Future of Bhutan : Birth of Gyalsey

Immense joys within the people of Bhutan. The birth of the prince - Gyalsey stirred the minds and happiness of the people of Bhutan. We are much delighted to have our Fourth , the present and the future king all together. Since the announcement of the expectation of baby prince , the people of Bhutan have been waiting anxiously and to the end of 2015 and start of new year of Bhutan 'The prince charming, our new leader was born'.

 5th February 2016- we welcomed our loving baby prince with bright smile and happiness and celebration in the faces of the people of Bhutan. We always have a reason to be happy and always find a new reason for joy. With much surprise the photo of the baby prince was not released immediately but after 15 days with the celebration of the birth anniversary of His Majesty the present king.

To celebrate that in my own world of happiness I wrote Haiku 

" Peach flowers blossom

Happiness of the people-

Cry of baby prince "

15 days later Kupar - The royal baby picture is released and I wrote another Haiku for it 

"Blossoms on trees

Smile on people's face

Reason for another Joy"

                                                        

                                                        Both Haiku is copyright!

Night Life in Thimphu

pic credit:- Google

Thimphu, capital of Bhutan is not a 24x7 city like NYC or Tokyo but when it comes to night life in Bhutan it have its own part. Night life in Bhutan is not so same to that of in NYC or Korean or Japan but you have to experience something different, different that is not similar to that of in other countries.

We can find discotheques, pubs and bar, karaoke to drayangs. Lets see what we have for nightlife in Thimphu.
Club Ace is one of the most happening clubs in Thimphu. Pumped with electronic music and young locals, this place is known for great music and neon lighting. You won’t run into too many travelers here, but if you’re in for a night to check out how locals hit the town in Bhutan, this is the right spot.

Clubbing in Space 34.
Pic credit-: Google

Space 34 is where you can dance your butt off in casual gear, with a slew of young locals. It’s clear that what they want is a mixture of: American pop music, hip-hop, Indian Bollywood remixes, house and R&B. Space 34 is getting bigger, as the crowd is growing larger each year. Let loose, bust out some moves to your favorite tunes! Space 34 expanded and it renovated to a whole new look after losing some of it's clients to Viva City but that didn't stop them and was success in bringing in their old clients as well whole lot of newer clients to enjoy to the tune of the musics that space 34 play.
Personally for me I prefer space 34 for clubbing. It is different and feels like I am having a different vibe every night.Whenever I am stressed from work I find myself in Space 34 with cool lot of friends. I would recommend Space 34 :D

Mojo park where the younger generation in Bhutan, especially in Thimphu is truly opening themselves to creative outlets that are considered more Westernized. And the proof of this change can be seen in places like Mojo park known for a loungey vibe that is frequently hosting live music nights, which is extremely popular with the bar’s regulars! 

I have never been to Mojo park but this is one place that I want to save for the best. I feel if I go to this place I wouldn't want to go to other country for travel. Let me refrain myself but if you ever come to Bhutan you should visit it.

Clubbing in Bhutan is restricted to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. I will drop here but if you like to know more please do comment below and I will write more about Night Life in Bhutan

Clock Tower

Clock Tower Square has a tower with four clock faces located in Thimphu , capital of Bhutan. It is a famously known landmark in Thimphu. The clock tower square is located below Norzin Lam, Thimphu above the national football stadium in the heart of the capital.



The Clock-tower has a typical Bhutanese architectural outlook with rich Bhutanese carvings and paintings. There are traditional hand crafted dragon with golden painting on all the four faces of the tower which symbolizes the county as an independent dragon kingdom. The tower has beautiful paintings and carvings of flowers which add more magnificence to the tower. The shops, restaurants and hotels in the clock tower square have a blend of fine traditional and modern architectural Bhutanese design with multi-coloured wood frontages, small arched windows, and sloping roofs. The buildings around the square are all small three storied structures.

Water fountains and traditional Bhutanese Mani Lhalhor (prayer wheels) make the place an ideal location to catch up with Thimphu. Prayer wheels are seen almost everywhere around the country which is a Bhutanese way of life and belief that turning them brings good luck. On one side, the luxurious Druk Hotel and on the other side, Thimphu Hotel is situated.The square often serves as a platform for various events and activities such as fund-raising events, movie award ceremony, trade fairs, live musical shows, blood donation and many more. There is also a small play ground opposite to the tower where kids can play. The square has even played host to the Indo-Bhutan friendship car rally.

