George Bush bought me a fine Thangka

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In my off time, I’ve continued to participate in a meditation group called Deer Park, which has led to most of my social activities. I’ve been on three hikes in the Thimphu valley. Twice to Cheri Goempa and once to Pajoding. Also, during my last weekend in Bhutan I took a trip to Taksang (the Tiger’s Nest), attended the Paro Tsechu, and met with HM Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck.

Cheri is the place where the first Shabdrung established the first Kagyu monk body. It’s on the steep side of a hill at the north end of the Thimphu valley. Pajoding is a lakhang at the top of a ridge high above Thimphu. It was quite a hike - note that Thimphu is above 7000 feet and Pajoding, a ways above that.

The first time I went up to Cheri was with a group of “Chillips” (that endearing term for foreigners). I went with my friend Tobi - a german guy working for the Center for Bhutan Studies, Anders and Camilla - Camilla works for the Danish Government and Anders is on maternity leave taking care of their newborn, an American named Tuggey - who is working on a computer system at the Thimphu hospital, and a Canadian woman who I can’t remember her name off the top of my head. All people doing great things in Bhutan.

It was a pleasant, clear day. The hike up to Cheri wasn’t too bad, though we were told it was an hour up a steep climb. It seemed like it only took about 20 minutes to half an hour. Regardless, we arrived to a grand temple on the face of a forested hill looking down the Thimphu valley to steep pine forested hills. The trees gave a dark green bristly shag all the way to the tops of the hills where I could see other temples all white washed and monk’s-robe-maroon trimmed with glistening gold highlights and flapping prayer flags. It’s like you could signal that someone was on their way from temple to temple all the way up or down the valley.

As we arrived to the temple, a monk who knew Tobi, was sitting in a chair. He told us he could see us coming from down the valley. Just as we were about to compliment him on his eyesight, he pulled out a pair of binoculars. Both the monk and Tobi were surprised to see each other. Fortunately, though there was supposed to be a total ban on foreigners entering temples, we were allowed to go in.

Let me interject here that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs issued a decree that they would not issue permits and banned all foreigners from going into Dzongs (traditional government forts of sorts) and Lakhangs (Buddhist temples) including people working or volunteering with NGOs, the UN, and other agencies. No reason was given, just a decree. I speculated on security, what with recent bombings, or disrespectful tourists, but a total ban didn’t make any sense. In actuality it affected the tourist industry so much that complaints were issued due to the fact that many tourists who come for a mixture of the scenery and the culture were not allowed to do 80% of what they came to Bhutan for. My issue was the indiscriminate ban that didn’t take into account that some (including me) go to the temples for devotional practice and pilgrimage.

A rumor, I was told, is that the director of the Ministry has been away on a cultural tour in the U.S. and upon returning he would move to another agency within the government. So an assistant director was running things. Amongst a stack of papers on his desk was purportedly a proposal for such a ban. Having wanted to make sure his butt was covered, the assistant director took said proposal and signed it as is. The Prime Minister was asked about the ban by a reporter. The PM replied, quite humorously, that it was a government decision and he had nothing to do with it. A few weeks later the ban was quietly lifted.

Such a simple action is actually a bit of a complicated debate. On the one hand these sites are the results of devotion to Buddhism and therefore, like the teachings of Buddha, they cannot belong to any one person or government, therefore the Bhutanese government shouldn’t restrict access, but being entrusted in their care, they should determine how they’re used ie take your shoes off, don’t touch the iconography, respect the purpose of the space. On the other hand, granting access to anyone or any tourist to these places risks turning them into museums devoid of practice or purpose other than the fading memory of a once rich cultural heritage. How do you grant access to one sub group of foreigners - those there for practice, and another - those there to gawk at the shiny things? Do foreigners have a right to practice in these places?

An American woman assessed that these places are symbols of someone’s wealth and that they’re actually private facilities. But that doesn’t account for them being offered in the service of Buddhism and Buddhism is offered freely to anyone. However, these places exist somewhere between public and private property. Property rights and public access as we know it in the U.S. just doesn’t apply here. I think that comes down to how Bhutanese actually view their world. Somewhere in between a public and private citizen. How does one live in the service of others - as Buddhism espouses - but maintain their individual needs or integrity, especially within an ever increasing neo-liberal global economy?

There are two development tracks arriving in Bhutan. One is the GNH system that seeks to encompass much more than material wealth. The other is the insidiousness of opening markets in Bhutan; where products from China, India, Thailand, etc. are dumped on developing countries whether in need or not. It’s pretty much a one way system in Bhutan, because all they have to offer the global market is hydro-electricity (32% of the economy) and oranges. Indian laborers are here building the roads so a good percentage of whatever wealth there is goes out of country (be careful before laying into me about immigration debates, Bhutan’s issues are different than the U.S. or Europe - you know, apples and oranges; it would be like the U.S. sending laborers into Mexico and Central America). The rest of the economy, I’m told, is floated by international donors from Europe. Bhutan’s challenge is truly finding sustainability.

