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| Paro Dzong |
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| Dodeydrak monastery |
My first trip to Bhutan was in 2003 (I think). It was an impromptu trip. I was traveling in Darjeeling when I decided to go to Bhutan on a whim. Those were the pre-internet days. The days before mobiles and digital cameras. I do have a few pictures on my film camera from that trip. I should scan them before they are damaged. On that trip, I fell in love with Bhutan. The second trip to Bhutan was in 2010. During this trip, I did the Paro-Thimphu trek. For pictures of the second trip to bhutan
(Click here). During the third trip to Bhutan in 2013, I did the gorgeous Jomolhari trek
(Click here). Jomolhari Mountain is situated on the Bhutan – China (Tibet) border. Due to the ongoing geopolitical tension, Jomolhari trekking permits are no longer issued to Indian or Chinese nationals. The fourth trip in was in 2015. I spend a week in Jakar.
(Click here). This trip in 2023 will be my fifth trip to Bhutan.
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| Whiote Goemba, Haa Valley |
Rules for entering Bhutan have become quite complicated after the country opened up post Covid pandemic. As per new rules, Indians have to pay SDF (Sustainable Development Fee) of Rs 1300/- per person per day. Foreigners have to shell out SDF fees of $ 200 USD per person per day. In addition, a tour guide is mandatory all the time. Even solo travelers are obliged to have a guide even while travelling in a bus! 4 Star hotels are the minimum category of accommodation permitted for tourists. Medical insurance has also become mandatory. The travel agent has to submit the SDF fees, hotel bookings and medical insurance to the tourism authority before a visa is issued. The traveler’s passport must have at least 6 months validity during Bhutan travel. All these rules have made travelling in Bhutan quite expensive. The days of backpacking in Bhutan are over. This is a far cry from the time when Indians could walk into the border check post in Phoensheling and get a travel permit. Due to the new rules and hefty SDF fees, tourist numbers have dropped significantly; particularly non-Indians tourists. But, I support these rules. It will help preserve Bhutan’s unique culture and identity.
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Phallus symbolism is common in Bhutan. This eruct red
phallus is the lucky charm of the ship in Haa Valley |
I wanted to spend 3 weeks with the intrepid traveler in eastern Bhutan; particularly areas east of Jakar. The plan was to return to India through Samdrup Jonkar. But after becoming aware of the new rules and additional cost, I decided to limit my trip to 2 weeks. I send all my papers to the agent and booked my flight tickets. It was much later that my agent informed me that 6 months validity is required on the passport. My passport’s 6 month validity was ending 10 days after entering Bhutan. The owner of my travel company ‘Lhomen tours and travel’ personally visited the tourism ministry to get an exemption for me as my passport had 6 months validity on entering Bhutan. They were not willing to budge from the rule book. Hence, I was forced to further cut short the Bhutan trip to 10 days from 14 days. Lhomen tours and travel did a good job of rescheduling the trip so that I didn’t miss much. Since I had already booked my return flight tickets, I decided to go directly to Assam after exiting from Bhutan.
Day 1: Home – Delhi (10-May-2023)
It took the night flight to Delhi. And spend the night at the airport.
Day 2: Delhi – Bagdogra – Phoensheling – Paro
The flight reached Bagdogra by 1430. I collected my luggage and went to taxi counter inside the airport. At the counter, the cab fare to Jaigaon was printed as Rs. 2500/-. But he wanted more. After a bit of haggling, we agreed on a fare of Rs.3200, including toll fees. I boarded the cab at the airport parking lot. After travelling 15 min, the taxi stopped besides the road. The driver asked me to get into another cab that was also parked on the highway. This new cab driver was on the phone all the time, without a hand-free device. When he started driving with one hand on the phone and other on the gear, I asked him to pull over. I stopped at local hotel beside the road for a short break. The hotel has a few tables and chairs. But most of the space in the dining area is occupied by beds without mattresses. I had my tea sitting/lying on the bed. This wonderful idea must be replicated in all hotels!