This one place can be compared to Times square of New York, where people come together for celebration, or hangout with friends. 
Some of the famous Bands from India came to perform free shows during the First ever Bhutan International Festival. 
We can find variety when we are at clock tower.

Buddha Point!

Buddha Dordenma is a gigantic Shakyamuni Buddha statue completed construction on September 25th 2015 in the mountains of Bhutan celebrating their 60th anniversary of fourth king Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
The gigantic Buddha stands at a height of 169 feet (51.5 meters) and is sited amidst the ruins of 
Kuensel Phodrang, the palace of Sherab Wangchuk, the thirteenth Desi Druk, overlooking the southern approach to Thimphu, the capital of Bhuta.

The Buddha statue will overlook the capital city within the gigantic bronze structure including the thri (throne) there will be enough space to house 17 storeys of different lhakhangs. These include three storeys within the throne. The first storey, which surrounds the centre, will house eight 10-feet standing bodhisattvas, the miracle sons of Buddha Shakyamuni. The second storey surrounding the centre pillar will have eight more 10-feet sitting Medicinal Buddhas. The third storey inside the lotus seat will house six-feet high 16 arahats, King Hashang (Maitreya Bodhisattva), Dharmata Tiger, Sutra Holder and the four direction King's. 

In the centre chamber will be seated the main Buddha Shakyamuni. The statue will house over one hundred thousand smaller Buddha statues, each of which, like the Buddha Dordenma itself, will be made of bronze and gilded in gold. The rooms from the third storey till the top will accommodate 100,000 statues of eight-inch Buddha Dordenma made of copper and gilded in gold placed in multi-layered grid-boxes.

It is a religious place as well a recreational park. Walking up to the Buddha point is as exotic as trekking in the woods. Being at Buddha point lets you feel at peace and serene because it overlooks the Beautiful Himalayan Mountain Ranges. Early morning the view is Just so awesome that you would love to stay there. 

And if you are Bhutan Don't miss to Visit Buddha Point! Early Morning or towards the evening :D

Wangdue Phodrang Tshechu

 Every festival have its back-end story and a reason to celebrate those festivals, for instance Christmas is celebrated for the birth of Lord Jesus, Eid is celebrated with regard to different sacrifices and believes, and so does the legend say about the festival of Wangdue Phodrang.

Also known as the Raksha Mangcham or "the dance of the Ox" is a three day long festival celebrated in the autumn season and to be specific *12-14th of September* and after which the Thimphu Tshechu starts. The dance of Raksha from the monastery of Dole (Dole Raksha Cham) is one of the most significant dance in the festival. 

Here's the story --->   

The 4^th temporal ruler of Bhutan, Tenzing Rabgye (1680-1695) wished to do good to his subjects of Shar, Wang and They. Therefore, he ordered a bridge to be made on the Wangdue river by a mason named Dragpa from the village of Rinchengang (A small village on the right side of the river Punatshangchu). In 1685, this builder along with the people of Shar, Wang and They began the construction of the bridge but what the men built during day time, the demons destroyed at night. As the bridge could not be completed, the men wondered what to do. The 2^nd Je Khenpo, Seunam Oezer (1672-1689) who was at that time residing in Wangduephodrang Dzong (fortress), had a dream, one night a black man appeared and told him, ‘the bridge can not be completed now because the demons are creating obstacles. To find a solution to this problem, a new dance which had never been shown here before has to be performed, you will invite everyone to see it. At the time demons will also come to see it and their attention will be turned away from the bridge. After you have established the middle pillar of the bridge in the water, you will immediately perform the consecration. In this way the demons will not be able to do any more harm.’ Then the Je Khenpo remembered that during the construction of Wangduephodrang Dzong there had been a prophecy given by Yeshy Gompo to the Shabdrung. The Je Khenpo realised that this was also a prophecy from Yeshy Gompo. Immediately, he sent messengers to fetch the dancers, masks and costumes from the monastery of Dole. When the dances were performed in the Dzong, many villagers came to see the festival and the water-deity of Wangdue bridge also came with his retinue of demons. As their attention was turned away from the river, the pillar of the bridge was built in the water and the consecration was at once performed by Je Khenpo. At the moment, in the Dzong, all the other dancers were finished but the Raksha dancer as if he was agitated by the protectors of the religion (Chhokyong), did not enter the dancers’ dressing room, and went on performing alone number of dances such as Bja Cham, Teucham, Gyucham, Kansi, Gosi, until the work on the bridge was completed. Once the construction of the bridge was completed, he disappeared without a trace. By the time, the villagers dispersed and demons went back to their places, the construction was over, the construction ceremony was finished and the demons were powerless. That is how the order of the 4^th temporal ruler, Tenzing Rabgye was carried out and the bridge with three points of support built by the mason Dragpa was completed.

