The Druk, the king and the Mad Man…

Monsoon 2008
15 Aug

“Tap” “Tap” - ‘Excuse me, excuse me sir, may I request you to please put your seat up straight. As the captain just announced, we are about to land.
I opened my eyes and saw a young girl leaning forward towards me wearing a beautiful woven garment with colours that were bright and yet not so familiar. She stood there with her extensive artificial smile till she was satisfied that I got the message and left. Trying to sit up I saw Salman Rushdie’s latest master piece “Enchantress of Florence” lying flat on my lap and my i-pod nearly falling from my seat. Suddenly everything came back like some old black & white slideshow throwing too many Charlie Chaplin clips at once that it’s even hard to laugh at a constant humour. So I remembered the burnt toast, double half fry, a speeded drive, screaming for change, a long queue, hand shakes, a dragon and someone asking “Anything you would like to drink sir? SIR?????

I was about to land in the worlds most exotic & mystic nation “Bhutan”. Bhutanese refer to their country as ‘Druk Yul’, “The Land of the Thunder Dragon” and themselves as Drukpa people. It was Guru Rimpoche or Padmasambhav - a Buddhist master and scholar who supposedly had been born in a lake in present Pakistan and later adapted Buddhism, after which he travelled across the lands to teach the path of the pure way of life. According to the myth he came to Bhutan in the 6th century flying on the back of a tigress following a demon & after subduing him he meditated in a cave on a cliff for three months and later returned to Tibet. Later in the 17th century Tenzin Rabgay built the astonishing Tiger nest monastery on the cave the guru had meditated. It was the coming of Ngawang Namgyel a religious leader, popularly referred as Shabdrung, who came to Bhutan in 1616 and after crushing all the oppositions he unified the valleys into one ‘Druk Yul’. His religious government came to an end, when on December 17, 1907 Ugyen Wangchuck was crowned as the first king of Bhutan and thus monarchy was introduced. This year, the year of the rat as per the Bhutanese calendar the 4th King Jigme Singye Wangchuck has introduced the democratic form of government helping in the establishment of two political parties. The result and impacts are yet to be seen.

I took off from Delhi on Druk Air, the national airline of Bhutan operating since 1983 which runs by full monopoly rules of the royal government being the only bride in the Bhutanese sky. After a little shaking and screeching I landed at the Paro international airport. It was 5 ‘o’ clock by my watch so adjusted to the new time zone - ½ hr ahead of IST. The air was pure & fresh outside. The first sight was of a government official standing straight and alert at the entrance of the terminal and It took me straight to Francoise Pommaret’s ‘Bhutan’ and I knew that he was wearing Gho (traditional clothing for men)- A long robe gathered and tied at the waist accompanied by a knee-high socks and dress shoes. Few minutes later I also learnt that smoking is banned in Bhutan, but being tourist one can carry few packs promising the officials to not to smoke in public areas.
I met Mr. Wangchuk (our cheerful chauffeur) and Mr. Ratu (my guide & also a staff at Yangphel) and took ‘Hiace Toyota’ was to be my ride for the coming five days. Soon I set out for Thimphu (56kms – 1 ½ hr). They call it the express highway and it was most definitely the best mountain road I had ever come across. The drive was beautiful with trees and mountains all around & at times the river along the road made it look like some beautiful painting. I chatted all the way with my new comrades; there was so much to share, about politics, tourism in their nation, in our nation, food, clothes and much more.
I arrived in Thimphu the capital at 1930hrs & checked in Taj Tashi. The hotel is a landmark and anyone who looks upon will either take it as the King’s palace or a massive gallant fortress. The rooms were neat and were equipped with all the expected amenities. Later I took a stroll in the market. There were many small shops along the road side selling shoes, clothes, antiques, souvenirs, trekking gear and there were few villagers gathered in the corner selling even fresh vegetables. Eating joints were like everywhere. Small bars, restaurants and the most loving sight were to watch the locals playing a game of carom by the roadside. For dinner, I took my chance with the in house 24 covers Bhutanese restaurant “Chig-je-gye” (108). One must not miss out on the red rice and the green chilly with cheese which is what most of the locals eat and is absolutely yummy !!! The hotel also has a spa and a small cosy bar ‘Ara’, the term comes from the local rice wine. It tastes like Japanese ‘Saki’ but a milder version. Back in my room I knew I was up to something more than what I normally do in my usual life and that there will be a lot to know and a lot to question, but all that I left for Ratu La.

