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Meenakshi Temple ; Abode of the Princess

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Great Temples of India

Meenakshi Amman as SHE is popularly known , was a princess who emerged out of the sacred fire, as a young child during the prayers by her parents to beget a child . SHE not only ruled over her father’s kingdom subsequently, but also captured several territories and finally met Lord Shiva at Kailash. So goes the legend of the Goddess, who presides over the temple city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu in south India. The association of Lord Vishnu in several legends associated with this Shaivite temple is one of its specialties. Lord Vishnu is considered to be the brother of Goddess Meenakshi.

History

The temple was built by Kulashekara Pandyan, a Pandya king during the 1st century and is believed to have been the central structure of the city ; which it continues to be even today. Plundered and looted by invaders like Malik Kafur in the 14th century, it was reduced to ruins and subsequently rebuilt by the Nayakars in the 16th and 17th centuries. The temple as we know it today is mainly the result of these revival efforts.

Structure

The temple occupies a large rectangular area of around 14 acres in central Madurai and is enclosed within huge walls . The entire structure is built like a mandala following the principles of loci and symmetry. Roads in the city radiate from the temple complex and ring roads form concentric circles around .

The presiding deities of the temple are Goddess Meenakshi ( Parvati) and Lord Sundareswarar (Lord Shiva) whose shrines lie parallelly in the innermost courtyard. Shrines to several Hindu Gods are also present .

The Gopurams

The most striking feature of the temple ; like most temples in south India ; are its towering majestic gopurams. A total of 14 gopurams decorate this complex with the tallest one rising to a height of 170 feet. This gopuram is curvilinear in shape .

The curvilinear Gopuram

Each of these gopurams have elaborate sculptures on them and are brightly coloured in various hues. The images on these gopurams are related to Hindu mythology. The outer gopurams are pyramidal ; serving as landmarks ; while the inner ones are smaller and adorn the gateways of the various shrines.

The pyramidal Gopuram

The multicoloured sculptures

The Shrines

Two east facing shrines house the presiding deities Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar. Goddess Meenakshi is depicted as a green stone image with a lotus in her hand on which sits a parrot. A metal copy of this image is kept outside the sanctum and is used for festive processions. The shrine of Lord Sundarewarar has a stone linga guarded by a hooded cobra. A metallic representation of the Lord in the form of feet embossed on a stool is kept near the sanctum .This is ceremoniously carried to the shrine of the Goddess every evening, so that both of them can symbolically spend the night together. In the morning the symbolic stool is brought back to HIS sanctum.

Several shrines dedicated to Ganesha, Murugan, Saraswati, Mahalakshmi and other Hindu Gods are located elsewhere in the complex.

The Porthamarai Kulam (Pond with golden lotus)

A large pond with a golden lotus in the center is used for pilgrims to bathe. The walls of the tank are painted in red stripes typically seen on temple walls of south India.

The Golden Lotus Pond

The Golden Lotus

Halls

Though there are multiple halls or Mantapams, the Thousand Pillar hall is the most famous. It contains 985 pillars , each of which has a sculpture on them.

The Thousand pillar hall

The elaborate sculptures on the pillars

The artistic ceiling

Just outside this is are the Musical pillars where each pillar produces a different note when struck.

The threshold of the temple has an interesting sculpture which caught my attention. Here it is…

The divine marriage depicted in sculpture…

Cultural Significance.

The presiding deities being Lord Sundareswarar and Goddess Meenakshi, it is a Shaivite shrine. But Lord Vishnu is considered her brother and this temple brings both these Hindu sects together. In addition; since Goddess Meenakshi represents Shakti or power, this temple thus puts together the three Hindu sects of Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism.

Festivals

The temple hosts multiple festivals throughout the year , but the most popular one is the “Meenakshi Thirukalyanam”, a festival in the month Chithirai (April) symbolising the marriage of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar. This festival lasts for 12 days and there is a procession where the divine couple are taken around in a chariot pulled by devotees. Vishnu symbolically gives his sister in marriage.

The decorated chariot

Navaratri festival is another important festival celebrated here with the temple complex illuminated with hundreds of lights and a large Golu (doll arrangement) in the hall.

It has been my attempt to bring out the salient features of this great temple. It can be described much more; but that may get into too much detail. Hence, I end with the statement…

The Divine can never be totally described …it has to be experienced.

Till I am back with some more interesting destinations, do give your feedback and comments…

Chola Splendour ; Brihadishvara Temple

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Great Temples of India

An outstanding example of Chola architecture, this temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is located in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the biggest Hindu temples in India and is colloquially called Thanjai Periya Kovil (Thanjavur Big Temple). It was called “Dakshina Meru” comparing with Uttara Meru or Mt Kailas; the abode of Lord Shiva.

Built by the Chola Emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 it is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.

Looking back at history

Emperor Rajaraja I called the temple “Rajarajesvaram” meaning “temple of the God of Rajaraja”. Brihadishvara is a Sanskrit word meaning “Big Lord Siva”

The Chalukya and Pallava temple styles flourished from the fifth century onwards as evidenced by the Badami and Mamallapuram temples and similar monuments. The Chola dynasty flourished between 850 and 1280. It was during this period and specifically during the rule of Rajaraja I that this temple was built. It was specifically during this time that the huge ornate gopurams started adorning the temples.

The main temple with its gopurams are from the eleventh century while various additions and renovations took place subsequently . There were damages to the temple in various wars between the Muslim Sultans of Madurai and the Hindu rulers of Thanjavur. These were repaired and shrines of Murugan, Parvati, Nandi and Dakshinamurthy were added. The Thanjavur Maratha rulers took over and maintained the temple subsequently.

Structure

There are several sacred texts giving mythical accounts of the actual building of this temple. The Brihadeeswara Mahatmyam widely attributed to sage Veda Vyasa gives an account of 16 Chola rulers and the temples built by them.

