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Relaxing in the countryside
Chimi Lhakhang is a 20-minute walk from the main road and the trail offers very interesting views as it passes through settlements, farmlands, an archery ground finally reaching the hill over which the monastery is built. But what’s the rush…, we spent about 3 hours, soaking the beautiful landscape and even getting lost for a moment!
Pana settlement on the way to Chimi Lhakhang
‘Kuzuzangbo la!’ कुझुझांग्बो ला was the first Bhutanese word I learnt. It means Hello. (‘झ’ is taken from Marathi, the ‘z’ sound.)
A typical rural house. Who said they had huts in villages?
It’s quite a long greeting and I started experimenting my accent on the villagers. I started saying it to anyone that passed us and after failing a couple of times, I got the sounds right. People are unbelievably delighted when they hear a foreigner speaking their language, I’m sure many of you have experienced this.
They responded in various ways….
Me: “Kuzuzangbo la!”
Old lady (smiled after a puzzled look): Zangbohhhh…
Young man: Kuzu kuzu!
Some woman: zangbo la…
Kids: Hello! Hi! (and lots of enthusiastic waving) 
So after greeting about a dozen passerby’s I concluded that saying ‘zangbo… la’ is enough!
Spinning the prayer wheel at a shrine. On the top right side of the picture is Chimi Lhakhang
The settlements were tiny and spread out. As a city person, I love the relaxed pace and calm feeling of a village. There were two settlements – Pana and Yoaka – on the way to Chimi Lakhang which itself was located on a hill that looked like woman’s breast. Not surprising considering that it was built for the divine madman!
Lamas walking towards the monastery
At the end of the villages and on the foothills of the monastery is a large archery field. At that place, I felt as if time had stopped. There was the sound of the wind and flowing river, and occasionally a bird would pass by. Before us was a beautiful huge valley and your eyes could see till infinity, really! Since the weather was perfect, there was no time restriction, we sat on the dry grass and did nothing but get lost in the nature…
I was so delighted to be here!
I may not have seen something new or experienced something unique, but this simple and uneventful location was probably one of the highlights of my Bhutan trip.
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I like the last picture. It is indeed a weird and exhilarating feeling to find oneself in the middle of somewhere far and away, isn’t it? I got that feeling in Ecuador and Peru when I was there, away from my family, away from friends, away from any trace of my comfort zone, plunged in a solitary idyll in a place unknown.
Jeruen, so true. Finding such a place was very unexpected and that was one of the joys! I remembered this place in Peru where I got lost for a moment!
Ah! You’ve been lost in Moray and Salineras as well! I went to those places, but I suppose I took the safe side: I hired a taxi to drive me for half a day. And considering the meandering paths that the taxi took, driving on dirt roads and such, I was glad I did that.
LOL
For your next destination, best wishes for getting lost and finding your way back!
I guess time stands still and our tired and bruised senses take a while to get used to this atmosphere and doing nothing.
Seems so refreshing.
I guess the mountains do have a magical effect on us and we are one with nature.
Thanks Mavin! I get that feeling whenever I revisit these pictures.
simple places like these seem to have better infrastructure than those in India..wish we could promote rural tourism here
Hi Lakshmi, I wonder why you think so! Bhutan is quite rural too!
Those rural houses look lovely, warm and cosy. Did you get inside one?
Hi Gopinath,
I didn’t go inside any house in these villages but I did get a tour of a traditional house. It had 3 levels, lowest one being cattle and tools storage, central level for housing – a small kitched, living room, prayer room and the top floor had small place to sleep. I must mention that most buildings in Bhutan look very traditional from the outside but once you are in, it is normal cemented walls, glazed tiles and such.
Those village houses are some of the most interesting and elegant I’ve seen. Perhaps it’s the colors and I like the design; what was it like close up?
Hi Anil,
Almost all the houses in cities and villages that I saw looked typically like these. Just like they have a rule that all adults must wear the national dress for work, who knows, they might also have a rule that asks for traditional construction. From the inside, I was told that most people have renovated and substituted wood with cement, bricks and tiles.
The last one seems like a moment when one stops and captures an image which stays with him forever. Time standing still.
And I think this photo would look very good in black and white.
Thanks Amit! hmm, maybe I can give b&w a try!
I loved the rural house pic! and just looking at the last pic makes one feel so at peace, imagine being there!
Thanks Ameeta! I wish I was there at this moment!!
Nice pics…
Thanks Ajeya!
The houses are very interesting. Great pics…
Thankyou!
Impressive post and photographs Priyank. Liked the “Zangbo la” greeting
Kuzuzangbo la Gauri!
Well, I dont know abt the infrastructure in Bhutan..but in India, we have some great places..but I do think infrastructure is reqd..even places like hassan in karnataka go without power for more than 12 hours a day ..
Wow. I guess I have to make it to Bhutan someday.
Arun
Arun, yes you have to. For now, you have pictures and stories from my blog!
Regarding the last spot and your experience: sometimes, our best moments are more to do with our state of mind and less with the actual reality around us…
Thanks Mahendra, most of my ‘best moments’ are about my state of mind, oblivious to the surrounding, just as you said.
I know exactly what you mean in the last 2 lines of the post. I have felt the same way in certain places where simple things made me very happy.
Love the blue skies in your pictures. I would have expected Bhutan to be greener in Oct/Nov….am surprised by the brown in your pictures.
I was also kinda surprised too. The forests are denser towards the eastern and western parts, but I didn’t go there.
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