Date: 16 Aug
I was up much before the wake up call & there was no point trying to sleep anymore because I knew it just would not happen. It was a new day and I was excited. It was drizzling outside but not that much that it could hamper my spirits so I hoped to welcome the sun soon. Breakfast at ‘Thongsel’, a 64 cover all day dinning which is below the lobby level was good. They served continental combined with fresh fruits, juices and assorted breads. There was also Indian “Alu Puri” (dry potato with Indian bread). Most of the food items in Bhutan are imported from India like mutton, chicken, eggs and surprisingly even milk. The kingdom only produces enough for house hold consumption and depends highly on India for the rest.
I started my visit with the archery competition at the Police ground. It is the national sport and very much loved. Being a good archer is definitely a matter of pride. I was expecting some bamboo bows and arrows but they sure got me as they actually were using American hunting bows and trust me you will be impressed when you see their accuracy on the target which is at 145mts and not more than 2 foots long. Next I went to Memorial Chorten. Built in the memory of the third king Jigme Dorje Wangchuck, considered a great king and visionary he is also credited for his deep contribution towards religion and social development of the kingdom. The next was the painting school; built in mid 90’s it houses students from all over Bhutan. They teach panting, sculpting, wood art, doll making & traditional hand woven clothes, some of which can even price up to lakhs of money. The currency was Ngultrum and it had the same value as Indian rupee and was widely accepted so there wasn’t much hassle in picking up few souvenirs from their inside shop. The paintings were so intricate that they reminded me of Bundi miniature paintings in Rajasthan (India). But those were mostly based on day to day life or of the royal family but here it was all about the gods. The school also provides boarding for the students. The best part here was that everything was situated close by. A five to ten mins drive will take you to all the desired places unlike the frightening thoughts of travelling at many places I know of. I also saw how hand made paper is made at the paper factory. It is quite a process but the product is nothing less than a poet’s notebook.
I had lunch at ‘Chula’ the newly patient Indian restaurant of the locals. The food was healthy, the breads were really fresh and tasty but the real wow factor was Kishor Kumar’s melodies in the background after which the place had all the stars. I saw the weekend market also which was really touristy with souvenirs and artefacts’. National Handicraft emporium was like a modern showroom with books, clothes and stunning antiques at a stunning price. Next I went to Tashi Choe or Thimphu Dzong. It was simply marvellous. Originally built by Shabdrung in 17th century it was further enlarged in 1960. Dzongs are local administrative buildings and also houses the monastic school. Thimphu Dzong is in working and has the King’s office and that’s why one can only visit it after 5 in the evening or on weekends. There was a good Bhutanese restaurant call the Bhutan Kitchen serving local delicacies and also a new Indian eatery “Indian Dhaba” up the market road which had just recently opened with an amusing & extensive variety of Rajasthani cuisines deserves a mention. After a light continental dinner at the hotel I switched off.