The temple is built on a raised platform and is rectangular in shape with five distinct sections. The Sanctum with the main gopuram or tower called Vimana, the Nandi Mantapam, the Mukhamantapam and the Mahamantapam.

A large pillared and covered verandah surrounds this complex with a circumambulation path in between. This verandah is surrounded by two fortified walls outside. The outer one being higher and built by the French who used the temple as an arsenal.

Come along with me…let us enter the temple

The Maratha Gate

The first gate as we enter the temple complex, built during the Maratha reign and served as a wall of defence. A gopuram with delicate carvings adorns this gate.

The Maratha Gate

The Keralantaka Gate

Built to commemorate the victory of Rajaraja Chola I ,over the Cheras, this gate is highly decorated with carvings of Gods and Goddesses and is an ideal example of Chola architecture.

Keralantaka Gate

Under the second gate …

Rajaraja Gate

This is the third and final gate and is most ornate of all and marks the entrance to the innermost part of the temple complex. There are carvings at different levels on this gate and there are statues of two doorkeepers on either side of the entrance. Here too, there are carvings depicting various situations described in holy texts.

As you stand here, the Nandi is clearly visible inside the complex.

Rajarajan Gate ( note the two dwarapalakas)

Once you cross these three ornate gates with gopurams, you enter a courtyard with a huge Nandi ( Sacred Bull) and the Nandi Mantapam.

Nandi Mantapam is a raised platform with beautiful paintings on the ceiling and exquisitely carved pillars. A monolithic black Nandi weighing about 20 tons sits in the Nandi Mantapam looking towards the main deity. This Nandi is 16 ft long and 13 ft high.

The monolithic Nandi

The beautiful paintings on the ceiling of Nandi Mantapam

The main temple with gopuram or Vimana

Photography is not allowed in the main temple….

Nandi looks at the main deity inside the Sanctum, symbolic of Nandi guarding the temple.

The main deity is a huge Shiva Linga , 3.7 meters tall . This Linga is believed to house the powers of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The Vimana or the main Gopuram (tower) is just above the sanctum. The space around the Linga and within the towering Vimana is believed to be permeated with the presence of Lord Shiva in subtlest form of space.

Only priests are allowed inside the main sanctum. The walls of the sanctum have beautiful paintings of the Chola period including that of Emperor Rajarajan I.

The exit from the main temple is through the side…

Exit from the main temple

From the pictures above, a fair idea of the beautiful carvings on the temple exteriors would have been obvious.

Most of the carvings and art work relate to various Hindu mythological characters and stories and feature various Gods and Goddesses.

Few more pictures to highlight the great art work on these walls…

The exquisite art work in stone….

The main Gopuram or Vimana is more than 200 ft high and built as 16 levels ; 13 of them tapering upwards. A huge dome or Kumbam measuring around 25 sq ft. sits on top of the tower and and weighs 80 tons. This Kumbam is also monolithic and how it was placed on top is still unclear.

The Vimana

The ornate Kumbam

The Mahamantapam and Mukhamantapam have shrines of eight deities symbolically guarding the eight directions. The walls of the mantapas have mural paintings and carvings mainly relating to Lord Shiva.

Murals on the walls

Stone Carvings

Music and Dance

From the time of the Cholas, the temple and its environs have been the arena of music and dance. Various inscriptions on the walls point to this. Elaborate rituals connected to dance and music have been described. Several endowments were bestowed on artists and many literary and musical compositions praising the deity were written here. The Chola rulers and the temple have long been credited with encouraging the growth of the art forms.

Mysterious facts about this masterpiece in stone

The whole temple is made of granite and the closest granite quarry was 50 kms away and so how all this stone was transported during those days is a mystery.

The design of the Vimana is such that it gives an illusion that it does not cast any shadow.

There were many underground passages through which the royalty moved around but now all those have been sealed.

The Nandi in front is monolithic.

Many inscriptions are found on the walls relating to details of administration of the temple.

Inscriptions

Well, one can never finish talking about such a masterpiece; but I leave it at that.

Hope you all enjoyed this visit to one of the greatest temples in India. See you next week with yet another such marvel. Till then, keep your comments flowing in.

Puri Jagannath Temple

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Great Temples of India

The Jagannath Temple at Puri in Odisha is one of the most revered Hindu temples in India. The main deity is Lord Jagannath, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

[Though I have had the opportunity to visit this temple complex, I have not taken any pictures. Photography is prohibited and even the outer areas are difficult to photograph as we have to leave the camera/phone outside far away.] The pictures that I am putting up are file pictures.

A lot of uncertainty exists on the actual building of this temple. It is believed that King Indradyumna built the main temple sometime before the 10th century and King Anantavarman of the Ganga dynasty rebuilt the remaining part of the complex. The temple is claimed to have been plundered multiple times by invaders.

The temple is one of the magnificent remnants of Kalinga architecture of India.

A small introduction on JAGANNATH

The term Jagannath literally means “Lord of the Universe”. He is worshipped by the Hindus in India and Bangladesh , along with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. In a larger context , the Hindus in India are either Vaishnavites ( followers of Lord Krishna/Vishnu) or Shaivites (followers of Lord Shiva). The Vaishnavites call Him an incarnation of Vishnu while for the Shaivites , He is a tantric form of Bhairava, a fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva.

Lord Jagannath

Structure

The temple complex lies inside a 20 ft. high fortified wall and the main temple is surrounded by another smaller fortified wall. The main tower under which the principal deities reside is built on a platform and is 214 ft. high. Other shrines within the complex have roofs and towers that rise up in step like fashion to the main tower.

The main tower dominates the skyline in the vicinity.

The towers of the temple

Inside the wall, the complex has four main sections. The Sanctum Sanctorum where the main deities reside , The Frontal Porch, The Nata Mantap or dancing hall and Bhog Mantap or offerings hall.

