Sunday, May 10, 2026
Bewitching Bhutan
Day Three: Exploring the Treasures of Thimphu—Seated Buddha Point at Dordenma, Simply Bhutan Museum, Tarkin Preserve, Folk Heritage Museum, Centenary Market.
We awoke in our hotel room at Hotel Migmar after a good night’s slumber and, as is our wont, went straight to the window to survey the scene. Thimphu still lay asleep in quiet serenity. The main road outside was devoid of traffic at that early hour and, in the distance, the dark mountains arose, standing like strong sentinels to protect the city. It was time to shower, get dressed (warmly—it was going to be a frigid morning) and descend to the restaurant for breakfast where we met the rest of the members of our group.
Breakfast was a generous buffet of Western and Indian items. In addition to hard boiled eggs, there was puri bhaji, plus toast with jam and butter (standard elements of a tourist Bhutanese breakfast), plus fresh fruit, coffee and tea. In keeping with our travel adage of consuming a hearty breakfast, a light lunch and a substantial dinner, we helped ourselves liberally.
At 9.00 am, our driver Chilay arrived as did out guide, Dil, and we were off and away for a day of strenuous sightseeing. Our first stop was the spot that’s colloquially called Buddha Point—it is Thimphu’s most visited monument and perhaps the most well-known of all Bhutanese tourist sites.
Exploring Buddha Point or Seated Buddha Dordenma or Kuensal Phodrang:
The seated Buddha statue perched high on a mountain overlooking Thimphu is the world’s largest statue of its kind. Long before you actually reach the heights of this strategic mountain, you are able to see the statue for it is so prominent that is dominates the city’s skyline. To reach the statue, you take a long and winding motorable road that offers lovely views of a uniformly planned and constructed capital city that lacks any of the eyesores of most urban settlements: no ugly human habitations, no street lights, no jarring billboards or screeching advertisements. As we made our way to the top, we passed by the military headquarters and soon found ourselves following an official convoy, probably conveying an important minister to his next destination. We thought initially that we were behind a member of the royal family as many pedestrians stood in respectful attention as the car passed. But Dil, our guide, soon told us that it was a member of Parliament, probably making his way to the Fortress of official buildings that burrow in the valley.When we did eventually get to the spot, they car park was full. We left the majority of our belongings in the van and carried along our phone-cameras only. There was a slight uphill climb to the peak of the mountain which, given the tourist season, was a bit chaotic. Vehicles wove in and out of the parking slots, guides (always male and always dressed impeccably, by the way, in the traditional ‘gho’ outfit, comprising a tartan-checked tunic with pure white cuffs on the long sleeves, knee-length dark socks and flat black shoes) were milling around and helping visitors negotiate their way to the top. At the imposing gate, we received closer views of the most imposing seated Buddha—and indeed it was a stupendous sight. Dil told us to remain seated on a low platform as he stood in a long and slow-moving line to obtain our tickets (for which, in the tour package we had purchased, we had to pay our own entry fees—Rs. 500). By the way, Indian currency is parallel tender in Bhutan and co-exists easily with Bhutanese Ngultrum (abbreviated as Nu and carrying impressions of the King on its paper versions). It was a very long time, more than half an hour, before Dil returned to us with our tickets. The wait offered us the opportunity to click pictures of a most arresting corner of Bhutan, to people watch and to marvel at the architectural design of the space.
To make our way to the entrance of the statue, we passed by at least a dozen gilded standing statues of divinities. They surrounded the high pedestal on which the Buddha (Sakyamuni, founder of Buddhism) is seated. Shot against the deep green mountains behind, they make striking pictures. As we headed closer to the entrance, the Buddha grew more sizeable (a height of 51.5 meters) and we were able to discern the tonal variations in the hollow brass statue that sits at a height of almost 3000 meters. A short flight of stairs then took us to the entrance, where in keeping with Buddhist customs, we were asked to put away our cameras, take off our caps/hats and sunglasses and maintain respectful silence. The inability to take pictures anywhere inside temples makes it necessary (and a bit frustrating) to commit all interior wonders to memory and, after a while, as one explores one temple after the other, their visual details blur into a muddle of staggering proportions.
