Asia Adventure 2012: Punakha, Bhutan

What an exciting day today. On our way to attend the Punakha Drubchen Festival we stopped at a parkette with an excellent view of the Palace and joining of the two rivers. In the parkette there is a sign explaining how the National Adaptation Program and how it will take action to reduce climate change from glacial lake outburst floods. (In this region, the Lunana glacier is the source.) A notice posted in the sign reads; “Previous studies have indicated that the barrier between Raphstreng Lake and Thorthormi Lake is dangerously thin. And this barrier is getting thinner year by year. They say in the late 90’s the barrier was 72 meters thick with a height difference of about 72 meters but now the barrier is only 32.5 meters. If these two glacial lakes breach, then the total volume of water generated will be 54 million m³. The Department of Geology and Mines with the kind auspices of LDCF Australian Government and UNDP are trying to mitigate the lakes.” Then it lists land use restrictions by zone;

ü red – individuals would be in danger anywhere, no new buildings are to be built and existing ones relocated or technically secured
ü yellow – individuals would be in danger outside of buildings, no new buildings are to be built and existing ones reinforced
ü blue – individuals would be slightly endangered outside of buildings, no new buildings are to be built and existing ones reinforced

Climate change nay-sayers, why not buy some property in the red zone and build your mansion there!

We attended the first ½ day of the Puna Drubchen Festival at the Punakha Dzong, the “Palace of Great Happiness” built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (where the Royals stay when in this area so it serves as a Royal Palace as well). This 7-day event takes place from the 5th to 12th day of the 1st month of the Bhutanese new year. This festival celebrates 2 major Tibetan attacks on Bhutan in 1639 and 1644. The soldiers (pazaps) also portray a renactment of the battle scene, but we missed that event and I’m not even sure on which of the 7-days it would occur.

We witnessed the first half of the opening day. The festival took place inside the largest of the palace’s 3 courtyards. The opening dance is conducted on in a square shape outlined by red carpets, on which handsomely adorned drummers, slowly drum and turn along the red carpets. The purpose of this dance is to purify the festival grounds. From then on there were a series of fairly lengthy dances. Soldiers (pazaps) were seated at the entrance to what looked like a grand room of some sort (we thought if any royals were in residence, they would appear on the balcony since no one was allowed to enter that secured area). Residents were all lined up sitting on the hard cement on various carpets, blankets, and mats. Many children got up and tried to mimic the dancers, which was so much fun to observe. Many families brought hot lunches with them consisting of rice, meat and veggie dishes in these massive thermos containers. We were supposed to meet Sherab at noon, but we got caught up investigating the other courtyards. It was just amazing.

Unfortunately, I was feeling a bit under the weather at the festival so we skipped the lunch and went back to the hotel thinking a short rest would perk me up. My stomach/abdomen felt exactly like it did when my appendix attacked me last summer. It felt like there was a brick in my belly. I also developed a low grade fever so we cancelled the afternoon hike as well. After drinking gallons of water and tea, so kindly provided by the hotel staff, I tried to sleep it off. Then a spider snapped me out of my pity party, literally dropping on my head and bouncing on to my pillow, with evil stink eyes glaring at me. That startled me totally awake. I flung the pillow across the room and leaped out of bed. Perhaps my fever’s longevity was being maintained by staying warm under the covers? At any rate, I did eventually find the spider and I whacked it with my running shoe, then threw the shoe outside our front door. I felt much better but a little remorseful for killing the spider. If Greg had been there (rather than enjoying his peaceful, self-guided hike up to the nunnery) he could have removed him alive, poor spider, so sorry! I felt well enough to have toast for dinner, but really had no appetite.