Neela Chakra

An eight spoked wheel called the Neela Chakra is mounted on the top of the main tower. This is made of eight metals and is considered sacrosanct. The wheel is more than11 ft high and is the most revered iconic symbol of Jagannath.

Neela Chakra

The flag hoisted on the Chakra is called Patita Pavana and is considered equivalent to the deities placed in the Sanctum Santorum. This flag flutters in the direction opposite to the wind and this is one of the peculiarities of this temple. A priest climbs up to the top( as tall as a 45 storey building) and changes the flag every day.

The Singhadwar (Lion Gate)

This is one of the main entrances to the temple and has two huge crouching lion statues giving it the name. This is the gate that faces east and on to the main road. A giant monolithic pillar called Aruna Sthamba stands tall in front of this gate. This pillar was originally in the Sun Temple at Konark and was relocated here. It has the statue of Aruna, the charioteer of the Sun God on top.

The Singhadwar with ArunaSthamba

The gates in the remaining three directions are named after the animals guarding the gate .

When one enters the temple through the Eastern gate, one passes through a series of steps before we reach the Sanctum Sanctorum.

Sanctum Sanctorum

The three siblings … Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are the main deities at the Sanctum. The idols are not of stone as in other temples but carved out of Neem trees. They sit on a raised bejewelled platform.

The sibling deities

The idol of Jagannath is actually a carved and decorated wooden stump with large round eyes and conspicuous with absence of limbs and neck and the face merging with the chest. He is painted black and this feature is similar to Lord Krishna . The “U” shaped mark on his forehead is typical of Vaishnavite traditions.

The idol of Balabhadra is depicted with a white face and Subhadra with yellow face. Both of them have oval eyes.

The idols are made of neem wood and replaced every 12 or 19 years; depending on the Hindu calendar when the year has two months of Ashadha.

Multiple small shrines

Inside the temple complex are multiple shrines dedicated to various Gods.

Architecture

The architecture of the towers at the temple is simply outstanding. The detailed artistic work and images carved in stone are really marvellous. Unfortunately no pictures are available to depict this. In fact I visited this temple soon after I had visited Angkor Wat and I was amazed at the architecture and complexity of design of this complex. Due to lack of pictures, the artistry is lost to the world unlike Konark or Angkor Wat where photography is allowed.

The Temple Kitchen

The temple kitchen is considered one of the largest in the world. Cooking is done in earthen pots using water drawn from wells. The food is sold to devotees in the Anand Bazar within the temple after offering to the Lord.

Rath Yatra

The most famous festival of Jagannath Temple at Puri is the Rath Yatra. It is this festival that has been instrumental in bringing this temple global recognition. In fact the word Jagannath is also supposed to have etymologically originated from the word “Juggernaut” signifying the movement of the huge chariot and the people along the streets.

Every year, this festival is celebrated in the month of Ashadha (June/July) and the deities are brought out of the temple in chariots in a procession on to the main road and travel for about 3 kilometres to the Gundicha temple. The deities stay there for seven days and then are ceremoniously brought back to the main temple in the same chariots.

The chariots are wheeled wooden structures built newly every year and they are pulled by the devotees. The Chariot of Jagannath is the biggest and is approximately 45 feet high. It takes months of work on the building and decoration of these chariots.

Visuals of the Annual Puri Rath Yatra

Rath Yatra is not a temple festival for the locals but an integral part of their lives. They celebrate it with much fanfare and the whole area gets a festive look at the time of the Rath Yatra.

Some amazing facts about this temple :

The sacred flag on top of the tower flutters in the opposite direction of the wind. This flag is changed manually every day by climbing the tower which is as high as a 45 storey building.

The idols are made of wood and carved by carpenters. They are replaced periodically and the old idols are buried. This is called Nabakalebara

The temple casts no shadow in any direction of the sun.

The Mahaprasad consists of 56 delicacies and is available for sale to devotees.

The food is cooked in earthen pots placed one above the other and the food in the top most pot gets cooked first.

Though located close to the sea, the sound of the waves stop as soon as you enter the temple.

Nothing flies over the tower of the temple.

The Neela Chakra appears to be facing the same way when viewd from any direction.

Many scientists and religious leaders have tried to investigate these strange phenomenon but no one has as yet got an answer.

Well, let us leave it to the Glory of Lord Jagannath

See you next week with some other great temples. Till then, do like, comment and give your feedback.

Konark, an ode to the Sun

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Great Temples of India

Poetry in stone dedicated to the Sun God; that’s a simplistic definition of the Sun Temple at Konark. Writing such a definition is so simple !! but building such a monument is definitely not !!! A visit to Konark will authenticate what I just said. So, come along with me on this virtual tour of this masterpiece in stone.

A brief history

The Sun temple at Konark was built by King Narasimhadeva of the Ganga dynasty in the 13th century in typical Kalinga architectural style. Located 35 kms. from Puri city in Odisha , along the shores of the Bay of Bengal, the temple was built as a giant chariot of the Sun. Many parts of this masterpiece is in ruins and the cause of destruction of the temple remains a mystery with natural disasters at one end of the spectrum and deliberate destruction by Muslim invaders in the 15th to 17th centuries at the other end.

The Architecture

Known originally as Surya Devalaya ,the main temple is in the form of a huge chariot with 24 wheels drawn by seven horses. In Hindu mythology the Sun God is seen riding across the sky from east to west on a chariot . That is what is depicted here in Kalinga architecture . Surya (Sun God) is seen flanked by Goddesses Usha and Prathyusha shooting arrows to dispel the darkness . If you felt this is the depth of the symbolism ; hold your breath….the 12 pairs of wheels represent the 12 months of the Hindu calendar. The conceptualisation and realisation of this symbolism will find very few parallels !

