BEAUTIFUL BHUTAN: Cloud 9 Experience!

Some of the most beautiful experiences in life have a straight genesis, perfect ending and leave a trail of everlasting memory in our mind. I felt more privileged when I was given an opportunity to travel to Bhutan on an official visit for three days. My experiences in this Himalayan kingdom are exotic and stay in this beautiful land was a real soul searching for tranquility.

My departure date was finalized and my itinerary was planned perfectly. The journey from Raichur to Hyderabad airport for three hours was not so much painstaking, thinking of flying from Hyderabad to Kolkata & Kolkata to Thimphu, Bhutan. I boarded the late night flight from Hyderabad to Kolkata and the waiting lounge in Hyderabad international airport was worth waiting in better facilities. My flight landed late night in Kolkata Airport and to my surprise the domestic terminal weared a sleepy look and maintenance guys were busy in pulling their gears for a massive work up. After collecting my luggage, I came to know the next day hardtal against the central government for rise in prices. Literally confused & terrified, no flight departing from Kolkata and I was burning my midnight oil for enquiring the flight schedules & Druk airways office which flies to Bhutan the next day. My English & half baked Hindi  made me feel alien in that Bengali land. At last a guy helped me out to reach Druk airways office in the next international terminal. I reached the office and found it closed as it was late in the night. I felt queasy and ill at that ungodly and unheavenly hour, keeping my fingers crossed in the waiting lounge.

 Modern Monk !

A Buddhist monk came approaching m e w i t h h i s shoulde r pa c k , American tourister backpack, Reebok shoes and gold plated wristwatch with a trendy hand phone. He smiled at me and I greeted him in return. My infectious smile befriended the monk within few minutes and I introduced myself to him and I learnt that his name is Lama (Monk) Karma, coming from Thailand after delivering a Buddhist religious discourse. He too was worried about the flight status the next day. Meanwhile our conversation went about Buddhism & Bhutan and I was keen to learn some facts about Bhutan without knowing, I will be flying to Bhutan or not. The anxious night passed in the lounge with the lama. By early morning I approached a coffee shop vendor asking the flight schedules. He said that there is no change in the departure as Druk Air schedule, as it flies early in the morning before the official hardtal timings. I thanked the politicians for having their time sense and broke the good news to Lama with a cup of freshly brewed hot coffee. When the baggage counter of Druk Airlines opened, we first dumped our luggage and got our boarding passes

and passed through immigration.

Cloud 9 Experience !

We boarded the flight after passing the routine welcome gesture from the air hostess and I occupied my window seat in economy class and the monk occupied his seat in Business class. I fastened my seat belt & observed the universal safety demonstrations by the air hostess, how to survive in an emergency?! (She demonstrated how to inflate the life jacket when the flight crash lands in water, but my plane will be flying over Himalayas.) The take off was smooth and finally I was flying from the land of hardtals to the land of thunder dragons. I could see the empty roads in Kolkata streets and the buildings shrinking in my eyes and disappearing in the clouds.

During the cruise, when the seat belt signs are switched off the air hostess approached me with her beautiful smile and said “Sir, would you like to have the seat in business class along with the monk. I accepted the angels offer and I occupied the seat in Business class. I wondered the Monks influence even in the troposphere and I felt the real experience of cloud 9 at that moment. My flight pierced the white Himalayan clouds at the rate of 960km/hr at an altitude of 32,000 ft. The flight was bumpy while penetrating the ash clouds due to bad monsoon weather; I closed my eyes tightly as I felt butterflies in my stomach and my neurons went to recollect the air hostess safety demonstrations.

Bountiful Bhutan !

The flight descended as we reached the Paro Airport and the view was stunning.We're flying so low I could almost count the crowns of pine trees in the steep forests below. Soon I could see the branches on the trees, mingling tentatively with loose tufts of vapor, whispering the presence of a mystery.  The view of the airport in the amidst of green deep valley was picturesque. It was an untouched haven filled with greenery, low and feathery clouds surpassing the Buddhist monasteries, Prayer flags fluttering in the hills, pristine river waters from Himalayas. Children on mountain roads stopped to wave enthusiastically as the plane descends below the clouds. I've been told that a safe arrival in the Paro airport takes a skilled aviator as the airport lies in between the valley of mountains. The flight landed and docked in the bay and I deplaned from the flight and took breath of fresh Himalayan air. The immigration & customs was quite easy and the immigration officer asked me the purpose of visit. I replied that I'm on the official visit to Bhutan and guest of Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC). He stamped my passport and wished me pleasant stay in Bhutan.

