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Bhutan, Land Of
The Thunder Dragon
Journey
into the mystical Buddhist kingdom,
an unspoilt land lost in time
resplendent
with religious and cultural traditions,
set in the
stunning mountain
ranges of the great
Himalayas...
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Nestled between China’s Tibet and India, Bhutan is an exotic
kingdom steeped in Tantric Buddhism yet at the same time embracing,
albeit ever so carefully, the trappings of
modern technology. The place is a living ancient civilization, as if
one has stepped back into the rich medieval age
– with beautifully decorated chalet houses dotting the rolling green
hills, colourful monasteries and prayer flags
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bright traditional costumes mixed with the crimson-robed monks – a culture that is
reminiscent of Tibet yet so uniquely its own. At the same time,
English is widely spoken and one can have ‘bizarre’ sightings
of computers in the administrative quarters of the
dzongs, the massive white fortress-like
monasteries-cum-administration dominating each precinct.
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Druk Yul, as the country is known to its
inhabitants, has a sense of peace and orderliness under the
protective tutelage of the current monarch, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, |
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an
enlightened leader by all accounts. He has continued the
modernization programme started by his father
while steadfastly maintaining the policy of environmental
conservation and the preservation of Bhutanese culture and tradition. In fact, the coronation of the
King on 2nd June 1974 marked the first time that Bhutan opened to
the world, with the international press being
allowed into the country.
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Today Bhutan is open to tourists with a budget strictly not of
the shoestring variety, and provided the trips are kept within defined
restrictions. This system of imposing high prices for the privilege of a
glimpse into the protected land acts as a ‘natural’
cap on the number of visitors, the result of a deliberate policy to avoid
the destructive effects of opening to all and sundry which was the
experience of its 
illustrious neighbour, Nepal. The seemingly overzealous isolationist measure
certainly hurt our pockets, but having visited both countries, I could
understand the rationale and even support it, unless a
better way can be found to allow genuine and responsible visitors without
importing the undesirable influences of unfettered tourism. In any case,
the journey was for us, worth every cent we expended. And
more… |
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Especially when we went at a most
tumultuous of times for any sort of travel. The Iraq war had
started. Then the first cases of the dreaded ailment, otherwise
known as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome),
emerged, that was to continue to have a devastating effect on our
social lives long after we returned to
Singapore. Finally, we read about an earthquake in Bhutan measuring
5.5 on the
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| Richter scale just a couple of days
before we set off. Suffice to say, it felt almost like a miracle when we took off from Bangkok on the small
Druk Air flight, the national carrier of Bhutan. This
was only one of two ways for foreigners to enter
the country, the other being by a road route via India.
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It was one quaint flight. The last three rows of seats also acted
as cargo hold with overflowing luggage, no doubt due to the
country’s nationals trying to make the most of their rare ‘shopping
trips’ to Bangkok. As we were to learn
later, foreign amenities were hard to come by in Bhutan and most |
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were from India or Thailand. In fact, we found ourselves also part
of the postman network, carrying a baby pram and
an assortment of other items that were meant for delivery to various
people in Bhutan, including the Queen herself!
But that is another story. Long before we sat foot on Paro airport,
we had already been treated to the hospitality
of the country by our wonderful tour operator, Mr Sangay Tshering,
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| and his Singaporean wife, Sara, of Yeti Tours &
Treks. Such was the intimacy of arranging a trip to
Bhutan where everything was done by hand on a personal basis,
right up to the checking-in of luggage at Bangkok airport by
Druk Air’s staff instead of a ground handling agent.
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So with a huge dose of anticipation, we cruised down Paro valley
with an airport elevation of 2235m. Stepping off the plane, we had our
first encounter with the elaborate Bhutan architecture. The airport terminal looked like a temple! Thus began our magical tour
of the land stilled in time… |
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First things first, we had to unload the ‘mail’ and luggage, although
my friend, Jen, was already in a snapping frenzy as we drove slowly on
what appeared to be a single road going round and round the
Paro valley.
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The advantage of the flat daily rate that we had to pay under the
tourist tariff system, which covered all accommodation, food,
transport and services regardless of type or location, was that we
could ask for the best hotels of the
land. So off we went to the Olathang
Hotel originally |
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1974. We were to stay here for two separate
nights during our hectic traveling schedule, the first in the
dzong-like grand main building with rich Bhutanese décor and Victorian furniture, and the
second in a lovely well-furnished wooden cottage overlooking the
valley. I hadn’t gone on a tour in ages but this
felt like royalty!
