Tucked away in a quiet corner of time itself, in the deep hinterlands of the legendary Himalayans, lies an elusive land frothing with hearty people and stunning beauty. A hidden wonder that, until the 20th century, was virtually unknown to the outside world.
Now its substantial treasures have been slowly revealed to those with enough spirit, bravery and respect to partake in its unique locale and traditions. This is Bhutan – where a shy kingdom’s inhibitions have finally diminished, and paradise yet remains within reach of humanity.
Thimpu Tsechu, Tashichoe Dzong taken with Nikon D700
Persevering Kingdom at the Peak of the World
“If you see us flying extremely close to the mountains on descent, don’t worry – this is normal procedure”, the pilot’s voice crackled on the plane’s public address system. Very comforting. True to his word, we seemed to aim straight for one of the mountain faces then made a wicked left turn to approach the narrow flatlands of Bhutan’s Paro valley. I could not even imagine landing in inclement weather, as it seemed to require an inordinate amount of skill even on the clear sunny day we enjoyed. Paro Airport is the country’s sole air field and must be one of the worlds most beautiful. Situated in a breathtaking setting, with mountains straddling the landing strips and the main structure itself built in traditional Bhutanese style, it looks more temple than airport. At least the shaky aeronautical approach to Bhutan offered one surprising treat: a clear view of mighty Mount Everest herself, looking as majestic and magnificent as she ever has.
Hugging the soaring Himalayan Mountains, with a few dots of lowlands scattered about, tiny Bhutan is girded by giant China and goliath India both physically and politically. It is somewhat of a miracle that Bhutan has somehow maintained its independence, and the fact that it was never colonized is a matter of fierce pride among its people. In the frantic land grab that was largely a byproduct of the power vacuum left by the dissolution of British India in 1947, most of the old Himalayan kingdoms were swallowed up by their much larger neighbors. Knowing full well the demise of Tibetan independence at the hands of Mao’s army, Nepal’s third king made a very clever and historic decision to ally Bhutan with India, and to this day they have strong economic and defensive links. As nearby Nepal has just recently deposed their king, Bhutan now stands alone as the Last Kingdom in the Himalayans, and one of the few remaining in the entire Far East.
Gangtey, Prayer Beads taken with Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
Where the True Tibet Survives
Upon arrival, we didn’t miss a beat, first going to the imposing ruined fortress of Drukgyal Dzong, famous for its strategic position to repel invasions from Tibet. Although they fought numerous battles throughout the centuries, Bhutan actually has strong Tibetan ties; it first being mentioned in the latter’s 7th century texts. The people, their script and the language they utter are all generally similar to Tibetan, as are many customs and traditions. Indeed, to go to Bhutan is a bit like going back in time to a free Tibet; a Tibet unhampered by cultural diminishment; a Tibet where prayer wheels truly spin freely and destiny lies solely within sparks in the eyes of its people.
Horns (Dungchen) at Gangtey Monestary taken with Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
Alluring Nest on the Mountain's Edge
An early wake-up is in order for a visit to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery, a must-see for anyone traveling to Bhutan. This monastery is considered to be one of the holiest sites in the country, as it was built to commemorate Guru Rinpoche, the legendary founder of an important Buddhist sect. Bhutanese are deeply religious, their distinct Tibetan-style brand of Buddhism being as deeply permeated in society as Catholicism was to the Romans. The Tiger’s Nest is located in a remote recess on the very edge of a sheer rock cliff that plunges 900 meters (around 3000 feet) to a valley far below. This sounds fantastic, but the hard part is getting there.
Tigers Nest - Taktshang Monestery taken with Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
We trudged up the rather steep mountain as the late morning sun was blazing afire. As we are huffing and puffing, a group on mules casually passes us by. I joke and ask ‘Do the mules get overtime pay?’ A rather large rider quipped ‘No, but they do charge an overweight fee!’ After climbing the mountain for several hours, we finally gazed upon Taktsang as if it magically appeared from nowhere. Its majestic design, with bright gilded roofs and staggered fortress-like walls, is seemingly fused with the natural backdrop to create a truly spectacular vision. It is then that one realizes this is one of those great, stunningly photogenic places of a mad-made object on the face of the earth. At that moment it was as if all that is beautiful, serene and pure in the world was condensed into this one glorious scene. The long hike was infinitely worthwhile.
