An interesting story of Bhutan
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Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom on the Himalayas’ eastern edge, is known for its monasteries, fortresses (or dzongs) and dramatic landscapes that range from subtropical plains to steep mountains and valleys. In the High Himalayas, peaks such as 7,326m Jomolhari are popular trekking destinations. Paro Taktsang monastery (also known as Tiger’s Nest) clings to cliffs above the forested Paro Valley.
Bhutan is the first country in the world with specific constitutional obligations on its people to protect the environment. Bhutan is the only nation in the world where the sale of tobacco is banned. 4. At 24,840 feet, Gangkhar Puensum is the highest point in Bhutan—and the highest unclimbed mountain in the world.
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THE COUNTRY THAT DOESN’T BELONG: STORIES FROM BHUTAN
I often slip into daydreams about a mystical dragon kingdom in the Himalayas. It is still hard to believe I’ve realised my dreams and actually witnessed the magic that is Bhutan. Even so, I continue to dream. If anything, the yearning for this protected haven has multiplied tenfold while it mocks me for leaving it behind.
Bhutan. Where Buddhist prayer flags flutter in the wind, where monks in flaming red chant Om Mani Pae Mey Hun, where spinning prayer wheels create music with the wind, where menacing beasts and fiery dragons adorn walls and ward off evil, where the Royal family and the Government care more for the kingdom’s happiness than for its standing in wealth and modernisation, where tourism is high value and low impact, where the Phallus is worshipped and homes are built without blueprints or nails, where the food is a lip smacking assault of spices and the tea is rich in butter. The last Shangri La, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, the country that doesn’t belong.
Bhutan worships the Phallus for fertility.
Bhutan almost feels like an anomaly in our planet. Everything you experience in this remote Himalayan kingdom hits you like a breath of fresh air, both literally and figuratively. This is where I hope to spend my last days, following the rhythmic movement of dancing prayer flags adding colour to the snow-capped mountains in the distance.
My love story with this country began many years ago, when I saw an image of the mighty Taktshang temple perched precariously at the edge of an ominous cliff. So mystical and enigmatic, somehow exuding energies even through a grainy image. Over the years, I would often wonder how a country could be defined by its happiness. Such an abstract thought, such an optimistic notion.
Bhutan: The happiest country in the world.
A poster outside Bhutan’s National Library in Thimphu.
But Bhutan makes it work. It makes Happiness tangible. You can feel it in the crisp mountain air, the rich flavour of ema datshi, the gazillion stray dogs waiting to be petted, the impeccably manicured terrace fields, the serene silence punctuated by tinkling prayer wheels and the slow pace of life which lets you savour every moment.
Happiness in acceptance
Bhutan bursts with happiness. Ridiculously so. Worldly norms are defied here, your own preconceived notions and opinions fall flat as you see faith embraced, traditions followed and modernity shunned. You learn to travel with a Guide and not scrunch up your stubborn backpacker nose in distaste. You see all the locals proudly wearing their national dress, the Gho and the Kira during business hours. You see complying monks break free during an interval and share a laugh over a Coca-Cola.
Monks sharing a Coke in Bhutan
Stud Monks of Bhutan!
There is a perplexing lack of negativity and rebellion in everything the Bhutanese do. Perhaps it is the teachings of Buddhism that have been passed down by generations. The sheer love and respect for humans, animals and nature. To leave things be.
Flying into Bhutan
These puzzling observations began to befuddle me soon after my plane landed into the dangerously beautiful Paro Valley. I chose to fly into Bhutan to get a glimpse of Mt. Everest from above- one of the biggest USPs the air route offers. The dazzling reflection of the morning sun on the world’s mightiest peaks definitely makes it worth choosing this over the charm of a land crossing and a train to the Indo-Bhutan border (next time!)