Prayer Flags are very significant in the life
of Bhutanese people. Be it birth, living or death, it is one consolation
feature that binds us with our religion to ease our negativities and console
our mind.
Prayer flag no doubt is a part of our life and
different types of prayer flags are hoisted for different purposes. They contain
certain mantras that has the potential to ward off the spirits and enhance the
luck.
Blue - Health and Longevity - Tsa La Nam Sum
White - Purification of Karma -Vajrasattva.
Red - Wish Fulfilling Prayer- Sampa
Lhundrup
Green - Compassion Prayer - Praise to the 21
Taras
Yellow - Victory over Obstacles - Gyaltsan
Semo
An astrologer must be consulted to find good
day to hoist prayer flag. It is to be remembered that if prayer flag is hoisted
on Sadag Badhen day than it will only bring bad energy till prayer flag
are exhausted in the atmosphere.
The following are inauspicious date according
to the Bhutanese’s lunar calendar to hoist flags.
* Days 10, 22 of Months 1, 5, 9
* Days 7, 19 of Months 2, 6, 10
* Days 4, 16, 28 of Months 3, 7, 11
* Days 1, 13, 25 of Months 4, 8, 12
A monk should consecrate prayer flag before it
is hoisted.
Until the time of Rabney please attach a bunch
of thorny bush to the pole to ward off all the evil spirits from attaching
themselves to the prayer flag.
The Redri and the prayer flag should be
hoisted facing north direction.
When hoisting near our house it should be
either hoisted in the north or south and not to east and west.
When a prayer flag is put inside the soil, the
distance between the flag and the ground level should be one meter (Dom gang).
The distance between the khorlo and the flag
should be 30 cm or one foot (Chhu gang).
The space between the two plates is known as
Zhingkham and the distance should be 50 mm (2 inches).
The nail should be made from the same kind of
pole tree or bamboo.
The Reldri Khorlo should be made as per
diagram I have drawn. Many people make errors in making Reldri Khorlo. This
mistake should be avoided.
Some points should be noted when hoisting
flags:
- While hoisting a prayer flag for the living
people, attach the Chenrize mantra (Hung) at the side of the post and (Om)
should be flown in the air (opposite-right to left) because the blessings will
come towards us since we are not dead.
- While hoisting a prayer flag for the death
persons, (Om) should be at the side of post and (Hung) flown in the air because
the blessings go outward to benefit the death person.
Good luck.