A Limited Ticket of Entry
On descent from the mountain, we befriended a jovial dog, who insisted on following us every bit of the way down. At every turn, we looked back and sure enough he and his merrily wagging tail were there. Near the bottom, we stopped to admire some local artwork for sale. But our canine friend waited for just a moment and then scampered away. Obviously, his busy schedule did not allow for such trivial activities.
The dog was probably a local, but if he had been a tourist he would have found it to be quite a challenge to enter the country. Travel to Bhutan is highly regulated, with one of the most complicated entry procedures in the world. The government wants to limit the number of tourists to avoid over-commercialization and environmental damage. As evidence, only a scant few thousand enter the country in a whole year. Those who are lucky enough to get in must coordinate through a state-sponsored travel agency, pre-pay a fixed daily fee (which my bank account can vouch is quite expensive) and also pre-purchase their airplane ticket before the government will finally grant documented approval for a visa to be stamped later at Paro Airport. The only airline that is allowed to enter Bhutan is the national carrier, Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines, and only from a very limited number of cities. I guess the WTO has not made its way to Bhutan yet!
Thimphu Tsechu taken with Nikon D700 and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 with Nikon 2x Extender
Of all things, it is the environment that Bhutan seems to care about the most. As evidence, billboards and tobacco are not allowed. Also, by law at least 60% of the land must be maintained as forest for all time. And why shouldn’t they want to protect the land from pollution and misuse? A mantra of ‘The Land and The People are One’ permeates through the mindset of Buddhist thought much as it does the verse of an Arthurian tale. Bhutan is primarily agricultural, the people happily living off the land and all the abundance it provides. But pollution has many sources, and not only industrial: Money…Thoughts…Actions… We wonder: Can a polluted environment make a polluted mind? Can clean living create clean thoughts? Certainly, Bhutan’s natural resources are clean: crystal clear rivers, untainted land, and lush forests. Yet, it is the people that stand out - so warm; so generous; so good natured…Yes…Good ‘Natured’. Does living closer to nature produce this kind of behavior? Where the air is pure, perhaps the heart is too.
Thimphu Tsechu, Cham Dance taken with Nikon D700 and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
Our Fine Spotted Friends
As we are hiking to Chime Lhakhang (Temple of Fertility), where a mad monk is said to have defeated a demon with a magic thunder bolt, I stop and gaze at one of the many cows grazing in the area. She is standing there, happily munching away on a luscious feast of long grass, staring at me (or, staring at the delectable grass just behind me?). Cows have the amazing ability to appear as if they have been standing on that exact spot their entire lives. Then they look at you – sometimes with that far-away look, as if you didn’t even exist; sometimes with curiosity, as if they finally made some existential revelation about humans; and sometimes with an attitude: like, “Hey, what are you lookin’ at?” I imagine she is now pouring out all her pent-up frustrations to me, somehow with a New York accent: “You got no idea what it’s like bein’ me – I gotta rest standin’ up!” In sympathy, I offer her some of my bottled coffee. “With milk?” I ask. Looking slightly offended, she politely but sternly replies, “No, black please”.
Prayer Wheel, Gangtey taken with Nikon D700 and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
A Dzong and a Dream
In a town of the same name lies Punakha Dzong, situated on a supremely picturesque location at the convergence of two cheerful rivers. Bhutan’s largest dzong, it is skirted by pleasant purple flowers and connected to the mainland by a charming footbridge that looks as if it came right out of a fairy tale. A word about dzongs: these unique buildings are the perfect manifestation of Bhutanese customs and way of life. Part administrative office, part monastery, part Buddhist temple, the dzong neatly packages these all together to reflect the close symbiotic relationship between state and religion. In Bhutan, far from being separate they are considered to be inexorably linked. Any other reality would be difficult for the average person here to comprehend.
