My idea of Bhutan is filled with images of gorgeous hills, gilded Buddhas, and the mighty dragon. I fondly remember being part of the Drukyul’s Literature and Arts Festival in 2022 via online Zoom sessions, where the warmth and love I received remain unforgettable. It is in this spirit of connection and reverence that I am delighted to introduce the book Bhutan, published by Drunken Boat—a bold and vibrant collaboration by Sudeep Sen and Ravi Shankar, offering a richly textured and poetic exploration of this enchanting land.
This book defies easy categorisation, blending chiselled poetry, evocative photography, and sharp, exploratory prose to offer a richly layered portrait of what is often called the world’s last Shangri-La. Nestled in the eastern Himalayas, Bhutan has long been celebrated as the happiest country on Earth, measuring prosperity by Gross National Happiness rather than GDP. In Bhutan, Shankar approaches this claim with wit and analytical rigor, exploring the country’s modernising monarchy, its Buddhist heritage, and the complex realities beneath the official narrative. His prose moves with curiosity and candour, absorbing landscapes and sacred sites without losing critical intelligence. Complementing this, Sen’s poetry and photography provide a stunning counterpoint. His spare, musical couplets and visually arresting photographs—of prayer flags, monasteries, and mountain light—capture the sacred and the textured beauty of Bhutan with lyric precision. Together, their two-voiced, multi-modal work transcends conventional travel books, offering a literary reckoning with place, beauty, and the stories nations tell about themselves.
Praised for its unique and personal approach, Bhutan reveals the country through the eyes of two sensitive artists. Shabana Azmi calls it “a unique and personal multi-genre book” that excavates the spirit of Bhutan through distinctive poetic and literary styles. Dasho Kinley Dorji sees it as “an elegant treasure trove” capturing what is special about the country. Diane Mehta highlights the book’s two-way narrative, where Shankar’s wit and skepticism balance Sen’s delicate musical poetry, revealing layers beneath Bhutan’s glossy image as “the happiest place on earth.” Amit Majmudar applauds the loving yet analytical approach, noting how the prose and poetry together create vivid, grateful immersion into Bhutan’s complex identity.
Sudeep Sen the author of over 25 books, is an internationally acclaimed poet, editor, and photographer whose work has appeared in The Times Literary Supplement, The Guardian, and major literary media across six continents. The Government of India awarded him the senior fellowship for “outstanding persons in the field of culture/literature.” Sen is the first Asian honoured to deliver the Derek Walcott Lecture and read at the Nobel Laureate Festival.
Sen has published numerous poetry collections, such as Postmarked India, The HarperCollins Book of English Poetry, and Rain, Fractals, Erotext earning acclaim for his richly textured verse and innovative style. Sen’s latest book Red (Pippa Raan) will be released soon in the UK.
Ravi Shankar is the author of 18 books, including the memoir Correctional (University of Wisconsin Press). A Pushcart Prize and Glenna Luschei Prize award winner whose work has appeared in such places as The Paris Review, The Chronicle of Higher Education and The New York Times, he teaches at Tufts University. Founding Editor-in-Chief of Drunken Boat, he has held fellowships from the Corporation of Yaddo and the MacDowell colony and lives in Providence, Rhode Island. Ravi Shankar’s work deeply engages with the diaspora experience, exploring themes of identity, migration, and cultural hybridity. As an Indian-American poet and academic, his writing reflects the complexities of living between cultures, often addressing the challenges and richness of diasporic life.
In a world fractured by conflict and superficial encounters, Bhutan revives the spirit of genuine inquiry and connection, reminding us why travel remains a profound act of understanding and growth. Bhutan is more than a travelogue—it’s a luminous journey into a land at the crossroads of tradition and transformation, a place seen and felt through the eyes of two intrepid travellers who bring its stories, beauty, and contradictions vividly to life.
Name of the book: Bhutan: Photography & Poetry by Sudeep Sen | Prose by Ravi Shankar
Authors: Sudeep Sen and Ravi Shankar
Publisher: Drunken Boat / Fortunate Traveller Press
ISBN: 978-0-9882416-3-7
Price: $29.95
