Paro is known as the Gateway to Bhutan. Not far from the airport sits the Rinpung Dzong or Paro Dzong, a fortress monastery that watches over the Paro Valley. It is the religious and administrative center of the region. While the word “Dzong” means fortress, each dzong includes a Buddhist monastery, which I found very interesting.
Here we see monks in a courtyard of the Paro Dzong. The chapels were not open to visitors.
Above the Paro Dzong, is the Da-dzong which is now the National Museum of Bhutan. At 7,480 ft elevation, this is the Watchtower for the Rinpong Dzong. This was our first stop. First we saw many masks of important saints and teachers as well as festival masks. We saw a video of some of the dances of the different regions. There were many artifacts of Bhutanese culture and history. There were examples of Bhutanese art, bronze statues and paintings, traditional costumes, and historical relics. These exhibits helped us begin to understand the people and what we would see. We learned that dance is very important to each region of the country.
Next, we walked downhill to the Dzong, a huge fortress than sits on a hill overlooking the whole valley. The Dzongs are split: half housing a monastery and half governmental functions. This one is the seat of the district administration and the residence of the monastic school. The walls are covered with murals depicting Buddhist parables, symbols, and the lives of prominent saints. The name Rinchen Pung Dzong means “Fortress on a Heap of Jewels.” This was our first encounter with the architecture and functions of a Dzong.
The National Museum of Bhutan
After this, we had our first taste of Bhutanese food at lunch. We went to a lovely café in downtown Paro. Food was served “family style” and we had dishes of rice, vegetables, chicken, more vegetables, and watermelon for dessert.
Lunch was followed by a walk through Paro and vists to other temples.
The Chhoeten Lhakhang
The white tower of Chhoeten Lhakhang, situated southeast of Paro’s town square, is a perfect example of beautiful Buddhist artwork. Chhoeten Lhakhang displays a statue of Jowo Sakyamuni in the middle of the chapel. The sculptures of Guru Rinpoche and Chenrezig in the chapel add glory to the Lhakhang.
Before we could visit we had to walk around the stupa three times while our guide chanted a Mantrs
Because it is a pilgrimage site, for many people, there is a truly spiritual atmosphere present. As we did at every monastery, before we looked at anything, we had to circle it three times clockwise while our guide chanted a mantra.
Druk Chhoeding Dzong
This is a wing of the Druk Chhoeding Dzong. Built in the 15th century by Ngawang Chogyel, Druk Choeding is one of the many magnificent monasteries in Paro. The main attraction of this temple is the presence of a seated statue of Future Buddha called Jampa. It also houses ancient war artifacts.
The architecture is stunning and a good example of Bhutanese architecture and design. The intricate wood carvings and colorful paintings are what I remember about the shrines.
This shrine is not only peaceful but also provides a picturesque panoramic view of the valley.
Kyichu Lhakhang Monestary
Kyichu Lhakhang Monestary is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, dating from the 7th century. The monastery has statues of Guru Rinpoche and Gautama Buddha.
In the courtyard there are two orange trees that bear fruit year-round, regardless of the season. They are said to represent eternal life.
The original temple is said to have been built overnight on the left foot of a huge ogress. Her purpose was to stop the spread of Buddhism; however with the temple stopped her efforts, and Buddhism flourished.
Another story says that Guru Rinpoche made a pilgrimage here and hid sacred treasures (terma) in and around the temple. These gave the temple spiritual power.
Jangsarbu Lhakhang
Home to Sakyamuni Buddha, a statue that was carried from Lhasa, Tibet, Jangsarbu Lhakhang is one of the smallest monasteries in Bhutan. It is located right behind Paro Dzong, which was initially supposed to keep the Buddha’s statue safe. As the legend goes, the statue was only to be kept overnight at Jangsarbu Lhakhang. However, while they tried to move it to its original Lhakhang, it didn’t budge. It proved impossible to lift the statue; hence, it became a permanent attraction of the temple. It is a three-storey monastery with paintings and sculptures of Buddhas. Different from other monasteries because it is entirely dark within, you need to carry flashlights with you to see the beautiful relics and artwork.
Our Hotel
The Tensining Hotel is a lovely example of Bhutanese architecture and decoration. After we settled in to our room and got organized, we had dinner at the hotel. It was served “family style.” The view from our hotel showed the whole city.
In Paro, we stayed at the Tenzinling Resort, a family-run resort overlooking the city. The rooms were lovely and the food and service superb.
A Bhutanese citizens were required to wear the national code of dress: Gho for men, and Kira for women. The Gho includes a heay, knee-length robe tied with a belt, folded in such a way to form a pocket in front of the stomach. The Kira includes a colorful blouse covered by a large, rectangular cloth, which is clasped to form a full-length dress. A short silk jacket may be worn over the kira. The material for both is cotton, and is patterned in simple checks and stripes in earth tones. For special occasions and festivals, colorfully patterned silk kira may be worn. This dress is required whenever in public. We never saw our guide and driver dressed any other way.
