Bewitching Bhutan Day Four: Journey from Thimphu to Punakha with Sight-Seeing En route: Dorchula Pass, Druk Wangyal Khang Zhang (108) Chortens; Chimi Lakhang (The Temple of Fertility) and Punakha Dzong (Fortress)

Monday, May 11, 2026

Bewitching Bhutan!

Day Four: Journey from Thimphu to Punakha with Sight-Seeing En route: Dorchula Pass, Druk Wangyal Khang Zhang (108) Chortens; Chimi Lakhang (The Temple of Fertility) and Punakha Dzong (Fortress)

Another night in Thimphu, Bhutan’s modern capital, saw us awake in time for showers and breakfast in Hotel Migmar. In the restaurant in the lobby, we found hordes of people as large tour groups use this space. The lobby is beautifully decorated with stylized Bhutanese interior decoration, including several layers of dentil molding, that is then vividly painted with recognizable Buddhist motifs. The breakfast buffet offered Indian and Western choices (we chose masala omlettes with toast which we fashioned into sandwiches)--poha, sheera, fresh fruit, tea and coffee. Replete with our big meal, we were fortified for the travel and sightseeing that lay ahead.

En route to Punakha, after we had left the precincts of Thimphu valley behind, we climbed ever higher into the mountains, experiencing, once again, the thick vegetation comprising of trees that were abloom with spring foliage and flowers. There were the regular fund of hairpin bends, slim occasional waterfalls and concrete bridges that spanned deep ravines and valleys. There are no ugly billboards on the highway and only the occasional reminder, “Clean Bhutan Green Bhutan” reminds the motorist to maintain the pristine beauty of the mountains. The air is clean, green and serene—a true natural tonic for the lungs

It was not long before Dil informed us that we would be approaching one of the highest mountain passes in the world—Dorchula Pass. It was here that we would make our first stop to see a very popular tourist site.

Exploring Druk Wangyal Khang Zhang (108 ) Chortens:

This site is popular for many reasons: it is historically important, it is architecturally striking and is naturally beautiful. In a large car park, vehicles came and went in uniform order, Bhutanese guides, clad in their traditional outfits, milled around chatting informally in groups, visitors stopped for the rest room or a coffee in the adjoining café and many climbed the low mound ahead of us that wound around in a cobbled path through three tiers. Strung along the pathway were stupas or chortens in an appealing uniform design that commemorated the deaths of those brave Bhutanese soldiers who had died fighting an Assamese insurgency having taken refuge in 30 camps in Bhutan. These structures were the brain child of the Queen Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk who thought it necessary that their sacrifice should be commemorated. Their construction was completed in mid-2004 and they were later sanctified with religious rites soon after. The chortens (stupas) are red band or Khangzen chortens. They are striking because they increase in number and size as one climbs higher up the mound. In the center is a much larger chorten. I was under the impression that one could enter the central one, but I was mistaken. It is an imposing structure but it is solid and has no entrance.

What is most appealing about the chortens is their design—their colors of black, white and red sees each one topped with filigree-like lace tin gilded decoration that gives them a majestic impact. There are 45 on the lowest level, 36 in the middle and 27 at the very top. Ingenious access makes it very easy to reach the top although it is a steady climb. Surrounding this site are mountains with mist still clinging to them. Opposite the chortens is a temple, built in stylized Buddhist manner—but to access it, you need to climb another slope. Not many tourists go to the temple although it is popular with local Buddhist worshippers.

Once we took our fund of pictures, we made our way to the café for a much-needed coffee and to use the restrooms and before long, we were in our van and on our way again, Our route actually took us along the Dorchula Pass which we could not see very clearly as the entire valley was shrouded in mist. But we drove on, enjoying the passing scenery and taking in the sights of hundreds of prayer flags that were strung along the highway, particularly at dangerous points that represents blind curves. The flags are always strung in five colors: blue for sky, white for clouds, red for fire, green for water and yellow for earth. Many of them are highly decorative and aside from symbols, are covered with Buddhist scripture and pictures of leading figures.

Arrival at Chimi Lakhang:

It was not long after that we arrived in the precincts of a little village hamlet called Yowakha in which the most striking aspect was the decoration of the walls of every dwelling and shop front. The figures turned out to be phalluses represented in the most graphic way I have ever seen—a symbol of the celebration of human reproductive capabilities. Indeed, we had arrived at the site of Chimi Lakhang (Temple), one of the most celebrated and unique of Buddhist venues.

