Let's holiday!: Taktsang Palphug Monastery or Tiger's Nest, Paro

Continued from "National Museum and Rinchen Pung Dzong"...

One of the main reasons for me to visit Bhutan was the trek to the Paro Taktsang. This monastery is a sacred Buddhist religious complex, located on the cliffside of the upper Paro valley. Guru Padmasambhava is said to have flown to this place on his tigress, and then meditated in the cave inside the complex during 8th century. A temple was constructed at this place during 1692.

The monastery hangs on a cliff at 10, 240 ft and about 3000 ft above the Paro Valley. There's a waterfall on the trek path and a wooden bridge is constructed across it; the waterfall is about 200 ft. During the rainy seasons, crossing this bridge is next to impossible; in fact, trekking to this place is next to impossible!

The evening before the day on which I was supposed to trek to the Tiger's Nest, I was apprehensive and had a zillion doubts in my head. First concern was about my fitness level; absolutely unfit for this trek. Second concern was about the weather; if rain, no trek for me. Third concern was that, having read reviews of the trek and having heard people's experiences, I was to trek only till the cafe; no further trek for me. Fourth concern was about my shoes that had no soles. Fifth concern was about the altitude sickness; I didn't have it but had to be aware. :-)

We set out early on the day we planned to visit the monastery. The weather was kind-of 50-50 favorable. I wore my Reebok sole-less shoes; the sole of my shoes has come off on the first day of my visit to Bhutan. So, the idea was to trek with my sole-less shoes, and then return with my soulful. Well, you get the idea - a spiritual journey from several angles! This is one trek that you do alone irrespective of whether you are in a group or alone.

With a hiking stick in hand, a backpack on my back, and a prayer in my mind, I decided to trek anyway. In my backpack, I had a banana, a small water bottle, a hand towel, a band-aid, an umbrella, a camera with prime lens, and other items. I seriously hoped that rain wouldn't spoil the fun.

There are several directions - northwest path through the forest, south along the paths that devotees take, and north over the rocky plateau - to trek from. The mule track passes through the pine forest, and is said to be steep. Remember that the dried pine leaves can be super slippery if wet. Also remember to stick to the common trek route; chances of getting lost are high, in case you wander.

Slowly and steadily I began the trek. Every part of my body hurt. People and mule overtook me from left and right. I felt just like the Panda in the Kung Fu Panda movie. I had never realized that so many muscles and tissues existed in my body that could hurt terribly! I let everyone run their way uphill; puffing and panting, I climbed up, avoiding the mule dung, which is all over the trek path till the cafe. Wet soil and mule dung are the worst combination.

At one point, I realized that I was way ahead of others, and I was alone with Nature. The sound of my breathing echoed in my ears. My heartbeats sounded louder than ever. The birds sang melodies to keep me motivated. The clouds seem to be playing hide-and-seek; they cover portions of the range, and then revealed the ranges. I took short breaks of 2-5 mins at several points. Longer breaks means cooling the body, and then restarting all over again; that can cause more strain.

After a while, it seemed like I was being gently carried, and placed at the foot of the stairs leading to the monastery. I kept my backpack and everything except my purse at the luggage counter, wrote down my guide's details (, who was accompanying my two friends), and then climbed the stairs. The puja had commenced in the main temple; I sat at the side of the Guru's idol, facing the drummers and lamas. Did pranayama and meditation for about 20 mins. That experience was out of this world. All my pain had vanished. I was content and happy. I saw the other temples in the complex and the cave; couldn't climb down the unsafe cave. Lit butter lamps and prayed.

I met one friend and the guide, when I descended the stairs. Informed the guide that I would commence my descend and wait at the cafe. It was unbelievable for him that I had trekked and reached the monastery before them. He kept mum for a long time. Well, that's the effect I have on people! :-)

The descend was fun. Saw several birds. Witnessed the romance between the mountain range and the clouds. Saw the life that the Paro Chu gifts its people. Felt immensely content. Felt Guru Padmasambhava's complete grace. With no effort, I was on the ground, and at the parking lot. As I already mentioned, this trek was a spiritual one. For me, Guru's grace did the magic. Some experiences are better to be kept to oneself because not everyone can comprehend; not necessary to comprehend.

Oh, what happened to my shoes? The wetness of the ground/water on rocks had seeped into the soles, making a mess. The shoes stayed together throughout the trek and back; I was grateful. At the end, I disposed the shoes in a dustbin; the shoes too had to attain moksha!

TIP: This trek is not for children and elderly people. The temples at the monastery complex are closed during 1-2 pm (or so, for lunch break); if you start your trek late, will have to wait till the temples open. The toilet facility is available at the cafe. Don't wander off or go to the edge of the cliff to get a better photo. Always keep in mind about your safety. If you experience altitude sickness, rest for a while; drink water; return. If you feel weak, eat a chocolate or sugar or a fruit. Try to enjoy the trek!