Final Transit » Bhutan

Photo Friday 02.13: Khuruthang gompa

Priyank — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:05:04 +0000

Buddhist monastery at dawn

‘Photo Friday’ is a weekly series showcasing pictures from around the world.

I wake up early in the morning and go out to see this little town of Khurutang, near Punakha, Bhutan. The sky is cloudy and the wind is gentle. A ray of sun occasionally pierces through the blanket of fog, suddenly lighting up the golden spire on top of a building. It looks mysterious, almost like a Hitchcock movie plot, so I walk in that direction.

It’s a Buddhist Gompa, a place of learning, lineage and meditation. I take a picture of young monks sweeping the courtyard as a old woman walks past me.

“Kuzu zangpo la,” I greet her.
She looks at me, raises her hand and keeps walking towards the main temple, with a prayer wheel vigourously spinning in her hand.

Read my other stories from Bhutan and checkout pictures from Bhutan.

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Photo Friday 02.03: Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Priyank — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 04:00:25 +0000

↑ Chilies left hanging from a window to dry.

Spotted on a sunny day in Paro, Bhutan

The national dish of Bhutan is Ema Datshi – Chillies and cheese. The Bhutanese take immense pride in their cuisine and eat food that’s quite spicy (even for my Indian palate)!

Photo Friday 01.18: Prayer Flags

Priyank — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 02:38:12 +0000

‘Photo Friday‘: Pictures from faraway lands.

Cheli La, Bhutan

Prayer flags are quite distinctive feature of Buddhism and one can see mountains and peaks in the Himalayas covered with these. It is believed that prayers written on the flags are carried by the wind all over the universe – such a selfless concept.

Prayer flags at Cheli La pass

Cheli La is the highest motorable road in Bhutan, at an elevation of about 4,000m. I hitchhiked to this point in an army truck, a pickup and a car. Fun!

Photo Friday 01.13: Wangdi

Priyank — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 05:55:49 +0000

‘Photo Friday‘: Pictures from faraway lands.

Wangdue Market, Bhutan

Next to the Wangdue Fort-Monastery is the little village of Wangdi. It has a central square which is the centre of all commercial activities here. Like a typical village center, you get everything – food and groceries, general supplies and even board a bus or shared taxi to another town.

Wangdue Market: fresh produce, just unloaded

While waiting for my bus to Thimphu, I got a nice cheap meal at one of the shacks and then shopped for biscuits at the adjacent shop. I was wonderful!

Wangdue Market: little stores

Photo Friday 01.09: Punakha Dzong

Priyank — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:46:47 +0000

‘Photo Friday‘: Pictures from faraway lands.

Punakha Monastery, Bhutan

Punakha Dzong, late dusk.

It’s remarkable that treasures such as these, in inconspicuous corners of the world, are waiting to be discovered. Straddled by rivers on three sides, the monastery looks especially beautiful when the valley is plunged into darkness after sun down, and little butter lamps (or halogen bulbs) brave the night.

Inside the monastery.

The Punakha Dzong was the seat of Bhutanese government until 1961. Now this massive fort-monastery has a huge educational and administrative function, not to mention its deeply religious significance.

I was completely mesmerised by the Buddha statue in the prayer hall. Read more about it in my detailed travelogue.

Photo Friday 01.05: Tiger’s Nest Monastery

Priyank — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:12:08 +0000

Taktsang Dzong, tranquil and humbling.

Hiking to this monastery was among the most beautiful experiences I ever had.

Taktsang Lhakhang aka Tiger’s Nest Monastery is the holiest site in Bhutan. Perched miraculously on the side of a sheer cliff 900m above the base of Paro valley, the only sounds you can hear at the Taktshang Lhakhang are the murmurs of the wind and water and the chanting of mantras. The only way to reach up to the Tiger’s Nest is to walk, or fly on the back of a magic tiger. I picked the former…

Exiting Bhutan, when you run out of money

Priyank — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:20:23 +0000

This post is part of Mystic Druk Yul, a series of travelogues narrating my trip to Bhutan. Here are the other posts!
« Previous post: Taktsang Lhakhang: The Tiger’s Nest Monastery

How to mismanage your money
I planned my money recklessly in Bhutan, I don’t know why,.. (perhaps I was overconfident?). I carried some cash with me and thought that I would use a ATM or credit card to withdraw additional money in Bhutan. That’s the stupidest mistake a traveler can make – to rely on unverified / unreliable sources of funds. Bhutan’s ATMs cater to local customers only and using a credit card is not an option except in high-end hotels. As a result I was constantly worrying about running out of money. In the worst case, I’d have to go back to India, get money, make new permit and re-enter Bhutan. That would waste 2 precious days.

