|
BHUTAN - Places of Interest : |
|
|
|
THIMPU |
 |
Thimpu, the capital of
Bhutan since 1960 lies at an
elevation over 7,600 ft in a
fertile valley.
Tashichhodzong, the main
secretariat building houses
all the ministries, the
National Assembly Hall, the
office of the king and the
Throne room. It is also the
summer residence of the monk
body and the religious
chief, the Je Khempo.
The National Assembly Hall
houses a two storey high
statue of Lord Buddha and
wall paintings depicting the
twelve stages of Buddhahood
and columns of Kanju and
Tenju (Buddhist scriptures).
The yearly Thimpu festival
is held in its courtyard.
All houses and buildings in
Thimpu are painted and
constructed in traditional
Bhutanese style. The
handicraft Emporium displays
a wide assortment of
beautifully hand woven and
crafted products.
Prominently standing out in
Thimpu is the stupa,
monument dedicated to the
late king, His Majesty Jigme
Dorji Wangchuck, father of
modern Bhutan. Five miles
away from Thimpu stands the
Simtokha Dzong on a lofty
ridge. |
|
|
|
|
|
PARO VALLEY |
 |
If ever there were a place
where nature and man came
together to create their
dearest image, it must be
the valley of Paro. To the
north Mount Chomolhari
(mountain of the goddess),
reigns in all its white
glory and the glacier waters
from its "five sisters"
peaks plunge through deep
gorges, to eventually form
the Paro Chu river.
The "Taktsang" Monastery
literally meaning "Tiger's
Nest" built around the cave
in which guru Rimpoche, and
later his follower Dubthok
Singye- meditated, clings to
a seemingly impossibly
cliff, all of 3,000 ft
(800m) above the valley
floor.
Across the river, on the
knoll that rises from the
river, stands the elegantly
symmetrical Rimpung Dzong
commanding a grand view of
the Paro Valley stretched
out below, an impregnable
fortress that repulsed
numerous successive
invasions from Tibet.
The Thongdroel, the most
sacred giant painted the
appliqué scroll depicting
the eight manifestations of
Guru Padmasambhava with his
two attendants, is
displayed for a few hours
on the concluding day of the
Paro Tsechu festival.
Behind Rimpung Dzong, high
on the hillside, is the
majestic castle-shaped Ta
Dzong, the National Museum
since 1967.
18 km. from the small town
of Paro is the burned out
shell of the fortress of
victorious Bhutan, the
Drukgyel Dzong.
Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the
kingdom's oldest and most
sacred temples, and Dungtse
Lhakhang are also centers of
attraction. |
|
|
|
|
|
PUNAKHA |
 |
Blessed with a temperate
climate and drained by the
Phochu and Mochu rivers, is
the fertile valley of
Punakha. Until 1955, Punakha
served as the capital of
Bhutan, and even today, it
is the winter seat of the
Central Monk Body.
In 1637, Shabdrung Ngawang
Namgyal built the fortress
of Punakha at the junction
of the Phochu and Mochu
(Male and Female) rivers.
Punakha Dzong houses many
sacred temples, including
the Machhin Lhakhang, where
the embalmed body of
Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal
lies in state.
Damaged four times by fire
in the late 18th and early
19th centuries and by
earthquake in 1897, the
Punakha Dzong has also
suffered devastation brought
by floods. The Dzong (named
" Punthang Dechen Phodrang
") was completely restored
under the direction of the
present King.
The road from Thimpu to
Punakha crosses the
10,218ft. high Dochu La
Pass, site of one of
Bhutan's most enchanting
views. Within sight of the
alpine snows is a
magnificent canvas of colour
- a profusion of flowers and
the soft green of the wild
herbs and forest trees. |
|
|
|
|
|
WANGDIPHODRANG |
 |
On the east-west traverse
road beyond Thimphu lies the
valley of Wangdiphodrang,
junction of the Mo Chu and
Tang Chu rivers. At the
confluence of the river
stands the Wangdiphodrang
Dzong, for many centuries
the seat of one of Bhutan's
most powerful dzongpons.
The higher reaches of the
valley provide rich cattle
pastures and a Yak dairy
research station has been
set up at Gogona. The
district is also known for
its fine bamboo work and for
its slate and stone
carvings. |
|
|
|
|
|
TONGSA |
 |
Midway beetween Ha in the
far west and Tashigang in
the far-east stands the
striking Tongsa Dzong,
ancestral home of Bhutan's
Royal family. All four Kings
have held the post of Tongsa
Penlop prior to being
officially crowned.
A massive, multi-leveled
structure which slopes down
the contour of the hill on
which it is set, the dzong
was built by Ngawang Namgyal
in 1648 and later enlarged
and decorated. Among the
dzong's treasures is a
magnificent collection of
Rhino horn sculptures.
Tourists stay at the
comfortable Sherubling
Lodge. |
|
|
|
|
|
BUMTHANG |
 |
To the east of Tongsa, in
the wide valley of Bumthang,
lies the Jakar Dzong. Legend
has it that when the lamas
assembled to decide on a
site for this dzong, a big
white bird rose suddenly in
the air and settled on a
spur of the hill, and it was
here that the "Castle of the
White Bird " was built.
Tales of Padmasambhava
dominate the holy places of
Bumthang where the bodily
marks of the guru remain to
this day as impressions on a
solid rock face.
Bumthang is also the home of
the great Buddhist teacher
Pemalingpa,
to whose descendants the
present dynasty traces its
ancestry. Wangdichholing
Lodge plays host to visitors
during their stay at
Bumthang. |
|
|
|
|
|
TASHIGANG |
 |
In the far east of Bhutan,
on the banks of Dangme Chu,
lies Tashigang, the hub of
the region's largest and
most important district.
Vividly coloured handloom
cloth and end-silk, spun
from cocoons bred on castor
oil plants, are local
specialties. Tropical crops
and fruits thrive. The
Tashigang Dzong, stands on a
steep ridge above the Manas
river. The comfortable
Kelling Lodge can be used as
a base for visiting this
area. |
|
|
|
|
|
MONGAR |
 |
To the southwest is Mongar,
next to Tashigang, the
second largest settlement in
the east. Mongar is the site
of one of Bhutan's newest
dzongs, built in 1930
following the traditional
architectural pattern handed
down through time, without
any plans on paper nor the
use of nails. The Shongar
Lodge provides pleasant
accommodation for visitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thimpu