Dressed in the traditional gho (kind of like bathrobe man wear it over shirt and boxers down to their knees and pull up their socks) the assistant HR Manager of RCSC Mr.Sangay Dorji was surveying the crowd of passengers who had just deplaned with my name on his placard. I felt so distinguished and I smiled at him. He quickly recognized  me and escorted me to the cab. Meanwhile I introduced the monk Karma to Dorji. He quickly agreed to take the monk with us in our cab up to Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan.

The journey from Paro airport to Thimphu capital city of Bhutan was scenic.  The small Para town's architecture was stunning and encompassed meticulous carvings with wide array of colors. The  Paro chhu (River) flows along the Thimphu road with its gushing sound in the rocks. I was enjoying the ride while Dorji and Monk were busy among themselves. I interrupted them because of their language dialects and learnt Dhongkha was their National language. (I tried to spell it correctly for 5 times but I failed) I learnt some Dhongkha during the journey “Kuzuzangpo La” and “Tashi Delek” meaning Greetings & Thank you.

Mr Sangay Dorji being very young was very much curious to know about India and particularly bollywood. He even watched “3 idiots” for 6 times in Bhutan.I wondered the power of Bollywood magic in this remote and landlocked country.

Upon entering Thimphu, I noticed the marked difference between two cities, while Paro is protected haven relatively untouched with vast greenery and stunning architecture and Thimphu is bustling with city life and has a cultural identity. We dropped the monk in his monastery in the outskirts of Thimphu city and I thanked the monk for his bonhomie.

My stay was arranged in Hotel Kisa by RCSC, a boutique hotel in the heart of city. I enquired the front desk staff for the wi-fi connection or internet facility near by because of my obsession for internet. To my surprise the Hotel had wi-fi internet facility. Young women in kiras (Traditional Attires for females) rushed out to shift my bags to room. They seemed confused and embarrassed when I try to tip them. (Indian culture). None reached out their hands in response to my offering of folded Ngultrums. (Bhutan Currency) They went back away, smiling. Tiresome journey and strong appetite forced me to have quick shower and lunch. My next two days of programme was briefed by Royal Civil Service Commission persons along with the officials from Ministry of Human Resources, Government of India in the evening tea session. After the brief meeting, I went for a walk in the tinsel city. The roads were moderately busy with more young peoples freaking out in modern attires and some old age people in their traditional Bhutan dress.  The climate was cool and chill breeze intruded my jacket.  I enjoyed the mystic climate.

I woke up early the next morning, rehearsed my presentations for the day. The day passed uneventful and in noon I visited to Jigme Wangchuck National Referral Hospital,   the only tertiary care hospital in Bhutan with latest facilities, funded by Government of India.  I met some Indian nurses (Chetans & Chechis) from Kerala interacted with them and appreciated their indomitable spirit towards their service in any corner of the world.

Wangchuk Dynasty !

I had an opportunity to meet the Indian Ambassador for Bhutan at the Indian Embassy.  The meeting lasted for thirty minutes discussing the educational scenario in India & Bhutan. Enroute from Indian Embassy to hotel, all the vehicles in the road halted suddenly and the drivers came out of their vehicles and looking forward for someone. I learnt the King will be passing by and the locals stop themselves to show their respect to him. I was fortunate to have the glimpse of the King sitting front in his vehicle. The royal family from the Wangchuk dynasty seems to be truly revered by the local people. I learnt that the Oxford graduated King Jigme Namgyal Khesar Wangchuck was instrumental in fulfilling the concept & vision of Gross National Happiness (GNH) as alternative to the most of world's fixation to GDP. The term GNH was catchy for me and I was briefed by Dorji that Bhutan measures its success & economy not by GDP but by GNH. 

Further he added that Bhutan is happiest country in the world because of its lack of dependence in material items & power and their major income comes from exporting Hydro electric Power to India.

I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend some days in that independent and peaceful land with gentle people. Born in an orthodox Hindu family, raised in catholic schools, close Muslim friends since my school days, with few Sikh and Jain students my inquisitiveness to learn new cultures, religions and new ethos in all my past fascinated me to learn few things in this Himalayan land. I am so grateful for my life to have an entwined with some great persons.

While planning to go to Bhutan, I did not know what would lie ahead for me, as it was specially shaded by the mystery surroundings my Bhutan travel because of hardtal & but the Monk presence at that ungodly & upheavaly hour, the prospect was turned into my reality. Three days in Bhutan I explored the pristine environment and learned some beauty of Bhutanese culture.

Walking through the Himalayan hills deepened my appreciation of nature; spinning prayer wheels at the dawn gave me inspiration to continue my path with great dedication.

Tashi Delek

(This was published in the first issue of my college magazine - Nectar. )