Atop a mountain overlooking Thimphu, the Buddha Dordenma Statue stands serene, golden and watchful, like a guardian of the valley. Towering at 169 feet, (some say 177 feet) this is one of the largest Buddha statues in the world, radiating peace across the mountains. Inside, 125,000 smaller Buddhas rest—each a symbol of compassion, each a reminder to find stillness within. Unfortunately, you aren’t allowed to take ANY photos inside! 😞
Beneath its gaze, one feels the weight of silence. The plaza around it is vast, allowing for your own singular contemplation with him. The Buddha’s face is calm, and he reminds me of the beauty in simply being.
The Buddha Dordenma Statue སྟོན་པ་རྡོར་གདན་མ། was built to fulfill an ancient prophecy that said once built on this specific site, it would spread an aura of peace and happiness across the entire world. Hasn’t quite happened yet, unfortunately.
Constructed from 2006-2015. Free Admission.
I took a taxi to it, but walked down the mountain afterwards. On the way down, I stopped at Durga Mandir, Thimphu’s first Hindu Temple, and Bhutan Hydroponics, where I got a Papaya Green Smoothie for the equivalent of $1.94.
10nov24
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