If ever there were a place where nature and man joined together to create a cherished image, it must be the valley of Paro. Even in this fascinating kingdom of Bhutan, Paro is unique in beauty and in history. In the north, Mount Jomolhari reigns in white splendour and glory, and the glacial waters from its “five sister” peaks stream in torrential flows through deep gorges until they finally converge to form the Paro chu (river), which nourishes the Paro valley to life.
Takstang Monastery, literally meaning “Tiger’s Nest,” built around the cave in which Guru Rimpoche and later his follower Dubthok Singye meditated, clings dizzily to a high precipice. A visit to this monastery is a daredevil challenge that is both exhaustive and thrilling and maybe even spiritually rewarding.
Across the Paro chu, on a knoll that rises in a sheer climb from the river, stands the majestic Rimpung Dzong, commanding the whole view of Paro valley. Today it houses the Paro monastic body and the office of the Dzongda (district commissioner) and Thrimpon (district judge). But some centuries ago it was an impregnable fortress that repulsed successive invasions from Tibet.
The Thongdrel, the most sacred, giant-sized, scroll, depicting the eight manifestations of Guru Padmasambhava with the two attendants, Khendu Yesey Tsogyel and Khendu Minda Rawa, is displayed for a few hours on the 15th of the Bhutanese 2nd month during the Paro Tsechu (festival) that is held from the 11th to 15th century. It is unrolled at dawn and can be seen for kilometers around.
Behind Rimpung Dzong, still higher on the hillside, is the castle-shaped jewel of the Ta-Dzong. The onetime lookout stronghold that also played an active part in the defense of Rimpung Dzong during invasions, the Ta-Dzong has been a national museum since 1967.
18 kms from the small town of Paro is the burned out shell of the fortress of “Victorious Bhutan,” the Drukgyal Dzong. Kyichu Lakhang, one of the kingdom’s oldest and most sacred monasteries, and Dungtse Lakhang, an unusually shaped building that houses important art, are also centers of attraction.
Thimphu, perhaps the most unusual capital city in the world, is a bustling town on the banks of the Thimphu River and set gloriously in the hills of Thimphu valley. Thimphu is the home of Bhutanese royal family, the Royal Government and the Judiciary; foreign missions and development projects are also located there.
On the bank of the river lies Tashichö Dzong, the main secretariat building of which houses the throne room of His Majesty the King of Bhutan. The National Assembly Hall is located on the opposite side of the river in a new building across from the dzong. During the warmer summer months, the monk body, led by His Holiness the Je Khenpo, makes its home in the dzong.
Bhutan’s National Library is located close to the Arts and Crafts School and contains what may be the best collection of religious and historical literature in the Himalayas. Nearby is the Folk Heritage Museum and the Textile Museum. Bhutan has it own brand of Himalayan medicine, and this can be seen at the Indigenous Hospital. The Memorial Chorten, a pious landmark for Thimphu’s residents, was erected in 1974 by the mother of the Third King in memory of her son.
Vistor must wander along the main street, Norzom Lam, and into shops, all of which are decorated in traditional Bhutanese style. Many of the general stores stock a selection of handicrafts and textiles for passing visitors, and several special handicraft stores have been opened. Bhutan’s colourful stamp collections can be viewed and purchased at the capital’s main post office. The country’s two principal banks are also located on Thimphu’s main street.
Tourists can enjoy Bhutanese and Indian food in a growing number of restaurants around the town.
Every Saturday and Sunday most of Thimphu’s population and many valley dwellers congregate on the banks of the river where the weekend market is held. This is the only time in the week when fresh vegetables are available, and the market Saturday mornings is a hive of activity. The fields adjacent to the market are reserved on weekends for basketball and archery.
Bhutan’s capital is also an ideal spot for day walks. Phajoding Monastery is a three-hour hike from the Motithang area of Thimphu. The walk is steep and will test an average walker, but the effort is more than rewarded with stunning views over the city and a good sample of Bhutanese flora on the way. Other day walks can include the monasteries of Tango or Cheri – also about a three-hour
walk from the capital. Less ambitious walkers can stroll all the way up the hill behind Indian Embassy; at the top of hill thousands of prayer flags are part of the view over Thimphu.
Five kms from Thimphu, on a lofty ridge, stands the 17th century Simtokha Dzong. Built in 1627, this is the oldest dzong in Bhutan and houses the School of Buddhist Studies.
