The Third Bhutan Exploration – Day 6
Paro Taktsang Monastery
On April 27, 2024, after completing the 5-day trip in Bhutan with the experts from Korea, the team returned to Korea.
Before leaving Bhutan, the monk planned to guide the Korean experts to one of Bhutan’s most iconic temples, the Paro Taktsang Monastery, which is also one of the most famous Himalayan Buddhist pilgrimage sites. After last week’s reconnaissance, it was decided that more time would be needed, so both the hiking up and descending times were extended by 30 minutes each. As a result, the group departed 30 minutes earlier than last week.
About 10 kilometers north of Paro city, where Bhutan’s international airport is located, a majestic valley appeared that seemed like the kind of place a tiger could emerge from. Upon arriving, the governor of Paro came out to greet the monk and accompany him on the visit.
The team, along with the Paro governor, began their hike at 4:30 AM in the dark.
As they ascended the mountain, Venerable Pomnyun shared ideas with the governor of Paro on how to develop the Taktsang Monastery in an environmentally friendly way. Starting at the entrance to the hike, he discussed how to improve the area.
“At the entrance of the mountain, it’s important to create a park. First, we should separate the paths for horses and people. I’ve noticed that there are a lot of people on the hiking trail, and the horses get startled. Also, the horses leave droppings along the path, which could be a problem.”
“Secondly, there are some tourists who cannot hike. So, it would be great to create a park at the entrance where even those who can’t hike can still enjoy the beautiful scenery. We could also create a space where visitors can offer their prayers toward the distant Taktsang Monastery. Additionally, the parking lot needs to be expanded.”
“Yes, that sounds like a good plan.”
As they ascended the mountain for about 30 minutes, the darkness gradually faded, and the first light of dawn began to break. With each step, the group moved closer to the Taktsang Monastery, which slowly revealed itself in the distance.
As they reached nearly 3,000 meters in altitude, each step became more taxing, and the air grew thinner. Every time they reached a resting spot, Venerable Pomnyun paused to catch their breath. During these breaks, the conversation between Venerable Pomnyun and the Paro governor continued.
“There are many fields near Paro Airport. Do they plant barley or wheat in the winter, or do they leave them fallow?”
“We encourage planting crops in winter, but it is not easy to change the residents’ existing habits.”
“If you don’t plant crops in the winter, the soil will lack fertilizer. It would be good to plant cover crops that supply nitrogen. Some cover crops bloom a lot, and when tourists land at Paro Airport, they might feel like they’re landing in a flower field.”
What if we turn the area around Paro Airport into a flower field?
“Bhutan has a very well-preserved natural environment, so development should be done while preserving nature. Experts should first design the overall plan and then develop it gradually. Nature is difficult to restore once it’s destroyed, so we must avoid haphazard development. If there are no experts in Bhutan, I will bring experts from Korea to offer assistance.”
“Yes, that’s right. Both nature conservation and development are necessary, but until now, Bhutan has focused only on nature conservation. The idea of cultivating nature beautifully is a new concept here, as we’ve only thought about preserving nature as it is. Right now, merchants are even prohibited from opening shops. As you suggested, we are planning to create a center for research and are now focusing on that direction. I agree with your point that design should come first, and then implementation should follow.”
The uphill path continued. Venerable Pomnyun climbed slowly but steadily.
“It would be good to place benches every 500 meters along the hiking trail so that people aren’t forced to rush up and down the mountain, but can enjoy the climb at a relaxed pace.”
Venerable Pomnyun, breathing heavily, continued sharing ideas with the Paro governor.
“I’m worried about the next five years. The Indian economy is improving rapidly, so 90 percent of the tourists will be from India. The hiking trails will be overcrowded, and people visiting here will get tired of the congestion, which will reduce Bhutan’s charm. The stairs leading down from the Taktsang Monastery will have people lining up, waiting for their turn. It will be very noisy, and trash will be thrown everywhere. There’s a limit to how many people can be accommodated, so we need to make plans in advance.”
This time, he sat on a rock and took a short rest. Flowers were blooming everywhere.
“What’s the elevation now?”
“It’s 2,970 meters.”
“We need to go up to 3,100 meters. Let’s keep going.”
From a distance, they took a group photo with the Taktsang Monastery in view.
“Taktsang Monastery!”
The small Taktsang Monastery, which had appeared so tiny, gradually came closer.
Now, only the final challenge remained. To reach the Taktsang Monastery, perched on the opposite cliff, they had to descend to the bottom of the cliff and then climb up again.
“When I visited last time, I thought the uphill path ended here, and I let out a sigh of relief. But from here, the descent started, and I thought, ‘Going down isn’t a problem, but thinking about the uphill climb back, it felt overwhelming,'” (laughter).