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| Chortens in the road at Paro |
It 1800 when we reach Jaigaon. My guide, the enigmatic Karma, met me beside the border gate. Indian side of the border town is called Jaigon. Cross the border into Bhutan and it becomes Phenshoeling. Things have changed quite a bit here too. There is a big border office on the Bhutanese side. My permit, passport and medical are verified and I’m allowed to cross. However, there are no restrictions on the Indian side for Indian citizens. Since my time in Bhutan is limited, I plan to travel to Paro tonight itself. Then I can start the trek tomorrow.
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| Spotted this as Dedeydrak Monastery |
Phoenshoeling is the cheapest place to purchase goods in Bhutan. Almost all goods coming into Bhutan pass through this border post. So it’s a good place to stock up on essentials before the journey starts. By 9 PM we stop some place mid-way location for dinner. Seated beside me were a group of anglers who were also heading into Bhutan. All they talked about was the Golden Masheer! After a quick dinner, we continue the journey. It’s getting cooler as we ascent. I fell asleep in the car. My guide woke me up near Paro Dzong. It’s beautifully lit up; picture perfect. People travel here at night just to take photographs. But I don’t have a tripod, but I do what best I can. It’s past midnight when I check into the ‘Penchu Boutique Hotel’ at Paro.
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| The pack mules being prepared for my trek |
Day 3: Paro – Genekha (2890 M) – Gur (3273 M)// Dagala Trek - Day 1
I woke up in early in the morning and went for a walk around Paro. The city still has the old charm. But it has certainly grown. The archery ground has been converted into a market! I return back to my hotel for breakfast. It seems to be quite popular with Indian tourists. Seated beside me where 2 Malayali girls. They were working / travelling in Sikkim, Darjeeling etc. for the last month. Work from home has opened up traveling to a new genre of travelers. They will spend 3 days in Bhutan before returning back to Kerala. Wishing them many more travels.
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| Gold lake |
It’s a short drive from Paro to Genekha. The Daga La (1000 Lakes) trek starts beside a prayer Chorten at Genekha. Trekking in Bhutan is quite a logistical undertaking. My trek party includes my guide (Karma), a cook, a helper, an assistant, 2 horsemen and 8 mules. As you might have guessed, trekking in Bhutan is quite an expensive affair. The mountains are pristine and relatively unexplored. I consider it money well spent.
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| Cross this bridge and the trek begins |
We get news that the Chief Abbot of Bhutan is passing by. Chief Abbot is the head of Bhutanese Buddhism. The Bhutanese constitution confers on him the same level of authority as the King or the prime minister of Bhutan. Taking photographs of the Abbot or royal family members can lead to jail time! Me and the entire trekking team lined up beside the road. The chief Abbot was alone travelling in a SUV. The vehicle stopped beside us. He was sitting in the front seat. Without getting out from the vehicle, chief Abbot touched our head with a sacred object called Phurb. Associated primarily with the Vajrakilaya deity, Phurb (sometimes called as Phurba) is a triangular dagger with 3 blades. My guide said that I’m very fortunate to have received the blessings from spiritual head of Bhutanese Buddhism.
(Click here for the complete Dagala Trek). |
| Campsite: Day 1 of trek |
The trek starts in earnest by 1030 AM. Cross the modern steel cable suspension bridge and we are in pristine wilderness. It’s a perfect day for trekking with clear blue skies. At 1215 we stopped for lunch. After a brief halt we continued again. Most of today’s walk is though pristine forests.
We reached the camp site by 2 PM. Today’s camp site is a natural clearing in the woods. About an hour after reaching the camp site, it started drizzling. In the evening, armed with an umbrella, I went for a small walk around the camp site. It’s extremely beautiful. By night it started raining heavily. I wonder how tomorrow will be!
Day 4: Gur (3273 M) – Paga Labtsa Pass (4100 M) – Wata Chen (4050 M) – Laba Tama (4200 M) // Dagala Trek - Day 2
We start walking by 0810. As we walk higher, the mountain range of western Bhutan come into view. The view is mesmerising. I can spot Jomolhari and Jichu Drakey peak among them. Jomolhari Mountain is situated on the Bhutan – China (Tibet) border. During the third trip to Bhutan in 2013, I did the gorgeous Jomolhari trek (Click here for Jomolhari trek).
