The Palace of Great Happiness – Exploring the Punakha Dzong and Festival
After a (much needed) night of rest, our second day in Bhutan officially began! We started the day of at 7:30 am and were greeted with a lovely buffet-style breakfast and delicious Bhutanese cuisine. Our favourites included the stir-fry noodles, fried bread with chickpea curry, and freshly prepared eggs. After our meal, we took a two-hour bus drive to attend a festival in Punakha. Before our arrival, we stopped at Dochu La Pass (3100 m) and the 108 memorial chortens (or stupas), which was built by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, the eldest Queen Mother. The memorial chortens were built in honour of the Bhutanese soldiers who fought in the December 2003 battle against Assamese insurgents from India.
The surrounding area was decorated with many prayer flags which came in yellow, orange, white, red, and blue, along with miniature stupas. When we arrived in Punakha, we made our way to the festival held at the Punakha Zhong. Between the vibrant and colourful clothing and intricate exteriors of the building, I speak for all of us when I say that we were in awe. It was truly breathtaking to watch such an integral part of Bhutanese culture and be part of the experience. Since the festival is held only once every year for three days, we were extremely lucky to catch a glimpse of it. There were performers with masks with extravagant costumes telling stories through dance, and since Canada doesn’t have much of a definite culture, seeing Bhutanese traditions and being welcomed there was a wonderful experience. Afterwards, we made our way into the temple and were showed the places reserved for the fourth and fifth kings, and the Je Khenpo (spiritual leader of Bhutan). We were met with gold pillars, beautiful paintings on the wall and many statues of the Buddhas.
Another memorable event was crossing the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan. Though others may have been enthusiastic to do so, I was not, as I’m scared of heights. Despite that, I pushed through and, with the help of others, was able to make it across (twice!), which I am proud of. Overall, it was a rewarding experience, and I am grateful that I was able to go out of my comfort zone and try something I might not have usually done.
