Paro valley is one of the most scenic places in Bhutan abound
in rich culture, architecture, religious relics, myths and legends. It is home
to one of the .jpg)
oldest
temples in Bhutan, the picturesque National Museum, monumental fortresses celebrating
historical glories and the country's only airport. The northern end of the valley
allows a stunning view of the crown of Mt. Chomolhari (7,314m) from whose glaciers
feed the Paro River, Pa Chhu. Paro is also distinguished as one of the most
fertile valleys in the Kingdom earning the nickname it shares with one other
valley as the rice bowl of Bhutan.
Built in 1646 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the first spiritual and temporal ruler of Bhutan, the Dzong continues its age-old function as the seat of the district administration, district court and the monastic body. The southern approach to the Dzong has a traditional roofed cantilever bridge called Nemi Zam. A walk across the bridge offers a wide view of the dzong's architecture and an opportunity to tread the same path as ancient warriors. The dzong is also the venue for well-known annual Paro Tshechu, held in the spring.
 Typical
of all watchtowers in Bhutan, it is has round walls and stands at a commanding
height overlooking the Paro Dzong, which it defended during civil wars
between 17th and 19th centuries. In 1967 it was converted into National
Museum. In its six floors, it holds rich collection of art, relics, religious
paintings and Bhutan's famous postage stamps. A visit here will serve
as a good introduction to Bhutan before you delve deeper into the country. |
This Dzong, with a delightful village nestling at its foot,
was built in 1649 by 
Shabdrung
Ngawang Namgyal to commemorate victory over the marauding Tibetan and Mongolian
invaders. This was part of the first glimpse of Bhutan as featured to the outside
world in 1914 National Geographic Magazine article. Although destroyed by fire
in 1951, it still retains its majesty. Take a walk around the dzong and witness
the Bhutanese ingenuity in defense architecture.
An elegant temple, it is one of the oldest and most sacred shrines in the Kingdom dating back to 7th century, the other being Jambey Lhakhang in Bumthang. They are two surviving temples in Bhutan commissioned by King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet who took upon himself to build 108 temples in Tibet and other Himalayan regions. The complex consists of three temples with latest one built in 1968 by H.M. Ashi Kesang, the Queen Mother of Bhutan. The older temple contains a replica of the Buddha Maitreya of Jokhang in Lhasa and the new one has a giant statue of Guru Rimpoche.
It is the spiritual sanctuary housing nuns who dedicate their lives to studies, prayers and meditation. The goemba nestles precariously on a craggy side of a mountain very close to Chelela. The foundation dates back to the 9th century where many renowned saints spent years in meditation. It is a half-hour walk one way from the roadside.
Due to popularity of traditional architecture and now by decree
of the .jpg)
government,
all houses strictly follow indigenous rules. Houses in Bhutan are two to three
storeys, built of timber with stone or rammed mud. They are generously decorated
with motifs, carvings and paintings. The ground floor in the past was commonly
used as granary or animal shelter. The first floor was used as living space
including kitchen. The top floor usually housed the family chapel and guest
rooms. Paro offers many great examples of Bhutanese farmhouses. A visit to one
of them would be worth a glimpse into Bhutanese farm life.
Situated right at the entrance of Paro town it was built in 1525 by Ngawang Chhogyel, a renowned lama, featured in the travel stories and teachings of the Divine Madman, saint Drukpa Kuenley. He was a prince-abbot of Ralung in Tibet and an ancestor of the Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.
One of the famous monasteries of Bhutan, especially to the
outside world, 
is
perched on a cliff 900 meters above the Paro valley. Guru Rimpoche is believed
to have arrived here on the back of a tigress and remained in meditation for
about three months. Revered as one of the most sacred place, many great saints
from both Tibet and India traveled here on pilgrimage. In addition to few other
places, every Bhutanese wishes to visit here at least once in their lifetime.
The cave in which Guru Rimpoche meditated is open to the public once every year.
On 19 April 1998, a fire severely damaged the main structure of building but
the reconstruction is almost complete. The temple itself is closed to tourists
but the hike up to the viewpoint is worth every step. It takes a about an hour
and half one way.