The road from Simtokha winds into pine forests and through small villages for 20 kilometers and then opens miraculously onto the northern ridge of the mountains. The view over the Himalayas at Dochula Pass, at 10,500 feet, is one of the most spectacular in all Bhutan.
Punakha lies about a two-hour drive from Dochula down low in Punakha Valley. Punakha Dzong is home to the central monk body and the Je Khenpo (the spiritual leader) during the winter months. Punakha’s climate and warmer temperatures makes the valley one of the most fertile in Bhutan.
One of the most striking features of the valley is its abundance of crops and vast terraces of rice fields which change from lush green in summer to golden yellow in autumn. Chime Lakhang, located on a hillock among the rice fields is picturesque and is a pilgrimage site for childless couples. The temple is associated with the famous holy man, Drukpa Kuenlay, who built a chorten on the site.
Punakha Dzong was strategically built at the junction of the two rivers in the 17th Century by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, to serve as the religious and administrative center. The Dzong has been damaged by fires, flood and earthquake on number of times and many historic documents destroyed. Punakha Dzong houses sacred temples including the Marchen where the embalmed body of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal lies in state. The Dzong has been fully restored by the present King.
KHAMSUM YULAY NAMGAY CHORTEN
This new Tibetan style chorten was built by the present Royal Family on a hill overlooking the Punakha valley.
Punakha served as capital of Bhutan until 1955. 20 kms from north of Punakha is place called ‘ Tashithang’ a site for birdwatching; it lies on the route to the Gasa and Laya areas.
Wangdue Phodrang is the last town on the high way before entering Central Bhutan. The town is little more than an enlarged village with a few well-provided shops and hotels.
Sitting on top of the hill, extending out over the junction of two rivers, is Wangdue Phodrang’s formidable dzong, the town’s most visible feature. In the 17th century Wangdue played a critical role in unifying the western, central and southern Bhutanese districts. In the last few years, however, Wangdue has undergone a structural renovation and looks much fresher and more appealing than previous visitors to Bhutan might remember.
The road from Wangdue to Trongsa is one of the prettiest in Bhutan, passing streams, forests and villages before climbing to the Pelela pass and on to the dramatic Trongsa valley. Situated south of the highway, Gangtey Gompa is an old monastery dating from the 17th century. After driving south through the mountains, the road leads to a rare opening onto a golden field of maize and yaks. A few kilometers past the Gompa on the valley floor is the village of Phobjikha. This is one of the two winter homes of the black-necked cranes that migrate from Tibet to pass the winter in lower climes. The rare birds can also be sighted in East Bhutan at Yangtse.
::Trongsa
In the center of Bhutan and four hours by road from Wangdue Phodrang, Trongsa offers a welcome rest to travelers. The approach to the town involves a trip around Trongsa valley. A vantage point from the opposite side of the valley, still 14 kilometers from Trongsa, provides an exciting view of the dzong and the town. The region’s secular and religious center, the dzong, dominates the horizon, dwarfing the surrounding buildings.
The royal family has strong links with Trongsa. Both His Majesty King Ugyen Wangchuk, the Penlop of Trongsa, who was elected the country’s first hereditary monarch, and his successor, King Jigme Wangchuk, ruled the country from Trongsa’s ancient dzong. The Crown Prince of Bhutan normally holds the position of the Trongsa Penlop prior to ascending to the throne. The present King continued this tradition when he was appointed Penlop in 1972, shortly before he ascended the throne of Bhutan, and his son, the current Crown Prince, was appointed Penlop in 2004.
Trongsa Dzong is an impregnable fortress. The dzong itself is a labyrinth of temples, corridors and. It is built on many levels into the side of the hill and can be seen from every approach to Trongsa., exhibiting its strength as a defensive stronghold.
Trongsa is one of the quaintest and most charming of all Bhutanese towns. The town’s vista is traditional in appearance as the wooden slatted houses line up together on the side of the hill. A number of lodges provide accommodation and refreshments to travelers who are crossing the Kingdom.
The Yutongla pass and a series of hair-raising bends at 11,500 feet separate the valleys of Trongsa and Bumthang. Views of Trongsa valley on the ascent are superb. Bumthang has a uniqueness that charms visitors and separates it from other regions. Comprised of four smaller valleys, the deeply spiritual region of Bumthang is shrouded in religious legend.