When viewed from front, during sunrise, the Chariot appears to emerge from the sea carrying the Sun….. more symbolism for you!

The intricate art work on the walls of the temple consist of various themes including scenes from contemporary life and erotic Kama scenes from the Kamashastra.

Any amount of description will not match the beauty of this stone marvel and so, let me just put up some pictures for you to decipher it….

Walking through the temple complex…

A stone plaque with the map of the temple complex guides the visitors at the entrance

A long neatly paved passage with well manicured lawns on either side leads one to the main temples. What one encounters first is the ruins of the Natya Mantap ( hall of dances ) with the main chariot behind it.

Standing in front of the Natya Mantap ruins with our guide

Right in front of the Natya Mandap is a unique sculpture. A lion on top of an elephant and a man below that. It signifies wealth, ego and pride crushing humanity.

The Natya Mantap stands on an intricately carved platform and the pillars forming the walls of the Mantap have delicately carved figurines similar to those found elsewhere in the complex. One can enter the Natya Mantap by climbing a flight of stairs.

View of the chariot standing on the Natya Mantap

Walking around the Natya Mantap we reach the Chariot .

In front of the Chariot

There was a pillar between the Natya Mantap and the Chariot which was known as the Aruna Stamba (Aruna Pillar) which has now been relocated to the Jagannath Temple at Puri. Aruna is considered the charioteer of Surya.

As we walk around the Chariot, the intricate patterns on the walls become clear. Some pictures…

A major part of the figurines depict musicians with various musical instruments and dancers in various poses…

The walls with reliefs depicting musicians and dancers

Apart from that, contemporary daily life is also depicted at many places….

Cooking on a choolah and pulling a chariot

There is a lot of emphasis on sexual life and the Kamashastra is also depicted by figurines on the walls including that of unnatural sex. This highlights the openness with which these were an accepted part of life in those times….

Kamashastra

Unnatural sex and punishment for infidelity

Wheels

The chariot wheel is one of the iconic images of this temple. The 24 wheels of the chariot are so intricately designed with emphasis on time that it seems like they were used as sundials at one point of time and also for knowing the seasons and months.

One of the iconic wheels

The 24 wheels are 12 feet in diameter and intricately carved. Many of the wheels are in different stages of ruin.

Designs on the wheels and the small beads representing different units of time

The Chariot was shown as drawn by seven horses and many of the horses have been destroyed. One survivor….

One of the surviving horses literally on a walker!!

Metal strips

Another very interesting aspect of the temple is that many of the parts are held together by metal clips. A closer look at the junctions shows this …..

A metal block holds the top stone and metal clips between the stones

Now, one of the reasons attributed to the temple destruction is this particular element in its construction. The ships passing by with their powerful magnets may have disturbed these metal clamps and clips leading to the ruin.

Depiction of the different phases of the day

As one circumambulates the temple, the image of the Sun God changes corresponding to the different times of the day. Take a look….

Sun God in the morning in blue granite and in the afternoon shaded with a crown

Sun God in the evening, appearing tired and riding a horse. Beheaded Sun God.

As one walks along, one realises the amount of destruction (natural or otherwise )that has taken place and the various restoration activities that are on.

The restoration work in progress.

Chhayadevi temple

At the back is the Chhayadevi temple which is roofless and in ruins

Chhayadevi Temple

The Monolithic lion

A monolithic Lion sculpture adorns the side of the chariot.

Monolithic Lion

In the evening, after sunset, the monuments get lit up and it presents another amazing sight…

The lit up Natyamantap entrance

A unique light and sound performance takes place here in the evenings after sunset.

It takes one through the history of the temple and also depicts various other historical events.

Glimpses from the show…..

Glimpses of the light and sound show

UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Konark Sun Temple is a proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage site and is being maintained so. Restoration work is on all over the temple and surrounding premises. The lawns and the environs are kept neat and clean and we find lot of evidence of restoration work going on…

Evidence of restoration work

Bisu Moharana

When we admire any artistic creation, we must always give credit to the creator. Well, the architect of this stone masterpiece is Bisu Moharana and in the later years, his son. So let me end this episode on The Sun Temple with reverence to the spirit of this man whose vision and conceptualisation has given us this marvel.

See you next week with more from Odisha. Till then do give your feedback and comments.

Farewell Bhutan

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Bhutan

We will soon bid farewell to Bhutan ; but not before we have a round up of Paro and some of the places around.

Chuzom

Enroute Paro from Punakha, we had a short halt at Chuzom which is the place of confluence of two rivers ; Wong Chu and Paro Chu. One can see the confluence of the rivers from a bridge and the single river flowing off the other side.

Such confluence of rivers is considered inauspicious by the Bhutanese and hence four chortens have been built here to ward off the evil. These chortens are of different styles namely Bhutanese, Nepali, Ladakhi and Tibetan.

The two rivers and the Chortens

The other side of the confluence

There is also an ornate gate built near Chuzom where the pictures of the king and queen are painted. The spot marks the meeting point of roads to Thimpu, Paro , Haa and Chukkha.

The ornate gate with the picture of the King and Queen

A tribute to Indo Bhutan friendship and the confluence of the roads!

Paro

It is a historic town in Bhutan with many historic sites around. It is also home to the only international airport in Bhutan, the Paro International Airport. Located in a valley on the banks of the Paro river and surrounded by mountains ,it is considered one of the most dangerous airports in the world with less than 10 pilots certified to operate from Paro.

It was news to me that the first airstrip was built here in 1968 by the BRO from India. It has been expanded later.

Paro airport with the road and Paro river adjacent to it

The runway between the slopes and view of the entrance from our hotel room

Our hotel at Paro was next to the airport and there was this little stream flowing between the road and our hotel. This was part of the Paro river.

The riverside offered great ambience and enhanced the beauty of the place. Some pictures….

