Immeasurable Sorrows

I climbed down the valley, below my hamlet;

I turned back towards the home,

I saw my dear mother looking after me;

Not through the eyes of window, but on the hills,

My beloved brothers, sister and relatives;

Shading a sorrowful tears repeatedly,

My youngest brother waved the scarf;

Which was white, was desperate one,

I myself being the son of my beloved mother,

I shaded the tears a lot on the facing hills.

I do not want to step down the valley;

However, it’s all my way to Thimphu.

If I stay back, I have to go for studies;

If I go on, I have no choice than to shade tears,

Yet I proceeded and stepped down the valley;

Keeping my beloved parents and relatives,

Up on the pinnacle of hamlet, Gaptang;

Two of us proceeded towards the bus stop,

After having being walking for an hour and half;

I arrived at the bus stop, near roadside.

Sun left me behind and went off the west,

Halt night at relatives’ abode at eleven o’clock.

Early in the next morning, I woke up, and;

I cleansed my ugly face and I shaded,

My sorrowful tears once more looking back;

Bus horned; I get readied, waited by roadside,

Along with unknown friends plied to capital,

My journey for two days met with my friends;

All were one of the best friends, undeniably.

Tachok Lhakhang

Magnificently, perched on the hillside overlooking the Paachu River, stands the Tachog Lhakhang. It is located in the territory Paro valley and is first stop for the tourists, who enter the country via Paro International Airport and heading to Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan –the land of Thunder Dragon.

The Lhakhang is built opposite side of the Thimphu-Paro highway and one must definitely cross one of Thangthong Gyalpo’s bridges to get to the temple. Thangthong Gyalpo was also called as Drupthob Thangthong Gyalpo. He was the only man who built the iron chain bridges in Bhutan in the 1400s, and is said to have built around 108 bridges around Tibet and Bhutan, where numerous bridges are still in use.

Tachok lhakhang is visited and watched by almost all the tourist come tom Bhutan. The lhakhang is owned by private, nevertheless the tourist are allowed to go in if consent is granted. It is believed that Tachog Lhakhang was built by his son Dewa Zangpo in 14^th century; keeping in mind the vision his father Thangthong Gyalpo visualized the establishing the monastery bearing the name Tachok Lhakhang.

Brief Biography of Thangthong Gyalpo

Thangthong Gyalpo was born in 1385 and died in 1464. He was originally from Tibet and flown into Bhutan to construct iron bridges. He was a great Buddhist, a yogi, physician, blacksmith, architect, and revolutionary civil engineer in the past. It is understood that he have built scores of iron chain suspension bridges around Tibet and Bhutan in various places.

He was called as Chakzampa (bridge-builder) is name accredited to him. He was the famous Tibetan saints known by his name Drubthop Thangthong Gyalpo. He is well thought-out to be a patron saint of Tibetan medicine and the founding father of Ache Lhamo. The Ache Lhamo was composed by him to collect fund for building suspension bridges. He recruited villagers to perform opera. He built the bridges over the extensive Himalayan Rivers to allow access by pilgrims to the sacred Buddhist sites, for trade purposes and other reasons.

Arrival of Thangthong Gyalpo in Bhutan

In the year 1433, he came to Bhutan. He then preached the people in different localities. He found large iron ore deposit in western Bhutan. Bhutan being craggy mountainous terrain did not even found alternatives to use raft and ferry connections like in Tibet. To connect various regions together and pilgrim sites, despite having precipitous gorges and torrential rivers, he started building bridges using iron ore found in Bhutan.

To construct iron bridges over the massive rivers, he then introduced the practice of making easier access to one another regions. As and when he travels to the south-western Bhutan, he visited the place where iron ores are found. He then associated with the blacksmiths of Chang Dungkar of Paro. The 18 blacksmiths from Chang Dungkar associated with him to forge iron and more chain links. He found iron ore at Tachok, where present day Tachok Lhakhang stands. Chang Dungkar is present day above airport, Paro. Therefore, he is said to be the first person to use heavy iron chains to construct suspension bridges.

He erected a bridge across the Paachu to Tachok lhakhang. The lhakahng was built his first successors. The iron bridge was then destroyed by high water in 1969. The chains were washed away by river and some parts are rescued. The rescued chains are kept in the attic of the hut behind the lhakhang. It was saddest parts of the incident for all because it was built by Thangthong Gyalpo himself.

To make sure the access to the important Tachok across the swift flowing Paachu River, the modern suspension bridge was built after 1969. It was then used to commute to and fro by the people. In 2005, the iron chain bridge over the Paachu River was re-erected. The iron chains used in the bridges are secured chains of Tachok itself and some 4 chains originates from Doksum, Trashi yangtse, which was dismantled in 2004.

Today, this iron chain bridge is one if the tourists spots in the country. And for Bhutanese who heard about iron chain bridges and have never seen in reality, to witness how it is beautifully erected.  This is pioneering example for our modern architects and it also exhibit how durable the chains are.

As and when you all journey to Paro from other districts, please never forget to have glimpse over Tachok lhakhang and also iron chain bridges over Paachu River. Remember, it is only few kilometers drive from Chuzhom.

Pilgrimage to Chumophu (Chumbu)

Chumophu Monastery, Paro

Early in the morning of 14^th May, 2014 coinciding with 15^th Day of Bhutanese calendar, I woke up early in the morning with exciting mood on my face. Then the preparations for expedition to the religious site, which is of a day long walk from nearest road head to and fro. I felt that I am luckiest person to visit such an important and sacred Nye on the day of Sangay Nangwa Thayae.