Apart from the dzong at Jakar, smaller monasteries are situated all over the valley. Tales of Padma Sambhava dominate these holy shrines. The valley is home to the sacred Jampa and Kurjey monasteries, where bodily marks of Guru Rimpoche are impressed on rocks. The Kurjey Monastery, located at the far end of the Choekhor valley, is one of the most sacred temples in the country. Its golden roofs and ornate façade make a perfect backdrop for a morning’s stroll around the valley.
Bumthang is also the traditional home of the great Buddhist teacher Pema Lingpa, to whose descendents the present monarchy traces its ancestry.
The town of Jakar is the largest between Thimphu in the west and Trashigang in the east. Jakar is famous for its honey production, cheese, apples and apricots. Its arable land and Swiss and German aid projects have helped the local economy to dramatically improve over recent years. Several new houses are evidence of the valley’s increased prosperity.
Visitors to Jakar should plan to spend a few days taking advantage of the valley’s relatively gentle slopes to walk to nearby medieval temples and glimpse Bhutan’s mostly rural population. At the village of Zugney, a few miles before climbing down to Jakar, typical woolen material (yathra) is woven and hung on the sides of houses for sale.
Bumthang’s tsechu (festival) is one of the most popular in Bhutan. The fire-dance is performed at night and is said to purify one’s soul.
The drive across the Thumsingla pass (located at 12,465 feet), the highest motorable pass in Bhutan, and the subsequent descent from the high altitude pine forest to lush pastures and orchards, is one of the most exciting drives in all of the Himalayas. Gushing waterfalls, steep cliffs with even steeper drops, blazing flowers, and constantly changing vegetarian combine to make this journey as varied as it is beautiful. If the weather is clear, the high eastern range of mountains comes into view from the top of the pass.
Eastern people speak a different unable to understand the more rugged and the population western part of Bhutan.
The Limithang road from Sengor to Limithang become one of the truly great birding roads From a pass at 12,400 feet to just under 2000 paved roads leads through some of the most beautiful forests in the entire Himalayas.
Arriving in Mongar is a great relief from the turns and heights of the journey over the pass. The town is small, with only a sprinkling of shops. Mongar, like Trashigang further east, is built on the side of a hill because valleys in easter Bhutan are too narrow for towns to develop on the valley floors.
Mongar Dzong is modern, compared to others in the kingdom. It was reconstructed by order of the Third King. The Kurichu hydroelectric project will change the industrial emphasis of the eastern area after its completion.
Lhuntse is 77 Kilometers from Mongar and is one of the most isolated districts in Bhutan. The landscape is spectacular, with stark cliffs and gorges and with coniferous forests. The region is particularly famous for its weavers and special textiles and fabrics, generally considered to be the best in the country.
The road from Mongar passes the Yadi loops. For eight kilometers the road creates figures of eight as it descends to the valley floor.
Arriving in Trashigang is momentous because it marks the end of a 547-kilometers drive from Thimphu. The town, also high up on a mountain, is busier than most other Bhutanese towns. Its proximity to Samdrup Jongkar in the south has enabled it to grow as a center of commerce.
Trashigang is used as the marketplace for the hill people from Merak and Sakten, who are known for their exceptional features and for their costumes, which are brightly coloured and different from customary Bhutanese clothing. The 17th century dzong is built on top of a cliff on the edge of town. The views from the courtyard of the dzong stretch across Trashigang’s valley.
Tashi Yangtse, formerly a sub-division of Trashigang, is one of the newest districts. Yangtse Dzong is a half-hour walk from the road. A town has developed around Chorten Kora, one of only two chortens built in Nepalese style and the spot where Guru Rimpoche is believed to have had a vision that a temple and chorten would be built. North of Yangtse is a place called ‘Bumdeling,’ a home of black-necked cranes in winter. The area is also known for its exceptional woodcraft.
The road from Trashigang to Samdrup Jongkar was completed in the early 1960s and enables the eastern half of the country to benefit from trade with the south as well as provides a border crossing to India.
The journey from Trashigang passes through Kanglung, a small hamlet where Bhutan’s only college, Sherubtse or Peak of Knowledge, is located. Further south along the road is Khaling where one can visit a weaving center and a school for the blind. The road descends fairly quickly through thick forests, and it is another prime areas for bird-watching before arriving at Samdrup Jongkar.
This town is small and bustling and acts as a commercial hub and entry and exit point in the southeast. Phuntsholing in the southeast is another border town and can also be used as an exit point.
|
 |
 |
copyright © gangri tour and trekking co. all right reserved. contact webmaster for further information.