Some pictures from our resort

Tiger’s nest and Paro Dzong

Tiger’s nest, the cliff side monastery near Paro and the beautiful Paro Dzong are the main attractions at Paro. These have already been covered in my previous blogs.

Paro town

Traditional Bhutanese attire is available for hire here. Some of us tried this out and here are some pictures..

The dress centre and the beautiful ladies in front of the Paro dzong

Bhutanese Cultural Show

We were treated to some Bhutanese rice wine called Arra. It was clear and transparent like water but did not taste any great!

This was accompanied by a cultural show which showcased the traditional dances of Bhutan. The music was melodious and we also joined the dancers in the end the mark a happy ending to our Bhutan trip. Some pictures…

Arra and the dancers…

A video of the dance performance.

After a very enjoyable stay at Bhutan we were ready to say goodbye to this beautiful country. We drove back from Paro to Phuentsholing and further down to Siliguri. Enroute we again drove through some tea gardens ……

Driving back to Siliguri….

This marks the end of the Bhutan series. The next series is going to be on the famous temples of India. Before that, I will be on a holiday for a couple of weeks and there will be no updates during that time.

So , see you after the break. Till then do give your comments and feedback.

Tiger’s Nest hike

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Bhutan

No trip to Bhutan is complete without a visit to this great monastery called Paro Taktsang or Tiger’s nest. Much like the Eiffel tower is to Paris or the Statue of Liberty is to New York, it is an iconic image of Bhutan. Located on a cliff side in the upper Paro valley, this Himalayan Buddhist site is one of the thirteen Tiger’s nest caves in historical Tibet where Padmasambhava practiced and taught Vajrayana Buddhism.

A brief history

Established in the 9th century as a Buddhist meditation cave, it was formally built into a monastery in the 17th century.

Legend has it that the Indian Guru Padmasambhava ( Guru Rinpoche) flew in to this cave on the back of a tigress and meditated here. Guru Rinpoche or the “Second Buddha” is believed to have had eight manifestations and to have banished the demons . He is believed to have brought Buddhism to Central Asia and anointed this place as the site for a future monastery. That explains why this place is so sacred to the locals and why such a monastery was built at this location.

Though we call it Tiger’s nest in English, Taktsang means a tigress’s lair.

Guru Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche ( a mural painting)

Structure

Though the structure itself is beautiful, what adds invincibility to the place making it more attractive to the tourists , is the isolated location on a steep slope overlooking the valley.

The monastery has white walls which stand out against the rocks and surrounding trees. The red and gold borders and circles provide a typical Bhutanese look to the buildings. There are four main buildings here in addition to smaller ones for various purposes. The buildings have rock steps connecting them making it look as if the buildings rose from the cliffs around.

Getting there

The monastery is more than 3000 metres above ground level. No vehicles can go up there and dense forests line both sides of the track. Hiking is the only way to reach the monastery. Ponies can be hired for part of the distance but the last part has to be done on foot. The total hike takes anywhere from 3 to 4 hours one way depending on one’s capability.

Our Hike

When we reached the place and the bus dropped us off at the parking lot, the monastery looked like a small building perched somewhere up on a cliff. It looked a little invincible but we were determined to make it to the top. We were all a little doubtful if we would really be able to reach up there; but the adventurous spirit egged us on…..

At the parking lot, we hired walking sticks and set off on this wonderful experience.

The first views of the monastery as we started our hike uphill.

Looking at this picture you would realise why we were all apprehensive!!!!!

The initial part of the walk was through a forested area with tall trees on either side. At most places the roots had spread out on the floor ….

All set for the hike!!

The initial track

The tall trees and their roots….

The path is actually a mud road around 10 feet wide with an uphill incline but not very steep.

Winding paths took us around trees and rocks and at one place there was a small stream and a shrine…

A small shrine enroute…

At places there are wooden steps and at places stone steps too and we did not find it very difficult . The company and the walking stick provided the much needed moral and physical support. The colourful prayer flags added to the charm…

The steps and the flags….

Every now and then there are small resting places strategically built in the shade and we made full use of them…

Taking a breather!!

The Midway Break…

Almost halfway up there is a restaurant where we halted for a short break and some food…

Some rest and food…

Continuing after the break, the path was narrower and there were more stony steps. The views of the valley from above was amazing indeed.

The Paro valley and the Cafetaria seen from above

As we ascended further up, we could see the monastery close up in between the trees.

The foliage parts to show us the monastery…

And finally we reached the view point that gives the best views of the monastery. Some pictures from there….

The hard work was really worth this amazing sight…

One as a memory of this great hike….

After the view point, it is a steep flight of stairs down and again up effectively crossing from one hill slope to the other

The Monastery

The monastery is decorated with Buddhist symbols and the most impressive is that of a tiger in :”The Hall of Thousand Buddhas”.

It is an active monastery today and many monks meditate here.

It was a special day in Bhutan, the death anniversary of Guru Rinpoche and so the monastery was out of bounds for tourists. So we could not enter the actual monastery building.

All along the way, we could see locals climbing up with family and even little children. Most of them greeted us with “Kuzu Zangpo la”, a traditional Bhutanese greeting meaning Hello ….how are you?

After a short rest, we started our descent down and that was more challenging than the climb. We had to be careful as at many places, it was slippery . Just as on our way up, we rested and took small breaks and enjoyed each other’s company and finally reached the parking lot where the bus awaited us.

Some of us reached our bus a little earlier and rested there for the others to come. The whole trek took around 9 hours with a short lunch break. So we were quite happy just sitting in the bus and resting our backs.

The sheer feeling of having done this challenging climb successfully washed away the tiredness and a feeling of achievement kept us pepped up and happy.

There is just one lesson to learn from this…however tough any task may feel, if your heart tells you to do it….just go ahead and DO IT…..

IF YOU TRY; YOU MAY ACHIEVE ; BUT IF YOU DON’T, YOU NEVER WILL.…..