Chimi Lakhang (or the Temple of Fertility) is a monastery and temple in Punakha District. After we parked our van, we realized that to access the temple, one needed to climb a hill that was well marked, along a stone pathway. On both sides were exuberantly flowering trees and many varieties of succulents and cacti including prickly pear cactus (with which I had become well acquainted in Morocco for its miraculous power to keep facial skin youthful and wrinkle-free). As the four of us climbed to the top (Blossom elected to sit this one out at the base of the hill), we enjoyed taking in the sights of this flora

Once at the top, our guide Dil, filled us in with the information we needed to make sense of the site and its structure. He told us that the site was blessed by Drukpa Kunley (1455-1529) who also built a chorten on the site. Lama Kunley had subdued a demon of Dorchu La with his “magic thunderbolt of wisdom” and trapped it in a rock at a location close to where the chorten now stands. He came to be known as the “Mad Saint” or “Divine Madman” for his unorthodox teaching of the practice of Buddhism by singing, humor and outrageous behavior which amounted to being bizarre or shocking and evoking sex. It was he who popularized the custom of decorating walls, floors, etc. with phallic symbols. In course of time, this lama and his site became known for their fertility rituals and were frequented by couples seeking conception. In fact, there is a thick album inside the temple (which we visited later) which contains pictures of the vast number of couples who, through the years, found wish-fulfillment after visiting this temple and carrying out the rituals—including pictures of the children that were the result of such miracles.

When we did eventually enter the temple, after leaving footwear outside, we were told not to take any photographs. A gigantic statue of Lama Kunley is in the center surrounded by other important Buddhist deities and the stylized iconography of the Buddhist religion: lotuses, flowers, animals, birds, etc. This altar is also the receptable of the original wooden phallus that Kuney brought to Bhutan from Tibet. It is the most sacred object in this temple and is used in fertility rituals regularly. Women seeking to conceive are told to walk with it on their backs and take several rounds encircling the altar and temple. Indeed, in Bhutan, symbols of the erect penis are used everywhere to drive away the evil eye and malicious gossip.

When we emerged from the dark interior of the temple into blazing sunlight, we made our way to the row of prayer wheels that line one exterior wall. We turned those wheels while walking in a long line and then gradually returned along the gentle sloping hill pathway towards our van. However, we were attracted to the shops with their many handicrafts. It was the first time we would enter the shops or find the time to browse in them. All sorts of Buddhist handicrafts from expensive thangkas (religious wall hangings that are painted or embroidered), prayer wheels, jewelery, textiles in the form of scarves, bags, purses, etc. as well as any number of phalluses in varied forms of decoration (most painted or lacquered) were available for sale and I found a nice pair of ear-rings in this spot. Other members of our group also did a little bit of shopping before we piled back into our van for the final lap into Punakha.

Arrival in Punakha and Visit to Punakha Dzong:

Punakha has strategic and historic importance. It was the capital and the seat of government until 1955. It is 72 kms from Thimphu and takes 3 hours along a motorable mountainous highway to access from the modern capital. It is at a much lower elevation than Thimphu, which explains why it is much warmer than Thimphu.

After we left our van in the car park, after having spotted the architecturally striking Dzong (or fortress) for quite a while along the snaking road that leads to its entrance, we followed our guide Dil to the gate and discovered, to our delight, that we had to cross over a beautiful stylized wooden bridge to get over to the other bank. The raging river below us flowed into the distant mountains and made for some lovely photo ops. While crossing the bridge too, we took several photographs all the while sighing at the beauty presented by the entire bank of flowering jacaranda trees as we had arrived at the right time—Spring—when these beautiful lavender flowers lend their color to the scene.

we arrived on the other side, we were aware of the fact that Tibetan lamas or monks frequent this spot as it is constructed in keeping with Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Punakha Dzong was constructed in 1637 and is known as the Palace of Great Happiness. It’s location was especially chosen because of its close proximity to the Mo Chu and Po Chu rivers and because it stands at the center of some of the most fertile agricultural land in the country, known for its vast rice-farming enterprise. It is the monastic headquarters of Bhutan’s most important religious figures and a frequent spot to which the Bhutanese royal family comes for ritualistic worship and national ceremonies. It houses a collection of the most sacred relics of the country’s religious practices, but these are located in the lakhangs (or temples) deeper inside the structure (and remain closed to the public).

