Beauty in Bhutan

Hill country

I am flying on a magic carpet that takes me across the Himalayas. Sheets of ice wrap the mountains and I can feel the cold breeze on my face. I open my eyes just as the aircraft hovers over the Everest, while we cross Kathmandu. My destination is the happiest country in the world — Bhutan.

The snow-white mountains towering towards the sky holds me enthralled, as I watch wide-eyed like a kid in a candy store. The wings wade through the sky, as the plane nose dives into the valley and touches the ground. It barely feels like an airport. Surrounded by mountains with just a couple of planes in the airstrip, I can feel the silence. There is a nip in the air. The clouds are floating around and the sky is a distinct blue. Soon I am on the road. Rivulets gush past. The pines stand on the slopes, like sentinels watching over the town.

Outstanding outdoors

Driving around Thimphu, I am welcomed by landscapes that look straight out of fairy tales. Standing atop cliffs are formidable fortresses that are traditional monasteries called dzongs. Chortens and mani walls greet me. Thimphu seems like any other bustling city and I decide to skip it for the outdoors. It is time for lunch, and what can be more leisurely than listening to the murmurings of a brook, watching some boys play in a vast open field, and having a picnic in the arms of nature, surrounded by mountains.

Looking up I see an ancient monastery, almost 400 years old, perched on a cliff. The Cheri Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries established by Ngawang Namgyal, the founder of the Bhutanese state. It was a centre of learning as well and revered by the Bhutanese. It is believed that Padmasambhava visited the place around 1,200 years ago. I can see some of the adventurous travellers heading out on a hike that I am told will take about an hour. However, I am content with walking around at the base, looking out for birds.

I head back to the town, which is filled with posters of royalty. Pottering around, I walk around the markets before heading back to my accommodation. It is an early night as my next day dawns at 4 am. My destination is the Dochula Pass, located high up in the mountains, en route to Punakha from Thimphu. The crisp mountain air beckons me as I drive in the early hours of morning, wrapped in layers of clothing. The temperature is probably many notches below 0, but I forget the cold the moment I see the golden outlines of the chortens lit by the first rays of the sun.

As the light unravels the beauty around me, I see 108 chortens, a memorial called Druk Wangyal Chortens built by the eldest Queen Mother. I walk around and bask in the morning light. Yonder is a temple or a monastery called Druk Wangyal Lhakhang. Surrounding me is a dense forest drenched in fresh dew, as the Royal Botanical Park is filled with rhododendrons. There is not a soul around but for me, and I sit there in silence, with a cup of tea, meditating on nature and her ways.

But the journey does not end there. My next destination is Paro, the quaint colourful town, which entices me with its bright windows and doors and unique architectural designs. The Tiger Nest Monastery is on everyone’s agenda, but I am just allowed to catch a glimpse of it from the roads. I move on, promising myself that I will do the hike sometime.

However, the best, as they say, is yet to come. I am forever in love with ruins and what better way to explore a country than getting lost in it. Tall crumbling fortresses, their walls echoing with untold stories, is my next halt. The Drukgyel Dzong is a 17th-century monastery that was destroyed by fire, and even today it stands as a testimony of Bhutan’s victory over Tibet in a war. Built by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the royalty has pledged to restore it again.

But I am in no mood for history. Hiking up the rocky terrain, I look up to realise that I have lost my way. Below me, I can see villages covered in a haze. And that is when I hear a voice. A group of children are playing and the oldest of them, a four-year-old boy, Jimmy, takes me by hand and leads me to the group. Clad in traditional clothes, his pink rosy cheeks start blushing even further, as I stop to take his photograph. The day just rolls past me as I have another picnic lunch, and lose myself in the mighty fortress.

Monastery marvels

I move from one ancient site to another. A 1,400-year-old temple called Kyichu Lhakhang also known as the Sacred Jewel of Bhutan is my next halt. It seems like a small unassuming shrine, but the legend behind this is rather interesting. According to folklore, the site was once referred to as the left knee of an ogress, and the first Buddhist king of Tibet subdued her by building a temple right there. It is believed that Padmasambhava visited here in the 8th century and that it houses a lot of sacred relics.

It was restored a couple of centuries ago, and a new shrine built by the Queen Grandmother was added to the complex. Walking around the temple, spinning the prayer wheels, I can feel the silence around me and even my mind is emptied of all its thoughts.
The day finally seems to get over, as I chug back reluctantly to the town, refusing to be torn away from nature. But the picturesque city calls out to me. I am fascinated by the doors and windows. Dragons gaze at me from rooftops. Every building is aesthetically decorated and the traditional designs are a feast to the eyes.

I head out to the colourful post office. Admiring the stamp collection, I finally get my souvenir of the day. Posing against the beautiful background of Bhutan, I etch my face on a postage stamp — a memory that I would like to cherish forever. And as I leave, Lungta on horseback waves out from the prayer flags, showering me with blessings and wishing me good luck along the way.

Fact file

Bhutan, often referred to as the Happiest Country in the world, is one of the must-see destinations, rich in nature, heritage, folklore, culture and birds.
It can be visited throughout the year, although winters can be very cold.
Druk Air flies to Bhutan from New Delhi and Kolkata besides Guwahati and Bagdogra. However, please check the flight schedules as there may not be daily flights.
If you are interested in Buddhist iconography, art and architecture, this is a good place to begin your journey.