Bhutan
The land of thunder dragon or Druk had been forever in the wish list of places I wanted to visit. The country known for preserving it's unique culture and pioneering the concept of gross national happiness was a natural choice for a grand trip at the end of our M.Tech days. If you are planning to visit Bhutan from Kolkata you could either take an expensive flight to Paro or take a train from Sealdah to Hashimara. We chose the later because we were students :P. Kanchan Kanya express takes around 15hrs to reach to Hashimara. From there one has to rent a cab to reach Jaigaon the bordering city of Bhutan. We were a team of 14 so it took around 1400 INR for two cabs. As an evening venture we decided to visit Karbandi Monastery situated in Phuentsholing, the border town of Southern Bhutan.
One does not require a permit to enter Phuentsholing. It is indeed thrilling to cross a gate and realize that you are in a different country. Both the architecture and the cleanliness changes dramatically as one crosses the border. The monastery is a 2.8 km hike from the Bhutan Gate. It offered a pristine view of sunset and housed a lot of really soft cats. On our way back we took a shotcurt to save time. However, it is not an advisable route at night. We halted for the night at a fairly budget hotel, Hotel Prashant Sagar. The next morning our team headed to obtain the permit. The office opens at 9AM Bhutan time which is 30 mins ahead of IST. One requires a photo id proof (voter ID card or passport), one xerox of the same and a filled up form via an authorized agent stating the itinerary and the booked places of stay for obtaining the permit. The process is hassle free but takes some time. Also, Bhutan sim is available for purchase for 100 INR at the office. It would cost 4 Nu per minute for a call to India. INR is accepted throughout Bhutan so there is no need for money conversion while entering. However, you may be returned change in Nu and it is also advisable to carry small denominations of INR like 50 or 100 notes. The first day entirely goes in transfer from Phuentsholing to Thimpu which is a 150 km drive. There is a lot of natural beauty to look out for. We spotted a wild Samba deer on the way. We had our dinner at Thimpu. Make sure to try Bhutan's traditional Ema Datshi cooked with cheese and chilli and Suja (Butter tea) while visiting Bhutan.
The next destination was Punakha via Dochula Pass. For visiting any other place apart from Thimpu and Paro the permit needs to be extended. This can be done in Thimpu and takes about an hour if you visit early. We started at about 11 AM. Dochula Pass is 23.2 Kms from Bhutan a 41 mins drive. The pass offers a serene view of the snow covered Himalayas. The colourful flags along with 108 memorial stupas known as "Druk Wangyal Chortens" look tranquil. We visited during the Druk Wangyel Tshechu which is a unique festival performed by the Royal Bhutan Army. The Druk Wangyal Lhakhang was decorated with colourful flags and it was full of Bhutanese people in there traditional dresses. We sat in the open grounds in its front yard to enjoy the festival. Both the music and the dances mingled so well with the surrounding. A special gain was watching the traditional mask dance. We started again for Punakha at 2PM which is 49.7 Km from Dochula. The first stop was the famous Punakha Dzong which is the second oldest and the second largest Dzong in Bhutan. Dzong translates to a fort in Bhutanese which is divided into an administrative section and a prayer section. The fort has three courtyards and the architecture is mind boggling. It serves as a winter shelter for monks. The entry fees for students is 150 INR and a guide accompanies who briefs about the entire history of the fort. After Punakha Dzong we visited the Suspension Bridge and rested at Wangdue for the day.
The next spot on our itinerary was Gangtey Monstarey which is situated in the Phobjikha Valley 85.3 Km away from Punakha. We spent the entire day discovering the Phobjikha Valley on foot and spotting the Tibetian Cranes which visit the valley during winter for roosting. However be careful while doing the excursion on foot as some areas are restricted and have fine. On our way back to Gangtey Monastery we had this crazy idea of finding our way by climbing an unknown mountain. We literally had to create our own way through the forest by removing plants and logs on the way. A feeling of triumph and relief greeted us all as we spotted the sun which marked the end of the trek. An exhausted but still inquisitive few of us went ahead to visit the Gangtey Monastery.
The monastery was unlike any we had seen till now. Evening prayer was going on when we entered the Monastery. The floors were in multiple layers with wooden ladders connecting one another. The entire place was dark and cold making the environment a bit eerie. The air was heavy with smell of incense. Some lucky ones among us even got a chance to visit the tourist barred places of the monastery along with a monk. After an exhausting but satisfying day we returned to Wangdue.
Our group headed for Thimpu the next day. On reaching Thimpu we first visited the Buddha Dordenma Statue. The dordenma houses thousands of smaller Buddha statue which looks like the dordenma itself. There is a botanical park just opposite to the statue where one can relax and get a good view of the city from top. We also visited the Takin mini reserve to spot Bhutan's national animal and the memorial Chorten. There is a street market selling handicrafts which closes by 5 PM. One has to bargain to get the things in the right price. We explored the local markets before retiring for the day at hotel Kenny.
By now everyone was hungry to see snow. So we decided to visit Chele La Pass the highest point of Bhutan though it cost us extra cab fare. We spotted bits of snow on road sides and frozen waterfalls. However, we did not spot chunks of snow as everyone had expected. But the view from top was truly breathtaking.
The last and most awaited plan was the hike to Paro Taksang or the Tigers Nest Monastery. it is believed that Guru Padmasambhava flew to this location from Tibet on the back of a tigress. The monastery is 10,000 feet above sea level. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes and carry ample amount of water with you for the hike. The trail is beautiful with the monastery appearing and disappearing along the steep climb. But the toil is every bit worth. We also spotted chunks of snow near a waterfall. The beauty of the monastery cannot be explained in words and one can only experience it personally to truly appreciate the place. The total trek would take around 5 hrs. Insiders Tip : The market below Paro taksang is cheaper than handicraft markets in Paro.
The next morning a snow covered Paro summed up our trip. The morning looked beautiful with snowflakes falling down as if to wave us goodbye. Bhutan truly is an unique amalgamation of culture and beauty. PS : We had visited Bhutan during mid December, if you are planning to do the same make sure you carry a lot of woolens and gloves as the temperature often drops below zero. Thank you for reading. :)