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Peaks of western Bhutan including Jomolhari
and Jichu Drakey are visible in the distance |
The clouds are slowly rolling in. I have lunch before Paga Labtsa Pass. It became so windy that I had use my umbrella as a wind break while eating! The trail from Gur ascends almost continuously until Paga Labtsa Pass. After the pass, the gradually trail descends into the settlement of Wata Chen. The temporary dwellings at Wata Chen are used by yak herders exclusively in summer. One of the houses was occupied by a yak herder’s family. They invite me into their house. The fireplace inside the house was exactly what I wanted!
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| Fire inside the Yak herders house |
By now, the weather has taken a turn for the worse. The winds have become extremely strong. Hail was my constant companion until I reached my camp site at Laba Tama. I trekked about 12 KM today. Rain, hail and snow fall continues to get stronger as the sun goes down. After dinner, I retire to my tent. The ice cold winds are battering my tent. Snow and hailstones are piling up outside the tent. Needless to say, it’s pretty cold inside. I ease myself into the sleeping bag wearing thermal headgear, gloves and 5 layers of clothing. Ah.. The joys of trekking!
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| Read the instructions on the boar! |
Day 5: Laba Tama (4200 M) // Dagala Trek - Day 3
It snowed most of the night. Crossing the Docha La pass (4475 M) today will be a risky proposition. So I decided extend the trek by a day. The new plan is to explore the lakes today and cross Docha La pass tomorrow. Dagala Lakes trek derives its name from the numerous lakes in this region. (Click here for the complete Dagala Trek).
It’s a short walk to the first lake; Utsho lake (Turquoise Lake). The small mountain lake is a sight to behold. The lake gets its name from its amazing turquoise coloured water. Many of the lakes in this region are sign posted, including this one. On the board is a curious instruction. “Please avoid from making loud noises/ shouting. This may provoke the Tshomen (mermaids) local deities and bring misfortune.” The board also forbids people from making offerings of food, coins or currency at the lake. These lakes are sacred for the locals. When the yak herders arrive here in summer, they light lamps and pray beside the lake. Needless to say, fishing in these holy lakes is prohibited.
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| Vulture Lake |
Each lake is a gem. Some of the other lakes I visited include Dagye Tsho lake (meaning ‘Longer than archery range), Jagey Tsho (Vulture shaped lake), Sertsho lake (Gold lake) Tsha Tsho lake (Salt lake), etc. At 4350 M, Vulture Lake is the highest altitude lake we visited. By 1130, it has become cloudy. Hail and snow fall have started. But we continued exploring the lakes.
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| Wild flowers |
After visiting 8 lakes, we decided to return to the camp site. By now the weather has deteriorated quite a bit. I almost ran the last 15-20 min back the campsite because of the heavy hail. Its 1315 when I get back to my camp. The cook offers me a warm cup of tea. After 15 min in the wind and hail, every cup of tea magically transforms into a divine elixir!
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Spotted a ruddy shelduck through the snow
fall at an un-named lake |
Even in the evening, it’s snowing. Crossing the pass tomorrow will be impossible. We make a decision to turn back. It’s extremely disappointing. I console myself saying that it’s the right thing to do. Today’s hike to the lakes was not part of the original itinerary. We would have just walked over the Docha La pass to the next camp site without visiting a single lake! The visit to the lakes was undoubtedly the highlight of the trek. I have to thank the bad weather for the opportunity to visit these amazing locales.
Day 6: Laba Tama (4200 M) –– Wata Chen (4050 M) – Paga Labtsa Pass (4100 M) – Kep Chem (3800 M) // Dagala Trek - Day 4
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| Turquoise lake |
It’s a horrible day today. There is ice around the tent. The wind is blowing like crazy. Hail keeps making occasional appearances. I wait a bit for the weather to improve. Finally, we start walking by 0850. As we cross over into the next mountain, I turn back and take in the last views of the magnificent Laba Tama valley! Hopefully, I will be able to return to the lakes once again and cross the Docha pass. By the time I reach Wata Chen, the skies begin clearing up. It’s a peaceful walk until Paga Labtsa Pass. As we descend, grass gives way to trees. Various coloured Rhodenderon flowers are in bloom. By 1315, we reach the camp site. It was an easy walk today.