I went back to Cheri two weeks later with another group consisting of locals and foreigners, including some friends from Western Washington University who were in Bhutan with the Institute for Village Studies. This time we walked all the way from Thimphu to the temple - about 5 hours. It was a nice walk on an overcast day, so it wasn’t too warm. Also, everyone had good conversations about so many different issues because there happened to be some folks who work in various ministries and a couple of guys from the Center for Bhutan Studies. Again, when we arrived at Cheri we met Tobi’s friend and had a wonderful time being hosted in his quarters. We also went to the temple dedicated to the first Shabdrung’s cave. It was quite an auspicious day.

The trip to Pajoding was equally as impressive if not more. This trip was a Deer Park endeavor as a pilgrimage to sacred sites above the Thimphu valley. It was scheduled as a four day hike. The first day took all day to reach Pajoding lakhang (temple) perched on a steep face of cliffs (not as steep as Taksang, I’ll get to that). There were icicle clad springs, that completely froze at night and thawed during the day, all around the temple and the monk’s quarters. The view was stunning and we could here a concert for the King’s birthday all the way down in Thimphu’s clocktower square. We stayed in the monk’s quarters that weekend. On the second day we hiked over the ridge amongst high fields of rhododendrons and craggy rocks to a series of sacred lakes (frozen ponds) and panoramic views of glacier capped peaks. All of it doused in skin scorching sun (I should know). On the third day instead of the forth, after a morning of meditation in the lakhang, I went back down to Thimphu with two people who were having a difficult time with the terrain. I was a bit tired too, and I thought it would be best if I met with the new Tarayana volunteer who became my roommate.

A few weeks later, my new roommate and I hiked up the not too bad day trip to Taksang. There’s been so much written about Taksang that I couldn’t possibly elaborate on the significance of this temple that is said to be “hanging from the cliff by the hairs of dakinis”. I’ll just say it’s where Guru Rimpoche meditated in a cave. Fortunately, because I was there for devotional practice, I was allowed to go into the temple where the actual meditation cave is located. Though we couldn’t go in the cave, we could peer through a window in the door. The central figure in the temple was a wrathful version of Guru Rimpoche - one of his eight manifestations.

At the Paro Tsechu (a festival lasting several days, chock full of sacred dances and opportunities to gain various forms of merit). This festival is what the term living museum was created for. It was ridiculous how every foreigner had a camera that starkly contrasted with every local not having a camera - a clear definition of what the festival means to either demographic. I was embarrassed to have my camera at such a well documented event. I left my video camera in the car and tried to shoot stills respectfully and discreetly. Unlike an Indian family who were often nearly in the middle of the dancing area. Once, one of the daughters was in the path of the dancers and a monk pulled her out of the way. I also saw tourists disrespectfully taking photos of people doing prostrations. One woman was clearly annoyed but typically exhibiting Bhutanese Buddhist tolerance.

However, the central event of the Tsechu happens on the final day - the unrolling of a giant stitched picture of Guru Rimpoche called a Thongdrel (meaning enlightenment on sight). For more merit a devotee goes and touches her forehead on the bottom of the cloth. One guy I know said he didn’t need to touch his head to the cloth, because just seeing the picture was enough to gain enlightenment. The Thongdrel is hundreds of years old and is kept out of direct sunlight. It’s unfurled in the very early hours of the morning and rolled up before the sun shines on it. The masked dances that ensue are esoteric representations of mind states displayed as battles amongst various demons as well as with historical figures in Bhutan’s Buddhist iconography.

All of this was quite a whorlwind of cultural experiences that I can only possibly convey the a portion of the experience when I see you again.

But to top it all off was a personal audience with HM Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, the eldest of four wives of the 4th Druk Gyalpo or King of Bhutan. She’s quite a dynamic woman. She founded the Tarayana Foundation after trapesing all over Bhutan to visit secluded villages. I’ve already waxed poetic about the fabulous work they do, so I won’t get into it. The residence I visited her at was elegant, but actually quite modest for a queen’s home. We chatted for about an hour and she was very good at putting me at ease in the conversation. As I awkwardly tried to show proper Bhutanese etiquette, she quickly dispensed with such formalities and allowed me the casualness of friendly gestures I was accustomed to. And she served us some good apple pie.

That covers an onslaught of cultural experiences in Bhutan. In the next blog, though I’m now in India throwing myself to the anonymity of hop, skipping, and jumping across the sub-continent, I’ll throw in some thoughts about the recent election.

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Photos

At the Paro Tsechu
from L to R: Nick (Tarayana volunteer), Karma (Tarayana Marketing), Sonam Pem (Tarayana Program Coordinator), Me (wearing a gho)

Comments

[Bob Vermeers]

Your view is...
... a scintillating mix of culture and experience. To become so immersed in such a diverse environment has to be a magnificant trip. As you probably have found, writing about these things give them a much deeper dimension. Revealing the intricacies of local politics further broadens my perspective of how people relate to their environment and each other. You also touch on economic factors that are part of the big picture that is painted in the book "The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for our Times" by Jeffrey Sachs. A very essential element of any economy is the infrastructure designed to enhance it. We are looking forward to more of your writings.