As soon as we entered the sanctum sanctorum, we were struck as if by a thunderbolt. No amount of description on my part will do justice to what we saw before us. Every inch of wall was covered with the most exquisite frescoes as to leave us stunned. A multitude of pillars, richly embellished with gold decoration in a sort of spatial filigree, made the entire area appear palatial. The walls were covered with tiny cubicles in each of which was a miniature version of Sakyamuni Buddha in varied seated poses—each gesture signifying a different message as he attempted to attain Nirvana under the Bodhi Tree. It is hard to say how many hundreds of tiny Buddha statues encircle this space. The ceiling is heavily painted with Buddhist iconography that is simply arresting.
As we made our way deeper into the temple, we arrived at three massive statues in close proximity: in the center is Buddha Sakyamuni flanked by Guru Padmasambava (the Guru who is recognized because he sits on a lotus throne—Padma meaning lotus) and Guru Rimpoche (who is revered for bringing Buddhism to Bhutan). They are not just massive but lavishly gilded and decorated in the most elaborate manner with tin and clay figurines that surround them. I also became introduced to a unique form of Bhutanese art called dough craft—this involves the fashioning of varied shapes out of dough (just flour and water, later dried). They are used to construct sculptural figures that are either left as they are or painted in vivid colors and usually placed near the religious statues in a temple. Once again, I found myself feeling sorry that I could take no pictures as these items are so photogenic and so impossible to commit entirely to memory.
Once we had taken in the wonders of these intricate altars, we left the temple precincts and made our way back to our van—but not before we circled the entire complex on foot. The space comprises generous proportions with a flight of stairs at the back that take one down to the base. At every stage, the statue of the Buddha provides photographic opportunities, and we took many pictures as a group and as couples.
Eventually, we reached our van with the quiet satisfaction of having witnessed one of the most compelling sights in Bhutan. When we asked Dil where we were headed next, we drove by the King’s Memorial Chorten (Stupa), a large white structure by the wayside with a striking golden spire and bells. Unlike most other stupas, there are no human remains concealed within this structure. Only the Druk Gyalpo’s photo in ceremonial dress adorns a hall on the ground floor. We did not park our van or enter this monument, but were satisfied with merely photographing it from the outside before we moved on. It must be remembered that these two monuments were meant to be covered by us yesterday—but having been detained by Immigration formalities, we had lost a lot of time and needed to make up for it.
Exploring the Open-air, Interactive Museum known as ‘Simply Bhutan’:
Simply Bhutan is a big attraction among tourists in Thimphu (especially Indian tourists who are keen to ‘do’ things when they travel). After parking our van, we walked a few meters to the entrance (Rs. 500 to enter) and found ourselves in a series of small, low buildings, each of which houses a different attraction. At the outset, we were introduced to the place (this time by pretty female guides) and offered a small dram of wheat wine. It tasted like neat gin and was quite startling to the uninitiated. We were then led in groups to a small door which opened into a courtyard. In this space, two young Bhutanese men were performing a harvest dance—Bhutan is highly agricultural and the nation’s calendar is punctuated by events that coincide with the four seasons and the natural rhythm of nature. We were also, at this point, taken to a hidden corner where we were introduced to the Bhutanese Buddhist practice of phallic-worship (also present in Hinduism, if less visible and exuberant). A number of large phalluses were housed in the corner and we were explained their significance—they are part and parcel of the fertility rites that are central to Buddhist practice in this part of the world—understandable, I suppose, in a country whose population is decreasing, unlike its more prolific neighbor, India.
We then passed by a corridor filled with large masks made of wood and vividly painted—the figures, both animal and human, feature in Buddhist stories. There was also a whole wall strung with varied stringed musical instruments which introduced us to Bhutan’s musical capabilities. On we went, past another small building, where we were introduced to the making of Bhutanese Butter Tea—a staple feature of the country’s daily diet. We became acquainted with the traditional long and deep butter churners that turn milk and cream into butter (used in the tea) and cheese (used in a variety of Bhutanese dishes). Kitchen utensils and implements lined the walls and shelves of this space in a rustic collection that took us into the humble homes of peasants.
