When the invite came for the wedding in Thimphu, I knew I had to go. This was to be no ordinary wedding – a Bhutanese friend and her twin sister were getting married to twin brothers, no less! I was eager to witness this special event.
The regular way to travel was to board a Druk Air flight from Delhi to the Paro Airport in Bhutan. Since a return ticket was proving to be rather steep, some friends and I chose a longer but more budget-friendly road journey. We took a train from New Delhi to New Jalpaiguri after which we changed two buses for Jaigaon from where one can walk across to Phuentsholing, a Bhutanese border town. At Jaigaon, a towering ornate gate was all that separated West Bengal from Phuentsholing. We walked across and got our permits without any hassle. We halted for the night at Phuentsholing where the architecture is more ornate and less numbers populate the streets compared with our side of the border.
Early next morning a cab took us to Norzin Lam, a commercial street in Thimphu where our hotel was located. In all, we had taken two days to reach Thimphu. A drive to Paro Airport the same day revealed Thimphu to be a picturesque locale ensconced in greenery, its beauty enhanced by a lively river running through the city.
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The next day the twins were to wed. The brides' house had a relaxed air with friends and relatives milling about, drinking hot cups of suja (butter tea), eating paan and even the brides looking unruffled and getting dressed at ease.
The Indian influence in Bhutan is palpable. Apart from Indian dishes offered by most restaurants where other dishes and liquor are also available at reasonable prices, Bollywood music is also fairly popular and can be heard drifting through shops and clubs.
Indian currency is easily accepted, and people also speak some Hindi.
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A good way to see Thimphu is to simply walk. Bustling market places lead to broad clean roads with ethereal views of mountains, pretty flowers along the sidewalks and if you listen closely enough, the gurgling river below.
Towering above is a giant Buddha which can be seen from several points in the city. Shops in Thimphu including eateries shut fairly early and do not remain open into the night when it is perfectly safe to walk through the streets and bask in the quietness and peace of this beautiful land, a source of many enduring memories.