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The exhibits were a fascinating introduction to Bhutanese
culture. There is an important collection of
thangkas (elaborate paintings, sometimes embroidery,
of Buddhas and other deities done on canvass)
spanning from the 17th to 20th centuries AD. Other galleries include
a wide array of bronze, ivory, wood and iron objects, intriguing weapons and shields, stone inscriptions,
early coins and manuscripts, ancient tea pots, multi-coloured and
elaborately |
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| weaved textiles and costumes, eye-catching jewellery,
and a surprisingly extensive and modern philatelic collection – with
depictions of rockets, Disney characters, 3D images and even music
vinyl stamps! At the very top floor is the Tshogshing
Lhakhang (Temple of the Tree of Wisdom) which contains a
complex 4-sided centerpiece featuring very elaborate statues and carvings portraying the history
of Buddhism.
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Too bad no photographs were allowed inside the museum, as was
the case with the interiors of almost all the other places of
interest that we visited. There are very good
reasons for this, including religious grounds and a fear that the
items become known to the world and a catalogue for art thieves. In any case, Bhutan is a photographer’s
paradise already with its picturesque landscape, awesome buildings
and photogenic people. I was already beginning
to worry about the swiftness with which my rolls of film were
disappearing! |
Paro Dzong
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From Ta Dzong, we walked down a path to Paro Dzong, or Rinchen
Pung Dzong, meaning “fortress on a heap of jewels”. The
massive 1646 fortress was one of the finest Bhutanese architecture that we
saw on this trip. With its strategic location, it was used on many
occasions to defend the Paro valley from invasions by Tibet. More
recently, it was the location for filming many scenes in the 1995 movie,
“Little Buddha”.
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Soon after we entered the courtyard and were literally dumbstruck
by the grand towering structures and beautifully decorated
windows and passageways, a few young impish members of the around
200-strong monastic order peeked out of a small doorway excitedly.
As we were to discover, Bhutanese were not only very good-natured
hospitable folks with an
insatiable curiosity about foreigners, they simply loved to be
photographed, monks included.
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After that, we found ourselves the centre of
attention as red-robed figures, young and old, approached us shyly
for their pictures to be taken. The one in our
company with a digital camera, Yun, was especially popular because
he could show them the images immediately, prompting a burst of delight and happy chatter every
time. |
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Buddhism is predominantly practised in Bhutan and it is customary
for one son from each family to become a monk at the age of ten.
The official religion is Drukpa Kagyu, a school of
tantric Mahayana Buddhism similar to Tibetan
Buddhism and rich in symbolism which found vivid expression in the
Bhutanese arts and crafts and architectural style. In fact, the
religion has shaped Bhutan’s history and way of life since
the mid 8th century, from the arts and
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| literature, the folk dances and festivals, to the system of
government.
Despite an earthquake in 1897 and a fire in 1907, the Paro Dzong
is simply breathtaking and the Bhutanese spare no
effort in maintaining its awe-inspiring splendour. I especially
loved the layout of high towers and intricate
large wall paintings. We were also lucky enough to catch the
practice of the Tsechu dance by some monks. |
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Tsechus are grand annual festivals held by most dzongs
and monasteries in honour of Guru Rimpoche, the 8th
century tantric master who introduced Buddhism to Bhutan and is
regarded as the second Buddha. Outdoor religious dances or chham are
performed by lamas and lay persons, symbolizing the destruction of evil
spirits. The dancers are colourfully garbed and masked
and the onlookers, dressed 
in their finest ghos and kiras, the
traditional Bhutanese dress for men and women respectively, are blessed by
watching the dances. They can also have their sins washed away by viewing
the unfurling of a large thangka or thondrol from the
building overlooking the dance area before
sunrise.
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Unfortunately for us, we did not manage to coincide our trip
with the Paro Tsechu to be held in mid- April, so a glimpse of the Tsechu dance was a real
treat as we watched with fascination the twirling monks. To the beat
of this mesmerizing dance, we eventually had to
leave the unforgettable dzong, just as the daily routine of cleaning
up began, with the unusual spectacle of so many
monks bending to sweep the
courtyard. |
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Camera or not, the mind-boggling images continued to fill my mind
as we took a leisurely walk down the hill for a lovely sunset view of
the valley and crossed the river into the town centre,
where we had a taste of the Paro shopping and an enjoyable evening of
revelry in the company of our Bhutanese hosts.
Drukgyel Dzong
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Before the Paro Dzong, there was the Drukgyel Dzong whose ruins
lie 14 km from Paro, a strategic point controlling the route to
Tibet. The name “Drukgyel” means “Bhutan
Victory” and was meant to commemorate the |
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victory of Bhutan over Tibetan
invaders in 1644. In 1648, the dzong’s false entrance successfully lured invaders into an enclosed
courtyard. After the invasions ceased, the location became a major
trade route between Bhutan and the Tibetan town
of Phari. The dzong was featured on the National Geographic magazine in 1914 and used as an administrative centre
until a fire destroyed it in 1951.