Making the Acquaintance of Pema Tshering and his Incredible Handicrafts:
Leaving this space behind us, we moved into another small courtyard where a multitude of people had gathered to look at something—or someone. We discovered this person to be Pema Tshering, one of Bhutan’s best-known rock stars (as it were) for his unique abilities. Pema could have well languished, like so many of his disabled compatriots. But his birth affliction of cerebral palsy caught the attention of the late Queen Mother of Bhutan who took him under her wing. She recognized his unique artistic abilities and sponsored him to be trained in the incredible art of foot carving and painting. Over a period of six years, Pema achieved the skills necessary to use the toes of his feet exclusively to hold carving implements and paint brushes. With these, he creates wall hangings that he then paints in vivid colors to fashion one of a kind items to decorate the walls of your home.
Blossom had first become introduced to Pema, many years ago. He had piqued her curiosity and she had begun to read more about him as she works with the differently-abled in Kalpakkam, a small outpost outside Chennai. It was her dear wish to meet Pema in person and after she told us about him, all of us were interested in seeing him at work and, if it were not too prohibitively priced, buying a small souvenir to support his endeavors. Hence, we entered his little stall, watched him at work, saw him chatting with patrons and a Bhutanese female guide who interpreted for him and then ended up choosing wall carvings and paintings to take home with us. They were not outrageously priced (although they were more expensive than similar items we were to find in handicraft stores all over Bhutan). Pema was delighted to discover from Blossom that she had come to Bhutan only to meet him. He thanked us in Hindi (saying Shukriya) and offering to sign the items on the back that we had purchased. With our buys in our bags and with Blossom’s mission magnificently accomplished, we moved on.
Simply Bhutan Tour Continues:
Our next port of call was a vast hall in which we were seated around low tables and benches and invited to witness a live performance of traditional Bhutanese dance. We soon discovered that the movements are stylized, slow, graceful and simple and involve both men and women in uniform formations. As we watched, we were served cups of Butter Tea in which cracked rice was sprinkled and accompanied by little cups of sweetened rice. As I was hungry by this point, I must admit, I sampled them rather ravenously. Bhutanese music, played mainly on stringed instruments, provided soft accompaniment to the dance. At the end of it, onlookers were invited to join in on the floor to learn some of the steps themselves. We, however, having more to do, left at this point.
We were next treated to the delights of learning Archery, Bhutan’s national sport. The country has won Olympic medals for this event and continues to wow the world with its prowess. Each of us were given a turn to hold the bow, place the arrow correctly and try to hit the target ahead of us. If you hit the bull’s eye, you are rewarded with a customary dance performed by a few dancers. It was all good fun and every single one of us enjoyed the experience and thought that archery would be a good sport to take up. On the other side of this same courtyard, you could practice using strong magnets to fish out objects from a large basin of water. After watching for a little while, we decided to move on. There were still many items on our agenda and it was also almost 2 pm.
It was not long before we were told that two items on the agenda that we were really keen to see (The National Library and Archives of Bhutan and the Folk Heritage Museum) would be closed today as it was a Sunday. This was quite disappointing to all of us as we were really keen to discover the art, culture, society and religion of the Bhutanese as exhibited in their public spaces.Lunch at the Folk Heritage Museum:
By his point in our travels, we were also tired of eating Indian food everywhere. All of us are adventurous foodies and we had looked forward to tasting traditional Bhutanese cuisine and had also done some research about it. We told Dil to take us to a place where we could try some typical Bhutanese food and he suggested the Folk Heritage Museum. Although the museum was closed, he did tell us that the restaurant attached to it (where traditional foods of Bhutan were served) would be a safe bet. This excursion also allowed us to enter the precincts of the Museum which we found to be open (we had received incorrect information from Dil) and for Rs. 700 per head, we’d be able to explore it. However, as we were hungry by this point, lunch was our first priority.
