How Roland found an answer in Bhutan
Sometimes working as a tourist guide feels almost as important as being The Night Agent. Well, I am no Peter Sutherland, however, I am also briefed on “assignments” by the office of the travel agents, whom I know mostly only by their voices and names, and rarely in person. I am then given the “intel” on clients like their names, arrival and departure schedules, the itinerary, and so on. I am also “informed” on important “points of contact” like the liaison officer, office representatives, drivers, etc. Passport handling is one of the many jobs that I have to undertake.
Then I go into a swift mode of revising everything based on my muscle memory, and years of experience.
I had just finished a 12 days tour as a language translator for a German group in Sikkim & Bhutan, and was preparing to leave Paro the next day, when I recieved a call on my Bhutan tourist SIM number. It was Sonam, the liaison officer from the agency. I was instructed to keep myself free to talk as I was to receive a call from New Delhi.
A gentleman from New Delhi called and informed me that I was to guide a German couple for another 12 days in Bhutan. As usual the intel followed. The flight details, ETA, and the route instructions. But what seemed interesting this time was the WhatsApp message that I received from Christian, the FTO (Foreign Tour Operator) from Germany. He asked me specifically to use “du” to address the guests, and not “Sie”. It was his company’s policy. Although awkward at first, this later helped me a great deal because I was only used to addressing guests with “Sie”.
Unlike the English language, my mother tongue, Nepali, has various levels of personal pronouns according to age and societal status of the people. For example, little children in the family, siblings, and close friends are addressed in the equivalent of the German informal “du”, while the elderly, guests, strangers, teachers, and so on would be addressed with the equivalent of the German formal “Sie”.
It was, therefore, quite challenging for me to shed the formality when meeting Roland & Martina the first time as the tour driver, Pemba, and I greeted them as they approached from the arrival gate of the Paro International Airport.
Fortunately, Roland & Martina were cool and energetic, the secret to which I would learn later during the tour!
Roland & Martina at the Paro Tshechu
Their first visit after landing at the airport was to attend the Paro Tshechu.
Tshechu is a spectacular ancient folk festival of Bhutan, that is now celebrated throughout the 20 districts of Bhutan, in different auspicious months of the Buddhist lunar calendar.
The Paro Tshechu was initiated by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the unifier of Bhutan, in the 17th Century, precisely in 1644 AD during the consecration of Paro Rinpung Dzong. Therefore, the Tshechu is traditionally held there to this day.
After attending the festival, we drove to Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan. Pemba, a giant of a fellow, was our driver plus the local guide. As most giants in stories, he turned out to be a gentle soul too.
This long trip by the road took Roland & Martina thru the beautiful people, culture, architecture, and landscape of Bhutan, covering Punakha, Phobjikha, Trongsa, Bumthang, Mongar, Tashigang, and Trashiyangtse.
Deeply interested in oriental cultures, I later learned that Roland & Martina were keen students of Tai Chi, the Chinese art of moving meditation for physical and mental wellness. During their travel in Bhutan, Martina was specially interested to learn about nuns in Bhutan. Among their well curated itinerary, visits to nunneries around Bhutan, like Thangthong Dewachen Dupthop (Zilukha Nunnery) in Thimphu, Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang in Punakha, and Pema Choling Nunnery in Tang valley of Bumthang, were engrossing highlights.
Roland & Martina with Ani Sonam
In between many memorable moments, there was a very interesting one at Chorten Gomphu Kora (Gom Kora), in Trashiyangtse. This is an ancient monastery belonging to Guru Rinpoche, the patron saint of Bhutan. Most Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayas, are adorned with prayer wheels around the walls. Normally, 108 in number. Some have more and some have less. The monastery of Gom Kora has rows of prayer wheels around the monastery and the sacred cave nearby.
As we were circumbulating the monastery and the sacred cave, Roland asked me, “Vishal, how many prayer wheels are there around this premise?”
I casually replied, “I haven’t counted them but there should be 108, corresponding to the sacred number”.
He contemplated a bit and replied, “No, I think there should be more… probably about 300. Let me count them for myself”
He made the effort go around the monastery and count each prayer wheel. Martina, Pemba, and I waited by the monastery entrance steps, chatting to while away the time. After about quarter of an hour Roland came to us smiling, and triumphantly said ,“360!”.
Dinner at a traditional Bhutanese farmhouse in Paro
Vishal Eli Chamling
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