Punakah, Day 4Today, March 20, 2013 - Gross National Happiness Day
It is the first day of spring and rather than the GNP, the Bhutanese have a GNH, Gross National Happiness Day. Apparently, security from fear, security from want, and security from indignities is measured at 75%. The people trust one another and have great faith in their benevolent monarchial democracy.
Here is our itinerary for today.
After breakfast on day 4 we take a picnic lunch and set off to visit the Khamsum Yueling Temple, north of Punakha. We walk for an hour through a beautiful pastoral setting to reach this hillside temple. This is also a lovely opportunity for some farmhouse visits and to have our lunch by the riverside. After lunch we visit Punakha Dzong (fortress), built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. This building was the second of Bhutan's dzongs and its creation was foretold by Guru Rimpoche. We explore the site and discover the story behind the tri-partitioned stairs.
Even today the monks of the central clergy, led by the Je Khanpo, still migrate from Thimphu to spend the six coldest months of the year at Punakha. The city is built at the confluence of the Mo Chhu (Mother River) and the Po Chhu (Father River) and is fertile enough to provide farmers with two rice crops a year.
We have had a lovely day trekking through the countryside and up the mountain to the Khamsum Yueling Temple. It was a challenging uphill hike. Can't say I am looking forward to the trekking part of the Tiger's Nest Monastary as it is even longer and more difficult. This was some good practice.
The Punakha Dzong is beautifully impressive. We loved it. The town of Punakha looks as if iwe were in Switzerland or Austria.
All is Well with The Worrall Travel R's
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