REST OF THIMPHU -BHUTAN JOURNEY

BLOG POST 6

We next went to the Buddha Dordenma, also known as the 'Vajra Throne' Buddha, situated amidst the ruins of Kuensel Phodrang, the palace of Sherab Wangchuck, the 13th Desi Druk.

We headed south of Thimphu city and we could see the Buddha serenely sitting and beckoning us to come to him, we drove through tall pine trees and the smells all around were heavenly

Buddha Dordenma was on a ridge overlooking the valley at an altitude of 2850 meters though there were steps, we found construction activity going on, so we took the easy way out

As we entered the premises we could see the gigantic Shakyamuni  Buddha  statue 169 ft tall made of bronze and gold plated and seated on a Lotus throne and was glistening in the sun

Apart from commemorating the centennial of the Bhutanese monarchy, the statue fulfils a prophecy. In the 20th century, the renowned yogi Sonam Zangpo prophesied that a large statue of either Padmasambhava , Buddha or of a phurba would be built in this region "to bestow blessings, peace and happiness on the whole world”

We walked around taking snaps, it was chilly and windy but there was enormous space around the statue and it was very peaceful and relaxing .I find that visit to such places or nature acts like a healing cool ointment on our hearts and minds bruised after a hectic life style in crowded and polluted cities

We went and looked down the stairs which were 288 in no, thanking our stars that we didn’t need to climb them, we saw a bird’s eye view of the town of Thimphu and there were stunning views of the snow capped mountains peeping occasionally and mischievously through the masking blue clouds .It is very rare to see such beautiful skies in smog filled surroundings and I felt like just sitting there silently in peace and contentment

The large statue was surrounded by 108 smaller statues of Dakinis that looked like Apsaras , we could find life like Airavat , the Garuda 3D representations and  many gold gilded Boddisattva figurines.

This was an active temple and like all monasteries in Bhutan, full sleeves were necessary inside the temple. Photography is not allowed .We dutifully left our shoes outside and entered the prayer hall ,only one floor was open to tourists and to our surprise we found thousands of small  gold Buddhas on shelves that lined the walls.

There was stunning artwork on the ceilings and walls, we also saw few altars, one had several massive clear quartz crystals. The temple pillars were carved beautifully and covered with gold colored tiles. Buddha was also shown with 4 heads in princely form.

We were told that the large statue in due course would house smaller Buddha statues, 100,000 ones 8-inch-tall and 25,000 12-inch-tall  gilded Buddhas respectively each of which, like the Buddha Dordenma itself, will be made of bronze and gilded in gold. Anyone could donate for the small statues

The main statue was built at a cost of US $47 million, by Aerosun Corporation of Nanjing, China .We found few monks telling prophesies to some tourists ,I was tempted but prevented by my husband who said  sternly that we were  already late and had other places to see ,so hearts fully satiated with peace and joy we left  the place

We then visited the Changangkha Lhakhang temple which is very popular among local Bhutanese as it was an important temple for the Children born in Thimphu, the protective deity of children resides in this temple.

 It was situated on a ridge above Thimphu, south east of Motithang. It has well laid out steps but was quite steep and we had to sit midway to gain our breath and pretend that we were admiring the views . 

The temple was established around 12th century, by Lama Phajo Drukgom Shigpo. Parents come with their new born children to seek blessings from the protector deity in the inner sanctum and only Bhutanese men are allowed to go in.

 we could see lot of prayer wheels with red and gold scripts around ,very huge Tibetan books are stored here

 Inside the temple premises I found a monk making tea for himself all alone ,patiently adding ginger ,aha ! Adrak chai ! I thought looking at the tea longingly 

The main deity was Tara/ Chenrizig/Avalokiteswara and we found devotees offering even meat and whiskey 
After coming out of the temple I found a group of old people sitting outside sunning themselves and promptly took a snap with them .I found older Bhutanese sitting and chatting comfortably in many places ,they looked well looked after and content

We then saw Motithang Takin Preserve a wildlife reserve area for Takin, the  National animal of Bhutan. Originally a mini-zoo, it was converted into a preserve.

