April 27, 2012 - Bhutan
Today was the absolutely perfect end-of-trip day. We didn't pedal a stroke, but I worked my butt off nonetheless. The goal for today was Taktsang Palphug Monastery, the Tiger's Nest. To reach the monastery, we drove to the end of the road we cycled to yesterday, and then climbed 3,000 feet straight up to 10,200 feet where the Tiger's Nest perches on the cliff face.
Darn that persistent haze hanging on the mountains. Nonetheless, isn't it amazing?
There's a winding trail through a lovely pine forest that goes about halfway to the monastery, but first to a tea house where you can take a very welcome break. As usual, Fankie, Vicky and I were bringing up the rear, with Rinzin in attendance. For some reason, he seemed to think that because we didn't find the hike easy, we would be wanting to quit. He obviously didn't know us very well!
Walking sticks are definitely recommended for this hike, and wood ones are available for rent at the bottom of the trail. Sonam picked this one out for Claudia. I'm sure you can guess what it is!
Vicky and Rinzin - the trail doesn't look nearly as steep as it was.
Tea house and gift shop
Memorial cones made of cremation ash and mud, tucked into a crevice in the rocks along the trail
Water-driven prayer wheels on a stream along the path. The monastery itself is one of the most blessed sites in Bhutan, but clearly the whole area is considered auspicious.
The mandate for this monastery came from the Guru Rinpoche himself, the man who is credited with bringing Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century, although the monastery wasn't built until 1692. Legend says that the Guru's Tibetan consort changed herself into a tigress and flew him up to a cave at this site. He meditated in the cave for three months while she meditated in a different cave. After that time, he came out and blessed the location. No pictures were allowed in the monastery and temples, but we were able to look into the caves where Guru Rinpoche and his consort meditated. I find it ironic that she changed shape, flew him to this location, and meditated just as long as he did, but he gets all the credit for the sanctity of the location. Men!
Boulder painting of the Guru Rinpoche
There is an option, if you're not up to the climb to the monastery, of getting a horse or mule ride most of the way up. The final approach is 750 steps going down into a crevasse and then up to the Tiger's Nest. You have no choice but to walk that part.
This little doll rode while her parents walked.
Supplies are also carried up by pack train to the tea house and monastery.
You know the pack train leader is in good shape!
I love that even the horses (mules? - this Alaskan can't tell the difference) are brightly attired. I found it amusing that when I took their picture, their owner wanted to look at it on my camera. Somehow that makes sense when the photo's subject wants to look at his own photo, but not when the subject in standing there in front of him.
While I was walking down the stairs to the crevasse, I was chatting with the young woman in front of me (pink backpack below). She was traveling with her parents, and all three spoke excellent, if slightly accented, English. I asked her where they were from, and she replied, "Singapore." I told her I was from Alaska. She asked with a hint of a smile in her voice, "Can you see Russia from your house?" "No-o-o," I cried. "People from Singapore aren't supposed to be asking me that!" Damn that Sarah Palin!
The steep, steep stairs.
A meditation cell tucked into the crevasse where the stairs turn up. We joked that you have to climb up to it when you deserve to do extra penance.
I took a ridiculous number of photos of the monastery. It seemed like every viewpoint might be better than the last. Here are a few.
Frankie loaned me one of her walking sticks, so I didn't have to climb carrying a penis!
I found it to be a bit anticlimactic once we finally got to the monastery. Police guards made us leave all bags, cameras, phones, etc. behind as we went into the three temples for a tour. Yeshey did is usual great job of explaining the statues and other decorations in the temples, as well as showing us the caves where Guru Rinpoche and his consort meditated. Nonetheless, after such a long climb, it would have been nice to linger and have time to relax and study the buildings, even meditate if you were so inclined. I assume Bhutanese pilgrims would have that opportunity as a visit to this site is supposed to cleanse one of all bad karma. We, however, headed right back down again, stopping for lunch at the tea house.
At the bottom of the trail, local vendors took advantage of the stream of westerners all coming through the same location to lay their wares out on blankets on the ground. Most were selling prayer wheels, beads, and other religious items, while some had jewelry, etc. I bought a strand of prayer beads, and had Yeshey instruct me on their proper use. As you turn each of the 108 wooden beads, you say Om Mani Padme Hum. There are three short strands attached to the main string, each with 10 brass beads. As you finish a round of 108 chants, you slide a brass bead up in order to keep track of your total count. Presumably, the more times you go around the string, the better your karma.
I couldn't resist a photo of this vendor and her baby.
Our last stop of the trip was at Bhutan's oldest temple in Paro. It was built in the 7th century, and contained many statues of the Buddha of Compassion, the one with 11 heads and 1,000 hands. It is meant to represent the spreading of Buddhism around the world. Of course, no photos are allowed in a temple, so I have no pictures to show you of the Buddhas.
Bhutan's oldest temple
Just outside the temple grounds was one of Paro's crematoriums. In Bhutan, when a person dies, the family is responsible for taking care of the body and cremating it. No autopsies are ever conducted, nor organ donations, because it is believed that if something is removed from a person's body their spirit will hang around searching for the part. There are rituals conducted after a person's death that carry on for at least 49 days, but I couldn't begin to remember everything Yeshey told us about them. I do remember that it's considered bad luck to cry at a cremation or during the rituals because the dead person's spirit will become confused and not travel on to wherever it's supposed to go (here's where a Buddhism for Dummies book would come in handy). Yeshey also told us that the ashes are scattered in a river, with one piece of bone reserved to either take to a holy river (like the Ganges), or to be ground up with mud, formed into a cone, and left in an auspicious location (see one of the photos above for an example). The whole process is very formalized, hands on, and personal.
The crematorium. The stone fire pit in the middle is filled level with wood, the body is tied in a fetal position and placed on top, and then more wood is piled on. The men of the family must attend to the fire until everything is thoroughly burned, turning the body six time to ensure it burns evenly. All of the ashes, human and wood, are then gathered up into a bag to be taken to a river.
A cremation was going to be taking place the night we visited the area, so a family was setting up tents for the night. I don't remember how long after death the cremation takes place, but the crematoriums are busy enough that a family has to make a reservation for one's use as soon as a person dies.
What a fabulous day...and exhausting. I was more than happy to forego another shopping opportunity in favor of a hot shower and time to relax. I was ready for a day off from touring, but not really ready to leave Bhutan. There's just so much more of this wonderful country to see.
