Taktsang Lhakhang, which translates to Tiger’s Nest Monastery is Bhutan’s most iconic landmark and a highly revered holy site for the Bhutanese folk.
An absolute marvel of a human made structure, perched on a cliff 900 metres above the Paro Valley. The temple has been burnt to the ground twice, the latest one in 2005. But kudos to the persistence and sheer diligence of mankind, it was resurrected bit by bit and opened up to the public in 2015.
How to reach the Tiger Nest Monastery
A visit to the Tiger Nest Monastery needs to be earned. It’s a hike of ~14 kms to and fro taking about 2-3 hours each way.
The monastery hangs precariously onto a rocky cliff side at ~10,000 ft height. The tracks leading to the monastery go through steep rocky slopes passing through pine forests festooned with colourful prayer flags. Some portions of the track which are muddy are thatched with what looks to be trunks of trees, converting them to steps making it easier to climb. A mule track goes half the distance but after that it’s all on foot.
It’s a full day trek and not an easy one to say the least. Most tourists go only till the view point which is somewhere mid-way. There’s just one cafeteria on the route which provides the basic refreshments – a set menu meal, some short eats and hot and cold beverages.
Starting point of the trek
Climb! Climb! Climb!
Mules carrying essentials, but they only go halfway.
The one and only cafeteria on the way
At the cafeteria. The monastery looks like a tiny blob from here.
At the viewpoint. thatbrowngirlinblackboots with husband
That’s ~10,000 ft high
Closeup view of the monastery against the massive rocky cliffs
Beautiful views all along the way
This one has to be my most favourite picture of all that I clicked on this day. These trees against the azure skies backdrop lends peace and calm and soothes my eyes and soul.
The legend behind..
The Tiger Nest Monastery also known as Paro Taktsang is one of the most famous Buddhist sites. It is believed that Guru Rinpoche (also known as Padmasambhava) flew from Tibet to this location on the back of a tigress, with the aim of subduing evil spirits. Legend also has it that the tigress was actually a woman named Yeshi Tshogyal, a consort of Guru Rinpoche who had transformed herself into the fearsome tigress form to subjugate spirits.
It is in one of the caves at the site here that Guru Rinpoche meditated and emerged in eight different manifestations. The meditation lasted 3 years, 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days before defeating the malicious spirits.
The shrine consists of eight different rooms each containing beautiful paintings and intricately done sculptures of the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche and his disciples. The sacred cave where he meditated is closed throughout the year barring one day when it’s open for public visitation. Pilgrims from across the country and the world travel to Paro to be part of this auspicious event.
Before entering the monastery complex, one is required to deposit any bags, and all electronic and photography equipments in the locker room just outside the complex. Photography is prohibited inside the temple which is the case across all temples and monasteries in Bhutan. All headgear and shoes should be removed before entering the monastery.
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