'When in Rome, do as the Romans do'- what an apt expression to describe the bizarre incidents I experienced on my trip to Bhutan. These happenings occurred a couple of years back and now that I have in retrospect, thought about the event many times, I can put them down on paper.
Bhutan is truly a paradise, and the tiny Himalayan kingdom holds many hidden treasures for the wandering traveler, with many stunning destinations off the beaten track. Excited to explore this beautiful country, I had driven there in my trusty steed, my ten year old Suzuki Alto.
I had explored all the breathtaking waterfalls, forests, mountains and temples that Bhutan had to offer and had almost reached the end of my itinerary. My last stop was to be the Katsho goemba, an old, out of the way Buddhist temple situated on the top of a dizzying cliff. This was to be the highlight of my visit.
After a strenuous hike, I reached the top where I could see glimpses of the temple. There was a mild chill in the air. The mellow sunshine glistened off the dew on the grass. A koel was cuckooing in the distance, from the cherry trees in full bloom, growing on the edges of the cliff. The sky was a pure, light blue, the kind you see very rarely. The temple itself was a majestic sight. Rich, red-brown gables, fairy windows, geometrical doorways. Painstakingly carved pillars and prayer wheels in shades of gold, blue, red. Tapestries of Buddha, birds and animals adorning the walls. Traditional Tibetan butter lamps everywhere. Its timeless feel was completed with a couple of robed monks, huddled on the floor, meditating.
I had long forgotten the ache in my knees from the steep trek. I stepped into the goemba entrance in a spell like state. I had barely looked around when a pink cheeked lady rushed towards me. She was wearing an elegant kira (a Bhutanese robe for women), her hair pinned at the back of her head with a gold bun-pin. Her frantic gestures at my feet were at odds with her otherwise relaxed composure.
After a couple of minutes of jabbering and pointing, I figured out that she wanted me to remove my shoes. I quickly slipped my Mitsubishi slippers off when she pointed at a stone plaque. It read-'Please remove your foot ware at the entrance as it is forbidden to enter a holy place with shoes on' in Bhutanese as the woman explained after another minute of gesturing. After apologizing to the woman, I went on to enjoy the rest of my visit. I was ushered into a prayer hall which was a small room with an earthen floor, prayer flags hung up on the walls. Butter lamps shone their light across the room. And in the center of the room was a priest in full prayer attire, surrounded by brass jugs, a dong, a worn book and a scroll with scriptures, among other things. I sat cross legged at the back of the room with the other visitors.
The experience was breathtaking. The monk chanted beautiful hymns, and it was so heavenly I could've stayed there for hours, absorbing his divine energy. I came out of the room a refreshed person.
I stepped out into a chilly breeze. The sun had been replaced by a couple of clouds. Just as I had reached my car and was about to bid Katsho goemba farewell, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to meet a monk. He had a beatific smile.
''I saw- you know, uhm...'' He looked up at the now greyish sky. ''Yes!''
I was wondering what he saw.
''Aah, now I remember. You came into the goemba with shoes, no?'' said he.
''Umm, yes, my apologies, I missed the sign'' I was confused. What did this monk want with me? ''But I took them off immediately after I was told''
''Ohh, good, good.'' He gave a sigh of relief. ''At least the effects will wear off.''
Before I could ask him any more, the monk turned around without a word and walked off with an air of finality. Confused, I opened the car door and was about to get in. All of a sudden, I felt an overwhelming dizziness. My head started spinning, I saw stars, and I slumped to the ground. It all happened in a flash. The rest was just a vague memory- it felt like I was watching everything unfold on television. A group of monks gathered around me and picked me up. I was driven to a hospital and wheeled into a room with blinding white lights. That is it, I do not have a single recollection of what happened after. What followed was two full months of probing and puzzling by the doctors. And then, as inexplicably as it had all happened, I woke up from my slumber. Later, the doctors told me that none of them had a clue about what happened to me. They had run all the tests that they could and yet, they had no explanation.
Well, what is my take on it? Frankly, I don't think I can explain any of this. It's still far too hard for me to understand, even after running the sequence of events in my head a gazillion times, for two long years. But this I know for sure- Bhutan has always been a mystical place and it will remain an enigma wrapped in mystery for me.
The memory of the monk, looking back at me with a knowing smile when I was being carried away, will forever remain etched on my memory. And when I was lying in that hospital bed without a clue of what had happened to me- all I saw were my well worn Mitsubishi slippers, floating around in the cloud of my dream.
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