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| There is now at many places |
Beside our tent is a temporary dwelling of a Yak herder’s family. 3 generations of yak herders are living here. The granddaughter, the youngest, appears to be in her late teens. The patriarch of the house was in his mid 80’s. The tough life as a yak herder and pristine mountain air have kept him incredibly fit. In the evening, my guide invites me into the Yak herder’s house. I make myself comfortable beside the warm fireplace. I am offered a traditional cure for flue and colds. It is made by boiling the stem of a shrub that grow only in the very high Himalayas. It is guaranteed to keep flu and cold away for 3 months. I drink the elixir. It’s extremely bitter. But it worked as advertised. I was cold and flu (and perhaps Covid) free for at least 3 months.
(Click here for the complete Dagala Trek). |
| The Patriarch of the Yak herder's family |
By 7 Pm, It is raining heavily. The wind is so strong that we get worried if the tents will fly away. The grandfather yak herder tells us that the bad weather is retribution by the spirits as a group of tourists supposedly fished in the lake. He genuinely believed in the power of protective spirits of the mountain lakes. Those of us, including me, bought up in the lap of science will scoff at such pagan beliefs. Yet, a part of me yearns for the simple ways and pleasures of life.
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| Yaks grazing around my tent |
Day 7: Kep Chem (3800 M) – Genekha (Dagala Trek- Day 5) // Thimphu – Dechencholig Goemba (4100 M) – Dodeydrak Monastery (2900 M)
In the morning, I wake up to the sound of animals moving around my tent. A bit perturbed, I peek out from my tent. There are enormous yaks grazing all around my tent! There is a pen outside the yak herder’s house. Overnight, all the baby yaks have been rounded up inside the pen. The granddaughter is already out milking the yaks. Yak milk is collected in a simple hollowed out tree trunk. It must have taken has about 1.5 hours to milk all the yaks! Mountains life may be simple, but its hard physical work.
Outside the house, a plastic pipe has been laid from a water source high in the mountains. Crystal clear water flows through this pipe all the time. Beside it an ingenious water tank made by hollowing out a large tree. Soon many kids that look like class 8-9 students start appearing beside the pipe to brush their teeth. They are from a school camping trip and the king’s nephew is party of this group. I wait for the young prince to arrive. He is accompanied by a personal soldier. My guide reminds me once again that photographing him can lead to time in jail!
The car takes us to Thimphu. After lunch at Thimphu, I set off for Dodeydrak Monastery. There are 2 separate trails to the monastery. I am using the easier path that starts from Dechencholing Goemba. Its 2 PM when I start walking. About an hour into the walk is a football ground that’s used only by monks! Dodeydrak monastery is located in the middle of a thick forest! It’s a scene straight out of a movie set.
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| Dodeydrak Monastery |
Unlike tigers nest monastery, Dodeydrak receives very few visitors. It’s 3:45 PM when I reach the monastery gates. We ask a few monks navigate our way to the visitor’s room. We are offered tea and biscuits. Then, I am taken to my room. It’s a simple dorm with an attached toilet. A lot of mattresses placed on the floor. I am the only visitor in the monastery. The evening prayers are from 6 to 7 pm. I join the prayers and make myself comfortable in the back row. The prayer room is well decorated. Unfortunately photography is not allowed in the prayer room. It’s quite therapeutic to sit through the prayers. After dinner, I retire to my room
(Full Dodeydrak monastery, click here)
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| Dodeydrak Monastery |
Day 8: Dodeydrak Monastery – Thimphu – Chelela Pass (3988 M) – Haa Valley
The morning prayers at a Dodeydrak Monastery are conducted daily from 0530 to 0630 AM. I join the prayers by 0600. Compared to yesterday evening, there are more monks in attendance. During the prayers, the monks are always seated. The only exception is the minder monk. He walks around during the prayers, organising everything, brings in ritual items etc. etc. Photography is prohibited in the prayer room. But I saw the minder monk taking a video on his mobile phone. When he came closer to me, I asked him to shoot a video of the prayers on my phone. And he did!! (See video)After prayers, I go for a walk around the monastery complex.
The biggest building at Dodeydrak houses the old prayer room. The building is closed and there isn’t anybody around. On the rock above the old prayer room is a massive Buddha painting. How did they paint the Buddha high up on the rock!! I notice a young monk walking towards the building. He took me to the prayer room. The prayer room is situated on the first floor and is quite small. It is well decorated with a lot of statues and wall paintings. Photography is not allowed inside the shrine room. As I step out, the monk points to a golden yellow square painted on the rock. It is believed that sacred people can hear chants when they press their ear to the painted square on the rock. I try my luck. I neither heard chants nor Cardi B. There is another room beside the shrine room exclusively for lighting yak butter lamps. I light a few lamps. After thanking the monk, I returned to my room.
