Bhutan, the hidden Himalaya paradise

Chomolhari, sometimes known as "the bride of Kangchenjunga”, is a mountain in the Himalayas, straddling the border between Yadong County of Tibet and the Paro district of Bhutan. The mountain is sacred to Tibetan Buddhists who make an annual pilgrimage from Phari Dzong to the holy lake Chomo Lharang at c. 5100 m just north of the mountain. The north face rises over 2700 metres (9,000 ft) above the barren plains.

There is no evidence that the mountain, whose official elevation is very close to a round 24,000 feet, has ever been accurately measured. Its true elevation may be nearer to 7,000 metres. Despite its notability and spectacular visibility from the major trade route from India into Tibet's Phari Valley, the mountain has seen very little climbing activity, probably because of access restrictions on the Bhutanese side and the difficulty of the routes from the Tibetan site. The first ascent was made in May 1937 by a five-man British expedition, with F. Spencer Chapman and Sherpa Pasang Dawa Lama reaching the summit from Bhutan over the south-east spur. The second ascent was in 1970 over the same route by a joint Bhutanese-Indian military expedition led by Colonel Narendra Kumar. The third ascent was made in 1996 by a joint Japanese-Chinese expedition who reached the south col from the Tibetan side and climbed the peak over the south ridge. On May 7 2004, the British climbers Julie-Ann Clyma and Roger Payne reached the summit via the c. 5800 m south col as well, in a single day's dash from the col, after attempts to climb the impressive north-west pillar were thwarted by strong winds. In October 2006, a six-member Slovenian team climbed two new routes, registering the fifth and sixth ascents. Rok Blagus, Tine Cuder, Samo Krmelj and Matej Kladnik took the left couloir of the north face to the East ridge at c. 7100 m, from which they followed the ridge to the top, while Marko Prezelj and Boris Lorencic climbed the north-west ridge in a six-day round trip. This climb earned Prezelj and Lorencic the Piolet d'Or in January 2007.

Once I watched the German TV and saw in the ARTE channel a cultural program about Bhutan. It was also reported about the Chomolhari trek we did and I recognized the same old herder woman Oliver sitting beside her.

Pilgrims and travelers circumambulate stupas as a form of respect and devotion. Movement along the circular path (Tib. kora) is clockwise, so that the right shoulder is always facing the monument. The Bhutanese style chorten is a square stone pillar with a khemar or red band near the top, and sometimes a representation of the sun and moon by a ball and crescent on the top. The square or rectangular base symbolizes the earth and the half-spherical dome symbolizes water. The crescent moon and a sun on top symbolize air, and a vertical spike symbolizes the sacred light of the Buddha. The life-spirit of the chorten is a carved wooden pole called sokshing, which is placed inside. Chortens are sometimes built in memory of an individual, and other times to commemorate the visit of a saint, or to house sacred books or bodies of saints or great lamas.

Hot-stone-bath is a popular form of medication practiced in Bhutan since time immemorial. There is no recorded history of its origin. In the olden times it was a luxury enjoyed by the well to do families. A whole day was spent to organize this particular event where the whole family took turns bathing. This event was very elaborate. Most well to do families consulted their chief astrologer to look for an auspicious day to organize this event. It’s a general belief in Bhutan that any medication done on an auspicious day has more healing power. A team of able bodied men built a huge fire and heated rocks over it. Since it was for the whole family (then families consisted of over fifteen members) large amount of firewood and stones were used.

At the end of our trek we had a traditional farewell party in a small village. Bhutanese ladies took care for a beautiful mood.

Hundreds of prayer flags flutter at the panorama view point over Thimphu.

The "fortress of the glorious religion", was initially built in 1641 by Zhabdrung Nawang Namgyal. The present structure was rebuilt in 1965 by the third King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, when he chose Thimphu as his permanent capital. It houses the government and the central clergy of monks. It is open to the visitors during festivals, on weekends, and after office hours. Its also the home of His Royal Highness Jigme Singye Wangchuck.

Thimphu once had a traffic light but it was abolished after a short time.

The view outside the Druk Hotel in Thimphu. Its Bhutan’s capital city. The population of Thimphu is estimated to be about 79,000 and is located in the west of Bhutan.

The Memorial Chorten was built in 1974 in memory of the Third King, H M Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, who died in 1972. There are no mortal remains of the King inside the chorten and only a photograph draped in ceremonial scarves on the ground floor serves as a discreet reminder that the chorten was built to fulfil one of his wishes. The late King had, in fact, decided to put into tangible form the three traditional pillars of Buddhism, the Word, Body and Mind of Buddha. He had the Commentaries of Buddha, the Tanjur, transcribed in letters of gold to represent the Word of Buddha and had 1,000 statues made to represent the Body of Buddha, but he died before he could complete the Mind of Buddha, in the form of a chorten.

The boy wears the Ko and the girls wears the Kira, traditional clothing and an obligation to wear in public in Bhutan for its population. Foreign visitors are welcomed with the greeting "Yala! Yala! Kuzu zangpola?" ("Hello! Hello! How do you do?")

It is well worth a visit, not only to see the skill of the children but also to observe the traditional teaching methods which are quite different from any practiced in the West.

The last village on the way to the Labana plateau.