“Five Chortens” at Paro, waiting for my first ride.

On the last day, I was left only with Rs. 500 (~$11) and all the buses from Paro to Phuentsholing (border town) were fully booked 2 days in advance. The only option left was to take a taxi, which would cost Rs. 450-500. My buddy was in a slightly better position, so he played it safe by taking the taxi, and I could have done the same but I thought of doing something fun.
…I decided to hitchhike, again (I had done it thrice in Bhutan already).

Road from Paro to Bondey along the Paro river, waiting for my second ride.

Hitching a ride is fun
A young woman in her Maruti Zen answered my first ‘hitchhike’ gesture. She was going to Haa, so she agreed to drop me 3-4km away, at a point on the road to India. All I can say is that her driving reminded me of the universal stereotype about women drivers. ermmm…..

My second ride was a guy who worked in the Government of Bhutan. He was chewing a paan (betel nut) like all Bhutanese do all the time and his Maruti Omni van ~~stank~~ smelled like it. He was generous enough to give me a ride for next 18 km (20 min), from Bondey to Chuzom. The vegetation changed and the air got cooler as the road spiraled out of the Paro valley.

Tamchhog Lhakhang, a temple dedicated to the Iron Bridge Lama who built 108 bridges in Bhutan and Tibet.

Chuzom is a T-junction on the confluence of 2 rivers. The roads go to Thimphu, Paro and Phuentsholing (border with India) respectively. In Bhutanese tradition, joining of rivers is considered inauspicious. Hence at the point of confluence, there are 3 chortens to ward away the evil spells. These chortens are built in Bhutanese, Tibetian and Nepali style each.

3 Stupas, built in Bhutanese, Tibetan and Nepali style each, at Chuzom junction and the confluence of 2 rivers.

There is also a police checkpost at this point and they will stamp your permit with an exit marker.
“Where are you coming from?”
“Paro”
“Where are you going?”
“India”
“Where is your vehicle?”
“Over there” I said, pointing to some unknown bus.
“Alright”
It was easier to lie than to explain the whole hitchhiking thing to them… plus I wasn’t doing anything illegal! I also thought that if they’d heard my money crisis, they’d have gone out of their way to help me!

Chuzom bridge. Most roads in Bhutan are built by India’s Border Roads Organization.

After the checkpost, I started walking on the road to India. Several vehicles passed, but nobody stopped for me. I stood there for 30 minutes, occasionally walking ahead. Then I saw some girls walking in the opposite direction, so I greeted them…
“Kuzuzangbo la”, I said.
“Kuzuzangbo la!!”, they sounded surprised and excited.
They told me they were confused to see a foreigner walking on the highway. I told them that I was looking for a ride and chatted with them for a bit, showing off my glorious knowledge of Dzongkha language – hello, yes, no, thankyou, etc.. In no time they stopped a small truck and asked the driver to help me, in what I thought was a flirtatious tone, but maybe it was the language.

That’s how ~~I found~~ they found me my third ride, a meat (chicken) truck.

My new friend and my exquisite carriage.

The driver was also a 27 yr old guy and in the next 6.5 hours, we became best friends. He told me that he stopped only because he saw the girls. Oh whatever! The ride was fun. We shared oranges, cookies, chips, candies etc. stopped on the way, met his regular truck buddies and other female friends from the villages that he introduced me to (he called them ‘girlfriends‘). I thought he was enjoying ‘showing off his catch’ or something like that. He took a picture with me everywhere possible.

There was a landslide on the way. Apparently the road was closed since 10 AM, which meant that my buddy in his taxi was stuck somewhere in the huge lineup too. I had told him exactly what to do and which hotel to meet at once we reached India.

काम चालू, रस्ता बंद! Stranded on the road to India.

So after 3 rides and 9.5 hours on the road, I reached the border town. I loved this exit adventure in Bhutan. I bought the truck driver a very generous dinner, got drunk on ‘Druk 11000′ (Bhutan’s beer) and quietly crossed the border (minutes before it closed at 23:00) to the familiar smells, sounds and chaos of India, my motherland.

Thus, finally my mystical journey to Bhutan, The Land of the Thunder Dragon, was over. Hopefully you liked reading all the chapters, please leave me a note below. Thanks.