(Full Dodeydrak monastery, click here) |
| National museum at Paro is quite impressive |
After breakfast in the guest room, we start walking by 0845. I’m using the steep path. This path ends in the woods near the king’s residence. The trek down took me an hour. The car from travel agency took me to Thimphu. After lunch, we start driving to Haa Valley. The shorter road is to Ha Valley is under maintenance. Instead, we are driving through Paro and Clelela Pass (3988 M). The drive is a very scenic. Chelala is well above the tree line. In winter, this road is closed due to heavy snowfall. After the pass, the road descents sharply into Ha Valley below.
When I’m having dinner, the owner of the Rigsum Resort comes over. We start talking. He told me that Haa valley, like the rest of Bhutan, has changed a lot. People have become brittle with the modern amenities and conveniences, he told me. I can’t agree more. He was quite surprised at this year’s weather. The winter was quite mild with little snowfall. But spring hasn’t arrived yet. It’s still snowing in the mountains. I told him about the weather I experienced in the 1000 lakes trek. (Dagala trek Click here)
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| House at Haa valley |
Day 9: Haa Valley – Chelela Pass (3988 M) – Paro
I am out of my room by 6 AM. There is a village road that goes uphill beyond the hotel. I hike up this road. The walk is extremely beautiful. Rural Bhutan with it’s traditional architecture is gorgeous. I find my way to village monastery called Wangtsa. It’s a modest yet beautiful monastery.
I am the only person here. The prayer room of the monastery is on the first floor. There are wonderful paintings on the walls. In the display cabinets are many statues. The monk of the Goemba offered me a cup of tea. He then sat down on a floor cushion beside the ritual drum and started chanting. I sit beside him sipping tea and listening to the mesmerising chants. I pay my respects to the monk and returned to my hotel. When I am having breakfast, the owner of the hotel came in. He told me that I’m quite blessed to have received the cup of tea from the monk. I check out from the hotel and proceed to Llakhang Karpo or White monastery.
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| Bridge to Paro Dzong |
Llakhang Karpo monastery complex is quite big. A large number of monks reside here. Thankfully, there are only a handful of tourists at the monastery today. I notice a group of kiddo monks seated on the stone floor of the monastery practicing a traditional instrument called Jaling. Jaling can be described as a miniature flute. The main shrine room of the monastery is quite large. There are a lot of statues in it. The main deity here is Buddha Amritayus, the Buddha of longevity. The walls are beautifully decorated with religious art. I make a small offering and come out.
(Complete Haa Valley Chronicles, click here) |
Tried talking to her but
we dont have a common language |
Llakhang Nagpo (Black monastery) is a stone throw away from the white monastery. Llakhang Nagopo is much smaller than Llakhang Karpo. I enter the prayer room. 2 monks and about 10 nuns are chanting prayers. I sit down on the wooden floor and listen to the chants. I get the parasdam at the end of the prayers.
Once the prayers got over, a monk came up to me and started talking in Hindi. He explained that the today was an extremely auspicious day in the Buddhist calendar. The special prayers that I attended were dedicated Avalokiteshwara, the Buddha of compassion. The monk told me that he was absolutely certainty that I am karmically connected with Bhutan and Buddhism. Blessings from Avalokiteshwara and the chief Abott of Bhutan during this trip. Not bad!
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| Another view of Paro Dzong |
I had seen a young girl accompanied by an elderly man in prayer room at the Black Goemba. They offered prayers and left immediately. I did notice that she was holding something in her hand. My guide later told me that she was leaving Bhutan, probably to pursue higher education. She and her dad had come to the monastery to seek Buddha’s blessings. It was her passport that I had spotted in her hand. It has become quite common for Bhutanese youngsters to emigrate to the west or countries like Australia and New Zealand. Even the teenagers from Yak herder’s family living high up in the mountains dream of emigrating abroad. I am not surprised. I have already seen this trend that in Nepal and India. My guide visits Paro airport frequently to pick up guests. He told me that during every visit, he would see parents dropping off their kids at the airport. ‘If emigration continues at this rate, we will soon become a nation of old people’, he told me. My guide was hopeful that his daughter will chose to stay in Bhutan when she gets older.