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Despite the ruins, one can still feel the power of the oldest dzong
built here, especially when we listened to the
narration by our tour and trekking guide, Kencho, and imagined the battles
taking place in the once great towers of this defensive
fortress.
The dzong ruins, at 2580m, is also the start of the Jhomolhari
Trek which takes over a week and is supposed to give spectacular
views of the 7314m Jhomolhari. As we had cloudy
weather, we did not manage to get a glimpse of this sacred Bhutanese
mountain. However, we did see the beautiful cone shaped snow peak on
another day of clear blue skies, while on the way to our day trek up the
most famous of Bhutan’s monasteries, the Taktshang
Monastery.
Taktshang
Monastery
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The single most iconic image of Bhutan is that of the Taktshang
Monastery perched dramatically on the side of a 900m cliff above the
floor of the Paro valley. The name means Tiger’s Nest
Monastery as Guru Rimpoche, who had divine powers, is said
to have flown to the site on the back of a tigress and meditated in
a cave here for three months. Many other renowned saints had
meditated in the holy cave since. Taktshang is thus a holy
place visited by pilgrims from all over Bhutan and indeed one of the
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revered Buddhist nyes (sacred
sites) in the world.
On 19 April 1998, a fire destroyed the monastery’s main structure
but the Dubkhang, its most sacred
sanctum, was found to be intact and a number of its most precious
relics and treasures were retrieved. Today the
monastery is in the process of being rebuilt to restore it to its
original
splendour. |
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The trek begins 8km north of Paro town, through a pleasant blue
pine forest at first, crossing a stream, then the
steep part begins on a reasonably wide sandy trail that zig-zags all the
way up the ridge.
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Having already gone on a five-day trek prior to our visit to
Taktshang, I personally found the climb to be
relatively easy, even with the attendant breathlessness due to the
over 2500m elevation. What bothered me more was
the intense sun. Despite wearing a hat, the heat was unbearable and
I found myself rushing across each open segment
and resting at the switchbacks where there was usually a little bit
of forest shade. |
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| Not a good way to hike but the constant halts were also great for
admiring the
lushness of the green valley below. Plus Kencho had this uncanny
knack of finding the best resting spots, be it a jutting rock or
boulder, which I often found him perched coolly on, cross-legged in
his knee-length traditional costume, cool sunglasses and all!
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After a couple of hours and a gain of some 500m, we reached a small
chorten (memorial for offerings) with the distinctive prayer
flags. From here, it was a short level walk to what I considered a nice
lookout and refreshments spot (or the end of the trek for some) but the
Bhutanese named it, quite unspectacularly, The
Cafeteria.
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So we had our toilet and lunch breaks here in a beautiful (as
usual) Bhutanese building where our packed fried
chicken attracted an unusually hungry kitten. Kencho and our driver,
Sherab, also had fun with the musical
instruments here together with a bunch of lively local teenagers who
had already been to the
top. |
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It was a further 45-minute walk to Taktshang which started out
steeply and then became, thankfully, a nice cool uphill through the
trees, some of them looking very ancient. At last, I was really enjoying
the hike! Then we passed a gateway and reached the
furthest vantage ledge 
that we were allowed to go, with the monastery directly across a chasm
and appearing to grow out of the rocks. Simply stunning, even in its
incomplete state. The forbidden path to Taktshang was just a short 150m,
but perilously hugging the vertical cliff wall.
We celebrated in our usual way, gaping at the spectacular sight and
then cheering and furiously taking photographs of the monastery and of
each other. But we had to be mindful of the ledge too as we heard some
zealous tourist fell over before!
Whether one is a Buddhist or not, Taktshang is a must-go and this definitely counts as a major highlight for any
trip to Bhutan.
Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan and with a population of about 46,000,
the valley definitely looks more crowded than sparsely occupied Paro.
Especially when we arrived in Thimphu from the isolation of the 
mountains, literally. We had gone on the five-day Druk
Path Trek from Paro to Thimphu and were still in a state
of ‘uncivilisation’ when we were picked up and driven into the sprawling
valley and busy streets of Thimphu, albeit with no traffic lights. Instead
there was a smartly dressed policeman stationed at the circle on the main
street, waving his arms like a conductor orchestrating
the chaotic traffic.
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Again, we were put in the finest hotel, Druk Hotel,
situated right in the centre of town. The big
room was well furnished and even had a cable television where we
caught the latest news on the Iraq war. But we
were most pleased with the shower, which was pure luxury after a
‘bathe-less’ trek where the planned lake washings had turned unexpectedly into an encounter of
the frozen kind more suitable for
skating… |
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Trashi Chhoe Dzong
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Back to the attractions of Thimphu, the main of which is the Trashi
Chhoe Dzong (Fortress of the Glorious Religion) originally built in 1216.
