Ta Dzong translates to watch tower. The national museum was originally built as a watch tower above the Paro Dzong. Unlike other Dzongs in the country, Ta Dzong has a cylindrical structure. The sturdy watch tower has a two and a half meter thick wall with traditional windows at every level around the structure. There are historical accounts of the watch tower being used as a prison during the times of war.
After remaining uninhabited for a long time, His Majesty the Third King commanded the restoration of the tower and was inaugurated as a textile museum in 1968. Today the museum has many ancient artifacts and natural history on display. Some of the highlights include an egg laid by a mule, a horse horn, stone axe which dates back to the Stone Age.
(Traditionally, Dzongs were always built on hilltops or a strategic mountain spurs so that the occupants would have geographical advantage against their enemies in the event of attacks, which were quite frequent back then. And in the event of the Dzong being built on the side of the valley wall, a watchtower would invariably be built to serve as a lookout spot. Likewise, the Ta Dzong was built on a vintage spot directly above the Paro Dzong. It was built under the patronage of the Second Druk Desi Ngoenpa Tenzin Drukdra. The design of the structure is said to resemble the union of the sun and the moon, the blend of which is believed to symbolize victory and fame. It provided accommodation for the soldiers while at the same time serving as a prison for the prisoners of war. It is said that an underground tunnel connects the watchtower to the water source below. Sometime in 1872, when the country was still embroiled in internal feuds, Ugyen Wangchuck, the Crown Prince back then (and later the First Hereditary Monarch of Bhutan), was held hostage at the Ta Dzong. He had been sent by his father, the Trongsa Penlop Jigme Namgyal, to suppress a revolt and capture the Paro Dzong. A plot to assassinate the young Prince had been hatched but the timely discovery of the plot by Jigme Namgyel eventually resulted in the Prince’s life being saved.
In 1968, the Ta-Dzong, after being renovated, was established as a National Museum under the command of His Majesty the Third King of Bhutan Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. Today the National Museum has in its possession over three thousand works of art, covering more than 1,500 years’ worth of Bhutan’s cultural heritage. Although built with only stones and wood, without the use of nails or a blueprint as in the case of all other similar religious Bhutanese monuments, the structure proved to be much stronger than the rest. As an irrefutable testament to that fact, historical records reveal that it remained unscathed despite the massive 1714 earthquake which is said to have lasted for almost fifteen days. The Museum houses some of the finest specimens of Bhutanese art. The rich holding of various creative traditions and disciplines represent a truly remarkable blend of the past with the present and is a major attraction for local and foreign visitors alike.
Unfortunately the Ta Dzong suffered damages during the last earthquake in 2011 and is currently undergoing renovation due to which the exhibits are currently on display in an adjacent building. But it is due to reopen as the nation’s premier museum as soon as the renovation works are completed. )
Chorten Kora stupa in Trashiyangtse is a significant sacred pilgrimage site in eastern Bhutan. Built over a period of 12 years around 1740 by Lama Ngawang Loday, it is said to be modeled after the Boudhanath stupa in Nepal. It is also believed that a Dakini girl was sealed alive of her own free will inside the stupa as an offering from the Dakpa people of Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh.
Crossing the Chele La Pass at an elevation of 3, 988 meters above sea level (from where we get to enjoy excellent views of Mount.
At Tachog Lhakhang you will be crossing a six hundred year old bridge built by the renowned iron bridge builder Drubthob (or the Realized and Accomplished One) Thangtong Gyelpo, a fourteenth century saint who built over fifty eight iron bridges throughout Tibet and Bhutan, mainly with the intent of helping pilgrims get to holy places.
Haa, one of the most beautiful valleys in Bhutan, was only opened to tourists as late as 2001. The sacred worth of the valley is complemented by the two sacred temples – Lhakhang Karpo and the Lhakhang Nagpo.
Kila Nunnery, popularly referred to as Chele La Gompa straddles the cliff facing Paro, with great views of Paro valley and Jele Dzong.
Gangtey is one of the most beautiful destinations in Bhutan. It is a wide glacial valley with a central stream meandering through the open grassland and thickets of dwarf bamboo.
Tashichho Dzong has been the seat of the government since 1952 and presently houses the throne room and offices of the King, the Secretariat and the Ministries of Home Affairs and Finance. Other government departments are housed in buildings nearby.
Behind the Punakha Dzong stretches the Punakha Suspension Bridge, the second longest of its kind in Bhutan. Connecting the Punakha Dzong with the Punakha town, the suspension bridge spans over 350 meters and dangles above the meandering Pho Chhu river.
