Offering to Destroy
The pandemic has brought tourism across the world to an abrupt stop. No country could risk the nation’s health with tourism. Bhutan, like any other nation, isn’t immune to the pandemic. The country’s second-highest revenue earner, tourism, came to a standstill with no predicted time to come back. The pandemic provided the most-wanted boost for local tourism to grow. Local tourism has also helped heal the ailing economy. With people wanting to be away from others, the frequently visited religious sites are seeing not many visitors. On the other hand, far flung religious sites and, more so, the lakes (Tsho) are welcoming an ever increasing visitors, some genuine while others for the sake to refresh. While it may be religiously and culturally encouraging to make offerings in the lakes, the long-term impact can be questioned. With many people throwing coins and paper money into the lake as offerings, we are doing more harm than to please the mermaid. The people offering mo...