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| This house is located below Paro Dzong |
Haa town center is a short drive away from Black Goemba. It’s a picturesque little city Centre. There are many old fashioned shops. 5 minutes is all it takes to walk from one end of the town center to the other! As I was walking around Haa town center, an elderly person in traditional attire shouted out to me from the first floor. In fluent English, he asked me where I had come from. When I replied Kerala, he immediately told me a long list of his Malayali friends. I’m flabbergasted.
(Complete Haa Valley Chronicles, click here) |
| The entrance to Paro Dzong |
After lunch, we drive back to Paro via Chelela Pass. After checking into the hotel at Paro, I walked to the old archery square. It has become a farmers market. There is nothing much in the market for tourists. On way way back to the hotel, I decided to walk around Paro and explore the Paro’s lanes. Booze is extremely cheap in Bhutan. The bottle of Bhutanese peach wine turned out to be quite enjoyable.
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| The wooden bridge to Paro Dzong |
Day 10: Paro – Phoenshoeling / Jaigaon
At 0530 in the morning, I set out for Paro Dzong. It’s cloudy, but not raining. The streets are totally deserted. I cross the wooden bridge and start walking up to the Paro Dzong. I am alone when I reach the gates of the Dzong. The guard told me that visitors are permitted to enter the Dzong only after 9 AM. As per new rules, all visors to Paro Dzong have to be accompanied by a guide. During one of my earlier trips to Bhutan, I sat along with the monks for morning prayer at Paro Dzong. During that same trip, I completed the Jomolhari trek (Click here). Sadly, both these are no longer possible. Due to the ongoing geopolitical tensions, Jomolhari trekking permits are no longer issued for Indians and Chinese nationals.
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The wooden bridge to Paro Dzong is beautifully
decorated with religious' paintings |
I start walking back to the main road. The views are truly spectacular. At the bottom of the steps, I run into a local man. He told me to proceed further along the bank of the lake to a small monastery. It’s a short walk until the end of the road. There is a beautiful old building under the overhang of the rock. I’m not sure if this is the house or a monastery. As I don’t want to barge in, I wait. Even after waiting half an hour, I spot nobody. I returned to my room.
Today’s plan is to visit the national museum and then drive to Phoenshoeling after lunch. I decided to explore the Paro once again before departing to the national museum. As I was walking around, I spot the post office. The woman at the counter was very helpful. When she realised what the stamps were a souvenier, she pulled out all the postage stamps she had with her, including special edition stamps. She even offered to exchange the postage stamps I bought at Haa Valley as they were ordinary ones! I bought a few postcards and stamps from the post office itself. I also posted a postcard to myself. The face of the lady at the postal counter lit up when she saw my address. She told me that she has been to Kerala and she loved it there. The best food in the world is Kerala food, she told me! I received my postcard at home after 2 weeks!
Then we drove to the national museum. This has been renovated and greatly expanded since my last visit. The old watchtower of Paro Dzong has been converted into the new museum. In the museum are beautiful Thanka paintings. However, the piece de resistance of the museum has to be the room with perhaps a hundred small brass (or gold?) statues of various types of Buddhas. I spend about 2 hours in the museum. Then it was back to Paro town. The guide took me to a small hotel at the entrance of town. I remember this place. As a backpacker, I have stayed here twice when it was called Yugen Perli!
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| Another view of Paro Dzong |
The drive to India was uneventful. About 1830, I’m at the border crossing of Phoenshoeling. There is a huge serpentine queue to enter India. Most of the people standing are of Indian workers returning home after a day’s work in Bhutan. During my travel, I had noticed that alot of the construction workers in Bhutan were Indians. I crossed over to India and bid goodbye to my guide, the enigmatic Karma. Maybe we will meet again. During my trip, I would often tell him that he looked quite familiar. But he was certain that he had not met me before. Perhaps I’m confusing him for with his cousin who is also a guide, Karma told me. A couple of months later, when I was going through my old photographs I spotted a picture of Karma! He was my guide for my Paro-Thimphu trek in 2010. We met again after 13 years! I shall look forward to another trek with Karma.