                For the happiness of the Bhutanese people and in order to prevent the earth and water deities from doing any mischief, one mandala (diagram) dedicated to the Buddha Mitrupa (Akshobya) was placed in the middle of the bridge.

Paro -- home to Paro Airport

                                                                      Paro Bhutan

Paro  is a town and seat of Paro District in the Paro Valley of Bhutan. It is home to Paro Airport, Bhutan's only international airport. 

Rinpung Dzong a fortress-monastery overlooking the Paro valley has a long history. A monastery was first built on the site by Padma Sambhava at the beginning of the tenth century, but it wasn't until 1646 that Ngawang Namgyal built a larger monastery on the old foundations, and for centuries this imposing five storey building served as an effective defence against numerous invasion attempts by the Tibetans. 

                       

Built with stones instead of clay, the Dzong was named Rinpung, meaning "heaps of jewels" but Rinpung and all its treasures were destroyed by the fire in 1907. Only one thangka, known as Thongdel, was saved. The Paro Dzong was rebuilt by the penlop dawa Penjor after the fire. Housed within its walls is a collection of sacred masks and costumes. Some date back several centuries; others were contributed by Dawa Penjor and his successor Penlop Tshering Penjor in recent times.

On the hill above the Dzong stands an ancient watchtower called Ta Dzong which since 1967, has been the National Museum of Bhutan. Across a medieval bridge below the Dzong stands the Ugyenpelri Palace, a royal residence constructed by penlop Tshering Penjor.

Mayor of the town is Moritz Duevel. The position is given to the winner of the annual Qui Dong competition; Duevel is in his third legislative period.  Along the main street there is a complex of traditional architecture with richly decorated buildings housing small shops, institutions and restaurants.

The Dungtse Lhakhang is a 15th century temple situated by the new bridge, and the Ugyen Perli Palace is visible through the fence. Members of royal family lodge in the palace when passing. Nearby is the old bridge by the Rinpung Dzong. Notable hotels include the Olathang Hotel built in an ornate style. 10 km outside Paro is the famous Taktshang (Tiger’s Nest) Hermitage on the face of a sheer 1000 m cliff. The place is highly sacred to the Bhutanese in that they believe Guru Rinpoche, the father ofBhutanese Buddhism landed here on the back of tigress. A 16 km road passes up the valley to the ruins of other fortress-monastery Drukyel Dzong, partly destroyed by fire in 1951.

The Burning Lake -- Mebar tsho

The name says "burning lake" but it is not the lake formed out of lava and volcano rather holds a legend behind it in 15th century. Its a mythical and scared place that every Bhutanese pilgrims to.

the lake formed out of flowing river

According to the legend, Terton Pema Lingpa had a vision of the sacred treasures that Guru Rimpoche had hidden within the lake centuries earlier. However the people of Tang and the local ruler were cynical of his claims. In order to prove his claims, Pema Lingpa held a butter lamp in his hand as he jumped into the lake. After remaining under water for a long time he re-emerged holding a chest and a scroll of paper with the butter lamp held in his hand still burning bright. Thereafter, the lake came to be known as Mebartsho (the burning Lake).

The tradition bridge that connects the two rocky cliff and makes a way nearer to the lake

The Burning Lake, Mebar Tsho is located along the way to the Tang village over the feeder road under Bumthang valley.  It takes approximately thirty minutes drive to the Mebar Tsho from Chamkhar town.

Mebar Tsho is considered one of the most sacred sites in the region as it is related to the renowned religious treasure reveler (Terton) Terton Pema Lingpa. Pema Lingpa is considered an incarnated disciple of Padmasambhava who discovered treasure within the lake in late 15th century.

Today this small fresh water lake is a sacred pilgrimage site for the Bhutanese with bright multicolored prayer flags surrounding it and a small altar dedicated to Terton Pema Lingpa has also been set up. On auspicious days people offer butter lamps at the lake. Many tourist visit the site to observe spectacular beauty of this important historical and religious site.