It was an old wish of mine to visit our friendly neighborhood country of Bhutan. All my plans and attempts could never get materialized, until this December, when the end of the year was approaching and I got a week long holiday. As I work in Kolkata , the first place I wanted to visit, was somewhere that would require less travelling time and would be convenient for a week’s trip. I had two choices - Kashmir or Bhutan. I opted for the later. It was a decision of an instant that I called the travel agency and inquired for all the possible packages to cover most of its places. The final plan was to cover the three cities - Thimpu, Punakha and Paro.
My dream to visit the Buddhist country was finally getting fulfilled.
Bhutan is called Druk Yul "Land of Druk", and Bhutanese leaders are called Druk Gyalpo, "Thunder Dragon Kings".
The kingdom is a landlocked country in South Asia. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it is bordered by Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north, India in the south, the Sikkim state of India and the Chumbi Valley of Tibet in the west, and Arunachal Pradesh state of India in the east and Assam in the south. Bhutan is geopolitically in South Asia and is the region's second least populous nation after the Maldives. Thimphu is its capital and largest city, while Phuntsholing is its financial center.
Since the 17th century the official name of Bhutan has been Druk yul (country of the Drukpa Lineage, the Dragon People, or the Land of the Thunder Dragon, a reference to the country's dominant Buddhist sect). - [ Wiki ]
My journey started from Kolkata. We boarded the train-13149, Kanchan Kanya Express from Sealdah station. It was an overnight journey to Hasimara (Nearest station to Bhutan border if you are travelling by train). We had our dinner in one of the restaurants in nearby market at Sealdah. Bags were packed with snacks for the morning and the journey started. Our train started at 8:30 PM at the scheduled departure time.
Day 1:
The thunderous sound of the train woke me up early in the morning. I could see the winter sun light kissing the skies with gentleness. As we were crossing station after station, my excitement was getting elevated.
Soon we were crossing the “Torsa” river.
[ Torsa River (also spelt Torsha and also known as Kambu Maqu, Machu and Amo Chhu) rises from the Chumbi Valley in Tibet, China, where it is known as Machu. It flows into Bhutan, where it is known as the Amo Chu. It has total length of 358 kilometres (222 mi), out of which 113 kilometres (70 mi) is in China and 145 kilometres (90 mi) in Bhutan before flowing into the northern part of West Bengal in India. ]
The train was late by 2 hours and we finally reached Hasimara at about 12:30 PM. Our Driver, Mr. Jeet Bahadur, a resident of Jaigaon, greeted us outside the small station. From here he would be our guide and companion for the whole trip.
We drove towards the Bhutan border town, Jaigaon crossing tea plantations on either side of the road.
Jaigaon is separated from Phuentsholing town of Bhutan on the other side by a big red entry point, the “Bhutan Gate”.
We had lunch at Jaigaon and then crossed the border to go to the other side to Phuentsholing Immigration office for the Tourist permit. (Indian tourists don’t need Visa to travel to Bhutan. We only need a permit and the necessary documents are Voter I card/ Passport with Photo). One peculiar thing I noticed is, the citizens of both the countries are living so friendly as if there is no border as such. Out of all the borders in India I have seen this was very unique. I really wished all our borders be such lively , calm and friendly.
By the time we completed the Biometric procedure, it was 3:00 PM. It was a 5 and half hour drive to the capital City, Thimpu. Roads were surprisingly very good and well maintained considering they are constructed on mountains.
The weather changed fast as we moved up in mountains with green vegetation welcoming us with cold wind and then gradually we experienced dense fog while we crossed the village, Gedu. It became really difficult at one time to navigate through the fog, where the driver could hardly see beyond 10 fts. We took a break to have some tea and snacks at the Dantak Canteen by the road.
Project Dantak was raised in May 1961 at Samdrup Jongkar in Eastern Bhutan. It has contributed to economic growth of Bhutan by not only developing roads and tele-communication net works but also other prestigious works throughout Bhutan. Over the years, Project Dantak has constructed 1500 Km of roads, airfield at Paro and Yangphula, number of helipads, tele-communication net work in Bhutan, Indo-Bhutan Microwave link, Bhutan Broadcasting Station, the prestigious India House Complex, Chukha Hydel Housing Complex, Hydel Sub-stations, river training works, Schools and Colleges. Today Dantak is a household name in Bhutan. It has carved a niche in this beautiful foreign country with the goodwill of citizens of Bhutan, Royal patronage of His Majesty, the King of Bhutan and the support of the Indian Embassy in Bhutan. The contribution of Dantak can be best summed up by the following quotes:-
“Dantak can very well be proud of their achievements; they have a major share in the development of Bhutan. During my recent visit to New Delhi, I told the PM that Dantak was your best Ambassador”
- HIS MAJESTY, THE KING OF BHUTAN (1981)
We finally reached the capital, Thimpu at 8:30 PM and checked into our hotels. It was too cold with temperature showing 5 degree. We were tired enough and equally hungry. Hot Dinner was served fast.