G.N.H. - Gross National Happiness taken with Nikon D700 and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
In an ironic demonstration of this ‘one-ness’, I happened upon an important-looking entourage of government representatives and high-ranking monks in close unison making way to their dzong in splendid pomp. The officials’ handsome traditional attire, with plaid coats and high boots, and the bright flowing robes of the messengers of Buddha made quite a festive and colorful scene. I said hello to one of the officials. He turned to me, smiled warmly, and exclaimed in perfect English ‘How are you!’ My guide later told me that man is the Governor of Bhutan’s most important state.
Where Monks Gather and Dragons Scream
As my inquisitive footsteps echoed along the centuries-old interior walls of Punakha Dzong, at once dozens of young monks poured out of one of the seemingly infinite doorways, creating a temporary sea of crimson and saffron. Their stone-faced master trailed closely behind, literally cracking a whip in insistence of discipline. Inside another door, an ancient practice blending custom, belief, and fear is taking place precisely as it has from generations before. To witness a Tibetan-style Buddhist ceremony in a Bhutanese temple is a deliciously odd yet truly unforgettable experience. Butter lamps flickering against bobbing shadows, pungent incense permeating the still air, close-eyed monks chanting in a trance-like state of alternate reality - interrupted only by the shuddering drawn-out baritone blows of traditional multi-sectioned horns. They all conspire to create a highly spiritual and utterly surrealistic scene more reminiscent of a fabled ritual than an actual routine.
Lunch at Gangtey Monestary taken with Nikon D700 and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
Finally, we arrive at Tongsa Dzong, the longest and most impressive dzong in Bhutan. Hugging a broad mountain side, the dzong is an astounding feat of construction: foreboding, intricate and simplistic all at the same time. Time seems to linger here…Chimes ring. Prayers sung. Children banter. A curious monk pops his head from behind an ornate arch, much the same as one may have done back in the 17th century when the main part of this dzong (and most in Bhutan) was built by the great hierarch Shabdrung Namgyel, who fled from Tibet and unified the country. This man, who developed Bhutan like no other before, was part of the Drukpa religious sect – Druk meaning ‘dragon’ as part of the legend that thunder, believed to be the voice of the dragon, was heard at consecration of its first monastery. In fact the real name of Bhutan is actually Druk Yul, ‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’.
Gangtey Social Elite taken with Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
Echoes of Thunder in the Distance
As evidenced by Bhutan’s seemingly perpetual independence, it appears that the Thunder Dragon still protects the land and its people. Yet, even in this remote, far-flung nation, the currents of change lap at the stone shores of their rugged land. Perhaps taking a lesson from Nepal’s violent struggle over its unpopular monarchy, the 4th King of Bhutan has shown just as much forethought as his father, voluntarily removing some of his position’s powers, forming a more constitutional government and recently succeeding power to his son, virtually unheard of by a sitting monarch.
In the shadows of modernization and a global economy, it could naturally be said that the future of Bhutan is uncertain. But just a few days here – witnessing the glint in the eyes of its people, and the pride churning in their hearts, there is no doubt that their destiny is well established.
In Bhutan, time stands still yet somehow marches on. The kingdom may have been revealed, but the deepest secrets of the Thunder Dragon may yet lie hidden forever.
Words: John S Hamalian; Photographs: Steve Gluskoter
June 2009
John S Hamalian is a Travel Writer specialising in Asia. He has travelled to every country in the Far East with the exception of Maldives. We look forward to seeing more of his work on the site in the coming months and years.
Steve Gluskoter is a regular contributor to the site. His superb work can be viewed on his Flickr page at www.flickr.com/photos/sgluskoter. You can purchase a copy of his recently self-published book "In the right light....." at his Blurb bookstore by following this link.