Bhutan - Where Happiness is Measurable – Part 2

Suspension bridges and flawless roads under the watchful eye of a 54-metre Buddha statue

Unlike Nepal, the roads in Bhutan are in exceptionally good condition. The journey to the capital was much faster than we expected. But before arriving in Thimphu, we stopped at the very special Tamchog Lhakhang suspension bridge next to the 15th-century monastery of the same name from the times when Thangtong Gyalpo ruled Bhutan. He’s also known by his nickname "Iron Bridge Maker". Visitors aren’t allowed to walk on the bridge, as it’s being preserved for future generations. It’s still more than impressive, especially when we consider that it was built almost 600 years ago, without today's technology.

Upon arrival in Thimphu, we first went to the Buddha Dordenma memorial, where a mighty 54-metre statue of Shakyamuni Buddha commemorates the 60th anniversary of the fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. Inside, there are 125,000 smaller gilded Buddha statues and a meditation area. The entire project was entrusted to Chinese companies, who brought the statue in pieces to Bhutan and assembled it here.

Dancing traffic light

In the first part of this travelogue, I mentioned that there are no traffic lights in Bhutan. However, the guide announced that we were about to see the only traffic light in the country. Thimphu, the capital and largest city of Bhutan, offers plenty of attractions in the immediate vicinity, but the city centre itself is not particularly interesting, as there are quite ordinary shops and, of course, stalls intended for tourists. However, there is one special feature in the city centre, namely the dancing traffic light, which is not officially a traffic light at all, but the name has stuck. It is a small hexagonal canopy in which a policeman directs the otherwise calm traffic with movements that resemble dancing.

Mythical animal or a random play of nature?

Bhutan is, of course, a country we visited primarily for the nature, which can sometimes play tricks on us and present us with a new animal species, whose origin is still unknown. The local mythology associated with the proclamation of the takin as the national animal of Bhutan dates to the 15th century. A Tibetan saint named Drukpa Kunley, who was not only a religious preacher but also an experienced tantric, was asked by the Bhutanese during one of his religious lectures to perform a miracle in front of them. With a clap of his hands, he created a living animal that had the head of a goat and the body of a cow.

The animal jumped up and went to the meadows to graze and was named dong gyem tsey (takin). Since then, this animal has been a common sight in the hills of Bhutan. Because of this magical creation with a high religious connotation, the animal was accepted as the national animal of Bhutan.

It’s up to you to believe this story, of course. In any case, a visit to the takin sanctuary was something special, as these animals really do resemble a cow with a goat’s head.

In addition to this, the saint Drukpa Kunley is credited with giving great spiritual significance to the phallus. Bhutan's obsession with phallic drawings and idols is deeply embedded in the country's religious history and spiritual ideology. To explain Buddhist teachings to ordinary people, the saint Drukpa Kunley used mockery and outrageously crude and obscene methods. Some of his actions include urinating on sacred Buddhist images, stripping naked, and using coarse language in sermons in the form of metaphors and allusions.

Therefore, it should not be surprising that statuettes, paintings, wooden masks, and even refrigerator magnets depicting huge phalluses dominate the souvenir stands. As we walk among the stalls, we involuntarily get the feeling that phalluses are following and observing us the entire way.

Between the monasteries and forts of Thimphu and Paro

In addition to the nature that we admire at every step, it is the forts, palaces and temples that best describe the rich culture and history of Bhutan. There are more than enough of them in the area around the capital Thimphu and the city of Paro, where the airport is located, to give us an impression of the life and culture of Bhutan.

Among the newer landmarks, the national memorial Chorten certainly stands out – a predominantly white stupa with golden peaks from 1974 in honour of the father of modern Bhutan, the third king of the country, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.

Another monastery near the capital that is worth visiting is called Tango, as it enriches the travel experience with its serene aura and unusual environment, which is in line with Bhutanese tradition and focuses on spirituality rather than elegant facades.

In addition to the striking monasteries, at least two other fortresses should be mentioned. The first one is Tashichho Dzong from 1641, which was built on the foundations of the fort of the same name that burned down in a fire in 1216. It currently serves as a monastery and the central secretariat of the current government. The second one is in Paro, and represents one of the best examples of Bhutanese architecture, Rinpung Dzong or Paro Dzong. The dzong is beautifully illuminated at night and has many illustrations depicting the life of the Buddha. Paro Dzong, known for its grandeur, whose fame is increasing with each passing day, is in the centre of Paro and offers visitors a wonderful panoramic view of the Paro Valley and the Paro Chhu River. It is therefore not surprising that the creators of the cult movie Little Buddha chose Tashichho Dzong as a filming location.

The largest pocket in the world

Like monasteries and forts, traditional clothing is also a testament to Bhutan's rich cultural heritage.

The gho is a long robe, the national dress for Bhutanese men, like the Tibetan chuba. The upper half of the gho serves as a pocket, and they joke that the pocket is so big that they can carry their child in it. "The biggest pocket in the world," they say.

Traditionally, Bhutanese people wear nothing under the gho, however in practice, they also wear shorts under the gho. We didn't ask the guide and driver whether they were dressed in a traditional or modern way. Still, they were quite talkative, especially when they talked about the social life.

When we stand still in a beer hall

To end our short but intense visit to Bhutan, we had dinner at a small brewery with a beer hall. Even though there are no slaughterhouses in Bhutan, the menu had more meat than vegetarian dishes, and of course, many beers that were produced and bottled right here.

During our relaxed conversation, the guide and driver suddenly stood up, and before we could ask what was happening, Dr. Ferfila and I stood still as well and watched the group that had gone to the upper floor of the beer hall. We immediately asked what honour had befallen us, and the guide explained that we had stood up out of respect for the senior Buddhist priest and his entourage who had come for dinner. And this event was the last one that marked the day.

Earlier that day, we had also visited the Tiger’s Nest, which turned out to be the dessert of that day. Therefore, we skipped the real dessert on the menu and talked about completely mundane things while reminiscing about the hike. The only thing left to do was transportation to the airport and the return to Kathmandu the next morning.

But because the main dessert is so special, I will devote the third and final part of the travelogue to the Tiger's Nest, which is described in all tourist guides to Bhutan as the most important attraction and without which we simply cannot return home.