Day 2:
"Thimphu" is the capital and largest and only city of the Kingdom of Bhutan. We got up early and walked towards the "Clock Tower" Square just in front of our hotel.
That was one way of seeing the early morning lives of people around. We saw men dressed in a knee-length robe, called Gho. Women wear the Kira, a long, ankle-length dress accompanied by a light outer jacket known as a Tego with an inner layer known as a Wonju.
I also captured the glimpse of some monks which is quite usual in the Bhutan as the citizens are primarily Buddhists.
You will find the prayer wheels of all sizes, almost everywhere in Bhutan.
The first place we went to visit was the "Buddha Dordenma statue", which is a gigantic Shakyamuni Buddha statue built above the mountain. It celebrates the 60th anniversary of fourth king Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
From the town itself we could see it, the golden Buddha quietly sitting on the mountain, facing towards the rising sun.
When I reached there, I was overwhelmed by the wide scenic view if the valley at one side and the Buddha at the other.
This reminded me how small we are in front of the nature and the force that has created it. I am sure even an atheist would acknowledge the presence of such mighty being/energy somewhere, which created these big mountains, the clouds, the rivers and the smaller beings like us.
Next we visited the "Motithang Takin Preserve". It is a wildlife reserve area for “takin”, the national animal of Bhutan.
The local mythology related to declaring takin as the national animal is dated to the 15th century. A Tibetan saint by the name Drukpa Kunley, popularly called by the epithet “The Divine Madman” is credited with creating the takin with unique features. Drukpa Kunley, who was not only a religious preacher but also a proficient tantric, was requested by the people of Bhutan during one of his religious lectures to conjure a miracle before them. The saint agreed to do so provided he was fed for lunch, a whole cow and a whole goat. Once served, he devoured the food of both animals and left out the bones. He then took out the head of the goat and fixed it to the skeleton of the cow and uttered the magic words. With a snap, he created a live animal, which had the head of the goat and the body of the cow. The animal sprang up and moved on to the meadows to graze. The animal was then given the name dong gyem tsey (takin). Since then this animal has been a common sight in the hills of Bhutan. Because of this magical creation with high religious connotation, the animal has been adopted as the national animal of Bhutan. ( Wiki )
After spending quite some time with the Takins, we went to “Drupthob nunnery temple” where lady monks reside.
Mr Jeet Bahadur, Our driver, suggested that it was worth a visit to the top of Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) tower to take a few snaps of the wonderful view of Thimphu valley in the afternoon.
This was indeed a good place with the hillside filled with prayer flags all along the road we trekked.
In the afternoon we had roamed around the handicraft markets in the town. There was small shop with really friendly people. We had hot maggie, Puchka and Bhutanese Chilly (Ema) pakoda in Lunch.
In Thimpu, the sun sets fast. It was the evening we stopped at the “Changlimithang Stadium” to enjoy a match of Football.
Then, we visited the "Memorial Chorten". Located almost at the center of the city, it was built in the memory of the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.
I took some snaps and we stopped at a shop to buy some biscuits for a stray dog that we came across.
Suddenly this little girl came by and asked - "Hindi?"
We said - "Yes."
She stretched her tiny little right hands for a firm handshake and said - "Friends? Best friends?"
And we chatted. She talked non-stop, literally hijacked our cell phones, saw all the pictures of the trip, played games and was not allowing us to go. We chatted for almost an hour.
That little soul's name was "Tshayang khenden choden". We had to leave which none of us wanted. She left us only when we made a promise that we would be back. She kept shouting "Byeeee !!" till we vanished from her eyesight. I don’t know she would remember us or not , but those beautiful moments we spent with her, were the best moments we had in Bhutan. I made a friend there... my Best Friend in Bhutan.
While taking this selfie it was her idea to pose with hands like this.
