December 12, 2005 - Mountain Passes and Madmen
We left the city today to make or way farther east, and a bit back into time.
The van climbed up the just-a-bit-wider-than-one-lane-road, pulling over onto the shoulder when each oncoming car came by. Over the next hour or two, we journeyed up to 10,500 feet across the Dochula pass. At the crest, there was an amazing shrine. The landscape was carpeted with prayer flags. I’ve always loved how the colors of prayer flags dance in the wind, usually contrasted by the surrounding harsh environment of high mountain peaks. Yet, I understood very little about them. This trip has been an amazingly educational experience, largely due to the knowledge of Passang, our guide. I learned about the prayers that are written on the flags, the proper days to fly them, and the important guidelines that need to be observed when positioning them. There is so much to learn that it is often a challenge to digest. The little that I have learned about Buddhism in college, I’ve approached as an intellectual pursuit. It has been quite experience learning about Buddhism from individuals who are spiritually guided by this religion. I very much look forward to another week of exploration.
We approached the countryside and arrived at the Punakha Dzong, the former winter capital and present administrative seat of the district. The Dzong is also the winter residence of the central monastic body and its Chief Abbot. The sun was crawling over the mountains and the Dzong was blanketed in warming light. Punakha Dzong is surrounded by two rivers, framing this lovely site perfectly.
We were allowed into the inner hall of the Dzong. Dozens of young monks were receiving their lessons. The light shown through the windows and gently illuminated the corners of the hall in beautiful light. I tried to experience this place fully with all senses and my memory was not allowed the assistance of my camera.
The day ended with a walk through the fields of the mountainside, up to the Temple of the Holy Mad-Man. We met the children of this village along the way. One child requested a pen which I was happy to oblige. Others were playing happily and became even more enthusiastic when they saw themselves in the LCD of my camera.
We reached the inner halls of the temple above and were fortunate enough to experience a very special ceremony. Amongst the guttural but beautiful chanting of a gathering of the more senior monks, the Abbot was giving special blessings. I still have little understanding of the ceremony but am glad to have had this rare opportunity to participate.
As we head farther east, the landscape has changed from the busy streets of Bhutan’s capital to the forested lands of its countryside. Children wear more tattered clothes and have more dirt of their faces. The lights are dimmer. But, this journey is getting richer and richer.
The van climbed up the just-a-bit-wider-than-one-lane-road, pulling over onto the shoulder when each oncoming car came by. Over the next hour or two, we journeyed up to 10,500 feet across the Dochula pass. At the crest, there was an amazing shrine. The landscape was carpeted with prayer flags. I’ve always loved how the colors of prayer flags dance in the wind, usually contrasted by the surrounding harsh environment of high mountain peaks. Yet, I understood very little about them. This trip has been an amazingly educational experience, largely due to the knowledge of Passang, our guide. I learned about the prayers that are written on the flags, the proper days to fly them, and the important guidelines that need to be observed when positioning them. There is so much to learn that it is often a challenge to digest. The little that I have learned about Buddhism in college, I’ve approached as an intellectual pursuit. It has been quite experience learning about Buddhism from individuals who are spiritually guided by this religion. I very much look forward to another week of exploration.
We approached the countryside and arrived at the Punakha Dzong, the former winter capital and present administrative seat of the district. The Dzong is also the winter residence of the central monastic body and its Chief Abbot. The sun was crawling over the mountains and the Dzong was blanketed in warming light. Punakha Dzong is surrounded by two rivers, framing this lovely site perfectly.
We were allowed into the inner hall of the Dzong. Dozens of young monks were receiving their lessons. The light shown through the windows and gently illuminated the corners of the hall in beautiful light. I tried to experience this place fully with all senses and my memory was not allowed the assistance of my camera.
The day ended with a walk through the fields of the mountainside, up to the Temple of the Holy Mad-Man. We met the children of this village along the way. One child requested a pen which I was happy to oblige. Others were playing happily and became even more enthusiastic when they saw themselves in the LCD of my camera.
We reached the inner halls of the temple above and were fortunate enough to experience a very special ceremony. Amongst the guttural but beautiful chanting of a gathering of the more senior monks, the Abbot was giving special blessings. I still have little understanding of the ceremony but am glad to have had this rare opportunity to participate.
As we head farther east, the landscape has changed from the busy streets of Bhutan’s capital to the forested lands of its countryside. Children wear more tattered clothes and have more dirt of their faces. The lights are dimmer. But, this journey is getting richer and richer.
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