Brokpa Funerary Practices

The Brokpa (འབྲོག་པ་, "highlanders") of Merak and Sakteng in Trashigang District, eastern Bhutan, maintain funerary traditions that are unique within the kingdom. While most Bhutanese communities practise cremation as the standard method of corpse disposal, the Brokpa have historically performed sky burial (jhator) and water burial, both of which involve the deliberate offering of the deceased's body to other living beings — vultures in the case of sky burial, and fish in the case of water burial. These practices reflect a deeply held belief in the impermanence of the physical body and the Buddhist principle that generosity (dana) extends even beyond death.^[1][2]

The Brokpa are a semi-nomadic yak-herding community of approximately 5,000 people who inhabit the high-altitude valleys of Merak and Sakteng at elevations around 3,500 metres. They are ethnically and linguistically distinct from the majority Bhutanese population, speaking a southern Tibetic dialect, wearing distinctive clothing made from yak hair and felt, and maintaining customs that reflect their pastoral highland existence. Their funerary practices, while related to the sky burial traditions found in Tibet and other Himalayan regions, have distinctive local features that distinguish them from practices elsewhere.^[3]

Sky Burial

In the Brokpa sky burial tradition, the process begins immediately after death with the recitation of prayers by a lama, who reads from religious texts to guide the consciousness of the deceased through the bardo (intermediate state between death and rebirth). The body is placed in a seated position and kept in this posture for a period of approximately two days while prayers continue. This waiting period serves both a spiritual purpose — allowing the consciousness to separate fully from the body — and a practical one, as it provides time for family members from distant pastures to gather.^[2]

When the prayers are completed, the body is prepared for transport to the sky burial site. The spine is broken to fold the body into a compact form suitable for carrying to the designated hilltop. The remains are then borne to the site in a procession accompanied by the beating of drums and the chanting of prayers. At the site, juniper branches are burnt to produce thick, fragrant smoke that serves both a ritual purification function and the practical purpose of attracting vultures from the surrounding mountains.^[1]

The body is laid face down and prepared by a designated practitioner. The hair is removed, and the limbs are separated. The vultures, drawn by the juniper smoke, then consume the remains. The complete consumption of the body by the birds is considered an auspicious sign, indicating that the deceased's karma was favourable and that the consciousness has moved on to a positive rebirth. If the vultures do not consume the entire body, additional prayers and rituals may be performed.

Water Burial

Water burial is the alternative funerary method practised by the Brokpa. In this tradition, the corpse is first wrapped and submerged beneath rocks in a river for several days. After this initial submersion, the remains are retrieved and cut into 108 pieces — a number of profound significance in Buddhist tradition, corresponding to the 108 beads of a prayer rosary and the 108 defilements to be overcome on the path to enlightenment. The pieces are then cast into the flowing river to be consumed by fish and carried downstream.^[1][4]

The choice between sky burial and water burial is typically determined by consultation with a lama or astrologer, who assesses the circumstances of the death, the astrological profile of the deceased, and other factors. Both methods are understood as acts of final generosity — the offering of the body, which is no longer needed by the departing consciousness, to sustain other living beings.

Accompanying Rituals

Regardless of the disposal method chosen, Brokpa funerary practice involves an extended period of prayer and ritual. As with other Bhutanese communities, the family sponsors prayers for 49 days following the death, corresponding to the maximum duration of the bardo as described in the Bardo Thodol (Tibetan Book of the Dead). During this period, monks or lamas are invited to the household to perform daily recitations, and offerings of butter lamps, incense, and food are made on behalf of the deceased.^[2]

One hundred and eight prayer flags printed with the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra are hoisted for the deceased, and donations are made to monasteries and the local community in the name of the departed. These acts of merit are believed to improve the deceased's prospects for a favourable rebirth and to generate positive karma for the surviving family members.

Cultural Context

Sky burial and water burial are not unique to the Brokpa; similar practices are found among Tibetan and other Himalayan communities. However, the Brokpa variants are distinguished by specific local details, such as the breaking of the spine to fold the body and the cutting of the remains into precisely 108 pieces for water burial. These practices are deeply embedded in Brokpa cultural identity and are viewed by the community as expressions of core Buddhist values — impermanence, non-attachment, and compassion for all sentient beings.^[4]

The practices have attracted scholarly and journalistic attention, sometimes accompanied by sensationalised descriptions. It is important to understand these funerary traditions within their proper cultural and religious context: they are not acts of disrespect toward the deceased but rather the opposite — a final, compassionate act performed in accordance with the belief that the body is merely a temporary vessel and that offering it to other beings generates merit for the departed consciousness.

Contemporary Status

Both sky burial and water burial continue to be practised among the Brokpa, though the frequency appears to be declining as younger generations are exposed to lowland customs, including cremation. The availability of vultures — essential for sky burial — has also diminished in some areas due to environmental changes. Nonetheless, these traditions remain a living part of Brokpa culture and are performed in accordance with established ritual protocols under the guidance of local religious practitioners.^[5][2]

References

1. "The Death Rituals and Funeral Rites in Bhutan." Daily Bhutan.
2. "Death and Corpse Disposal Rituals." Mandala Collections, University of Virginia.
3. "The Fascinating Brokpas of Bhutan." Daily Bhutan.
4. "Bhutan Death Ritual: A Deep Dive Into Cultural Practices." Druk Asia.
5. "Beyond Goodbye: Understanding Funeral Customs and Beliefs in Bhutan." Thinley Dhendup, LinkedIn.
6. "Sky Burial." Wikipedia.