosperity, such as on Bhutan's Nyinlong, their traditional day of solstice, which takes place today. As the flags fade over time, adherents believe this signifies that the prayers have been heard and are being carried away by the wind, infusing the surrounding area with positivity and spirituality. As we see them wave, we can remember that in these dark winter months, there's literally a brighter tomorrow.