This is the most well maintained and luxuriously decorated dzong for a
very good reason – the King’s office is here. Hence, the security and
austere atmosphere as we walked along the boulevard under the imposing
long white outer granite wall of the dzong, with the distinctive overlooking rows of crimson decorated
windows.
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After a long session between Kencho and the police, we were
finally allowed in. No cameras allowed. Which was just as
well because, despite some on-going renovation works, the
architecture was simply dazzling and more
exquisite than any that we had seen on this trip! We would have
clicked |
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| endlessly and Kencho would have to drag
us out. As seemed to be typical with the dzongs
here, this one suffered a few fires and an earthquake
too. The amazing thing was the rebuilding
was done in traditional fashion, that is, without any nails or
written plans!
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Besides the King’s office and throne room, the administrative section
houses the secretariat and the ministries of home affairs and finance. On
the north side is the summer residence of the dratshang or
central 
monk body. We were told that the State monks had gone to their winter
residence, the Punakha Dzong, and would only be back in May.
Our tour was limited to around the courtyard where the annual
Thimphu Tsechu festivals are held but it was enough to give
us a glimpse of the grandeur here.
Other Attractions
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Another important building is the National Memorial
Chorten, a large Tibetan-style chorten built in 1974 to honour the third king, Jigme
Dorji Wangchuck. Full of vibrant religious pictures and complex tantric statues, the pretty
building is a part of the religious focus here and we saw many locals praying inside the
gate. |
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Then we went up to what is known as the Telecoms
Tower (elevation 2685m), below which
is an excellent viewpoint of the Thimphu
valley. Apparently, this area is a lover’s lane at night!
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A short distance
from here was a fenced up “mini-zoo” where we
saw Bhutan’s unusual national animal – the Takin. An ugly animal I must say. The
story goes that the creature was made by the great saint Lama Drukpa Kunley who visited
Bhutan in the 15th century. When urged to perform a miracle, the unorthodox saint, also known as the Divine
Madman, asked to be served a cow and goat for lunch.
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| After the feast, he was said to have stuck the goat’s head onto the cow’s bones and the
strange beast was thus created. Actually, I thought the takin
looked more like a bear stuck with a cow’s head!
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Next on our itinerary was a petite nunnery.
Having visited so many monasteries, this was a refreshing change.
The decoration was soft and serene and I simply
loved the quaint buildings which gave me a sense of peace. The giggly young nuns also made our day with their
shyness. On our way out, it was hard not to smile at the rows of
lady shoes and socks perched to dry on the
windows. |
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Another interesting place is the National Textile
Museum which gives a good introduction to the national
art of weaving and a
complicated demo on how to wear Bhutan’s |
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traditional dress. Given
the extraordinary skill and painstaking work
required to do the art, it is no wonder that the hand-spun,
hand-woven cloth to make the more expensive
kira (women’s traditional floor-length dress) costs an
arm and leg! So humble us could only afford to
buy souvenir items like a small bag and mat for me.
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In fact, Bhutanese craft was expensive as we were to find out later
when we browsed the shops. The weekend
market offered more affordable stuff and we could bargain. This is
where the locals shop for their fruits, vegetables and foodstuffs, all
laid out flamboyantly and enticingly by the 
vendors plying their ware. We had a wonderful time
here shopping, with our Nu (Bhutanese currency) disappearing
rapidly. I at least exercised some degree of
restraint; Jen was so enthusiastic about the lady’s rachu
(cloth sash worn over the shoulder) she ended up in debt!
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We also had a taste of the national sport of
the Bhutanese – datse or archery. There was a
competition going on at the target field. The
small wooden target is placed really far away across a field of
about 140m. Amusingly, there were members from
both teams clustering ‘dangerously’ near the target and doing a
little dance routine after each shoot. Not sure
whether this was to celebrate a bull’s-eye shot or to taunt the
opponent for missing! |
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The easy-going nature of the Bhutanese was simply contagious.
Not to mention the overwhelming hospitality and warmth of our
hosts and the new friends we made. So much so that when it came to
the end of our highly packed intoxicating ten-day tour, which also
included the |
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Path Trek and a detour to stunning Punakha & Wangdue,
Jen and I were filled with a deep sense of sadness
and reluctance when we finally departed from the Paro
airport. As the last glimpse of the majestic Himalayan range
disappeared, we almost suffered ‘withdrawal
symptoms’ at the thought that there would be no more poetic sights
of the high mountain ridges, the elegant
Bhutanese houses, the beautiful dzongs and remote monasteries, the
colourful prayer flags and prayer wheels… For we |
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| have come to love the culture that is so uniquely and
painstakingly preserved – by a very special and wonderful people who
have forever won a place in our hearts.
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