Bhutan - Land of Happiness

This year (2016) vacation led us to the mysterious land of Bhutan. The interest in Bhutan was kindled with the pictures of Tiger's Nest flashing after the famous visit of Kate and Prince William earlier this year. Come September we decided to make it our vacation destination for this year. We opted for a package deal from yatra.com covering Thimphu, Punakha and of course Paro.

Glimpse of runway from the plane

Flights to Paro, the airport of Bhutan, is via the Royal Bhutan Airlines, Druk Air. Flight from Kolkotta to Paro was an hour long. The landing was pretty thrilling. The approach to Paro is unbelievably complicated with the pilot having to maneuver an s-curve along the valley. With surrounding peaks as high as 5,500 m (18,000 ft), it is considered one of the world's most challenging airports. Of course I didn't realise this until after we landed. Once we landed at Paro airport, the guide was waiting for us with car and driver. I had always wanted to arrive to someone holding a placard with our names on it and that wish was fulfilled!! 


Bhutan introduced the concept of GNH (Gross National Happiness as opposed to GDP) and is often explained by its four pillars - good governance, sustainable socio-economic development, cultural preservation, and environmental conservation. As part of environmental conservation, 65% of the country is mandated to be under forest cover, currently it is at 70%. It hits you right at the first glimpse from the plane - the lush green cover, mountains, crystal clear rivers and greenery.  It beats Switzerland, Scotland, the other green countries that I visited. Not only the forest cover is under scanner, scaling mountains more than 6000 mt is prohibited by law, tourists at all times need to be accompanied by local guides (exemption for Indian nationals), thus the tourism and tourists are monitored ensuring preservation of the culture and greenery. 

Another thing that strikes you is the colorful flags all around, over the mountains, near rivers, over bridges. These are prayer flags with inscriptions and Bhutanese believe that the prayer flags generate spiritual vibrations that are released when blown by the wind and the prayers are carried in the air like silent prayers. And of course the prayer wheels, I fell in love with these spinning columns with inscriptions, supposed to give you the result of chanting the prayer by mere spin of it, always clockwise remember.

Thimphu

Suspension bridge at Lhakhang Dzong

From Paro it was an hour's drive to Thimphu the capital city of Bhutan. On the way we stopped at iron chain bridge to reach Tachog Lhakhang Dzong. It is a suspension bridge made out of iron chain with no solid base or railing, I didn't have the courage to cross it, though Ravi did. Another halt was at Chudzom, the confluence of Rivers Paro and Thimpu, where three stupas - Bhutenese, Tibetian and Nepalese are built.

Trashichhoedzong

We reached Thimphu around 2pm. It seemed very peaceful and awfully quite, till we realised the absence of car horns!!! Most of the roads were two-laned, a bit cramped but the people were very patient. After a sumptuous lunch at an Indian restaurant, we checked into the hotel. Around 5pm, the guide came to take us to our first site seeing destination - Trashichhoedzong. This is the administrative seat of Bhutan, the place for the Royal Monarch and Chief Abbot - center for government and religion. We visited the courtyard and the temple inside. As a mark of respect to the royalty, everyone is supposed to wear long sleeves attire.

Buddha Dordenma Statue

Next day after breakfast we drove first to Memorial Chortem - a monument to peace, dedicated to the third king and then to Buddha Dordenma Statue, where the statue of Sakyamuni stands at a height of 51.5 meters. Next we visited the Institute of Zorig Chusum (painting school), national library (housing the record holding biggest publication), textile and folk heritage museum (displaying a traditional Bhutanese house) and handicrafts emporium.




Punakha

Chortens at Dochula Pass

Next day we started our day with a long drive to Punakha. We passed Dochula pass, the highest mountain pass in Bhutan at an elevation of 3,000+meters, with 108 chortens or stupas. Of course it was covered with fog and we couldnt get a glimpse of the Himalaya peaks as promised. 

Trek to Chimi Lhakhang

Our guide was enlightened of the fact that we do not prefer to sit and see the sites from car, so he started his detours from the itinerary and started taking us to all the places which offered scenic beauty and involved lots of trekking. So the first among the many was Chimi Lhakhang, monastery dedicated to the "Divin Madman". It involved a walk through paddy fields and then a climb to the mountain top. Buddhists, like Hindus, believe you have to undergo suffering to be blessed by divine, All the monasteries are located on mountain tops with no proper access roads, so the devotees are forced to walk the entire way. 

Punakha Dzong

Next halt was Punakha Dzong, fortress at the confluence of Po Chuu and Mo Chuu rivers, the administrative centre for Punakha district. This was the most beautiful Dzong, it is an architectural wonder and the scenery is amazing. It is built in the typical Bhutanese style without the use of any nails or plans (!). Inside the Dzong is a monastery and the administrative blocks. The wooden bridge leading to the Dzong is both majestic and lovely. 

Punakha Suspension Bridge

Before calling it a day, we visited the Punakha suspension bridge, longest suspension bridge in Bhutan at 160m.






Next day I got up early, thanks to a power cut, to an amazing site. Our hotel was across the road from the Punakha river. Early morning the mist was so dense, it was lying on the river and across the mountain peaks, with a bare portion of the mountains in the middle. The view was absolutely amazing. After breakfast, it was drive back the same Dochula pass (still covered in mist) to reach Paro.

Punakha River

Paro

Namgyal Chorten

Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten is one of the oldest and best Chortens of Bhutan. The approach is a walk across a suspension bridge, through paddy fields and trek up the mountain. 

View from Namgyal Chorten

The main Chorten is surrounded by 8 smaller ones. It is a four-storey building boasting the best view of the Punakha valley. 







Tiger's Nest

Tiger's Nest

Taktsang Goemba or Tiger's Nest Monastery is definitely the creme la creme of the Bhutan trip. Guru Rinpoche is fabled to have flew this site on a tigress' back to subdue the local demon. The approach to this monastery hanging over a precipitous cliff at 3120mts involves about 10km trek on foot or half-way by pony/horse or as our guide loved to say on a tigress' back. We choose the first option, by foot. Internet search told us the average time would be 2.5hrs, it took us 3.5hrs. 

Waterfall enroute Tiger's Nest

That was by far the longest and most arduous 3.5hrs of my life. The trek is a combination of muddy path, paved path and steps, with climb ups and downs, steep climbs, you name it and it was there. We started early so as to skip the heat of the day. At one-third point there is a cafeteria where the hot tea is really refreshing, then at the two-third point there is a large waterfall dropping 60 mts which forded by a wooden bridge. The view breathtaking. It is worth the effort and pain to reach the this spot. Throughout the trek all you hear is the waterfall, birds chriping (of course heart beat and labored breath, in my case) and you can smell the pine, such pure and pristine beauty has to be experienced, no words can describe the feeling.

You can see lots of similarity in the Bhutanese way of life and Indian way of life. First and foremost the religion, there are many traditions which are in common, like no shoes inside the monastery, circumambulating the monastery before entering, prayer wheels have a bell attached to them so it rings every time you turn them. Economically, rupee is widely accepted and it is equivalent to their local currency ngultrum. Indians have special concessions in the form of visa exemption, guide not compulsory etc. etc. Wherever we went we didn't have any problem obtaining vegetarian food, most restaurants had Indian menu!!!!!