The Takin is the national animal of Bhutan,it is also called cattle chamois or gnu goat, a goat-antelope found in the eastern Himalayas. The animals look like a hybrid of goat and cow.They are bulky and large and yet can move very fast on the high ridges.

 Beautiful natural plants & trees were there but there was quite a bit of walking to view the animals in the preserve, some of it quite steep and the animals were not always nearby which I found disappointing 

Archery is the national sport of Bhutan, played not only with traditional bows and arrows but also with modern archery techniques at Changlimithang  Sports and Archery Stadium in Thimphu.

 Archery is important for the cultural identity of the nation and as a result all tournaments are started with a ceremony. Women come to witness the sports in their colorful best attire and cheer their favorite teams. Men stand close to the target and taunt the players, if targets are missed.

We then went to The Folk Heritage Museum .It is dedicated to connect people to the Bhutanese rural past through exhibits, demonstrations, educational programs and documentation of rural life.

We first were taken to the souvenir shop which had a lot of  items displayed .

 Principal exhibit in the museum was a restored three storey traditional rammed mud and timber house, which dated back to the mid 19th century.

The whole design and form of house was that of an average household in the Wang area during that era.

From ground to top floor, household objects, typical domestic tools and equipment that would have been used by a family during that period were put on display. There were notes stuck to the walls or hung in every floor and every room describing the purpose of the floor and the room ,it was very surprising to see how well each item and space was fully utilised to its maximum capacity

We found Bhutanese women roasting red rice called Zaw on wooden stoves which was very similar to our puffed rice

we found some Bhutanese women weaving carpets and shawls with their kids hovering around them

When we came out we found a horse stable, a store to keep the crops and an interesting water mill .There was a water operated prayer wheel model and an oil extracting apparatus, both non-operational and not very well maintained.

Folk Heritage Museum had a restaurant with very interesting interior decoration, traditional tables and benches, wooden floor, ceiling to floor glass windows, the  garden outside had apple and walnut trees giving a natural surrounding good ambience for eating .

There was Malaysian buffet for lunch consisting of red rice, pork, beef renang, chicken curry, potatoes, spicy salad, bitter guard chilli. 

As it was the end of the day , we were very tired and readily retired to our hotel as we had to leave for Punakha the next day morning

INTERESTING THIMPHU -BHUTAN JOURNEY

BLOG POST 5
After a restful sleep I got up at 5 am ,put on my shoes and went out for a walk ,I marked my way around and planned my route so that I could come back safely to our hotel
The morning sun had not yet said hello to Thimphu and the hills were still to wake up from their slumber. As I walked along, I met few sleepy dogs which wagged their tails lazily maybe wondering who is this lady up so early . I came across a few Bhutanese obviously going for their morning duties

As time elapsed, the sun rose and painted the tops of the hills around with a red lip stick ,the snow on their tips looked as if there was ice cream sticking to their red lips.
The air was cold and invigorating and as the road was full of ups and downs it was quite challenging to walk .I met a middle aged Indian man taking a morning walk, he was from Calcutta and had come for a tour like us
Slowly the school kids started arriving at the bus stops and were picked up by the small buses, most of them were wearing uniforms and looked fresh and healthy, rosy cheeks ,dimple chins and eyes were bright ,indeed it was a pleasure to see them

At first, schools in Bhutan were few and rudimentary, and could only offer primary education But now the government provides free education to all students till Grade 10 and scholarships to students who meet the requirements for higher and professional studies .

We were told that students who want to study further are even sponsored and sent abroad  but surprisingly most of them come back ,settle and serve their country
A few stalls selling fresh tea sprung up and I cursed myself for not getting any money with me, for the fragrance of the ginger tea was alluring ,I went back to the hotel as we had a full schedule that day
After a hearty breakfast we started on our tour in Thimphu and our first stop was at Memorial Chorten

 As we had gone on an individual trip, time was no constraint but our guide said one hour would be more than enough to see the memorial , apparently Memorial Chorten at night when it is all lit up, is an ethereal sight.

