Day 12 – The unrolling of the thangka

Yes, the wake-up call this morning at 3 am is very painful, but we do get up very early for a good cause. After all, today is the last day of the tshechu and it begins at night with the unrolling of the gigantic thangka, the Paro Thongrol, which depicts Gurou Rinpche and his eight manifestations.

When we arrive at the site at 3.45am, the thangka (a huge cloth) has already been unrolled, but we are in time for the Shugdrel, the ceremony led by the dzong head. During this impressive ceremony in the pitch dark by candlelight and which takes place in front of the canvas, blessings and offers are made. Meanwhile, the monks line up to touch the canvas as a blessing. We too shuffle forward to touch the thangka for maybe one or two seconds, as if it is a precious relic. We are still looking for the secret of happiness, aren't we?

After the ceremony we leave for the so-called Tiger's Nest, the Taktsang. This is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the Himalayas and has thirteen holy places. According to tradition, Guru Rinpoche arrived here in the 8th century on the back of a flying tigress. For three months he meditated in a rock and converted the valley to Buddhism. The Tigers Nest is not so easy to reach. The walk goes over difficult terrain with a start at 2,500 to finish at 3,000 m. For those who don't like this, small Mongolian horses or mules are provided. These animals are not trained and are mainly used as pack animals, which makes them quite happy to go up the outer edge. Anyone who remembers my adventure in Santorini realizes that this is not an option. Go on foot, even less. For experienced hikers and climbers, the climb takes at least an hour. That climb ends halfway on the route to the Tiger's Nest, so it's only for a photo from a distance that you have to do it. I wisely decide to sit out this ride with a few more traveling companions. We also have a view of the nest from below, although not the impressive view that you have higher up.

On our way to the hotel for lunch, we stop again at the Kyichu Temple, which we couldn't visit yesterday due to the presence of the Queen Mother. Today everything seems calm. This temple actually consists of two temples, an old one from the 7th century and a newer one that dates from much later.

When we leave, we almost bump into a clearly important delegation. Turns out to be the President of Parliament. He shakes our hands and likes to chat with us. He answers our questions, takes a picture with us and finally asks us to be ambassadors of Bhutan. For example, we learn that Bhutan has now established diplomatic relations with 53 countries. That support comes primarily from India, but also important support from Switzerland, Austria and Denmark. The support from Belgium comes primarely in the form of the presence of NGOs. We joke that if we come back to this temple tomorrow we will probably get to see the king 😀.

After a nice lunch, we get an extra treat with a visit to the first flower show in Bhutan, in the gardens of the dzong. We end the day at the Ta Dzong, the watchtower. The National Museum is located here. Part of the tower, the round part to be precise, was badly damaged in an earthquake in 2011.

The Minister of Finance appears to be staying in our hotel, together with a monk, who is said to be the reincarnation of Guru Rinpoche. Their presence is brightened by music and dance. What lucky people we are. Maybe happiness is in each of us, and we need to open up ourselves to accept that happiness.