This encounter was quite unexpected and had a heavy impact on me. I could not stop thinking of her. I felt I need some quiet time before saying Goodbye to the city. So I went to the Clock Tower again .We had "Jathup", a Bhutanese noodle.
At about 9 PM when we came back to our hotel.
I fell in love with Bhutan on the first day itself.
Day 3:
Breakfast was tea and bread toast. We left Thimpu for a Morning drive to "Punakha"( 87 kms/2.5 hrs). On the way, we stopped for a good scenic view of the 15th Century “Changangkha monastery”.
We stopped en route for tea at "Dochu La(Pass)" (3,100 meters). There are 108 memorial chortens or stupas known as "Druk Wangyal Chortens" have been built by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, the eldest Queen Mother.
The morning snow covered the stupas and the grass and the fog covering the trees and mountains. The clouds seem as if they were fused with the fog. We expected to see a clear day so that we could get some spectacular views of the Himalayas. Unfortunately due to the fog, we could not.
However, within the foggy pine trees I could sense some birds living in the jungle. A beautiful curious creature caught my attention.
This generous being came close enough and enamored me with its beauty. It was yellow-billed blue magpie or gold-billed magpie (Urocissa flavirostris).
Just in front of the chortens, there is the "Druk Wangyal Lhakhang (temple)", built in honour of the fourth Druk Gyalpo (head of the state of Bhutan). This fluffy Canine greeted us at the entrance, when we disturbed its winter sleep.
The temple was surrounded by different flowers, all drenched in snow and water.
We reached the Hotel in Punakha at about 12:00 PM. Punakha was the capital of Bhutan till 1955. As promised by Mr Jeet Bahadur, for lunch we were introduced with some Bhutanese Cuisine. We ordered "Kewa(Potato) Datshi" and "Mushroom Datshi" .Ema(Chilly) Datshi is among the most famous dishes in Bhutanese cuisine, recognized as a national dish of Bhutan.
It is made from chili peppers and cheese; "ema" means "chili", "kewa" means potato and "datshi" means "cheese" in the Dzongkha language of Bhutan. The taste was awesome as we had it with hot Rotis and Dal fry.
After Lunch we drove to the most famous and beautiful Monastery of Punakha, the "Punakha Dzong".
Situated along the confluence of the “Pho Chhu (father)” and “Mo Chhu(mother)” rivers, it is the second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan. It is also known as Pungtang Dewa chhenbi Phodrang (meaning "the palace of great happiness or bliss"). To our surprise there was a local festival going on for which the entry was restricted for some time.
I could see people gathering around the river bank, and lucky enough to see the a glimpse of women performing traditional dance.
Mr Jeet Bahadur, suggested us to use that time and visit the "Punakha Suspension Bridge" which was at a short distance from there. After walking for just 20 mins we came across this wonderful metallic structure.
People were crossing it as the festival was over. I crossed the bridge to both ways to get a feel of it. Then we came back to enter the "Punakha Dzong" at about 3:00 PM.
The original Dzong was built by the first Shabdrung in 1637. The view of the Monastery with mighty mountains at the back, wide green valley at the front and turbulent rivers on both sides with a wooden bridge at the entrance, makes a perfect setup for a Buddhist monastery.
While returning we stopped by the river bank to have some quite time to watch and feel the liveliness of the scenery surrounding us.
In Bhutan the nature speaks so much, much more than a normal restless human heart can perceive.
After spending the evening at the bank of the river, we had to return to the hotel, but I insisted Mr. Jeet Bahadur, that we should visist this place called - "Chime Lhakhang". To my surprise, even he had never been there.
It is a small temple also known as The Temple of Fertility built in 15th century by Lama Drukpa Kunley. (This monk is popularly known as the Devine madman for his philosophy,"Salvation through sex").
We returned to our hotel in Punakha for the overnight stay there. In dinner, I had Thukpa, a traditional Tibetan noodle soup.
Day 4:
We checked out of the hotel in the morning to visit "Paro"(120 Kms/ 3 Hrs). Paro is a town which has Bhutan's only international airport. Each turn on the way came with surprise and scenic view of the mountain and nature. There were people selling apples all along the road. We could not resist stopping by and tasting some. They were fleshy and the tastiest I ever had.
Mr. Jeet Bahadur, suggested we can make a little add on to the plan and must visit the Chele la(Pass), which is one of the highest road point in Bhutan (3,980m). It took a small detour just before the Paro town. I put my hands out to feel the wind getting colder, with elevation. The moment we reach there, entering through the jungle tunnels of the valley, we felt to have reached to the top of the world.
