Berlitz Pocket Guide Bhutan by Solange Hando

Author:Solange Hando
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Travel, Bhutan
Publisher: Apa Publications
Published: 2017-04-18T04:00:00+00:00

In Eastern Bhutan lemongrass grows wild under the chir pines. It is a sustainable resource providing income for farmers. It is harvested by hand and the essential oil extracted for air sprays, soap, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. The scent repels insects but for the Bhutanese, the natural fragrance is considered ‘good for spirit, body and mind’.

The Yadi Zigs

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Crossing the bridge over the Sheri Chu at an altitude of just 700 metres (2,296ft), the road heads up over a ridge to reach the Drangme Chu valley, winding its way around until Thungdari where a head-spinning track zigzags up to Drametse fi [map] – ‘the peak where there are no enemies’ – and one of the main monasteries in Eastern Bhutan. It is only 18km (11 miles) in distance but it takes an hour to get there, 1,350 metres (4,429ft) above the valley. The Gompa was founded in the 16th century by Choeten Zangmo, the great-granddaughter of Pema Lingpa. Her funerary chorten is in the main temple, guarded by statues of Guru Rinpoche and Pema Lingpa, the latter a mirror image sculpted by himself, according to legend. The upper floors are dedicated to protective and long life deities. Home to about 90 lay monks and ordained Nyingma monks – celibate or married – Drametse is the birthplace of the famous Drum Dance revealed in a vision, now performed in festivals across the country and listed as oral and intangible heritage by Unesco. The temple is closed for renovation until 2018, but there are stunning views over the gorge where the river carves its way below rose-coloured hills speckled with bushes and small trees. Tracks vanish into the distance, terraced fields struggle for space, squeezing on the edge of the water or climbing up the slopes, and the eerie silhouette of Trashigang Dzong fl [map] looms high on a spur, guarding the route as it has done for over 300 years.

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