Adventure in the Himalayas

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Tuesday, 3 September 2019 - Traveled to Punakha, stopping at Dochula Pass to view the 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens and Himalayan scenery, visited several monasteries and temples including Chimi Lhakhang, admired valley views and religious shrines along the way, and ended the day with a private Bhutanese dance performance at our hotel.

Dochula Pass through the Himalayas sits in the clouds at 10,171 feet.

india2019 — Druk Wangyel Monastery on the hill in the distance and the stupas of Druk Wangyal Khang Zhang Chortens in the foreground.

india2019 — Virginia Ann among the stupas.

india2019 — The stupas have a great view into the Himalayas.

india2019 — We did not visit the Druk Wangyel Monastery as we did not have time.

india2019 — The Druk Wangyal Khang Zhang Chortens or stupas, 108 in number, built in a central hillock at the pass, under the patronage of the Queen Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk. In local language they are called chortens of victory. These were built as a memorial in honor of the Bhutanese soldiers killed in the December 2003 battle against Assamese insurgents from India. Bhutan's King Jigme Singye Wangchuck dislodged the rebels from their camps in Bhutanese territory who had raided the Indian territory of Assam.

india2019 — Detail of the stupas.

india2019 — Unfortunate it was a very cloudy day, and we (nor the stupas) could see the mountains.

india2019 — Stupas lined up on the hill.

india2019 — They curve around the top of the hill in the pass.

india2019 — Virginia Ann let me run all over taking pictures after a while she patiently waited in the tour van.

india2019 — In several curves of this very windy road were small shrines with prayer flags - this one was especially spectacular.

india2019 — Another curve - this time with a small spring - so there is a stupa as well making the curve special.

india2019 — A mini stupa - these are only 2-3 inches high and they are placed in religious places - this little guy was near the shrine in the picture above.

india2019 — Chandana Lhakhang a Buddhist monastery high in the hills.

india2019 — The Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang Nunnery was closed - our hotel would be walking distance, but the nunnery was being used as the funeral site by one of the monarchies.

india2019 — The valley of the Puna Tsang River.

india2019 — Chimi Lhakhang, is a Buddhist temple standing on a round hillock built in 1499 by the 14th Drukpa hierarch, Ngawang Choegyel. The site was blessed by the "Divine Madman" the maverick saint Drukpa Kunley who built a stupa on the site.

india2019 — A long walk up to the gate of the Chimi Lhakhang temple where the "Devine Madman" resides.

india2019 — Dragon corner on the temple roofline.

india2019 — In founding the site it is said that Lama Kunley subdued a demon of Dochu La with his "magic thunderbolt of wisdom" and trapped it in a rock at the location close to where this stupa now stands. He was known as the "Divine Madman" for his unorthodox way of teaching Buddhism with song, humor and outrageous behavior, which were bizarre, shocking and filled with sexual overtones.

india2019 — A large prayer wheel at the entrance to the temple - there was a second one just as big on the way out.

india2019 — Prayer wheels with little buddhas peeking out.

india2019 — A devotee on his way out after prayers in the temple.

india2019 — At our hotel we were treated to a demonstration of native dance. We were the only ones at the hotel, so it was a private performance.

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