We found the memorial bustling with devotees ,some were perambulating around the shrine, prayer beads in hand, mumbling prayers, some we could see genuflecting on the special planks set up for the very purpose. I got reminded of our own prayers and pradakshinas around the temples selfishly depending on the no of wishes God had granted and also the rolling on the ground known as porlu dandalu specially done in Tirumala after a holy bath

At Rs. 300/-, the entry ticket for a tourist is little high but worth it. The timings for non- Buddhists are 9 am-5 pm and so we should be there well before 4 pm to see the inside of the shrine.
As we entered we saw a lot of hustle and bustle and lot of older Bhutanese , some of them religiously turning the big red prayer wheels

We came to know that we were fortunate to arrive on a day when a health camp was being conducted for senior citizens.

We could see young doctors very earnestly examining the patients and didn’t have the heart to disturb them

 Basic health facilities are provided free of any charge to all citizens in Bhutan. There are no private practitioners operating any clinics anywhere in Thimphu or Bhutan.
 Every citizen is treated free of any charge including foreign tourists needing medical care. The health care center established in Thimphu is the National Referral Hospital which looked like our district hospitals. We were told serious cases are taken to India or Bangkok in special helicopters
Traditional Medicine  is also in vogue and the "Institute of Traditional Medicine" has been set up in Thimphu to promote this widely practiced herbal medical cure in rural areas of Bhutan.
Chorten memorial is made in the memory of the third king Jigme Dorji Wangchuk. of Bhutan and is located in the heart of Thimphu. At the center we could see the main building which was a large Tibetan-style Stupa, one of the most visible religious structures in Thimphu and the focus of the daily worship for many Bhutanese. It was built in 1974.

 The whitewashed Stupa has a sun-catching golden finial, is decorated with richly painted annexes facing the cardinal directions, and features elaborate mandalas, statues and a shrine dedicated to the popular king who wanted to erect a monument for world peace and prosperity
There are a few smaller stupas along the periphery where the Buddhist monks chanted and prayed.
All around we could see lot of Bhutanese people praying, some were turning the large red prayer wheels and some lighting the butter lamps which are seen everywhere in Bhutan

No photography was allowed inside and there were CCTV cameras watching to make sure one doesn’t click snaps
 The ground floor of the Chorten was consecrated to the teachings of Vajrakilaya. It had four shrines, each with different pictures of the king; with the eastern shrine housing a Buddha image. From the ground floor, a staircase lead to two more floors and each floor had four shrines.
 A centrally placed large wooden carving covered all three levels, behind the shrines, a large number of wooden carvings depicted wrathful looking protective deities definitely not for the faint hearted I thought. The roof of chorten we could access from the second level and a walkway for beautiful Thimphu views and a protective railing covered the terrace on the third floor.

 The second floor is dedicated to teachings of the Drubka Lineage of the Kagyu school to depict eight varieties of evil spirits and the top floor is dedicated to the teachings of Lama Gongdü
This Chorten is unlike other Chortens as it does not enshrine the mortal remains of the late King. Only the King's photo in a ceremonial dress adorns a hall in the ground floor. The feature that is distinct here is the outward flaring of the rounded part to give the shape of a vase, rather than a dome shape. In 2008, it underwent extensive renovation
As we were slowly going back to the entrance we noticed crowds gathered in a spot with cameras and lights ,our guide who was approached by a mike wielding person talked to him for a whole and came to me and asked me if I was game for an Television interview ,I said why not ? much to my husband’s amusement

Slowly the process of filming took place, the questions were which country I came from and why did I come to Bhutan ,I was about to answer the questions when the mike pinned to my collar was rudely shaken and fell to the ground as a blind devotee stepped on the wire.

The mike was picked up and again the process started, when suddenly a child ran across pulling the wire along with him, so there ended my  Bhutan T.V interview ,by then my hubby was fairly in fits of laughter watching the whole scene ,so I bid a dignified farewell to the channel people and walked haughtily to our car
 Films made in Bhutan are very few. Quality of films produced is still in a stage of improvement. National Film awards are presented in functions held in Thimphu to encourage Bhutanese film making.
The only cinema hall in Thimphu, the Luger Cinema Hall, screens Bhutanese and Hindi movies and occasionally English/foreign-language movies are also screened here.

