The Paro Taktsang in Bhutan

Hello everyone, apologies for being out of action for a long time, had few academic priorities to be taken care of. With that done, we will try to be consistent here on.

So today, we are going to about a shrine that is related to Tibetan Buddhism and is located in the Paro District of Bhutan. It is also known as Taktsang Palphug Monastery and the Tiger’s Nest. It is located on a cliff 900m high above the Paro Valley. It was built in the year 1692 and because of its unique location, it provides tourists an unforgettable climbing experience.

There are, in total, three paths to visit this unique shrine. The first path is a trail that passes through a pine forest and is decorated with bright, prayer bannerettes that symbolize protection from evil forces, positive energy, vitality, and good luck. The other two paths pass through a plateau called “a hundred thousand fairies’ plateau.”

The architecture of this holy place is as good and unique as its location of it. The monastery’s complex has white buildings with golden roofs and consists of four main temples and several dwellings. The buildings are interconnected by staircases with steps carved from a huge rock. The main shrine of the monastery, the prayer wheel, is located in the courtyard of the temple. There are many balconies with breathtaking views of the valley and surrounding areas. The interior design of the temple is another great part of its architecture. The interior is decorated with a gold-plated dome and flickering lights that illuminate golden idols. There is a hall known as the Hall of Thousand Buddhas which hosts a large statue of a tiger carved from a rock. The tiger represents the symbol of Paro Taktsang because of the legend, according to which the location of the holy place was chosen by a tigress.

The founder of Bhutan’s Buddhist Guru Padmasmabhava rode to this place on the back of the tigress. There are eight caves in the monastery out of which four are comparatively harder to access. The cave where Padmasmabhava, the guru, is believed to have entered first, is known as “Tholu Phuk'' cave and the one where he meditates is known as the “Pel Phuk''. The monks of this monastery are expected to live and meditate in these caves for approximately three years.

It is said that Guru Pasmasambhava meditated for three years, three months, three days, and three hours. Unfortunately, the temple, Tiger’s Nest’s main building had caught fire on April 19, 1998, which destroyed all the paintings, artifacts, statues, and valuable manuscripts. However, the monastery was reconstructed, and is still a beautiful place and one of the most famous shrines of Bhutan.

“Many holy places can be on hard to reach mountains, hilly cliffs, plains or valleys, but it’s the journey that’s inspiring along with the blessings that stay with you for life.” Thank you!

Credits

Wikipedia for source of information

Paro Taktsang’s official website for sources of information.