Travelling to the Phajoding temple may seem like an arduous task, but once you reach the entrance to the monastery you will be amazed by the view of the mountains and the city below. Once Phajoding was a celebrated monastery and was continuously nourished by the donations from the Bhutanese. However at present the temple has been neglected for development and is listed as an endangered cultural monument by UNESCO. The history behind Phajoding begins in the 13th century when the saint Phajo Drugom Zhigpo went to meditate there. It is one of the most sacred sites in the country. The temple consists of a number of relics, holy building and a monastic school that has over 30 monks. Most of the monks come from poor families and have suffered much because of the limited government funding that they receive.
The main purpose of the monastery is to disseminate knowledge about Buddhism and Buddha’s philosophy. The monks range from age 7 to 20 years and they practice and learn about Buddhism. The best place to learn about Buddhist philosophy is at the monastery, the monks are willing to teach people about what the Buddha preached and also help you to learn how to meditate. When taking the hike up to the monastery make sure you have a tour guide who knows exactly what you want to do at the temple. There are ancient Buddhist artefacts in this temple which have become a major tourist attraction. There are also some old relics that provide some insight into the lives of ancient Bhutanese.
The temple is a place of meditation so always keep that in mind when you visit. You should try and avoid disturbing the monks for they are often absorbed in their meditation. The view from the monastery is spectacular and it is a very relaxing atmosphere. When you visit Thimphu make some time to visit the temple, they are in dire need of funds so a donation goes a long way. When looking for accommodation in Thimphu search for a luxury hotel group for comfortable rooms and great service. Bhutan has a few luxury accommodation options. One of the places that you should book into is Como Hotels & Resorts, a renowned award winning hotel chain.
Umanga Kahandawaarachchi is a passionate travel writer who writes under the pen name, Maggie Tulliver. Her field of writing covers a wide array of content and articles related to travel and hospitality industry.