QUEASY ARRIVAL AT THIMPHU –BHUTAN JOURNEY

BLOG POST 4
We reached Thimphu, which is Bhutan’s capital and occupies a valley in the country’s western interior. In addition to being the government seat, the city is well known for its famous Buddhist sites.
By now we started getting a queasy feeling and could make out that this was car sickness or motion sickness due to Bhutan's winding roads with constant hair pin bends, one is strongly advised to take along anti motion sickness medicine based on their doctor’s prescription

Other than in Thimpu and Paro, one never has a stretch of straight road for more than a few seconds which sounds incredible but is very true ,one also should brace up for decreased metabolism ,slow digestion and have fewer and smaller meals
We were travelling with some essentials like rain jacket and umbrella, hats for sun, sunglasses, Sunscreen lotion, insect repellent, anti-itch cream for bug bites, Flashlight, batteries and camera .
If one has a specific item - like artificial sweetener, pickle , sweets etc we can bring them along from home, however there are plenty of  shops stocking sweets, chips and cookies ,specially in main cities

We can even take small gifts like stationary items ,small trinkets ,coins etc to gift the kids,we found that the Bhutanese were very friendly but shy
My overall impression about Bhutan was that the country was like a very good  and sweet child , innocent ,not yet exposed to the  many vices rampant in the world. The Bhutanese  love ,adore and worship their king and his family. Having the good fortune of being brought up in such pristine ,unpolluted conditions they are like fresh exotic flowers exuding fragrance all around

Just like credit and debit cards, no foreign SIM card works once we enter Bhutan. There is no provision to set up international roaming facilities.
So our first stop was to get a SIM card . There are two GSM network providers in Bhutan. First is the government-owned B-mobile (Bhutan Telecom) and second is private Tashi Cell. SIM card of both companies can be purchased quite easily.

Our guide took us to the Thimphu  Bhutan Telecom office and my husband took a SIM card ,he just needed his passport photo page scan and 200 Ngultrum (Nu). He got the SIM card purchased and activated in hardly 15 minutes. The vendor handled all necessities of activation process. While the process was going on, I had a quick look at the streets , various cars parked and vegetable market nearby. I found pasted on the wall the map of Thimphu

 Rice and cheese are the staple food of the Bhutanese. If one would like to try out the local cuisine the “Ema Datshi” is what would be optimal choice as it is the national food of Bhutan.
For the less adventurous, we can try to find familiar cuisines in Bhutan. There are multiple Indian restaurants throughout which we tried and got good Indian food ,there were buffet options too
If we are used to eat curds or yoghurt with every meal we are in for a shock in Bhutan as they are  hard to get in restaurants,  they don’t stock it nor do we get it in many of the shops so it is better that we inform in the hotel restaurants one day prior to our need
While visiting monasteries and places of religious interest it is always advisable to wear clothes that fully cover the body. Most places require everyone to wear full sleeved tops to cover the hands completely, using a scarf or jacket over the dress would also serve in most places.
Once we are in Bhutan we invariably start behaving with decorum ,lower our voices ,be friendly with all ,the influence of the locals is so much that we start relaxing ,not push things and not be in a hurry to get things done,no wonder many people want to retire and spend their retired life there
We then went to our hotel, the Ramada valley Thimphu  .

 We were greeted at the reception by two young girls traditionally dressed and given a welcome drink.

Luckily our room had a river view though the river flowing by was a mere brook.

 From our room through large windows we could see the views of hills capped by clouds ,roof tops and curving roads.

The room was adorned with local decorations

 and had a heater too, our room had a flat TV and wifi ,though we didn't seem to get many channels

There were 41 rooms,some suites ,altogether the hotel had a good ambiance

I particularly liked the arrangement made with simple metal cups to collect rain water

There was a fitness center, sauna, spa and massage facilities,Though we didn’t use them,every trip we take we religiously intend to use all these facilities but very rarely find time or energy! There was  a bar ,a meeting room ,private dining room and an outdoor river side restaurant
The hotel restaurant served local Bhutanese , Indian and continental dishes

We ordered a cup of tea after our dinner and savoured it sitting in the biting cold weather outside,it was a good experience