Where wealth is measured by smiles

Ambika and her husband Chandrasekar headed to The Land of Happiness, on a nature appreciation and bird-watching trip

My husband and I are avid bird-watchers, so we never miss an opportunity to go on a sojourn. Bhutan, usually known for its monasteries, is also home to hundreds of species of avians — so 18 of us, as part of the Madras Naturalist Society, headed to this picturesque location armed with binoculars and cameras. We first arrived in Paro, and then headed to Thimphu, followed by Punakha, Wangdu, Trongsa and finally back to Thimphu and out from Paro. The eight-day adventure had many surprises for us in store!

Along the way, we got to stop at many passes, which are usually the highest points in Bhutan — Chelela, Dochula and Pelela passes being a few. During this season, a particular variety of rhododendrons grow in abundance, and they were simply gorgeous to look at. Me being an avid Ikebana (Japanese art of flower arrangement) practitioner, have a soft corner for flowers of any kind! The Lamperli Royal Botanical Gardens also ranks high on the list of my favourite places in Bhutan, for the same reason.

I also couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the landscapes were; rivers gushing through mountains, greenery on all sides and clouds formed in fascinating shapes. Nestled in the hills is the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, a pristine white building with brown wood panels and gold plated peaks. If this wasn’t breath-taking enough, the 108 stupas or chortens built in the Dochula Pass enroute Thimpu to Punakha, were equally amazing. These memorials were erected in honour of the Bhutanese soldiers, who were killed in 2003, in a battle against Assamese insurgents from India.

Another stop we made was at the Jigme Dorji National Park — this was indeed paradise for us, since this sanctuary alone houses more than 300-odd species of birds! We heard from the locals that the endangered and very rarely-spotted snow leopard is also found here, but tough luck, for we didn’t spot any. Many other mammals like the red panda, Himalayan black bear and others, can be found here as well.

After all this, we were naturally hungry; the sandwiches we had packed ran out pretty soon. So we decided to try some of the local cuisine. One particular dish that I relished was made of potatoes and the world-famous ema datshi chillies, and cheese. We were told that it was considered the national dish of Bhutan — I can’t think of a reason why not! Licking our fingers, we boarded our flights back to Chennai, with a mind filled with fascinating memories of the people and places of Bhutan!