With snow capped Himalayan peaks on all sides, shining like white elephants, wild yaks grazing across the dried golden winter grass and the paths covered with prayer flags all along, it was nothing short of magic.
The Bhutan was beautiful so far, but I saw the Majestic side of the land, both in strength and the heart it carries.
I had two plates of hot delicious momos along with the traditional butter tea called "Po Cha"(Suja in Bhutanese).
We visited the "Drukgyal Dzong", a fortress and Buddhist monastery. Currently in ruins, by both time and earthquake, the renovation work for this was going on.The dzong was probably built by Tenzin Drukdra in 1649 at the behest of Ngawang Namgyal, Zhabdrung Rinpoche, to commemorate victory over an invasion from Tibet.
It was really really cold at the Paro valley. We Checked in at the Hotel in the evening, had dinner and slept immediately.
Day 5:
The morning was beautiful for two reasons. The sun was shining the brightest with clear sky. And just when I came out of the room, I was greeted with this family. The beautiful puppies ran towards me with all their love and innocence, in search of food.
How giving, some creatures are, they make you feel special with their love and yet they never know it.
The day was planned for the trekking to the most famous monastery of Bhutan, The "Taktsang Tiger Nest Monastery". This sacred monastery is located in the Cliffside of the mountain which you need to trek all the way up. There is also provision of hiring horses. We all wanted to do it on our own. From the starting point, from that distance I could see the Tiger's nest looking too small and I could not wait more.
The trekking was a moderate one which took 2 hours, where with every turn we could sense and also see the Tiger's nest getting closer and closer to you.
And at last, we could see the final glimpse where we were enamoured by the beauty of it, the way it was holding its stand beautifully on the big high rock at one side of the mountain.
According to the legend related to this Taktsang (which means "Tiger's lair"), it is believed that Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) flew to this location from Tibet on the back of a tigress (his consort) from Khenpajong. This place was consecrated to tame the Tiger demon. We spent quite a good time in the monastery seeking the blessing of the Buddha and Guru Padmasambhava. At some point, we all felt like monks on some journey of pilgrimage. It took almost 1 hour to come down where we bought some souvenirs. It is the best place to buy them as you would get it cheaper than the Paro market.
In the evening we wondered inside the Paro town. A bunch of people were enjoying the game of Archery, which is also the national game of Bhutan.
The main street has shops on both sides, all crammed with brass wares, silk and cotton scarves, incense sticks, silver filigree jewellery, gho (Bhutanese National Dress for Men) which can be matched with elaborately embroidered boots, kira (wrap-around sarong worn for Bhutanese Women) and prayer flags that one could string across any open space to seek blessings for loved ones and friends.
It was a heavy evening as we all knew the trip was about to end. We spent the night in Paro.
Day 6:
It was the day of return. I bid goodbye to our beloved family, but those puppies were too busy to understand that.
Mr Jeet Bahadur, drove us back to the return journey to the Indian border, where we started. Of all the turns we took and people we crossed, I saw people busy with their daily work. Occasionally some of them still smiling at me, putting an unintentional smile on my face, even if I was sad at that time. I felt as if we were removing our foot marks from this Country. We stopped on the road side by a vegetable shop as he bought some for his home.
A old lady was very happy to get some customers in the early cold winter morning.
There was also a small monastery and a waterfall on our way, we stopped by. Soon we were back in Phuentsholing and crossing the Bhutan Gate, we reached Jaigaon, India.
We had lunch near the Hasimara station, bid goodbye to our friend Mr. Jeet Bahadur and waited for the the same train (Kanchan Kanya Express) for our return journey to Kolkata. I felt a cath in my throat.
I feel the discomfort and helplessness as I can never put those emotions in words, what I felt during my trip to, truly the Happiest country in the world. Like they say in Bhutan that "Happiness is a place".
After all, I made a promise to myself that I would come back again. If not for anything, then for my Best Friend, "Tshayang". Hope she remembers me then. :)
My dream to visit the Buddhist country was finally getting fulfilled.
Bhutan is called Druk Yul "Land of Druk", and Bhutanese leaders are called Druk Gyalpo, "Thunder Dragon Kings".
