Romancing the Himalayas

Mountains have never failed to beguile me owing to their grandeur. Three years ago, this affinity for the mountains took me to the Himalayas, only to form a special connection with them. Since then I have made multiple trips to the Himalayas and explored places like Ladakh, Kashmir and Nepal. Consequently, this February I ended up being in Bhutan – the Land of Thunder Dragon.

I entered Bhutan through Phuentsholling, which along with the Indian town Jaynagar forms the Indo-Bhutan border. As soon as I went across the border, a delightful sight of Bhutanese people going about their day welcomed me, and almost everyone dressed up in the traditional Bhutanese attire: the men with their robes ‘Gho’ and knee length socks, and the women flaunting their bright colored blouses ‘Kira’ and long ankle length skirts with horizontal stripes ‘Tego’ wrapped around their waists. I proceeded to begin my journey into the core regions of Bhutan.

Within a few kilometers of the journey the bus began its uphill climb along the curved roads, only to be halted at a tourist checkpoint. I strolled to the edge of the mountain, which gave me a vantage point to overlook the surrounding. I could see Jaynagar as a town in chaos with randomly placed constructions, while Phuensholling could be seen as a collection of juxtaposed grand houses painted in sober colors: a profound discovery of the things to come. I soon reached Paro and began wandering along its streets. Next day I visited a few monasteries, forts and museums; most notable of which was the trek to Taktsang Monastery, located in the concealed cliffs of the Himalayas. I followed a similar routine at Thimphu and Punakha.

After a week of exploration and rambling, I was left enamored by Bhutan. Although it is a quintessential Himalayan settlement with high mountains, pleasant weather, small towns, large rivers, reverberating silence and amiable people, it still maintains its distinctive charm, evident in its bland cuisine and the aura of a kingdom ascribed to the veneration of the king of Bhutan by its people. Overall, Bhutan is a land embellished by Lhakhang (monasteries), Dzong (forts) and traditional-style houses, which accentuate the natural beauty that surrounds them. It is well augmented by the agreeable nature of the people.

This is how I ended up discovering yet another splendid facet of the Himalayas, although a lot more remains to be explored. I wait now eagerly for my next rendezvous with the Himalayas.