The bazaar was initiated in 2011 to provide Bhutanese artisans a platform to display and sell their products. It showcases a wide range of authentic made-in-Bhutan arts and craft products.
Weaving is an integral component of the culture and tradition of Bhutan. With the aim to preserve and promote this living art, the Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan was instituted in May 2005 under the patronage of Her Majesty Gyalyum (Queen Mother) Sangay Choden Wangchuck as a non-government, non-profit organization.
We Bhutanese treasure our traditional art forms and deem it crucial to preserve them as part of our cultural and religious heritage. It is what gives us our unique identity.
The Takin, which the locals refer to as ‘Drong Gyemtsi’ is the National Animal of Bhutan. It has the face of a goat and the body of a cow. The unique looking animal is associated with Drukpa Kunley, a fifteenth century saint, commonly referred to by Westerners as the ‘Divine Madman,’ and sometimes even as ‘The Original Gangsta of Tantra’ due to his unorthodox ways of teaching.
Crossing a small cantilever bridge over the Wang Chhu it is a steady climb up hill. People maintain that Zhabdrung spent upto three years in retreat at Cheri.
This nice offbeat hike will take about two hours, depending on your stamina. There is a well-laid path and the climb isn’t very steep as well. The pathway to the monastery is lined with pine and rhododendron trees, colorful prayer-flags, cute resting spots, prayer wheels, Chortens and meditation huts.
There are very few things in life that are as satisfactory as a hot stone bath to help you unwind after a long day.
Built sometime in the seventh century by the Tibetan Buddhist King SongstenGyempo, KyichuLhakhang is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan and is of prime interest for art connoisseurs, historians, pilgrims and visitors alike.
Originally, the Dzong was referred to as ‘Rinche Pung Dzong,’ or ‘Rinpung Dzong,’ which translates as ‘Fortress on a Heap of Jewels.’ Over time it came to be known as Paro Dzong.
Though it originally used to be called Jakar Yugyal Dzong, over time, it has come to be known as Jakar Dzong, which translates as ‘White Bird Dzong,’ and owes its origins to the legend of how a white bird dramatically perched on that very spot where the Dzong was built and how it came to be interpreted as a good omen.
The micro-brewery as well as the Swiss Farm was started in 1996 Fritz Maurer, a Swiss national who got married to a Bhutanese and went on to set up a brewery, and a Swiss Farm.
Jampey Lhakhang is said to be one of the 108 temples built by the Tibetan King Songsten Gampo in 659 AD. This temple is believed to have been built in a single day in order to pin down a giant female ogress obstructing the spread of Buddhism.
The museum was established with artifacts found in the manor that had been handed down from generation to generation through the ages.
It is one of the most important sites related to Pema Lingpa the renowned Terton (Treasure Discoverer) who is attributed to have founded the monastery.
Though the valley of Tang is the most remote of Bumthang’s valleys, the Arcadian scenes are truly picture perfect. It is the most off-the-beaten track destinations around Bumthang, and is known for its sheep and buckwheat.
Perched on a small hillock that rises from the valley floor, Gangtey Monastery is a very important monastery of the Nyingmapa school of Buddhism – the main seat of the Pema Lingpa tradition.
The village of Gaselo is an ideal location for day excursions and picnics. The region is primarily agrarian and the entire landscape is characterized by the most beautiful rice fields.
Adjacent to the 108 Chortens is a memorial in honor of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Singye Wangchuck and in commemoration of the hundred years of monarchy in Bhutan.
Mojo Park is a live music venue and is a very popular weekend hangout for locals and travelers. You will get to try out local brews and interact with locals.
While on this trek, besides the scenic beauty of Himalayan ranges you will be visiting the two most revered Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Bhutan, Bumdra and Taktshang Monastery. Bumdra means ‘Rock of One Hundred Thousand Foot Prints’. The legends say that a hundred thousand Dakinis (angels) descended here and left their footprints on the rock […]
The king of Bumthang region in the 8th century fell terribly ill after falling out with the local guardian deity. Desperate to recover from the curse, he invited Guru Rinpoche to Bumthang to help the King regain his health.
Taktsang translates to The Tiger’s Nest. The monastery is situated 900 meters above the Paro valley precariously perched on a cliff. It has an equally fascinating history.
The memorial chorten in Thimphu was built in the honor of the Third King of Bhutan. The Tibetan style white washed stupa is crowned with a golden crescent moon and the sun.
The 51 meter statue of Buddha Shakyamuni sits atop a hill overlooking the Thimphu valley. Buddha Dordenma statue is one of the most prominent landmarks of Thimphu city.