The kingdom is a landlocked country in South Asia. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it is bordered by Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north, India in the south, the Sikkim state of India and the Chumbi Valley of Tibet in the west, and Arunachal Pradesh state of India in the east and Assam in the south. Bhutan is geopolitically in South Asia and is the region's second least populous nation after the Maldives. Thimphu is its capital and largest city, while Phuntsholing is its financial center.
Since the 17th century the official name of Bhutan has been Druk yul (country of the Drukpa Lineage, the Dragon People, or the Land of the Thunder Dragon, a reference to the country's dominant Buddhist sect). - [ Wiki ]
My journey started from Kolkata. We boarded the train-13149, Kanchan Kanya Express from Sealdah station. It was an overnight journey to Hasimara (Nearest station to Bhutan border if you are travelling by train). We had our dinner in one of the restaurants in nearby market at Sealdah. Bags were packed with snacks for the morning and the journey started. Our train started at 8:30 PM at the scheduled departure time.
Day 1:
The thunderous sound of the train woke me up early in the morning. I could see the winter sun light kissing the skies with gentleness. As we were crossing station after station, my excitement was getting elevated.
Soon we were crossing the “Torsa” river.
[ Torsa River (also spelt Torsha and also known as Kambu Maqu, Machu and Amo Chhu) rises from the Chumbi Valley in Tibet, China, where it is known as Machu. It flows into Bhutan, where it is known as the Amo Chu. It has total length of 358 kilometres (222 mi), out of which 113 kilometres (70 mi) is in China and 145 kilometres (90 mi) in Bhutan before flowing into the northern part of West Bengal in India. ]
The train was late by 2 hours and we finally reached Hasimara at about 12:30 PM. Our Driver, Mr. Jeet Bahadur, a resident of Jaigaon, greeted us outside the small station. From here he would be our guide and companion for the whole trip.
We drove towards the Bhutan border town, Jaigaon crossing tea plantations on either side of the road.
Jaigaon is separated from Phuentsholing town of Bhutan on the other side by a big red entry point, the “Bhutan Gate”.
We had lunch at Jaigaon and then crossed the border to go to the other side to Phuentsholing Immigration office for the Tourist permit. (Indian tourists don’t need Visa to travel to Bhutan. We only need a permit and the necessary documents are Voter I card/ Passport with Photo). One peculiar thing I noticed is, the citizens of both the countries are living so friendly as if there is no border as such. Out of all the borders in India I have seen this was very unique. I really wished all our borders be such lively , calm and friendly.
By the time we completed the Biometric procedure, it was 3:00 PM. It was a 5 and half hour drive to the capital City, Thimpu. Roads were surprisingly very good and well maintained considering they are constructed on mountains.
The weather changed fast as we moved up in mountains with green vegetation welcoming us with cold wind and then gradually we experienced dense fog while we crossed the village, Gedu. It became really difficult at one time to navigate through the fog, where the driver could hardly see beyond 10 fts. We took a break to have some tea and snacks at the Dantak Canteen by the road.
Project Dantak was raised in May 1961 at Samdrup Jongkar in Eastern Bhutan. It has contributed to economic growth of Bhutan by not only developing roads and tele-communication net works but also other prestigious works throughout Bhutan. Over the years, Project Dantak has constructed 1500 Km of roads, airfield at Paro and Yangphula, number of helipads, tele-communication net work in Bhutan, Indo-Bhutan Microwave link, Bhutan Broadcasting Station, the prestigious India House Complex, Chukha Hydel Housing Complex, Hydel Sub-stations, river training works, Schools and Colleges. Today Dantak is a household name in Bhutan. It has carved a niche in this beautiful foreign country with the goodwill of citizens of Bhutan, Royal patronage of His Majesty, the King of Bhutan and the support of the Indian Embassy in Bhutan. The contribution of Dantak can be best summed up by the following quotes:-
“Dantak can very well be proud of their achievements; they have a major share in the development of Bhutan. During my recent visit to New Delhi, I told the PM that Dantak was your best Ambassador”
- HIS MAJESTY, THE KING OF BHUTAN (1981)
We finally reached the capital, Thimpu at 8:30 PM and checked into our hotels. It was too cold with temperature showing 5 degree. We were tired enough and equally hungry. Hot Dinner was served fast.
Day 2:
"Thimphu" is the capital and largest and only city of the Kingdom of Bhutan. We got up early and walked towards the "Clock Tower" Square just in front of our hotel.
