Bhutan, a tiny country near the north-eastern part of India, lies on the southern slopes of the eastern Himalayas. The rugged, steep and high mountainous landscape, crisscrossed by a network of rivers flowing through the deep valleys, the amazingly beautiful Buddhist monasteries and fortresses (or dzongs) make this country look like Mother Nature’s canvas on earth.
I set out to explore this mountain kingdom with 14 other cyclists. Thus started my week-long cycling trail in this joyous country, where GDP is a not a measure of progress but GNH (Gross National Happiness) is! One hour and forty-five minutes of travel by Druk Air brought me from New Delhi to Paro, the only international airport in Bhutan. After a two-minute wait at the immigration counter with my valid voter ID, I was out into the world of happiness.
The first day began with a 15-km ride from Paro to the base of Taktsang Lhakhang, a prominent Himalayan Buddhist sacred site and temple complex perched on the side of a cliff, 900 metres above the Paro valley. On my way, I passed through Paro market, the Archery Ground and Ugyen Pelri Palace, before embarking on a 5-km trek from the base to the top of the monastery. It is believed that in the eighth century, Saint Padmasambhava, credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan, came here riding on the back of a tigress and meditated for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours, and emerged in eight incarnated forms. Subsequently, the place came to be known as Tiger’s Nest.
I left Paro the next day for my first major climb to Chele La Pass, 3,988 metres above mean sea level. It’s an uphill ride of 35 km through dense pine and rhododendron forests, and the gorgeous Wangchulo Dzong valley that throws up many twists and turns. With temperatures dropping, the final assault of 2 km to reach the summit was tough, as the oxygen levels depleted and I was short of energy and strength in my legs. Once I reached the summit point, I was relieved and it almost felt like having climbed Mount Everest itself! The downhill ride from Chele La is a 30-km descent, and amazingly, it took just 40 minutes to reach the beautiful Haa Valley.
The ride from Haa Valley to the capital city Thimphu is approximately 110 km, taking us through the picturesque valley to Chuzom (Chhu means ‘river’ and zom means ‘join’) or the confluence where two rivers Thimphu (Wong Chu) and Paro (Pa Chu) meet. There are three chortens (monument or stupa) in the area, each in a different style — Bhutanese, Tibetan and Nepali, to ward off evil spells.
Thimphu is the largest city in this country and, astonishingly, the only capital city in the world that does not use traffic lights. It’s a buzzing city and has many landmark places to visit, like the clock tower square, handicraft market, Changlimithang Stadium, Thimphu Memorial Chorten and the largest statue in the world of a sitting Buddha. It measures 51.5 metres, is made of bronze and gilded in gold, and is placed atop a hill in Kuenselphodrang Nature Park. Our group was pleasantly surprised to visit the Indian Embassy to meet Gautam Bambawale, the Ambassador of India in Bhutan, his wife and the staff who had invited us for high tea.
I left Thimphu for another day of gruelling ride, to Dochula Pass, which is at an elevation of 3100 metres and famous for its 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens, from where I could see the stunning 360-degree panoramic view of the Himalayan mountain range.
Another descent of 35 km through virtually non-existent roads leads to Punakha and then towards Wangdue. The next day, I rode downhill from Dochula to Thimphu and then to Paro, stopping on the way to meet the Border Road Officer, who had hosted a tea party, complete with crispy samosas, vadas and jalebis, followed by hot cup of tea.
I enjoyed this pristine Nature; I came across several villagers, farmers and elders who were all friendly, generous, content and happy.
Children lined up to give us high-fives. I met a contingent of Indian soldiers who were resting; they even shared a cup of tea with me. I also tasted Ema Datshi, which is the national dish of Bhutan, and is made with chilli, pepper and cheese.
Life in Bhutan looked so simple, less complicated… no wonder it’s one of the happiest places on earth!