I leave you with this thought….

See you next week with some more visuals and experiences from Bhutan before we wind up from there. Till then, do keep your comments and feedback coming…

Punakha

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Bhutan

Beautiful Punakha is closely linked with Bhutanese history ; was the old capital of Bhutan and the seat of government till 1955. Located around 72 Kms from Thimpu , it is now the winter capital of Bhutan as it is warmer than Thimpu. Two rivers, Mo Chu and Pho Chu flow through this area making it a very fertile valley suitable for rice farming and Punakha rice is very famous. The Punakha Dzong, one of the most beautiful dzongs in Bhutan is located at the confluence of these two rivers.

A drive from Thimpu to Punakha offers great views of the Himalayas apart from the unique flora and fauna of this region. Dochula pass, which we visited in an earlier episode lies on this route. The area around Punakha is also an excellent birding and wildlife destination as it is home to over 500 species of birds apart from the black bear, panda, leopard and tiger.

The Punakha valley is a fertile region and paddy fields are a common sight here…

Farming activity in Punakha valley

Arriving late evening we checked in to our hotel at Punakha; Hotel Vara. A beautiful hotel located at a slight elevation from the town and overlooking the Mo Chu river, the views of the valley from the hotel were beautiful.

Hotel Vara , Punakha

Next day , after breakfast, we boarded our buses to go around Punakha. Our first halt was at Punakha Dzong about which we have already discussed. After seeing the Dzong, we visited the suspension bridge across the Mo Chu river.

Punakha Suspension Bridge

This second longest suspension bridge in Bhutan is about 180 metres in length across the Po Chhu river and connects the two parts of the valley. The bridge is beautifully draped with prayer flags and is a popular photo location. It was built in the 17th century and is anchored by suspension cables which tend to sway in the wind and when we walk on it. The floor is made of wooden planks. Walking across the bridge we reached a small restaurant where we had coffee and rested for a while.

The Suspension bridge from a distance

The coloured flags on the bridge

On the suspension bridge

The restaurant

Riverside Lunch

By the time we finished the dzong and the bridge, we were all ready for a nice meal. And what a surprise we had. A riverside lunch was organised . With the sound of the gurgling waters and the gentle breeze blowing in, we really enjoyed the lunch. Some pictures…

An enjoyable riverside lunch…

Post lunch we proceeded to the famous Punakha Nunnery.

Punakha Nunnery

Located on top of a small hillock with beautiful views of the valley, this is a training school for nuns. It also offers life skill training like Thangkha painting ,embroidery and tailoring.

The temple is an example of Bhutanese architecture and design and contains a 14 feet bronze statue of Avalokiteshwara . Statues of Padmasambhava and the Taras are also present apart from the meditation halls. Its unique location makes it visible as one drives into Punakha. Some pictures…

Punakha Nunnery seen from the road as one approaches Punakha

The Stupa

The main temple

The view from the nunnery with the chortens and the road on the hillside.

River Rafting

Let me now take you through some pictures of a River Rafting session on the Mo Chhu river we had earlier on at Punakha. The rafting was enjoyable and we had a great time. The river was not very rough and we encountered grade two rapids as we rowed along…

The rafts and rafters get ready

Starting off with excitement…

Soon we got used to the rapids

We sang and rowed along….

After the rafting session was over, we all wanted to get back as we were wet and shivering…

What better way to get over this than a warm bonfire?

The bonfire…

A video of the bonfire….

On our last night at Punakha, we had a bonfire at the hotel where we all sang and danced in the warmth of the fire. What an ending to our time at Punakha!!!!

Next we week we are at Paro. See you from Paro, till then, do give me your feedback and comments.

Bhutan’s Divine Madman

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Bhutan

Moving away from Thimpu, our next destination was Punakha. This beautiful and quaint town did really jolt us with its unique and strange practices. Before I get to the practices, let me brief you about the man behind it…Drukpa Kunley ( popularly known as the Divine Madman) the revered saint of the Bhutanese.

Some of the pictures posted below may appear kinky and unconventional . But to explain Punakha ‘s tryst with the phallus and fertility, it is unavoidable…..

The Divine Madman

The Tibetan monk Lama Drukpa Kunley is known here as the divine madman. And this is not without reason. He had rather unconventional and unorthodox ways of teaching Buddhism , often relayed with sexual connotations. He questioned the preconceived ideas of society particularly its hypocrisies. The monastic community was his chief target. His use of the Phallus to subdue demons and enlighten humans was rather bizarre and his phallus was considered so powerful that it was dubbed the “Thunderbolt of Flaming Wisdom.”

“Wine and women are my meditation”….he declared and wrote blasphemous poetry which shocked the regular clergy. He proclaimed that celibacy was not a necessity to the path of enlightenment. He got himself lot of followers particularly women and earned the nickname “Saint of 5000 Women”.

The phallus is considered a symbol of fertility and good luck and even today, his influence looms large in the form of giant phalluses painted on walls of houses. He is perhaps the only saint in the world exclusively identified with the phallus.

These pictures and models of giant phalluses seen everywhere will seem a little strange to the first time visitor as it did to us.

Pictures of animals and chortens painted on the walls are a common site everywhere in Bhutan. But when you reach Punakha, the story is different …..

In such a conventional Buddhist country, this practice seems unbelievable indeed!

Have a look at this strange practice….

Pictures on walls found elsewhere in Bhutan

Phallus paintings so typical of Punakha

Not only these pictures, you will find phallus models everywhere, from the roof tops to entrances and they form an important gift item and souvenir from here. Phallic art is so inherent to the people of the region and not considered quirky here. In fact, these souvenirs are believed to bring good luck.

Phallic art souvenirs displayed in shops around Punakha.

Punakha is inseparably associated with the word ” Fertility”. On one side ,it is a rather fertile valley with lot of farming around and on the other, it is has associations with human fertility too….