That was one way of seeing the early morning lives of people around. We saw men dressed in a knee-length robe, called Gho. Women wear the Kira, a long, ankle-length dress accompanied by a light outer jacket known as a Tego with an inner layer known as a Wonju.
I also captured the glimpse of some monks which is quite usual in the Bhutan as the citizens are primarily Buddhists.
You will find the prayer wheels of all sizes, almost everywhere in Bhutan.
The first place we went to visit was the "Buddha Dordenma statue", which is a gigantic Shakyamuni Buddha statue built above the mountain. It celebrates the 60th anniversary of fourth king Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
From the town itself we could see it, the golden Buddha quietly sitting on the mountain, facing towards the rising sun.
When I reached there, I was overwhelmed by the wide scenic view if the valley at one side and the Buddha at the other.
This reminded me how small we are in front of the nature and the force that has created it. I am sure even an atheist would acknowledge the presence of such mighty being/energy somewhere, which created these big mountains, the clouds, the rivers and the smaller beings like us.
[ From left , my friend Pritish, Mr. Jeet Bahadur and me ]
Next we visited the "Motithang Takin Preserve". It is a wildlife reserve area for “takin”, the national animal of Bhutan.
The local mythology related to declaring takin as the national animal is dated to the 15th century. A Tibetan saint by the name Drukpa Kunley, popularly called by the epithet “The Divine Madman” is credited with creating the takin with unique features. Drukpa Kunley, who was not only a religious preacher but also a proficient tantric, was requested by the people of Bhutan during one of his religious lectures to conjure a miracle before them. The saint agreed to do so provided he was fed for lunch, a whole cow and a whole goat. Once served, he devoured the food of both animals and left out the bones. He then took out the head of the goat and fixed it to the skeleton of the cow and uttered the magic words. With a snap, he created a live animal, which had the head of the goat and the body of the cow. The animal sprang up and moved on to the meadows to graze. The animal was then given the name dong gyem tsey (takin). Since then this animal has been a common sight in the hills of Bhutan. Because of this magical creation with high religious connotation, the animal has been adopted as the national animal of Bhutan. ( Wiki )
After spending quite some time with the Takins, we went to “Drupthob nunnery temple” where lady monks reside.
Mr Jeet Bahadur, Our driver, suggested that it was worth a visit to the top of Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) tower to take a few snaps of the wonderful view of Thimphu valley in the afternoon.
[ Prayer Flag "Lung Ta" which means powerful horse, is as symbol of Spirit, success & Luck]
This was indeed a good place with the hillside filled with prayer flags all along the road we trekked.
In the afternoon we had roamed around the handicraft markets in the town. There was small shop with really friendly people. We had hot maggie, Puchka and Bhutanese Chilly (Ema) pakoda in Lunch.
In Thimpu, the sun sets fast. It was the evening we stopped at the “Changlimithang Stadium” to enjoy a match of Football.
Then, we visited the "Memorial Chorten". Located almost at the center of the city, it was built in the memory of the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.
I took some snaps and we stopped at a shop to buy some biscuits for a stray dog that we came across.
Suddenly this little girl came by and asked - "Hindi?"
We said - "Yes."
She stretched her tiny little right hands for a firm handshake and said - "Friends? Best friends?"
And we chatted. She talked non-stop, literally hijacked our cell phones, saw all the pictures of the trip, played games and was not allowing us to go. We chatted for almost an hour.
That little soul's name was "Tshayang khenden choden". We had to leave which none of us wanted. She left us only when we made a promise that we would be back. She kept shouting "Byeeee !!" till we vanished from her eyesight. I don’t know she would remember us or not , but those beautiful moments we spent with her, were the best moments we had in Bhutan. I made a friend there... my Best Friend in Bhutan.
While taking this selfie it was her idea to pose with hands like this.
This encounter was quite unexpected and had a heavy impact on me. I could not stop thinking of her. I felt I need some quiet time before saying Goodbye to the city. So I went to the Clock Tower again .We had "Jathup", a Bhutanese noodle.
At about 9 PM when we came back to our hotel.
I fell in love with Bhutan on the first day itself.
Day 3:
Breakfast was tea and bread toast. We left Thimpu for a Morning drive to "Punakha"( 87 kms/2.5 hrs). On the way, we stopped for a good scenic view of the 15th Century “Changangkha monastery”.
We stopped en route for tea at "Dochu La(Pass)" (3,100 meters). There are 108 memorial chortens or stupas known as "Druk Wangyal Chortens" have been built by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, the eldest Queen Mother.