This meal turned out to be one of our least favorite. We opted for the non-veg set menu which offered us a choice of beef, chicken or fish. With each of us opting for a different protein, we had a variety. However, we were most disappointed by the preparation: aside from the chicken which appeared in a tasty thick gravy, the fish and beef were done to death. They were hard, unappetizing and quite tasteless as all the natural juices had been cooked right out of them. The accompaniments were not bad: we had stewed greens that resembled spinach but did not have the same taste or texture. The other items were ‘kewa dashi’ (potatoes in thick cheese sauce) and ‘emma dashi’ (this time made with dried red chillis, not fresh one, and so spicy that it was just impossible for any of us to eat it). There was also the thick, red Bhutanese rice which I find inedible, served with dal. But the chilli pickle served as a condiment was not too bad in minute quantities. Overall, the traditional Bhutanese meal was a damper to our spirits as we had been looking forward to it and realized that we had not chosen the best place to sample it. However, this stop allowed us to see what the Folk Heritage Museum looks like and although we declined to pay the extra Rs. 700 for a half hour tour of the interior, we did browse through the attached gift shop.
Visiting the Tarkin Preserve:
Our next port of call was the Tarkin Preserve which is another large attraction in Thimphu. We soon discovered that the tarkin—a result of cross-breeding a cow and a goat—has resulted in a rather peculiar-looking beast that is native to Bhutan and is found nowhere else. It is considered to be wild life and is not domesticated. To see it, the visitor needs to go to this preserve where a large herd of them, co-existing peacefully with other large beasts that look like yaks and a couple of sambhar deer, might be photographed and surveyed. In this peaceful pocket, these animals live quietly in the knowledge that there are no predators to worry about.
It took a bit of an uphill climb to get to the Preserve but the slope was not too steep and Dil gave us enough time to get there. Once in the precincts of the Preserve, we could see the animals in very large cages that gave them adequate space to move around at leisure. But aside from this sight, there is nothing much of significance in this visit and if anyone has time constraints, they would be well advised to drop this item from the agenda.
It was while we were at the Tarkin Preserve that the skies turned ominously dark and the distant rumble of thunder reached our ears. Dil informed us that it would soon start raining and remain wet for the rest of the evening. He suggested we go back to our hotel, but we had already felt deprived from having missed out on key items on our agenda and, instead, requested, him to take us to a shopping area where we could see how daily life was lived in Thimphu. In getting to this place, we passed by the Coronation Park, which is a beautifully laid out and contains statues and photographs of Bhutan’s string of kings. The country is very proud of its monarchy and its current royal family comprising of a very handsome king, his pretty wife, two sons and a little daughter. Their portraits are to be seen in most public places in Bhutan and indeed they make a charming focal point. However, as it was raining, we did not stop at the park, but carried on towards the Centenary Market.
Browsing through the Centenary Market:
The Centenary Market would be our last port of call today. Although it was not strictly on our agenda, we requested Dil to take us there. This was the benefit of having a small private group tour—we had the freedom to make our own decisions about where to go and what to do. The Centenary Market turned out to be a two-storied covered market filled with stalls selling fresh produce from the neighboring farms. It is frequented by the locals who do their shopping daily so that their food is fresh and seasonal.But before we began our exploration of the wares, we stopped to have a coffee as the rain had brought along much colder weather. Our entire day in Thimpu was cold (especially in the morning on the high mountain tops) and we were grateful that we had packed a couple of warm clothing items to see us through it. Our cappuccinos, lattes and hot chocolate hit the spot and by the time we finished sipping them and laughing at our memories of the day, we were ready to begin browsing through the market.
We soon discovered that every stall sold pretty much the same produce. All items were very hygienically packed in see-through plastic wrap. Aside from the usual vegetables, there were mounds of fresh and dried chills, loads of honey made from the nectar of a variety of flowers, mountains of spices, both whole and ground, teas of all sorts and flavors, etc. etc. It was fascinating to take in all these sights, but after a while, the sameness became monotonous and we decided to leave.
We called for our driver and guide and before long, were piling back into the van for the last part of our day: socializing over peach wine and nibbles in one of our rooms before getting down to the restaurant for dinner. The restaurant buffet at Hotel Migmar offered us soup as well as a range of veg and non-veg items—rice, roti, papad, dal, buttermilk, chicken curry, emma dashi, stewed vegetables and tinned fruit salad with cream for dessert. We ate well as sightseeing has made us hungry and the mountain air had stimulated our appetites. Then, bidding each other goodnight, we returned to our rooms for another restful night.
Until tomorrow, keep smiling…