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| Vulture lake, Dalgala trek |
I checked into a hotel in Jaigaon, the Indian side of Phoenshoeling. The difference across the border is quite stark. Surprisingly, even the smell across the border town are different. Bhutan is neat and well organised. The footpath of Jaigaon has been taken over by street vendors. The roads are muddy and traffic is crazy. But for all the chaos, Jaigaon is a bustling little town. Apart from booze, everything is cheaper in Jaigaon than in Bhutan. Hence, many Bhutanese come over to buy commodities and dine at the eateries on the Indian side.
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The man in red is the resident priest
at Kotiling temple |
Day 11: Jaigaon - KamakhyaI have an early train to catch from Hasimara. I am out of my room by 5 AM. Share autos ply regularly from the India-Bhutan border check post to Hasimara station. It’s a 30 min ride to the trailway station. When I reached the station, a few of 6-8 year old boys jumped into the auto. They were laughing and playing with the rickshaw driver; it was clear that they knew each other well. I asked my driver about the boys. They are professional beggars at Jaigaon, he told me. The boys will ride with him when he returns to Jaigaon. The little boys are cute, innocent and playful. I feel sorry for them.
The train arrived late. When it finally reached Kamakhya station, it was 1.5 hours behind schedule. In the evening, I went to stand in the temple queue. I have never seen so much crowd here! Due to the heavy rush, the entry into the queue had been stopped at 4 PM. Even by 0730 PM, people in the queue have not finished their Darshanam! It started raining when I was sitting on the temple steps. I had dinner and went to my room.
Day 12: Kamakhya
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The sacrificial fire pit has a triangular
shape at Siddhi Ganesh temple |
Went to Koti Ling and Siddhi Ganesh temples early in the morning. After breakfast, went to Bhuvaneshwari. Then to Vana Durga, Jai Durga and Lalita Kantha. I decided to walk down from Lalita Kantha to the main road. Enroute, I stopped at the Siddheshwar temple. This is one of the original Dwarpalika (gatekeeper) temples. From Kamakhya gate, I took a bus to Malegaon. I went to a local restaurant for Assamese style lunch. It was quite nice.
Joined the Kamakhya temple queue at 1545. Technology has made its presence here too. A pass with photo ID is issued to everyone at the entrance to the queue. No charge is levied for this pass. This permit becomes very useful if one wants to exit the holding pen and return later. When I came out after darshanam, it was almost 8 PM!
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Kotiling temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Smoking
weed is quite acceptable. All are welcome to partake
in the spiritual experience |
Day 13: Kamakhya – Guwhati AirportAs usual, went to Koti Ling and Siddhi Ganesh temples early in the morning. After breakfast, I took the bus to Paltan Bazar. Went to Assam govt emporium.
Today is Monday. On Mondays free lunch is served at Koti Ling. Unlike the mad rush of the main temple, it is quite pleasant here. Not many devotees are aware of this custom. I reached there by 1:30 PM. Most of the people arriving for lunch are local residents. It’s has a mellow and laid back atmosphere. Couple of kids are playing around. There are groups of people huddled around smoking weed. All are welcome to join in the session. After all, this is Shiva temple. People sit on the floor and eat on a paper plate. The lunch served is a dish called as Khichadi. It’s rice, lentils and potatoes cooked together like a stew.
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On mondays, free lunch is provided at Kotiling temple ..
. All sit on the floor and eat the food. |
My flight tomorrow is at 6:30. It may be difficult to find a cab here so early on the morning. So after lunch at Koti Ling, I checked out of my room and went to a hotel close to the airport.
Day 14 (23-May-23): Guwhati Airport – Home
The airport is a short walk away. As I am waking to the airport, a rickshaw with another passenger stops and asked me if I want to step in. The ride to the airport took less than 5 minutes. Kolkata is the transit airport. Kolkata-home sector was booked before I was forced to cut short the Bhutan trip. So the transit time in Kolkata airport is large. Its 9 Pm when I get home.
It was an excellent trip. I wish I could have spent longer time in Bhutan, as originally planned. I don’t think I will ever get tired of visiting Bhutan. I should plan another trip soon!
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