The morning snow covered the stupas and the grass and the fog covering the trees and mountains. The clouds seem as if they were fused with the fog. We expected to see a clear day so that we could get some spectacular views of the Himalayas. Unfortunately due to the fog, we could not.
However, within the foggy pine trees I could sense some birds living in the jungle. A beautiful curious creature caught my attention.
This generous being came close enough and enamored me with its beauty. It was yellow-billed blue magpie or gold-billed magpie (Urocissa flavirostris).
Just in front of the chortens, there is the "Druk Wangyal Lhakhang (temple)", built in honour of the fourth Druk Gyalpo (head of the state of Bhutan). This fluffy Canine greeted us at the entrance, when we disturbed its winter sleep.
The temple was surrounded by different flowers, all drenched in snow and water.
We reached the Hotel in Punakha at about 12:00 PM. Punakha was the capital of Bhutan till 1955. As promised by Mr Jeet Bahadur, for lunch we were introduced with some Bhutanese Cuisine. We ordered "Kewa(Potato) Datshi" and "Mushroom Datshi" .Ema(Chilly) Datshi is among the most famous dishes in Bhutanese cuisine, recognized as a national dish of Bhutan.
[ Kewa Datshi ]
[ Mushroom Datshi ]
It is made from chili peppers and cheese; "ema" means "chili", "kewa" means potato and "datshi" means "cheese" in the Dzongkha language of Bhutan. The taste was awesome as we had it with hot Rotis and Dal fry.
After Lunch we drove to the most famous and beautiful Monastery of Punakha, the "Punakha Dzong".
Situated along the confluence of the “Pho Chhu (father)” and “Mo Chhu(mother)” rivers, it is the second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan. It is also known as Pungtang Dewa chhenbi Phodrang (meaning "the palace of great happiness or bliss"). To our surprise there was a local festival going on for which the entry was restricted for some time.
I could see people gathering around the river bank, and lucky enough to see the a glimpse of women performing traditional dance.
Mr Jeet Bahadur, suggested us to use that time and visit the "Punakha Suspension Bridge" which was at a short distance from there. After walking for just 20 mins we came across this wonderful metallic structure.
People were crossing it as the festival was over. I crossed the bridge to both ways to get a feel of it. Then we came back to enter the "Punakha Dzong" at about 3:00 PM.
The original Dzong was built by the first Shabdrung in 1637. The view of the Monastery with mighty mountains at the back, wide green valley at the front and turbulent rivers on both sides with a wooden bridge at the entrance, makes a perfect setup for a Buddhist monastery.
While returning we stopped by the river bank to have some quite time to watch and feel the liveliness of the scenery surrounding us.
In Bhutan the nature speaks so much, much more than a normal restless human heart can perceive.
After spending the evening at the bank of the river, we had to return to the hotel, but I insisted Mr. Jeet Bahadur, that we should visist this place called - "Chime Lhakhang". To my surprise, even he had never been there.
It is a small temple also known as The Temple of Fertility built in 15th century by Lama Drukpa Kunley. (This monk is popularly known as the Devine madman for his philosophy,"Salvation through sex").
We returned to our hotel in Punakha for the overnight stay there. In dinner, I had Thukpa, a traditional Tibetan noodle soup.
Day 4:
We checked out of the hotel in the morning to visit "Paro"(120 Kms/ 3 Hrs). Paro is a town which has Bhutan's only international airport. Each turn on the way came with surprise and scenic view of the mountain and nature. There were people selling apples all along the road. We could not resist stopping by and tasting some. They were fleshy and the tastiest I ever had.
Mr. Jeet Bahadur, suggested we can make a little add on to the plan and must visit the Chele la(Pass), which is one of the highest road point in Bhutan (3,980m). It took a small detour just before the Paro town. I put my hands out to feel the wind getting colder, with elevation. The moment we reach there, entering through the jungle tunnels of the valley, we felt to have reached to the top of the world.
With snow capped Himalayan peaks on all sides, shining like white elephants, wild yaks grazing across the dried golden winter grass and the paths covered with prayer flags all along, it was nothing short of magic.
The Bhutan was beautiful so far, but I saw the Majestic side of the land, both in strength and the heart it carries.
I had two plates of hot delicious momos along with the traditional butter tea called "Po Cha"(Suja in Bhutanese).