Date: 17 Aug
This was the day when I was to pay homage to the most extraordinary gentleman who came from Tibet to Bhutan in the 14th century “Master Drukpa Kunley” loved by the locals for his crazy way of teachings and outrageous humour he is also referred as the ‘Mad Man’. He believed in the path of sexual desire to free oneself from illusions. The Chimi Lhakhang or the temple of the ‘Divine Mad Man’ is made on a small hill and the walk from the road to the temple along the paddy fields is simply amazing. Even today many women who can’t bear a child come to the temple for blessings.
I started early from Thimphu and within 15mins was on the mountain road to Punakha. On the way I spotted the Simthokha Dzong. Built in the 17th century it was once the headquarters for tantric teachings and because of its strategic location it had faced many attacks. It took me 1hr 20mins to reach Dochula Pass on 10,000ft. Here I saw 108 identical stupas which were built to commemorate the Bhutanese victory against Indian insurgence. After saluting in the memory of the brave men it took me another hour to reach the hike point for the Chimi Lhakhang. Soon after the visit I drove to Wangdue, established in the 18th century its beautiful Dzong was on a hillock by the river was an amzing sight. I lunched at Tashiling restaurant in the middle of the town. Run by a local it served buffet to include red rice, pulses, vegetables and fried chicken. Soon I drove to Punakha Dzong. Ratu la used to call it the happening Dzong as there had been so many stories and events attached to it, the 4th king’s coronation, summer palace for the monastic government, guru Rimpoche’s prophecy and many more. Built in 1638 by Shabdrung its chief designer was a carpenter named Palup. The legend says that Shabdrung and the carpenter slept in the small temple nearby and when they woke up, the carpenter claimed to have seen the paradise and so the Dzong was built on the same grounds. It was massive and simply stunning, the best I had seen. It was made between the two rivers called the ‘Male’ & ‘Female’ and you cross a small bridge before reaching it. After listening to Ratu la when I actually got inside the courtyard I could actually imagine the King sitting in the middle surrounded by the cheerful crowd and the masked dancers dancing in the beauty of tradition. Later I left for Paro, I didn’t say much, just quietly took the images of my imagination with me. Hotel Zhiwa Ling was located little outside the city but the rooms were spacious and comfortable.

Date: 18 Aug
I geared up in the morning and met my comrades at the breakfast table for some fresh juices and bread. Especially the honey corn bread was lovely. It was the trekking day & we were going to the most fascinating place of the kingdom “Tiger Nest Monastery”. Fascinating because once you have your first look on it from a view point on the road, you will not know what would you want to think, would you think of the great Guru who came flying there on a tigress or of the devotion of the men who thought of it or of the religious workers who built it. After testing our lungs and working legs for 2hrs we reached on the top at the best view point. Trigger happy fingers were shooting and I gasped and mesmerised all I could. After another 600 steps I was in the monastery, met the young monk who was the guardian, peeped into the cave where the saint had meditated once and came back. Walking down I stopped at the BTCL café. A comfortable rectangular space with a small open area outside. They served the local food, but good food. I reached to our Toyota and went up to the ruins of Drugyel Dzong. It was built in the 17th century & was tragically burnt down in 1959. It had two big courtyards and I could already imagine tables, lights, dancers and happy faces. A 5 mins drive took me to hotel Amankora. Another 15mins drive to Kyichu Lhakhang. Built by Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo in 17th century, it is one of the oldest temple of Bhutan. Lookout for the orange tree inside the compound which is said to have bear fruits round the year irrespective to weather conditions. Next I took a 20mins drive to Taa Dzong. It was once just a watch tower but now is a museum with collections of weapons, artefacts etc. The open area just outside gives a lovely panoramic view of the valley. After that I came down to the Paro Dzong (Rinpung) which was livelier with many locals around. By the time I was back in my den, it was dark, chilly and I knew for sure that another building that day will get me DZONGED OUT !!!!!!
I had dinner in a local restaurant in the town with unfiltered ‘Red Panda’ beer and oh! Yes I slept like a baby.

Date: 19 Aug
After all the thanks giving and good byes I reached the Paro international airport in the morning. It was time to go home. I did learn something, something more than guide books and I do not know if all this writing can sum it up or if it can be summed up at all. What I saw was a different world, a different life and what I did get back home was a pure different imagination!