More than legend

Whatever history and allure football and cricket possess, neither can claim the mythical roots known to Southasian archery. The Ramayan, Maha-bharat and the legend of Ekalvya each use an archery contest as their starting point. The sentiment of these fictional matches – as an arena for men to display their hunting prowess and compete in a show of machismo – if not their function, was echoed in the realities of historical life in the region. In the Himalayan principalities, archery was much more than the game it is today. As a form of defence against raiders, as the main method of hunting, and even as protection against invading colonial forces, archery held a place of prominence.

In today's Himalaya, Bhutan is most widely associated with archery, where it has been the national sport since 1971. According to legend, Bhutan's archery history dates back to the 10th century, when a Buddhist monk, Lhalung Pelgi Dorji, assassinated an anti-Buddhist king using a bow and arrow. Traditionally, a group of archers was led by a tsip, an individual believed to have particular archery powers. The tsips made full use of the power they were accorded, charging exorbitant fees for their services. Teams would invoke the divine to intervene on their behalf, a practice now forbidden by the government-controlled National Archery Federation of Bhutan.