We visited the "Drukgyal Dzong", a fortress and Buddhist monastery. Currently in ruins, by both time and earthquake, the renovation work for this was going on.The dzong was probably built by Tenzin Drukdra in 1649 at the behest of Ngawang Namgyal, Zhabdrung Rinpoche, to commemorate victory over an invasion from Tibet.
It was really really cold at the Paro valley. We Checked in at the Hotel in the evening, had dinner and slept immediately.
Day 5:
The morning was beautiful for two reasons. The sun was shining the brightest with clear sky. And just when I came out of the room, I was greeted with this family. The beautiful puppies ran towards me with all their love and innocence, in search of food.
How giving, some creatures are, they make you feel special with their love and yet they never know it.
The day was planned for the trekking to the most famous monastery of Bhutan, The "Taktsang Tiger Nest Monastery". This sacred monastery is located in the Cliffside of the mountain which you need to trek all the way up. There is also provision of hiring horses. We all wanted to do it on our own. From the starting point, from that distance I could see the Tiger's nest looking too small and I could not wait more.
The trekking was a moderate one which took 2 hours, where with every turn we could sense and also see the Tiger's nest getting closer and closer to you.
And at last, we could see the final glimpse where we were enamoured by the beauty of it, the way it was holding its stand beautifully on the big high rock at one side of the mountain.
According to the legend related to this Taktsang (which means "Tiger's lair"), it is believed that Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) flew to this location from Tibet on the back of a tigress (his consort) from Khenpajong. This place was consecrated to tame the Tiger demon. We spent quite a good time in the monastery seeking the blessing of the Buddha and Guru Padmasambhava. At some point, we all felt like monks on some journey of pilgrimage. It took almost 1 hour to come down where we bought some souvenirs. It is the best place to buy them as you would get it cheaper than the Paro market.
In the evening we wondered inside the Paro town. A bunch of people were enjoying the game of Archery, which is also the national game of Bhutan.
The main street has shops on both sides, all crammed with brass wares, silk and cotton scarves, incense sticks, silver filigree jewellery, gho (Bhutanese National Dress for Men) which can be matched with elaborately embroidered boots, kira (wrap-around sarong worn for Bhutanese Women) and prayer flags that one could string across any open space to seek blessings for loved ones and friends.
It was a heavy evening as we all knew the trip was about to end. We spent the night in Paro.
Day 6:
It was the day of return. I bid goodbye to our beloved family, but those puppies were too busy to understand that.
Mr Jeet Bahadur, drove us back to the return journey to the Indian border, where we started. Of all the turns we took and people we crossed, I saw people busy with their daily work. Occasionally some of them still smiling at me, putting an unintentional smile on my face, even if I was sad at that time. I felt as if we were removing our foot marks from this Country. We stopped on the road side by a vegetable shop as he bought some for his home.
A old lady was very happy to get some customers in the early cold winter morning.
There was also a small monastery and a waterfall on our way, we stopped by. Soon we were back in Phuentsholing and crossing the Bhutan Gate, we reached Jaigaon, India.
We had lunch near the Hasimara station, bid goodbye to our friend Mr. Jeet Bahadur and waited for the the same train (Kanchan Kanya Express) for our return journey to Kolkata. I felt a cath in my throat.
I feel the discomfort and helplessness as I can never put those emotions in words, what I felt during my trip to, truly the Happiest country in the world. Like they say in Bhutan that "Happiness is a place".
After all, I made a promise to myself that I would come back again. If not for anything, then for my Best Friend, "Tshayang". Hope she remembers me then. :)
:Travel Tips:
- The nearest Railway station to the Border of Bhutan is Hasimara which you can reach from Kolkata.
- The nearest Airport is Bagdogra, from where it takes 3 hours drive to reach the border.
- Bhutanese currency is Bhutanese Ngultrum, which is equivalent to Indian Rupee. In Bhutan both Indian and Ngultrum are valid. They don't accept Indian coins and at some places 500 Rupees Indian note is not valid.
- People are very humble in Bhutan.The greeting in the Bhutanese language Dzonkha for hello is Kuzu Zangpola, and says Tashi Delek for good bye or good luck.
- In Bhutan, use right hand while giving or receiving something.
- If you are interested to have a trip to Bhutan, I would be more than happy to provide the contact details of Mr. Jeet Bahadur. He would help you with all the plan, that would be cheaper than booking the package through any travel agency.
Nice one.Good information...
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