If you want to experience mountain adventure, meditate amidst the magnificent views of the Himalayas and experience the age-old tradition and cultural lifestyle, Bhutan is the destination to be to find solace and peace!
Anchoring the eastern end of the Himalayas, Bhutan, the birthplace of Gross National Happiness (GNH) showcases the very best of mother nature, picture dense forests, deep valleys, cloud-piercing peaks and historical landmark. Amongst all the scared religious sites and landmarks, ‘Paro Taksang’ the ancient monastery is considered a gem of Paro Valley and the iconic landmark of the tiny Himalayan kingdom.
Taksang Monastery, also known as the Tiger’s Nest is the most visited tourist attraction in Bhutan. Aspiring travellers around the world invariably makes it a point to visit this most iconic landmark of the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan since this timeless heritage is reflected as a “must-visit destination” in every travel magazines and blogs found on Bhutan. The Taktsang Monastery, also known as the Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro has been recently listed as one of the ten holiest places on this Earth and in 2019 In the year 2019, Bhutan is ranked the best 2020 travel destination country by Lonely Planet.
The monastery was built in the 8th century and till date, it is one of the most revered and venerated places for Buddhist pilgrims to visit. According to the scriptures, just by being in the vicinity of Taktsang Valley will merit redemption from all kinds of sins and liberate the soul. The monastery (3000m) itself precariously perched on the side of a sheer cliff 900m above the floor of Valley appears ethereal and timeless and something that one can read only on fairy tale books.
The Tigers Nest is a true delight of photographers and adventure lovers alike. If you ask any tourist about their best experience in Bhutan, don’t be surprised if 99% of the answer is the ‘Tigers Nest’. Therefore, if you are a tourist and omit the Tiger’s Nest (Taksang) from your travel itinerary, it’s almost like you have missed the most memorable part of your visit to Bhutan.
Taksang Monastery is located approximately 10 kilometres north of Paro town, it takes 2-3 hours trek to reach the cave walking amidst the beautiful and shady pine forests. The remote location of the monastery makes it amazingly beautiful and unique landmark in the world. The monastery is accessible by mountainous paths and horse route. In olden times the trail towards the monastery uses to be dreadful and most thrilling pilgrim route.
Legend tells us that Guru Padmasambhava arrived in the Paro valley of Bhutan atop a flying tiger and meditated in the cave for exactly three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours before quelling some troublesome demons in the valley below. Guru Rinpoche is considered to be one of our most revered incarnation of Lord Buddha himself. Guru Padmasambhava is credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan, from where Paro Taksang is located. Today Buddhist Bhutanese seek refugee in Guru Rinpochoe and Bhutanese observe 30th day of the 5th lunar month in a year as Guru Rinpoches Day. On this day many locals make an effort to hike to Paro Taksang to enter the sacred cave that opens only once a year.
Besides Guru Rinpochoe, Milarepa, the enigmatic Tibetan saint is said to have meditated here as well and another saint Thangtong Gyalpo revealed a terma (treasure text) here and Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal visited in 1646. Therefore, pilgrims from all over Bhutan come to the site, especially on this auspicious day. The Penlop of Paro, Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye built the primary Lhakhang (temple) in 1692 around the Dhubkhang (also called Pelphu), the holy cave in which Guru Rinpoche meditated.
Most Auspicious Day of the year
The sacred cave of Guru Rinpochoe opens once a year on the 30th day of the 5th lunar month. Even before the gilded door to this holy site is open, pilgrims from all walks of life from all over the country flock to Paro to hike up and be a part of this most auspicious religious event. Some hardcore pilgrims to reach there before anyone else does. To avoid swelling crowds during the day, some start waking up during the wee hours of the morning under the moonlight to be amongst the first ones to enter the sacred caves where Guru Rinpochoe once meditated there for the benefit of all sentient beings, big and small.
The Shrine of Self-Speaking Guru
The Taktsang monastery’s most sacred relic is the Guru Sungjonma statue or the statue that spoke. The history of the brass statue is shrouded in myth and its story embellished. As the story goes, the statue was carried from Punakha to Paro. A group of strong men were engaged for this purpose. When they reached Paro and came close to the gateway of Taktsang, they put the statue down to discuss ways of carrying it up through the narrow steep trail by disfiguring the parts of the statue at that moment of discussion, At that moment the statue is said to have spoken, “There’s no need for that, a strong man will come and carry me.” This strong man is believed to be Singye Samdu, the protecting deity of Taktsang.
Another anecdote of Guru Sungjonma statue has survived two major fires. The fires of 1951 and 1998 razed many of the temples and destroyed most of the statues inside Taktsang, rescuers were able to retrieve the Guru Sungjonma statue.
Architecture
The magnificent monastery never fails to fascinate visitors with temple complex of Paro Taktsang is made up of four temple buildings and a series of eight caves. The buildings are connected by a network of narrow stone walkways and a few rickety bridges, with the caves accessible behind the temple buildings.
Paro Taksang features stark white exterior walls and red shingled roofs as well as golden roofs. Temples in Bhutan are typically constructed of stone and rammed mud. In the courtyard, there is a large prayer wheel, which monks turn every morning to start the day. Tibetan Buddhists believe turning a prayer wheel is similar to reciting prayers orally. The interior of Paro Taktsang features golden ceilings, golden idols and the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas.
The Trail
At the base of Taksang called Ramthangkha, you will be greeted by local vendors with a cheerful smile. Handicraft stalls are in a place where varieties of handicraft products are sold. Local vendors sell everything under the sun from their wares to fast food, beverages, garments and mostly handicraft products. Don’t get surprised if you hear local vendors speaking numerous foreign languages.
On the trail, the hikers pass by biblical hordes of pilgrims both locals and tourists moving up and down the Taksang Trail almost akin to watching an anthill buzzing with activity with all the fascinating sights and sounds. Along the trails , you might bump into mountain bikers making their way through the dirt routes.
The trail shows the classic example of the age-old tradition of transportation and route march. Along with the hikers, the herds of ponies make their way uphill to the monastery. One can either ride on the pony which is equally gruelling or decide to walk the ascend.
Aesthetics Activities
Some tourists, carry out Sketching, Yoga & Wellness around the vicinity because of the sanctity and sacredness of the environment. The landscape and the location of monastery attribute to Aesthetic Activities. Nowadays the place is gaining popularity among the aesthetics enthusiast thus there are numerous retreat centres operated in Paro Valley with the view facing magnificent Taksang Monastery.
Photographers Paradise
Paro Taksang is one of the best spots of a visual treat for the photographers and shutterbugs from all around the world. Most of the travellers aspire to visit Bhutan after seeing the photograph of Tigers Nest precariously perched on the rock cliff. Some wonders if the monastery is also one of the seven wonders of the world. The gateway to Tigers Nest is gaining momentum for many brides and grooms from the nine yards for the pre-wedding photoshoots, that one moment of the couple’s lifetime is forever captured at the peak of Paro Taksang.
Around the Tigers Nest Monastery, there are also other sacred monasteries and landmarks from where the photographers can take the best of the shot. There are also anecdotes where few photographers and tourists have fallen off the cliffs while capturing the best sight of the monastery. Despite such uncertainties, Taksang Monastery is visited by hundreds of people both local and tourists.