This post is part of Mystic Druk Yul, a series of travelogues narrating my trip to Bhutan. Here are the other posts!
« Previous post: Taktsang Lhakhang: The Tiger’s Nest Monastery

Taktsang Lhakhang: The Tiger’s Nest Monastery

Priyank — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:57:49 +0000

This post is part of Mystic Druk Yul, a series of travelogues narrating my trip to Bhutan. Here are the other posts!
« Previous post: Climax of my Bhutan trip | Next post: Exiting Bhutan, when you run out of money »

If you had only one place to visit in Bhutan, this would be the one.

A shrine on the way

About 20 minutes of uphill track after the first pit stop, we came across this shrine. The path, as you can see, took a sharp turn and I was beginning to wonder where it was going. There is a natural water stream at this point and the water tastes something very different. I drank the water, bowed before the deity here and started walking on the blind turn…

Taktsang Lakhang

….woohhww.. there it was! The Tigers Lair, right in front, slightly below where I was! It appears suddenly before you and I stood there, stupefied, admiring its beauty.

From this point, the actual approach to the monastery is a treacherous walk that could take 20-45 minutes depending on how scared you are of heights. The narrow path kisses the mountain’s rock face as it turns sharp left, dipping slightly from the point where I am standing, to sharp right, finally climbing towards the monastery. All through the path, you can see the monastery – its right there in front of you, you feel like touching it, but you can’t! Not before you complete what a local called, “the final task”.

Tiger’s nest monastery, isn’t it beautiful?

One needs a special ‘Monastery’ permit from the Ministry of Culture to visit this temple. You’ll have to deposit absolutely everything at the front gate. We reached the monastery 45 minutes before it closed and the monks had locked several rooms already, but he was kind enough to open the doors for us. The Guru Lhakhang has a central image which is one of the manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, the guru who brought Buddhism to Tibet and Bhutan. A level below is the Dubkhang cave, where the guru Rinpoche meditated. Several murals decorate the walls.

Views from the monastery, as you would expect, are spectacular. The air is filled with soft chanting of mantras and the mild smell of incense. It is very likely that you’ll stand there looking at the valley, doing nothing for a bit, and the next thing you know is the monk tapping on your shoulder saying that its been 10 minutes.

I like the musical aspect of chanting mantras in Hindu / Buddhist traditions. Usually a male guru’s voice acts as the drone, with his voice fixed at lower octave, while his disciples sing an octave higher, creating a very fulfilling feeling.

Taksang Lakhang

I really wanted to stay here forever, or for a long time atleast. Unfortunately it was close to sunset, and since we were on our own, it was imperative to return before dark. The ascent can get very confusing at night.

They say that one must visit the Taktsang Lhakhang atleast once in their lives. It’s the holiest of the holy places in Bhutan. I’m glad, fortunate, lucky, blessed, etc. for having visited this temple.

Praying before the mighty Gurus

That ended my travel of Bhutan, what a fantastic way to end this magical tour! I exit the country in my next, concluding post. (I know I have to start writing about Russia soon!)

Climax of my Bhutan trip

Priyank — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:50:15 +0000

This post is part of Mystic Druk Yul, a series of travelogues narrating my trip to Bhutan. Here are the other posts!
« Previous post: Paro Valley | Next post: Taktsang Lhakhang: The Tiger’s Nest Monastery »

Surrender yourself to the power of the mighty Guru.

The hike to the monastery begins. The board says: “Walk to the Guru’s glory! Take back memories of a kingdom, for here in this kingdom rules an unparalleled benevolent King “

Machu Picchu, Taj Mahal, Red Square and Dome of the Rock. These are the top icons that define Peru, India, Russia and Israel respectively. Taktsang Lhakhang or the Tiger’s Nest Monastery would be such icon of Bhutan. This monastery was among the last places I saw im my trip to Bhutan, and rightly so. By now I had (and you have) seen the Bhutan story build bit by bit and it was about time to climax.

Prayer wheel at the first pit stop. Enlarge the picture to see the temple on the cliff behind.

Perched miraculously on the side of a sheer cliff 900m above the base of Paro valley, the only sounds you can hear at the Taktshang Lhakhang are the murmurs of the wind and water and the chanting of mantras. The name ‘Taktshang’ means ‘Tiger’s nest’ and it is believed that Guru Rinpoche, the Guru from India who preached Buddhism to Tibet and Bhutan, flew to this site on the back of a tigress to subdue the local demon and meditate in the cave. Takshang Lhakhang is a holy place and Buddhist pilgrims from all over Bhutan visit here.

