'I went to the 'penis village' where everything you can think of is phallic'
A man who travelled to 121 countries says that one of the "strangest" places he found was a 'penis village' where everything is covered in phallic images and decorations.
Daniel Pinto, 25, from Viseu, Portugal, said that the 'penis village' of Sopsokha in Bhutan, Asia, is the most unusual place he's ever seen. The unique settlement, located in the western part of the landlocked country, is renowned for its phallus murals and souvenirs.
Daniel described Sopsokha as a "very beautiful traditional Bhutanese village surrounded by rice fields," but noted that "the closer you get the weirder it becomes". He found the temple just as peculiar, with a large golden Buddha surrounded by phalluses of all shapes and sizes.
Daniel has travelled to 121 countries (Daniel Pinto / SWNS)
The village is covered in penis murals (Daniel Pinto / SWNS)The reason for all of the penis imagery and statues? The village is home to the temple of Chimi Lhakhang, or the temple of fertility. Many people make a pilgrimage to this landmark, where women trying to conceive are given a wooden phallus and instructed to circle the building three times.
It's common for Bhutanese households to display sacred phallic symbols to encourage fertility. "In the temple you also find success story pictures of couples who struggled to get pregnant then went to the village and got pregnant shortly after," Daniel said.
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Cameras and phones are not allowed inside any temple in Bhutan, so there are no photos of the interior. "I was only there for a few hours which is enough. Walked around, saw the temple and ate lunch," he added.
Tourists and pilgrims visiting Bhutan have the opportunity to purchase a unique souvenir in the form of phallic-inspired gifts, which can range from sculptures and dolls to t-shirts. Bhutan maintains strict regulations for tourists, requiring that Daniel be accompanied by a government official throughout his visit.
The visitor commented: "The most interesting thing is definitely the gift shops selling penis dolls of all shapes sizes and colours. There were t-shirts, posters and literally everything you can think of in the shape of a penis. Many Bhutanese people will have a penis bought from this village in their home."
While Sopsokha is the centre of penis-related activities in Bhutan, the appendage is ingrained in the broader national culture far more than in other nations. The manhood-mania dates back to the 15th century when Buddhist monk named Drukpa Kunley visited from Tibet.
According to legend, he offered blessings in the form of sex and his penis was referred to as his 'flaming thunderbolt of wisdom.' So prolific was he said to be, Drukpa earned himself the titled 'the saint of a 5,000 women' and inspired a centuries of penis related worship.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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