An Overview of Bhutan

Clinging to a black rock face, 800 meters above the valley floor, nestles Taktsang Lhakhang, one of the holiest sites of Himalayan Buddhism. Such is the sense of peace and serenity as the quiet approach path winds through lush meadow, oak and rhododendron forest, past quaint hamlets, fluttering prayer flags and rotating prayer wheels, and along the precipitous cliff, it is difficult to believe that Bhutan's only airport is barely kilometers away. Taktsang, the tiger's lair, acquires its name from the legend of its foundation, when in the 8th Century Guru Rinpoche, widely revered as the second Buddha, arrived from Tibet flying across the mountains on the back of a tigress. He meditated at the site for three months, from where he used the religious cycle of the Kagye to subjugate the Eight Categories of Evil Spirits, and thus converted the region to Buddhism. Over the centuries many luminaries came to meditate at this intensely spiritual place, enriching the legacy of its founding master and strengthening belief in the Buddhist faith.
Through its setting and history, Taktsang stands as a evocative metaphor for Bhutan itself, alluding to some of the defining elements of the diminutive Himalayan kingdom: a spiritual sanctuary, enriched by the thoughts and actions of its ancestors and an enduring intensity of faith; an ecological enclave, where geographical circumstance and human humility have united to preserve an abundant, multi-layered, undistracted environment; a secluded land, occupying a precarious niche in a fast encroaching modern world. Drukyul, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, is particularly distinctive in that it has preserved its overall identity to remain a traditional microcosm somewhat removed from wider global realities. The nation has thus far been blessed with the ability to reproduce itself through ever changing circumstances. In 1998 the Taktsang complex was heavily damaged by fire. The following year popular excitement greeted the discovery of a young boy as the reincarnation of Tenzing Rabgye, the fourth temporal ruler of Bhutan, responsible for originally building the destroyed buildings in 1692. The successful reconstruction is now nearing completion.

it is our national dress...gho for man

Royal Family of Bhutan

His Eminence the Ninth Khamtrul Rinpoche Jigme Pema Nyinjadh has led some of his friends and his students on several pilgrimages in Bhutan. One of the holy places he visited with a group was Paro Taktsang. As said the physical hardships definitely has a great effect on our mental progress, not only for this life but also for next life, so it is meritorious for us to spare some time from our hectic life and go for a pilgrimages like this in this fragile life. Here is a brief introduction by Khamtrul Rinpoche:
"Framed within the branches of pine trees, Taktsang Dzong Monastery, the most important religious shrine in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, emerges from delicate veil of shifting mist that caress the rocky mountain upon which it is poised. Looking up through the wispy green willow trees that line the road in Paro valley, one can see a tiny spec of a white building clinging to a block cliff at nearly 10,000ft above sea level. The path to the edifice cannot be seen from the road, so it is difficult to believe that one reaches the inner chambers of Taktsang temple after two hours of heart-pounding hiking through a dense forest of oak and rhododendron, climbing staircase curved out of granite.
The Taktsang monastery is one of the most impressive examples of religious architecture in Bhutan,mainly because of its spectacular location on the a ledge with a sheer drop of 1200m below. It seems almost unbelievable that it was possible to build on such a dangerous spot.
Known as Tiger Nest, Taktsang Temple is Bhutan's most recognizable cultural icon, which has been restored after the mysterious fire destroyed it in April 1998. An important place of pilgrimage and refuge for more than 1200 years.
Tiger's Nest temple got its name when in the Eighth Century, Guru Rinpoche rode there on the back of a flying tigress, a manifestation of one of his consorts, and meditated for three months in the cave behind the present-day temple. At that time malignant spirits abounded and, in order to subdue them, he assumed the terrifying form of Guru Dorje Drolo, one of the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, and consecrated Paro Taktsang as a scared sit to protect the Dharma and subdue harmful forces.
The Taktsang monastery consists of a number of temple buildings which the Taktsang Pelphu is the main one.The actual cave where Guru meditated is the most sacred place of Taktsang,around which the lhakhangs are arranged. Later the Tibetan poet saint Jetsun melarepa visited the place and composed one of his songs after having spent three months in meditation in the cave. Another famous person to travel to Taktsang was “iron bridge builder” Thangtong Gyalpo. The Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal visited the place in 1645,but it was only in 1692 that then Paro Penlop had the monastery built in this sacred place. A legend tells that there was not enough support during the construction of the foundation, until some fairies came cutting their long hair to serve as a support for the building. Taktsang is one of the holiest places in Bhutan."