The famous fertility temple known as Chime Lhakhang is located here and infertile couples visit this temple and are believed to have been blessed with off spring…

Chime Lhakhang

This fertility temple is located on a small hillock at Punakha. A small climb will take us to this unique temple.

This temple was built in memory of The Divine Madman and the locals believe that there was a demon who created trouble for the locals and converted himself into a dog to avoid the wrath of the Divine Madman. But he subdued the dog with his phallus and buried it at the site of the black chorten seen at the entrance to the temple.

This temple is visited by devotees from all over the world who seek fertility blessings . After seeking the blessings and offering prayers, the lady is expected to circum ambulate the temple with the phallus model. The temple in fact has an album of pictures with couples who are believed to have benefited from the divine intervention.

The temple itself is not as grandiose as many of the temples in Bhutan and appears rather simple. Some pictures….

The short path up the hillock and the board explaining the legend of the temple

The unusual black chorten at the entrance associated with the dog demon

A huge prayer wheel at the entrance and many small wheels around the temple

The main temple

A large peepal tree adorns the courtyard with small seats for devotees to rest.

Resting in the courtyard and view of Punakha from the hillock

Photography is prohibited within the temple and images of the deity cannot be shown. There is a statue of Guru Padmasambhava with a reclining statue of Drukpa Kunley beside it.

A 10 inch phallus model made of wood and ivory is kept here near the altar and we were all blessed by the priest with a tap on the head with it.

After some pictures in the courtyard, we proceeded back to the bus to continue our tour of Punakha. See you next week with more pictures and stories from Punakha. Till then, do continue to give your feedback and comments.

Dochu the Himalayan Pass

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Bhutan

Dochu La is colloquially Dochu pass ( La means pass in Dzongkha language). It is a pass in the snow covered Himalayas that lies in Bhutan on the road from Thimpu to Punakha.

The most iconic image of this pass is the 108 Chortens or Stupas built here. We made a stop here on our drive from Thimpu to Punakha . Come along; let me take you through some interesting facts and images of this Eastern Himalayan pass…

The pass is located at an altitude of 10300 feet above sea level on the Thimpu Punakha highway. Due to this altitude, the temperature here hovers around 10 to 12 degrees Celsius. On a clear day, one can get a full 360 degree view of the snow clad Himalayan peaks from here. But very often the place tends to get foggy and hazy hampering the view. Coniferous trees on the hill slopes adds to the natural beauty of the place. Coloured flags that are important to the Buddhists also dot the area. The area has plenty of Rhododenron trees and when they bloom in March, they provide a colourful spectacle.

The whole atmosphere here is calm and peaceful with pines covered with mist and fog and occasional patches where one can see beyond the fog. Have a look…

The views of the Himalayas from Dochula Pass

The board that helps identify the peaks on a sunny day

The most striking structure here is the 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens.

The Chortens

Chortens are important monuments or shrines in Bhutanese culture and are also called Stupas. Typically, they are tombs of saints. At Dochula Pass there are 108 such Chortens built in memory of the soldiers who lost their life fighting Assamese insurgents from India in 2003. After the Bhutanese were successful in defeating the insurgents, the Queen mother ordered the building of these Chortens .

A panoramic view of the chortens at Dochula pass.

Here the Chortens have been built in three layers around a main Chorten. The first layer has 45 chortens, second has 36 and the topmost has 27; all built around the main structure. A glance at the Chortens does not reveal the strict religious processes that have gone into building them. They have been built in accordance with astrological beliefs.

The 108 chortens built in 3 layers

A flight of stairs takes us to the top where the main chorten is located

At the main Chorten

A nice paved walking track takes us around the chortens

Each chorten has a “Sokshing” which is a square wooden pole carved from juniper trees, has been painted bright red and is installed on an auspicious day to the accompaniment of sacred hymns.

In addition to the Chortens, there is a temple here called the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang.

Druk Wangyal Lhakhang

Built in memory of the fourth king of Bhutan, is an important place of worship for the locals. It was completed in time for the commemoration of hundred years of of monarchy in Bhutan. The walls of this temple are adorned with traditional paintings relating to Bhutanese history. The courtyard of the temple is the venue of the famous Bhutanese festival in December performed by the Bhutan Army.

The Druk Wangyal Lhakhang

The beautifully decorated walls of the Lhakhang

Royal Botanical Park

Adjacent to the Chortens is a park that is home to many varieties of Rhododendron. In late February and early March, the Rhododendrons bloom and add colour to the place.

The direction board at the Park

Cafe

There is a cosy café near the Dochula pass and with it’s glass windows provides beautiful views of the Himalayas.

The café entrance

Our group enjoying coffee and hot chocolate at the cafe

Remnants of Rhododendron blooms

We visited Dochula pass two times and the second time it was much more foggy and misty than the first time…

The mist at the pass on our second visit

After the halt at Dochula we proceeded on our way to Punakha. Punakha is yet another interesting place in Bhutan, closely associated with the strange legends of “The Divine Madman”.

See you next week at Punakha. Till then do give your comments and feedback.

Thimpu

by Leela Gopinath, posted in Bhutan

Let me start this blog with a big thankyou to each and every one of you who have accompanied me on this journey to this milestone….my 100th blog…

Celebrating a milestone…..

Starting with Thimpu……

A new day dawned on Thimpu and the visuals from our hotel window were very beautiful….Enjoying a cup of tea sitting by the window, we clicked this picture…

Day dawns on Thimpu

Excited and looking forward to a great day ahead, we had breakfast and met up with our group in the hotel lobby.

Outside our Hotel Osel with typical Bhutanese decor at the entrance

Soon we were on our way to do the sightseeing around Thimpu city.

Our first halt was at Memorial Chorten.