As they descended, the sight of a waterfall cascading down the cliff below was breathtaking. Standing before nature’s grandeur, it became impossible not to feel that humans are but a small part of the vast natural world.
However, Venerable Pomnyun looked very tired. Despite the difficulty, he continued to take one step at a time, slowly climbing the stairs. As he struggled up the challenging path, he marveled at the incredible strength of those who had built a temple in such a place.
After 2 hours and 30 minutes of climbing, they finally reached the Taktsang Monastery. The head monk, having received word of their arrival, was waiting to welcome them with open arms.
“Welcome to the Taktsang Monastery,” the head monk greeted them warmly.
Inside the temple, photography was prohibited. Guided by the head monk, they quietly explored the sacred space. The Queen Mother of Bhutan had heard that Venerable Pomnyun would be visiting the temple and had asked the head monk to prepare tea for them. While enjoying the tea, they had a brief conversation.
“I am visiting the Taktsang Monastery for the first time today.”
“You came last week as well.”
“That time, I couldn’t offer my respects to Buddha because of the flight schedule. I was in such a rush that my body ached. So, that visit doesn’t count. Today is my first real visit to the temple.” (laughter)
“I’ve heard that you are planning to do a lot for the people of Bhutan. On behalf of the people of Bhutan, I sincerely thank you.”
After conversing with the head monk, the group began their descent down the mountain. They had to descend to the bottom of the cliff and then climb back up before making their way down the mountain.
Venerable Pomnyun dipped his hands into the waterfall and washed his face, cooling off with the cold water. The water was very cold.
As they began to climb the stairs along the cliff again, it became difficult for Venerable Pomnyun to catch his breath. Eventually, a JTS staff member gently pushed his back to help him climb the stairs, allowing them to continue their journey.
As they descended, they encountered several pilgrims who were just beginning their ascent.
“Kuzuzangpo la”
“Good morning!”
They exchanged greetings as they leisurely made their way down the mountain. It took them 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach the base.
When they arrived at the base of the mountain, Venerable Pomnyun once again discussed how to develop a park in this area.
“Here, we need to create a park for people who can’t climb the mountain. Even if we build a structure, it should have large glass windows so that people can bow toward the Taktsang Monastery. Even if they can’t hike, they should be able to pay their respects from here.”
The Paro governor responded,
“Yes, that would be wonderful.”
At the entrance of the mountain, tea had been prepared in the reception room. As they drank, the governor asked Venerable Pomnyun for further advice on how to preserve the beauty of the area.
“The Queen Mother of Bhutan loves this area very much. She is especially passionate about nature conservation, and through several meetings, she is already well aware of your thoughts. It would be great if you could offer further advice.”
“If you need advice from experts, I can bring specialists from Korea to help with the overall design.”
“Thank you. I will contact you.”
At 10 AM, they departed for Paro Airport. On the way, the experts who had joined the survey shared their thoughts on the trip.
“Our farm in Korea is located on a hilly area, and we used to complain about it, but coming to Bhutan, we realized our farm is actually on flat land. It was a valuable experience. Thank you.” (laughs)
At the airport, after gifting the Paro governor with one of Venerable Pomnyun’s books translated into English, they exchanged farewells and promised to meet again in the future.
The JTS volunteers had worked hard over the past month, conducting three surveys, building sample houses, and reaching the point of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). After encouraging the volunteers, Venerable Pomnyun expressed gratitude to Dr. Tashi and entered the airport.
“Great job. Take a rest when you get back to Gemgang.”
After completing the departure procedures, they boarded the plane at 11:50 AM. The flight was delayed by 20 minutes and took off from Paro Airport at 12:10 PM.
After a 3-hour flight, they arrived at Bangkok Airport at 4:00 PM local time. The temperature in Bangkok was 38°C. As they stepped out of the airport, they immediately felt the intense heat. Unlike Bhutan, which is mostly mountainous, Bangkok was vast with flat land stretching out.
They took a car to a nearby restaurant close to the airport and had dinner together. Experts from various fields such as agriculture, forestry, and water supply had all worked hard during the 4-day survey trip. During the meal, Venerable Pomnyun expressed his gratitude.
“Everyone holds significant positions in Korea, and I apologize for making you work so hard.”
Professor Park Jin-do, who has conducted extensive research on Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) concept, answered.
“Not at all. We learned so much more from you. Your approach to site inspections is truly remarkable. This time, we’ve learned how to conduct proper inspections. Thank you very much.”
After expressing his gratitude once again to the experts, Venerable Pomnyun headed back to Bangkok Airport.
“Now that the sustainable development project has begun, please continue to offer us your valuable advice in the future.”
The 6-day field trip to Bhutan with the four experts has concluded. With the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, the sustainable development project has officially begun. We are curious to see how Bhutan will change.
*This text was written and edited based on an article provided by the Monk’s Day Team
