Continued from "Chime Lhakhang"...
My first glimpse of the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal - at an altitude, a tiny shiny chorten surrounding by thicket of trees, with a backdrop of clouds garlanding the mountain ranges! Yes, had to trek up the hill, and my temptation to trek was... the wonderful views of the Punakha Valley.
This is a four-storey chorten, constructed over a period of nine years, and built by the Queen Mother to ward off evil forces and to promote peace in the kingdom. It is said that the Queen Mother treks to the chorten and resides at her quarters opposite to the temple.
The trek is approximately an hour or more on a good day. From the parking space, I crossed the suspension bridge and walked through the paddy fields, and then began the trek. The suspension bridge has so many prayer flags tied to it. Our guide was head-deep in the flags (; see the photo!). There are a lot of birds in this region; saw plenty of treepies. Also saw a group of tourists (Chinese?) river rafting. See River Rafting, Punakha.
As I began my trek, rain, the jealous friend, began to pour. I had to struggle with my camera and umbrella and my unfit body. Luckily, I never forgot to carry an umbrella. The rain made the path a little slippery; a hiking stick is always helpful.
After the climb, the vastness of the chorten complex is pleasant. The White miniature chortens surrounding the Namyal are pretty. The White color cuts the monotony of the greenery behind the chortens. I loved the climb to the top of the chorten. A door, leading to the top, was closed due to rain; but the guide opened it, and I climbed up. I stepped on the rain water, wetting my socks; but was worth every trouble. The view of the valley was fantastic! Please remember that photography inside the chorten is prohibited.
Sat till the rain stopped, and then re-traced my steps back to the parking lot. What a fun trek it was!
Regards,
Asha
My first glimpse of the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal - at an altitude, a tiny shiny chorten surrounding by thicket of trees, with a backdrop of clouds garlanding the mountain ranges! Yes, had to trek up the hill, and my temptation to trek was... the wonderful views of the Punakha Valley.
This is a four-storey chorten, constructed over a period of nine years, and built by the Queen Mother to ward off evil forces and to promote peace in the kingdom. It is said that the Queen Mother treks to the chorten and resides at her quarters opposite to the temple.
The trek is approximately an hour or more on a good day. From the parking space, I crossed the suspension bridge and walked through the paddy fields, and then began the trek. The suspension bridge has so many prayer flags tied to it. Our guide was head-deep in the flags (; see the photo!). There are a lot of birds in this region; saw plenty of treepies. Also saw a group of tourists (Chinese?) river rafting. See River Rafting, Punakha.
As I began my trek, rain, the jealous friend, began to pour. I had to struggle with my camera and umbrella and my unfit body. Luckily, I never forgot to carry an umbrella. The rain made the path a little slippery; a hiking stick is always helpful.
After the climb, the vastness of the chorten complex is pleasant. The White miniature chortens surrounding the Namyal are pretty. The White color cuts the monotony of the greenery behind the chortens. I loved the climb to the top of the chorten. A door, leading to the top, was closed due to rain; but the guide opened it, and I climbed up. I stepped on the rain water, wetting my socks; but was worth every trouble. The view of the valley was fantastic! Please remember that photography inside the chorten is prohibited.
Sat till the rain stopped, and then re-traced my steps back to the parking lot. What a fun trek it was!
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| First glimpse of Khamsum Yulley Namgyal |
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| The suspension bridge |
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| The clouds |
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| Our guide head-deep in prayer flags! |
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| The vast space |
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| Miniature chortens |
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| The top of the chorten |
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| At the top |
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| View from the top |
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| View from the top (Queen Mother's quarters) |
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| Water goddess? |
Asha
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