Punakha

Our destination today is the Punakha a valley/town/Dzong a grueling 3 hour drive from Thimphu. We start early and head over Dochula pass, a 10,000 foot pass. We are blessed with a clear morning so we can see the eastern Himalayas, snow capped in the distance. Over them lies Tibet and China.

Top of the pass, top of the world

 In Tibetian/Bhutanese tradition the top of passes and other windy places are covered with prayer flags. We stop and add one with our intentions for the good health of my sister Sybil. 

Prayer flags for Sybil

We learn that one always circumnavigates chorten (stupas) clockwise. The pass is decorated with several large beautiful ones. 

chorten

 

The Punakha Dzong is historically and artistically important . But even better we get to really experience the Bhutanese Buddhist spiritual life directly. The Dzong is both the temporal and spiritual headquarters for each of the 20 districts that make up Bhutan. 

Dzong

 

Chief Abbott residence

The internal space is actually split in half one half religious and one half government. They were also fortresses in times of war. These are old buildings usually built in the mid 1600’s. Entering one is a space/time/cultural warp, they carry on legal and religious practices little changed from even before the 1600’s. This Dzong also contains a school for young monks in training. 

monks in training

The many internal buildings are profusely decorated. Walls are painted with the Buddhist images and messages. We are invited view the inner sanctuary before services start, no pictures allowed. 

monks before prayer call

Then, accompanied by the primal sounds of  Himalayan long horns the Chief Abbot calls the monks to prayer. There are rows of seated monks chanting and playing drums synchronized by a lead Lama. We have witnessed displays of Tibetan and other religious music in concerts but they were still entertainment. This was the real thing, heart-felt and timeless. As we slowly take our leave the chants follow us in the outer area and internally as well.

Nearby is another monastery , founded by Chime Lhakah. 

entrance to temple of Lama Lhakah

This commemorates a particular Lama who followed a path of ‘crazy wisdom’, kind of hard to describe, he didn’t follow the customs, he drank and had a lot of sex but was considered very psychologically and spiritually powerful that he was celebrated by the people, maybe something like King David?