We leave Thimphu for Punakha later today. Although less than 50 miles, our actual drive time will be over three hours because of the mountains; our route will cross the 10,300 ft Dochu La pass. Before leaving Thimphu, though, we have several additional places to visit.
First stop in the heart of the city is the National Memorial Chorten, a white stupa topped with gold pinnacles, built in 1974 to honor the third king of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck who died in 1972.
It is a popular place of daily worship, particularly for the elderly who gather to socialize and pray together. There are prayer wheels, a multi-storied temple as well as a shrine dedicated to the late king. People circle the chorten in a clockwise direction as they use their beads and handheld prayer wheels to send positive karma to the world.
Next we visited the National Institute for Zorig Chusum, the Arts and Crafts Academy, where students follow a six year program in traditional arts. The school dates back to 1680, when founder Desi Tenzin Rabgye sought to cultivate and promote the thirteen traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan – tailoring and embroidery, mural painting, wood carving, weaving, ceramics, silver and goldsmithing, basket weaving, mask carving, wood turning and laquering, papermaking, stone carving, casting and black smithery.
A large sign on campus shares the institute’s vision and mission today, still consistent with principles upon which the academy was founded.
Unfortunately, when we arrived classes were not in session; there was a special administrative meeting that morning for students and instructors. We were able to see some individual students at work – an advanced student painting an intricate thangka of Buddha.
Another students was painting ceramic dragon and clown masks, note the protruding nose on the clown, used in Bhutanese festivals called Tshechu that commemorate the birth anniversary of Guru Rinpoche, the Indian saint credited with bringing Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century.
Another student was sculpting the masks from clay.
Traditionally, Bhutanese artisans’ works were for faith; today the purpose of the art is more commercial. The academy runs a shop that sells students’ work and also sells to retail shops throughout the county. A large sign above one of the campus buildings clearly shares the school’s focus; when students learn skills, they can be useful to themselves, their parents, communities and tsa-wa-sun, Dzongkha for King, Country and People. Not only does this keep traditional arts and crafts alive, but supports Bhutan’s economic development and Gross National Happiness.
We walked a short distance to the Folk Museum – this was an outdoor historical museum with traditional houses, agricultural implements and other artifacts to demonstrate how people lived in Bhutan hundreds of years ago. The grounds were blooming with pink buds of peach trees.
We climbed through a typical multi-storied home using ladders to go from story to story – first floor where animals were tethered, second floor where food and provisions were stored, third floor where the family lived, fourth floor, canopied but open with a straw covered floor for sleeping in warm weather or storage. We watched a weaving demonstration, observed how rice was toasted and sampled, ara, the local grain based alcohol.
After lunch, we began the twisting, winding drive to Punakha. The road began to climb immediately upon leaving Thimphu and it took about an hour for us to reach the Dochu La pass at 10,300 ft. Druk Wangyal Khangzang Chorten and Lhakhang mark the pass. There are 108 small rectangular stupa perched on a small ridge along the highway built in memory of Bhutanese soldiers killed in a December 2003 battle against Assmaese insurgents from India. Led by King Jigme Sinye Wangchuck, the Bhutanese dislodged the rebels from camps they occupied in Bhutan and used to raid Indian territory. The temple or lhakhang was constructed in 2008 to celebrate 100 years of Bhutan’s monarchy. We stretched our legs, walked around the chortens and could just make out the outline of the snow capped peaks in the distance through the clouds. It was cool and windy so we did not linger – we will be back though the pass later in the week when drive back to Paro – hopefully, the weather will be more conductive for a walk through the nearby botanical gardens.
It took another hour and half of driving to reach Panukha. Enroute to our hotel, we stopped to visit Chimi Lhakhang, one of the most popular attractions in Bhutan – so interesting that it’s worthy of its own post.