Prayer wheel viewed from the first pit stop

The only way to reach up to the Tiger’s Nest is to walk, or fly on the back of a magic tiger. I picked the former since I don’t know how to ride a flying tiger and I might have missed taking pictures. Ask any taxi driver in Paro to drop you off at the junction from where the road to Taktsang Lakhang begins (8km, Rs. 15). The actual hike starts about 3 kilometers from the point you were dropped off (elevation: 2,600m).

Admist rows of prayer flags

The hike is 2 hour long and offers spectacular views. In the first part, the trail climbs through blue pines, then switchbacks steeply up the ridge and suddenly the valley opens up. After climbing further for an hour, the small white chhorten with prayer flags comes into view. There is a convenient tea house located near the chorten where we took our first pit stop (elevation: 2940m). The tea house is expensive (its the ‘tourist’ thing): a bottle of water is priced five times here (Rs. 50) so choose between carrying lots of water or spending money here. You can see Takshang Lhakhang right across the cafeteria and we enjoyed the impressive view while having brunch and chatting with other visitors.

Admist rows of prayer flags

Many visitors opt to hike only upto this point and have a darshan of the temple from here. Darshan is a Sanskrit word that cannot be translated, but it means something like ‘sight of the holy or the divine.’

Taktsang Lhakhang.. seen right in front in the middle of the cliff.

That’s where I’ll be in the next post.

Paro Valley

Priyank — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:13:09 +0000

This post is part of Mystic Druk Yul, a series of travelogues narrating my trip to Bhutan. Here are the other posts!
« Previous post: Hitchhiking to Cheli La | Next post: Climax of my Bhutan Trip »

Paro valley, viewed from a point near the National Museum

I am going to talk about a lot of things seen in the picture above since by now you must be pretty familiar with Bhutan.

The picture is taken from a point near the National Museum located at the top of the hill above Paro Dzong. This was originally a watch-tower (as you can imagine from the picture) but was renovated to house one of the most wonderful museums I have seen. The building is circular, shaped like a conch and you enter on the fourth floor! You also have to walk along a specific route that ensures that you walk clockwise around important images. Now isn’t that cool?
The river in the view is the Paro chhu (chhu=river). It flows from the north-western side of the town and proceeds towards the south-west. Paro valley is fertile and beautiful.
The point from which this photo is taken can be reached by food (which is what I did) by hiking to Paro dzong and then hiking further to the National museum. The hike is steep but not difficult, but don’t ask the locals ‘how far is it?’ They always say ’5 minutes’. The hike from the base is atleast 30 minutes long.
If you are not in mood for hiking, you can always drive. As the milestone (which is actually a kilometer-stone) states, the distance is 5 km. There are no shared taxis to this point, but you can hire a private taxi for Rs 120.
The other language seen on the milestone is Dzonkha, the national language of Bhutan. English is the second language. Most educated people can speak English, and almost everyone on the street can speak Hindi.
Paro town, neatly laid in a grid-like structure can be seen nicely from here. Also notice the metal roofs I was talking about in some previous post, a strong contrast to village houses.
I can spot atleast 6 temples on the hills surrounding the valley. But maybe that’s because I saw the place and its hard to read details in the picture. The valley is dotted with temples – small and large.

Pffftt… I think that was a long ‘describe the picture’ game. Do you notice something else that I missed?

From Paro Dzong to National Museum

One of the route to the National Museum starts from Paro dzong and is quite easy to follow since it is adequately marked. No worries if you are confused, there are people walking past all the time.

I was trying to play the evil demoness who ruled the valley before being slayed.

On the other side wayy above the Paro dzong, we spotted a white dot in the mountain which, on investigation, we discovered was the Zuri dzong. It seemed like a charming little temple with even a better view of the valley and the airport. We hiked for 1.5 hours, but still couldn’t find Zuri. It was getting late and you may know how disastrous it could be to get lost on an unknown mountain in total darkness. Being a mountainous region, there is nothing called ‘post sunset lighting’ (if there is even a term like this!) – after the sun is gone, it gets dark in no time. Unfortunately we gave up the search for locating Zuri mountain and carefully recalling our route tried to reach the base. I think it was too dark and we ended up in a water stream (it might well be a sewage stream but I prefer not to think of that) and somehow made it back to civilization.

Paro valley

That brings us to the end of travel posts on Paro valley and surroundings. In the next tow posts, I explore Taksang Lhakhang or the Tigers Nest Monastery, my last adventure in Bhutan.