Memorial Chorten

Built in honour of the third king of Bhutan, this Stupa is a prominent landmark in Thimpu with its golden spires and bells. Most Buddhist Stupas contain human remains but this Stupa stands out in that it does not contain any human remains and only has a photo of the third king in ceremonial dress adorning the hall. It had been the wish of the king to build a stupa “like the mind of Buddha” but he passed away before achieving it and so it was built by his mother in his memory in 1974.

As one enters the complex, there are large prayer wheels and a shrine with copper lamps being lit by devotees.

The prayer wheel and the copper lamps at Memorial Chorten complex

As one walks past , the central walkway leads to the main Stupa or Chorten built in Tibetan style. The large white exterior has a golden spire on top and a smaller golden spires on the porches in all directions.

Main Stupa

The intricate decorations and the Buddha statue on the second floor seen from outside

The chorten is decorated with richly carved annexes facing the four directions and contains mandalas, statues and a shrine dedicated to the third king. A staircase from the ground floor leads to two floors each with four shrines. There are multiple statues of wrathful looking protective deities.

Locals come here to offer prayers and everyone has to remove their footwear and caps . Photography is prohibited inside the Stupa.

From Memorial Chorten, we proceeded to another of Thimpu’s landmarks…

Buddha Dordenma

This gigantic statue of Sakhyamuni Buddha on a hill is iconic of Thimpu and can be seen from far away . It is one of the largest sitting Buddha statues in the world at 169 feet height. It was completed in 2015 and took nine years for completion. It is made of bronze and gilded with gold . The statue faces the East and is believed to bring peace and prosperity to the people.

The statue was built with private funding from the Buddhist community in China, Singapore, Thailand and many such countries. It had been prophesied in one of the sacred texts that a statue of Buddha or the Unifier will be built in this place which was the site of the palace of the 13th Desi of Bhutan.

The gigantic statue seen from below the hillock

It was built to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the fourth king of Bhutan.

The decorative gate and the statues in the courtyard of the Buddha Dordenma complex.

A panoramic view of the Complex

As one enters the complex below where the statue is located, there is a huge hall with multiple golden coloured pillars. All along the walls are replicas of the giant Buddha of various sizes and in golden colour. There are 125000 such Buddha statues which are replicas of the giant statue inside glass showcases along the walls .

The walls have beautiful murals of Buddha, Zabdrung Rinpoche and Padmasambhava…the three most revered images in Bhutan. A crystal pillar and various offerings given by devotees is spread before the altar.

The main statue.

One of the many statues and a Stupa in the courtyard

The snow clad Himalayan peaks as seen from the courtyard

Our group at the Buddha Dordenma Complex

Our next destination was the Royal Takin Preserve.

Royal Takin Preserve

This is a wildlife reserve created to preserve the Takin which is the national animal of Bhutan. Takin is a rare and unique animal and is supposed to be a mosaic of the goat and the antelope.

The reserve is meant for the animals to roam around freely in natural surroundings unlike in the confined areas of a zoo. It is located in a forested area spanning more than 8 acres and has wild boar, sambar, barking deer, musk deer and other animals besides the Takin.

There is an interesting legend on how the Takin was created but it’s correctness is doubtful. A Tibetan monk known popularly as “The Divine Madman”( about whom we will discuss in further episodes) with tantric powers is supposed to have created the Takin by fixing the head of a goat to the body of a cow.

A short hike up a garden path leads to the animal viewing area. Some pictures…

The entrance to the Preserve with models of the Takin

The preserve forest and the trek to the animal viewing area

Animals relax in natural surroundings

The Takin

Bhutan Post Office and Museum

By now we were all famished and so we had lunch at a restaurant at Thimpu and proceeded to the Bhutan Post Office and Museum.

This place functions as a post office and has a museum depicting old stamps and postal articles. A documentary on old postal services is also played out here.

This post office is unique as it allows us to create a stamp with our desired image and use it as a functioning postage stamp for a fee.

Various gift articles and souvenirs are for sale here as are the famous Bhutanese Thanghkha paintings.

Some pictures…

Souvenirs and masks at the postal museum

Typical Bhutanese Thanghkha Paintings

Changangkha Lhakhang

An ancient temple built in the 12th century, located on a ridge in the city, offers great views of Thimpu city from above.

A short trek up to the ridge brings us to the temple courtyard where there are several prayer wheels. Inside the temple is a statue of Avalokiteswara with 11 heads, 1000 hands and eyes. The eyes are located on the palms of the hand. Avalokiteshwara is a lord of compassion and he/she has 11 heads as he has to think of the welfare of all his disciples and thousand hands to help all the people around….so goes the legend. It was built by a Tibetan monk who came to spread Buddhism in the Himalayas.

This temple is frequented by parents with small children who seek the blessings of the lord for health and happiness of the child. Childless couples also visit the temple to be blessed with a child. Children are brought here for naming by the monk too.

The Changangkha Lhakhang Temple

The flags and views of Thimpu city

Clock tower

A central square with a clock tower forms the main shopping area in Thimpu. The square is surrounded by buildings with a variety of shops. Flower boughs create a nice ambience here. The sides have seating arrangement like in a stadium as important events are often held in the central square

The central Square and Clock Tower(note how clean it is)

After some shopping here, we had tea and Momos at a restaurant near the central square.

The Flower boughs and the momos

Handmade Paper Factory

Another interesting place we visited at Thimpu was the handmade paper factory. The process of paper making was demonstrated to us. The bark of the tree is processed and made into a pulp. This is further converted into blocks and paper of required size and thickness is cut out and dried. The paper is of good quality and paintings on this paper are on sale too.

The tree from which paper is made and processing of the bark

Blocks of paper and paper cut into required size

Finished product and a painting on display

Well, that rounds up our visit to Thimpu. Our next destination was Punakha. See you next week at Punakha.

Till then, like, comment, subscribe and give me your feedback…