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Paro Dzongkhag -
Paro
A trip to Bhutan normally begins and ends at Paro...and
there can be few more charming valleys in the kingdom. As
you disembark your Druk Air 'Whisper Jet' and take your
first breath of Bhutanese air, you will be struck by the
silence and peace of Paro's valley. Willow trees line the
main road from the airport, and the Paro River provides a
richly watered landscape ideal for rice cultivation. A
destination all of its own, Paro is home to the national
museum and watchtower to one of the oldest and most
celebrated dzongs in all Bhutan.
The town of Paro is small with most of inhabitants living in
the beautiful valley that surrounds the town. The valley
floor is at its widest in the area nearest to the airport,
the town and Paro Dzong. Apart from commanding a slightly
elevated strategic point overlooking the longest stretch of
the Paro Valley, Paro Dzong is symbolic as the religious and
secular center of all affairs of the valley. It is also an
architectural wonder, setting the tone for official dzongs
throughout the kingdom and inviting the visitor to wonder at
the cultural strength of the kingdom's heritage. The dzong
itself was conceived in the 15th century and finally
consecrated in 1646. Above the dzong is the old watchtower
which is now home to Bhutan`s national museum. The museum's
collection includes ancient Bhutanese arts and artifacts,
weapons and stamps, birds and animals, and an incredible
collection of silver tea ware. This is typical of the
eclectic beauty of Bhutan - its prized objects bear little
relation to each other but as a whole stand together as a
history of one of the world's most pristine people.
It is said that Guru Rinpoche (Precious Master), the father
of the Bhutanese strain of Mahayana Buddhism, arrived in
Paro Valley more than a millennium ago on the back of a
legendary tigress. He meditated for three months in a cave
where a monastery was later built and called Taktshang
Lhakang or Tiger's Nest. Visitors to Paro can take a closer
look at the monastery by ascending either on foot or by pony
for about three hours to Tiger's Nest. Hikkers can enjoy a
well-earned rest at the Taktshang Teahouse situated at a
wonderful vantage point of the monastery. On special days in
Paro you can get a clear view of Mt. Jhomolhari
(7314m-23,996 ft.)
Thimphu Dzongkhag - Thimphu
Thimphu is a small, charming capital city sandwiched in the
heart of the Himalayas. It sits in its own valley fanning
out from the river. The skyline hardly changes as new
buildings are all constructed under zoning regulations.
Thimphu's development is strictly monitored and buildings
cannot exceed a certain height, nor can they be designed in
anything but the traditional Bhutanese style. In fact,
Thimphu's first and only traffic light was enshrined in a
chorten! (a small Buddhist shrine). Not being suitable to
the nature of Thimphu, the traffic light was removed on the
King's orders.
Only a sprinkling of cars is ever found along the main
street and the capital's population is not immediately
visible. But, if you look inside the bank or the shop, you
will find Thimphu's people and Bhutan's heart. Dressed in
gho or kira (traditional man's robe and woman's dress),
Thimphu people go about their work methodically, quietly
bringing their nation through the growing pains of
development and into its own definition of the modern world.
Simtokha Dzong, six kms from the city limits, is the
kingdoms oldest dzong which is now used as the Dzongka
language school of Bhutan. Bhutan's most stately and
arguably most impressive building is Tashicchodzong, on the
banks of the Wangchhu (Thimphu River). The home of the
National Assembly and the summer residence of the capital's
venerated monastic community, Tashicchodzong is a palatial
building overlooking the river on the South side and the
city of Thimphu from the North. While foreign visitors are
only allowed to enter Tashicchodzong during the annual
festival (in the early Fall), its presence and its exterior
and grounds provide a delightful spectacle. The dzong is the
impressive result of a redesign of the original medieval
structure sanctioned by the Third King, HM Jigme Dorje
Wangchuck, when he moved Bhutan's permanent capital to
Thimphu.
One of the most enjoyable ways of passing time in Thimphu is
wandering through the town. Full of wonderful restaurants
and delighful shops stocked with items from all over Bhutan.
Hand woven textiles, woodcarving, tailor made clothing,
jewelry. Thimphu's weekend market is another chance to watch
the way life goes in the kingdom. Here, every weekend,
Thimphu's residents break from whatever it is that they are
doing to stock vegetables, a copy of Kuensel (Bhutan's
national weekly newspaper) and to exchange the week's
gossip. It is a custom as old as the market and one both
buyer and seller enjoy. For visitors who can't share in the
gossip, a wander through the stalls reveals mountains of
bright red chilies, eggplants and okra, asparagus in season
and rice of every size. Traditional Bhutanese masks,
incense, hand made knives, jewelery are also sold here. It's
an incredible experience for the visitor.
Another of Bhutan's loveliest exports is its wide and
diverse collection of stamps. These are best seen in
commemorative books inside Thimphu's central post office.
Other places of interest in Thimphu include the traditional
painting school where the age-old styles of Bhutanese
painting, including thangka painting, are taught and the
Memorial Chorten build in memory of His Majesty, the Third
King of Bhutan. The National Library houses a vast
collection of books and research documents of Buddhist
studies.
Punakha Dzongkhag - Punakha
The first stop after leaving Thimphu on the journey east is
Dochu La (la means pass) at 3050m-10.007ft.. Only a one hour
drive from Thimphu, it offers visitors their first glimpse
of the Central-Eastern Himalayan range. The best time to
reach Dochu La is dawn when the clouds are thin and the
rhododendron are in season. Then the early morning sun casts
breathtaking light on the distant mountains framed in shades
of red from the brilliant flowers. The road to Punakha
branches off left and curls its way down the valley to the
relative lowlands of the Punakha Valley. The town of Punakha
does not hold many attractions apart from the glorious dzong
which dominates the valley floor. The Punakha Dzong is
considered one of the beautiful in the country. Before
Thimphu was made capital of Bhutan, Punakha held the title
as the "Winter Capital" because of its more temperate
climate. Thimphu's monk body and the Je Khenpo (leader of
Bhutan's religious order) still come to Punakha to pass the
Winter.
Punakha Dzong was strategically built at the confluence of
the Pho Chhu (male) and Mo Chhu (female) rivers (chhu means
river) by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel in 1637. It has been
destroyed by four fires and an earthquake in 1897 and has
frequently been devastated by flood water coming from the
great northern glaciers. The Dzong has now been fully
restored to its original splendor.
Wangdue Phodrang Dzongkhag - Wangdue Phodrang
Wangdue Phodrang is the first town you enter after crossing
the bridge (zam) over Punak Chhu into Central Bhutan
although it is considered the last 'western town'. Wangdue
Phodrang or Wangdue is probably the cleanest town in Bhutan
thanks to the Dzongda (District Administrator), Pem Dorji
who single handedly educated and raised the standard of
cleanliness for the entire town population. It has a
bustling market with well stocked shops (known for shoes)
and a pretty views over the valley and river.
Gangtey Gompa
Situated south of the road and east of Wangdue Phodrang, is
Gangtey Gompa, an old monastery dating back to the 17th
century. The gompa, on the valley floor, is the village of
Phobjika. This is the winter home of the famous black-necked
cranes. The cranes migrate from the high plains of the
Tibetan plateau in winter to the milder climate of Phobjika.
The short journey south from the main east-west artery is
well worth the detour. |
