Tashi Dzong: An Art Work of excellence in Thimphu, Bhutan

As we enter the Tashi Dzong crunchy Red maple leaves greet us with a welcome dance as they sway in the cool breeze. The long rows of roses line up the walls of the Dzong and are a delightful treat to eyes. 

Tashi Dzong or the (temple of goddess rain) is said to be a very important place in Thimphu. It has historical, political as well as religious relevance. The Dzongs were generally built as a place of protection from invaders, but now this is a place of religious learning as well as for public administration and housed a lot of offices in its premises. The palace of the Bhutanese king and queen is also a stone throw distance away from here. 

The artwork of Dzong is unique, it was told to us that the carpenter did not use any nails to create these huge structures. They are created by interlocking pieces of wood. We were left marvelling... 

The walls are wooden with relief work and colourful paints... seem to have borrowed abundantly from Chinese and Tibetan art and of course it has its own unique character. 

Photography is strictly not allowed in the Dzong and as you enter the inner portion of the temple it is mandatory to remove all caps, hats and shoes and locals wear a white shawl. To our surprise, you are allotted different colours of Chawla for wearing in the Dzong based on your social position. While commoners wear white and royalty yellow, other people are allotted other colours like orange ( ministers), blue and green (judges) based on their social status. 

Dzong is also special because this was the Place where the constitution of bhutan was Written and signed when Bhutan decided to become a democratic country in 2008. 

 100000 Buddha small statues along with a huge Buddha lead you into a mesmerising trance like state. A spiritual treat for those who genuinely care!!!

Text by Aarefa Faridoon

Pics by Faridoon Shahryar

#Thimphu

#Bhutan 

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The peace evoking splendour: Memorial Chorten, Thimphu, Bhutan

The morning greeted us with a bright sunny smile. The nip of the November Himalayan morning was quite palpable as our car sped through the clean roads of Thimphu. Within no time we reached the Memorial Stupa also known as Thimphu Chorten that is right in the centre of the beautiful city. Built in 1974 it is a prominent landmark in the city with its golden spires and bells. 

The stupa was erected in the memory of third Druk, Dorji Wangchuk. A beautiful pristine white structure decorated with very opulent golden pillars carved  to perfection. Unfortunately photography is strictly prohibited inside the temples inner areas. 

There is a huge statue of Buddha facing east, east because the sun rises from this direction and lights up the world and Buddha itself is a symbol of enlightenment. The hand painted religious scenes adorn the walls and the three floors of the chorten depict the esoteric teachings of Buddhism hinging more on the dragon and old school. 

A monk sat in a corner and chanted prayers while his voice echoed in all directions. The chanting can give you goosebumps moments. It was a spiritual experience powerful enough to bring you closer to God.. whichever one you might believe in!!!

Text by Aarefa Faridoon

Pics by Faridoon Shahryar

#Bhutan

#FaridoonInBhutan

The marvel called Cheri Monastery, Thimphu, Bhutan

The beautiful bright morning was a perfect start to the day. We started from the hotel at around 11:00 am and reached Jigme Dorji National Park in around 25 minutes. The Thimphu Chu river gurgling along the way was too riveting to not be pulled by her magnetic charm. 

Before we proceeded for our trek, we were lured by the music of water and steeped down to touch the ice cold mountain river. A magical experience by all means. 

Then we headed to our trek of 2.5 kilometres from the base to the #CheriMonastery. The trek is quite steep but not dangerous, but trust us... if you get going it will be worth all the effort. 

But the cherry (pun intended) on the cake was the breathtaking view of The Himalayas from the point we had reached. It's difficult to put into words the mesmerising experience, the pictures would be able to do justice to it...we just sat there under the majestic spell as we drank the view in bit by bit. Our guide requested us to move to monastery so that we can get our lunch on time and we reluctantly proceeded from our heaven. 

The Cheri Monastery is the oldest monastery built by Zhabdrung. It is said to be built around in 1620 and is a place for meditation and learning for those who train to be Llamas. As we sat inside the monastery Tandin narrated is some very informative nuggets of history that we lapped up all too eagerly. 

The trek downhill was far too easy... strain wise but a bit harsh on knees. But it is definitely worth the effort if you love adventure and nature...

Text by Aarefa Faridoon

Pics by Faridoon Shahryar

#Thimphu

#Bhutan

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Takin Zoo: A paradise for peace in Thimphu, Bhutan

Takin is the national animal of

Bhutan. Legend says that a Tibetan saint called Drukpa Kunley, conjured it by joining the skull of a goat and the skeleton of a cow. The zoo is named after the animal. The zoo was quite small compared to the ones we have been to but the animals had adequate space to move around. There was a small, but unique variety of animals. We saw the Himalayan Gaural, the famous Takin,  barking deer, and sambar. A few of the animals came up to us and started rubbing their heads against the fence, obviously looking to be petted. But the bars were thin, so one could only pet them with their fingers. We fed them some grass growing nearby. A sambar also licked my fingers. We walked through the forest surrounding the enclosures. It was very peaceful, the vibrant colours of the forest seemed to pop out, the sun was shining bright and the trees were softly rustling in the wind. We could see a few climbers on the tree, which had turned red due to the change in season. A stream flowed alongside the path.

Though the zoo itself seems to be an occupying idea but when combined with the pristine beauty of Himalayas popping out in myriad colours of Autumn, the visual treat you get magnifies the experience by manifolds!

Text by Insha Faridoon

Pics by Faridoon Shahryar

#FaridoonInBhutan

Wonder of wonders Buddha Point in Thimphu, Bhutan

Buddha Point or Buddha Dordenma is a breathtaking sight in Thimphu. It's a huge-huge statue of Lord Buddha that is visible from almost the whole of Thimphu. The statue is THE biggest statue (51 metres plus 10 metres of platform) of Buddha (in sitting position) in the world. And the Bhutanese people are sure that it will be soon considered the eighth wonder of the world. 

The statue's construction had started in 2006 and got completed in 2015 with the hard work of almost 10 long years. The magnificent image sits tall amidst the hills that overlook the whole of Thimphu city. 

The  statue houses over one hundred thousand smaller Buddha statues ranging between 8-12 inches. The interiors are full of opulent brilliance. The gold carving on the wooden panels makes for eye popping beauty. A company in Shanghai, China spent 47 million dollars for making this marvel. Out of this one million dollars were spent on the diamonds in the teeka on Buddha's forehead. 

The majestic statue gleams in sunlight and is equally discernible in the artificial lights at night. We could find Buddha watching over us wherever we went in Thimphu... almost omnipresent. This is a sight that will linger on, in your mind for a long period of time!

Text by Aarefa Faridoon

Pics by Faridoon Shahryar

#FaridoonInBhutan