Lhuntse: far-flung, vibrant and offbeat travel experience

This article is picked from the in-flight magazine 'Tashi Delek' with compliments from DRUKAIR CORPORATION LTD.

If you have already seen the touristy sites of Bhutan, I recommend a visit to the far-flung, vibrant and offbeat travel experience in the far eastern parts of Bhutan. Lhuentse district is blessed with pleasant weather, spectacular natural landscapes, and welcoming communities who are keeping their rich tradition alive by weaving Bhutan’s most expensive attire, Kushuthara. Most importantly, Lhuentse is also home to one of the most sacred sites, Singye Dzong, a must-visit destination for all Bhutanese at least once in our lives.

Khoma Village

Nested between two rivers, Khoma is a small clustered village, located less than an hour’s drive from Lhuentse Dzong. Visiting Khoma village is almost like a time travel - it takes you back in the past where all Bhutanese settlements were, perhaps, as unspoiled and beautiful as Khoma today. Khoma is known throughout the country for its exquisite hand-woven silk textile, Kushuthara. Women in Khoma are blessed with weaving skills, passed down from generations, and one of the most important sources of livelihood for the community. Every morning, weavers sit in a row in their makeshift textile cottages and start weaving intricate designs and patterns. It takes months of hard work, weaving motifs one thread at a time, to complete one kira (women’s attire). That is why Kushuthara remains one of the most beautiful and also the most expensive apparel in the country, worn by Bhutanese women during special occasions.

Lhuentse Dzong

This fortress, atop a ridge overlooking Kurichhu valley, was constructed in 1654 by Trongsa Penlop Chogyal Minjur Tempa upon the site of an older temple built by Ngagi Wangchuk in 1552. A The fortress was popularly known as Lhundub Rinchentse, sitting upon a hill overlooking the Kurichu River. Today, the fortress is known as Lhuentse Dzong, and houses the administrative and the religious centre of the district. It is known for many sacred artifacts that were installed by the 4th Druk Desi Tenzin Rabgay.

Takila Guru Statue

The gigantic 173 feet tall statue of Guru Rinpoche in Takila is said to be the world’s largest statue of Guru Padmasambhava in a sitting posture. Guru Rinpoche is regarded as one of the patron saints of Buddhism. That is why, a huge number of locals visit Takila almost every season to pay their homage to the lotus-born who brought Buddhism to Bhutan. The statue was built after the sacred prophecy of the the great Terton Lerab Lingpa (1856 –1926), who prophesied that, ‘At one point of time, there will be a war of horses in Kurtoe valley. To prevent this war, a statue of Guru Nangsi Zilnoen should be built’. Similarly, the late Lam Sonam Zangpo, one of the most revered Yogis of Bhutan, also emphasized that a giant statue of Guru Rinpoche should be built in Takila for the benefit of all sentient beings. The statue was built by the late Khenpo Karpo Rinpoche, a revered Buddhist master in Bhutan.

Gangzur Village

Gangzur Village, situated around 2km from Lhuentse Dzong, is famous for its pottery. Women in the village are skilled pottery artisans. These women skillfully handcraft pots from locally sourced clay. Unfortunately, this art of pottery is a dying tradition, only practised by a few women when they free time from farming and household chores. The government is trying to revive this ancient tradition through a range of initiative and support. A visit to Gangzur Village offers the opportunity to immerse in the traditional art of pottery.

Singye Dzong

Singye Dzong is in the bucket list of all Bhutanese as it is one of the most sacred sites blessed by Guru Rinpoche in Bhutan. Thousands of local pilgrims visit the site every year. It is a two-day journey from the road head (Khoma) in Lhuentse. Singye Dzong is located at an altitude of over 3,000 meters above sea level. The Dzong is called Singye Dzong since the Dzong which is in the form of a rock resembles a lion. Locals believe, Singye Dzong was discovered by Khandro Yeshey Tshogyal. The main relic of Singye Dzong is Phurpa Terma. It takes two days to complete the Singye Dzong neykor (pilgrimage). There are sacred lakes above the Singye Dzong, namely Tsho Kar (White Lake) and Tsho Nak (Dark Lake). Along the route uphill, there are many sites where locals believe Khandro Yeshe Tshogyel meditated, and left foot prints behind. The hike to the lakes is uphill and difficult, but it is also one of the most fulfilling and beautiful hiking experiences. Currently, the area has meditation center that accommodates over 12 monks in a three-year retreat. There are eight sacred dzongs, and the two main dzongs are Gawa Dzong and Singye Dzong. It is also located within the Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary, close to the Tibetan border. The closest communities to Singye Dzong are villages of Khomagang and Denchung.

This article is written by Sonam Dema . She is communications officer at the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation. A former TV anchor/ producer for Bhutan Broadcasting Services, she also worked for GEF-UNDP Ecotourism Project. You can contact her at [email protected]