But to get into the fortress, you need to climb up a single flight of really steep steps that can be daunting for the elderly. Once we accomplished that task, we found ourselves in the first courtyard—for Punakha Dzong is not only the most beautiful and significant of the dzongs in Bhutan, but it is also unique in that he contains three separate courtyards (as against two in most other dzongs). The first one is large and spacious, surrounded by buildings constructed in uniform style and decorated in unique color--red, yellow, orche, black--seen against the stark white walls of the structure. There are colonnaded corridors (similar to Gothic medieval cloisters) where, I would imagine, the monks take their exercise. There is a large white chorten (stupa) with a gold finial right in the center and a spreading banyan tree that dominate this space.

Dil sat us down as a group at this point and explained to us that each of the courtyards have a different function. The first one is used for military exercises and the annual festivals for which Bhutan is famed. Once you take in the splendor of this courtyard, you are directed to the far left end of the space where, in a rather nondescript corner, is an important glass-covered shrine housing items related to Tsochen, Queen of the Naga spritis, and decicated to snake-worship. We then passed through a very narrow corridor to enter into the second courtyard. This houses a very tall tower called the Utse with more steep stairs leading to the top. This is out of bounds to tourists and all we could do was content ourselves looking at the decorative painted elements on the façade which, once again, follows the uniform set of colors and patterns. We posed here for pictures before we followed another narrow passageway that took us into the third courtyard.

This courtyard is the most important as it is open to visitors, offers a variety of visual treats that made us take many photographs and contains a temple. In this temple are the remains of the terton, Pema Lingpa. As usual, we were quite stunned by the inside of the temple. No photography is permitted but it bore striking resemblance to the Buddhist Temple in Bylakuppe in Karnataka which we had visited last January (2025). It carries the same towering figures of Buddhist deities with Sakyamuni Buddha (Gautama) right in the center, flanked again by his aides, Guru Rimpoche and Zhabdrung that date from the 18th century. The walls, floors and ceiling are completely covered by Buddhist iconography in vivid colors while the main structure is held up by 54 pillars that also present scenes from the storied life of the Buddha. The floors are also covered with carpets and soft mattresses and visitors are welcome to lounge on them for a while in prayer or to take in the absolute wonders of the scene in front. Because there is simply so much to see, the eyes experience visual fatigue and it is for this reason that, after a while, all this magnificence blurs into one grand feeling of disbelief.

Once we left this final courtyard, we traced our steps back to the entrance. While passing the huge prayer wheel, we walked around to turn it and hear the striking bell. Then, very gingerly, we descended that steep flight of stairs, focusing completely on the task at hand. We reunited with Blossom who had waited patiently for us and then crossed the wooden cantilevered bridge, once again, to arrive at our van.

We then drove for another half an hour to arrive at our next hotel. It was charmingly located right in the midst of the mountains, far from the madding crowd. In fact, it was simply and suitably named the Zen Hotel. Once we passed through the main gated entrance, we found ourselves in a stark white courtyard whose only splash of color was a flowering deep pink bougainvillea. In the Reception (a small squat building), we picked up our keys and found that we had to get into another building (3 floors—no elevator) to find our room. Thankfully, they were all on the first floor—so all we had to do was climb one flight of stairs. Our rooms were equally plain—white walls, soft, serene bed linen, no wall hangings, paintings or any decoration. This was the Zen spirit. I peeped outside our window and discovered that we were on a very narrow road that curved around a mountain. I liked the fact that each of our hotels was in a different sort of location: it really did give us a taste of different Bhutanese landscapes and it was good to get away from urbanity into the verdant arms of emerald-clad mountains.

Winding Down for the Day in our Zen Hotel in Punakha:

As all our rooms were adjoining each other, we decided to meet in Blossom’s room (dual aspect and lovely single sofas and a coffee table) to enjoy peach wine, some nutty nibbles plus something we began to call ‘Octopus’ which we had picked up from the Centenary Bazaar in Thimphu. It was a savory snack, shaped like the tentacles of an octopus and it went really well with drinks. After much laughter and reminiscing about our day, we went down for dinner

Dinner was served in a lovely big dining area (restaurant) with a bar attached. There was a buffet there and many white tourists—the first we’d seen on our travels. As usual, we had soup, plus rice, roti, papad, pickle, a none-veg chicken curry dish, two vegetables (one is always potato and this was made with Bhutanese cheese), green salad (simply chopped up tomatoes, onions and cucumber) and tinned fruit with cream for dessert. By this point (as Indian cuisine is not my favorite), I grew tired of the same offerings and really longed for something else (but I am aware that since the majority of the tourists here are Indians with very unadventurous palates, they cater to their needs—so no complaints).

And filled again with lovely impressions of our day, we decided to hit the sack and return to the restaurant at 8.00 am for breakfast.

Until tomorrow, keep smiling…