The flight in itself was a completely unique experience as we flew past the Himalayan range, skimming past their snow-capped peaks, spellbound by their enormity, as if we had entered a different world altogether. Soon we got our first look of the city of Paro, a charming city, with small cottages and majestic monasteries with the Paro River cutting through it. However, a look at the landing strip itself sent chills down my spine. A narrow strip of land, no wider than a congested lane in Andheri, with monastery-like structures encroaching on both sides. Once our flight landed I felt like giving the pilot a standing ovation, but well, my attention was immediately diverted by the beautiful Tibetan architecture that had raised my anxiety. Upon further enquiry we found out that those were the departure and arrival buildings respectively. We were more than dumbfounded! Our eyes had become accustomed to tall glass buildings with hordes of people bustling around, and so these peaceful, exquisite structures looked as anything but an airport to us. After clearing immigration we found our tour bus and proceeded to Thimpu, the capital city of Bhutan.
Our travels began the next day at 8:30 a.m. sharp. The first destination on our itinerary was Trashi Choe Dzong, a magnificent structure where the annual bash is held. The Dzong was also the site where the lavish coronation of the fifth king took place. As we entered our eyes met with a beautiful sight, a massive white courtyard with a beautiful wooden paneled building, with exquisite Bhutanese artwork surrounding it (This was where the monks resided), and in the centre a tall intimating structure with a combination of golden and wooden artwork, this was the main Dzong, or worship area. Being a Hindu something which appealed to me immediately was the peaceful environment prevalent inside the Dzong, as it was meant to act as a medium of transportation to another world. Inside the Dzong (where to my horror, photography was prohibited) was an array of wooden benches leading to a golden Buddha statue, surrounded by various other sculptures each having its own unique story. After this soothing experience we proceeded to the National Library of Bhutan. The pathway leading to the Library was surrounded by a vibrant flower garden, containing flowers of almost every colour possible. The building itself defied my expectation of a Library, the structure which stood before us was a charming but small two-storeyed house designed in the quintessential Bhutanese way. Once we went inside we were dealt another surprise, there were no tables or chairs just bookcase after bookcase containing hardbound books, all in Bhutanese. Displayed in the centre was a massive book, which they claimed was the biggest book in the world, and obviously this led to a horde of tourists crowding to take a picture. As we left the Library, we saw a man selling all kinds of curios and other interesting memorabilia in a small corner. My attention was drawn to a certain Buddha T-shirt, however the 'Made in Nepal' tag was certainly a bummer.
Tired and starving, we next went to the Thimpu town centre, or Clock Tower Square as it is more popularly known as. The first thing that met our eyes was an oval shaped hollow with stairs going down, leading to a fairly big courtyard in the centre of which was a Clock Tower illustrated by Bhutanese artwork. Behind the Clock Tower square was a beautiful range of hills and the whole setting came together to form a sight which one would never forget.
(For your benefit here’s a picture of the Clock Tower Square)
The next destination on our itinerary was Buddha Point. The Buddha point is basically a view point located at the top of a hill and a one hour drive from the main city. The point is characterised by one of the largest Buddha statues in the world i.e. 51.5 meters tall. The massive statue overlooks the charming city of Thimpu surrounded by hills, and in my opinion, is the best view point in Bhutan, certainly presenting many photo opportunities. We next headed to the Motithang Takin Reserve (Bhutan National Zoo) which contained the Takin (National animal of Bhutan) in abundance. The zoo had a pathway going through the middle with massive fields on the right separated by grills. The Takin itself is a rather queer specie, and when I first saw it, I thought it was a cow with horns! However, after observing closely, I noticed subtle differences like the presence of fur on its body. Exhausted, we returned to our hotel to rest for the night.
Next day we started early and headed for the Dochu-La pass. Situated at a height of 3100 meters, the pass offers scenic views of Bhutanese countryside. However luck didn’t favour us, as upon arrival we discovered that pass was covered in thick fog and no view whatsoever was available. However while everyone was lamenting about our misfortune I noticed a series of steps heading upwards, and filled with curiosity, I decided to see where it led. The climb lasted 15 minutes and left me quite breathless, however it was definitely worth it. What I found was a cottage-like structure, covered in the most exquisite Bhutanese architecture, and going inside I discovered it was a temple, with a large wooden hall at one end of which was a large golden Buddha statue and a massive window overlooking the pass at the other. The setting was serene.
We then left for Punakha Dzong. This Dzong was perhaps the highlight of our tour. Located at the confluence of the Po Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, it is a massive white intimidating structure characterised by (yet again) Bhutanese architecture, which includes wooden windows and a combination of wooden and golden dombs. The Dzong is surrounded by vibrant purple trees and to reach it one has to cross a wooden bridge passing over the river. The view is one that which no writer can describe, therefore all I could think of was clicking a picture, i.e. given below.
This was only a small part of my visit to Bhutan; stay tuned for my next article where I shall cover the rest of this wonderful country. I hope that you enjoyed reading this, sayonara and I’ll be back soon!
-SUBIN MITRA