If I have to express calmness, serenity, spirituality, happiness and peace in one word then it would be Punakha. A monastery cradled among the lofty hills of Bhutan and swept by the water of Pho Chu and Mo Chu rivers, Punakha Dzong is the erstwhile capital of Bhutan and undoubtedly the most picturesque Dzong in Bhutan. Punakha is regarded in high esteem and all the major ceremonies of the Bhutanese Royal family including coronation and the king’s wedding took place here.
Pho Chu and Mo Chu are the two rivers flowing adjacent to the Dzong. Legend has it that Mo Chu is the mother and Pho Chu is the son (Father in different opinion) and they confluence near Punakha Dzong. Punakha is roughly 80kms from Thimphu and it took us almost 3 hours to reach.
The interior of Punakha bears authentic Bhutanese wooden architecture. It is replete with intricate designs owing to Buddhist traditions. Each year the biggest festival of Bhutan is also held in the humongous courtyard of Punakha Dzong. The Dzong houses the most sacred relics of the Southern Drukpa Kagyu school including the Rangjung Kasarpani, and the sacred remains of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and Terton Padma Lingpa.
The major attraction for me in Punakha was the wooden bridge that leads to the Dzong. If you are fond of photography then this bridge is the best place to get click happy.
This post is part of ‘#WanderfulWednesday’. If you have a travel story to share do link up. Link your post to this post and just leave a comment with your post link and I will get back to you.
Wow! Breathtaking views, serene and pristine place!!
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Yes…it is beautiful. Thanks Radhika for commenting
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More than anything I loved the building. Painting and the work on wood is impressive. The strong contrast of white paint and wood makes for a great photograph too.Im sure your experience must have been great
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Yes the experience was mind-blowing…just out of this world
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Great 🙂
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Awesome…the beauty of Phunaka is breathtaking..which you hav nicely woven in your words Tina…waiting to read more of such experiences …travelling and exploring new places is liberating..looking forward to read such beautiful writeups…way to go..Tina
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Thanks a ton Leela…we went to Punakha only because of your suggestion. Wish to go there again during the season of cherry blossom
Thanks so much for reading and commenting dear.
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Such a beautiful place! We were discussing Bhutan, just this morning! Do you know when is the best time to visit?
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We went in October and it was pleasant.. we had to wear light woollens… December would be too cold…but if you like snowfall then you can go.
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What a beautiful place this is, Tina! The photos were amazing…I almost felt i was traveling from my living room itself. The architecture is just awesome…especially the carvings on the wood. Thanks for sharing such a lovely post. I have in mind a plan to visit this beautiful country sometime in the coming year or so.
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Punakha is so calm and serene, difficult to describe in words.. please do visit..you will love it.
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🙂
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The place looks beautiful ! And your descriptions make it even more worthy.
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Thanks Ritu💓💓
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Will It be a good time to visit in a Dec ? That’s the only time we happen to travel. Bhutan has been on the cards for awhile. Lovely pics and does look soothing and peaceful.
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If you are okay with cold then December is good. In fact you would be lucky to get some snowfall also. Punakha is at a lower altitude. It is warmer however Thimpu would be too cold.
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Gorgeous pics Balaka; loved the tid bits you shared here. I like the idea of wanderful wednesdays – is it a linky? Open till when?
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Open till Monday
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Thanks Shalini
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Hi Balaka,
You have indeed knew many things about Punakha and its rivers more than Bhutanese like me, feeling guilty here. If you have visited it in monsoon, you can have an experience of rafting in these two rivers. Hope you visit again.
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I heard about river rafting..I am not much into adventure sports..but I do want to Bhutan again…I missed Ha valley …want to go to eastern Bhutan next time.
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Amazing pictures of the wooden bridge!👍
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Ooohhhh… I want to go there.. such a beautiful photos
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Thanks…it is a beautiful place.
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