Our journey then started from heart of Paro town by 9am in the morning, to Chumophu, which is better known as Chumbu. It is located exactly to North-East of Paro valley which is of two hours walk from nearest road head in Doteng Gewog.

The footpath which leads to Chumophu is long, but it was nice experience to walk up the hill through thick forest along the Doteng Chu River. Along the way, the suspension bridges are constructed with help from Royal Government of Bhutan. One of the two suspension bridges was collapsed and we had to pass through wooden bridge installed below it.

On the way to Chumophu, we are blessed with Nyes on the way and there are numbers of holy places. Chumophu is located in the middle of thick forests, where the place is said and believed that Ugyen Guru Rinpoche (Lotus born Tantric Master) blessed. It was then blessed and its one of the many sacred places of Guru Rinpoche, which was left with many hidden treasures. We scrutinized and observed the holy places with the help of signboards that are placed there. We read it and eye-witnessed the shapes and signs depicted on the massive rocks.

There are several Drupchus (the Holy waters) such as Life Drupchus of Guru Rinpoche, Khando Yeshey Tshogyel, and others. Apart from Drupchus, there are Drupkhangs (Meditation caves) of Guru Rinpoche, Khando Yeshey Tshogyel and other lamas of ancient times.

After we finished visiting all the religious sites on the way, we finally reached the main temple. The Nye was discovered by temple Chief Abbot of Bhutan, the 9^th Je Khenpo Shakya Rinchen and built monastery over there. Later on, he meditated there and offered lakh prostrations. 

The main statue of the temple is Dorje Phagmo (Vajravarahi) standing on air. In Tibetan belief and even in ours, “Dorje Phagmo is believed to be the manifestation of the consort of the Wrathful Deity Demchok (Heruka). She is the highest female incarnation in Tibet and the third highest ranking person in the hierarchy after the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama. She was listed among the highest ranking reincarnations at the time of the fifth Dalai Lama recognized and acknowledged by the emperors of Qing China.” mentioned in the Wikipedia.

It is believed that the Dorje Phagmo statue is discovered from the lake. History says that the statue was smaller size than present one. The monastery was called as Tsari Nyipa, the name derived from Tsari Nye in Tibet which was in the verge of vanishing. The present size of the statue was the same measurement of statue in Tsari Nye in Tibet. When statue was discovered from lake, the height the statue was of a foot. But with prophesy, Je Shakya Rinchen planned to build statue of same size covering a foot height statue. Then it is believed that statue grew up to present size. Then it was placed in the temple where we can see today.

There are other statues of Kagyud Lams of ancient times. There is a lake located to the North-west to the temple.

The beautiful scenes that most of the visitors like about the site are waterfall and stunning vicinity of high mountains. The water fall is picturesquely dangles over the cliff, where we had to pass viewing it. We can also see hills and mountains, gorges and valleys of nearby and faraway places.

Though, it is not connected by road network, but still the Lam and monks resided there conducts religious ceremonies during auspicious days. There are a Lam and eight monks with two police for security purposes. During auspicious days, tens of hundreds of pilgrims visit the Nye. The Nye is one of the most sacred sites our country.

My dream to take expedition to Chumophu was accomplished. I explored each and every holy site with help from friend and asked some few questions regarding the importance and how it came to be known to the public despite Nye being located far away from settlement.

Cordyceps –the boosting business for highlanders

Cordyceps

The locally and nationally known as Yartsa- Gunbub (Yar-Summer; Tsa-Grass; Gun-Winter; Bub-Insect) is a parasitic combination of fungus (Cordyceps Sinensis) and insect (Hepialus Armoricanus). It is found at a height of 3500 meters above sea level. In our country, the people of extreme Northern parts are collecting it to make huge earning within short span of time.

Yartsa-Gunbub, the caterpillar fungus is an exotic species and known as Chinese caterpillar and has some chemicals to boost various diseases. The important chemicals found in the herb are calcium and selenium, the later being well known for its ability to enhance immunity against cancer.

Cordyceps are collected by the people of highlanders within their stipulated territory. They are allowed to collect it to make their living from earning they acquire from it. The highlanders like people of Laya, Lingzhi, Lunana, some parts of Wangdue and Bumthang are collecting it.

During the season of collecting Cordyceps, the people of highlanders go to the site where they are supposed to pick it. They leave their children and old aged parents back at home. Yartsa-Gunbub is available when the snow melts in the higher ranges of mountains. It is during this time that people from far-flung and highland villages of Gasa, Paro, Wangdue and Bumthang district gear up to collect the Yartsa-Gunbub.

It is priced very high internationally. In the local market, it fetches little lesser amount. It plays an important role in boosting the economy of the particular areas and nation as a whole. The prices for the Yartsa-Gunbub depend upon the quality of the herbs. It is auctioned in various places in the country and exported to other countries of the world.

Owing to its chemical contain, it is used to manufacture medicines for all kind of diseases.

In Bhutanese traditions, there is habit of consuming cordyceps row. The people who consume alcohol put a cordyceps in it and as and when it gets semi-dissolved, then they take a sip to swallow it. Some make it into powder and mix with tea and other drinkable or eatable substances.

The collection of Cordyceps starts mid May and will go until June or July. The highlanders are already in high mountain sites to collect it to make their living for rest of the year, support their children in