| BHUTAN
IS AN ANCIENT KINGDOM SECLUDED HIGH IN THE HIMALAYAS WITH UNIQUE
CUSTOMS AND PEOPLE WITH DEEPLY HELD BELIEFS
HISTORY:
Mystery surrounds Bhutan's distant past, as priceless irretrievable
documents were lost in fires and earthquakes. In the 8th century
CE, Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava or second Buddha) made his legendary
trip from Eastern Bhutan to Western Bhutan on the back of a flying
tigress to subdue the evil spirits who hindered Buddhism. After
defeating them, he blessed them as guardians of the doctrine. thus
introducing Tantric Buddhism to Bhutan. Taktshang or Tigers Nest
in the Paro Valley is where he landed and today it remains one of
most sacred places in Bhutan.
It
is believed that the name Bhutan is derived from the Sanskrit 'Bhotant',
meaning 'the end of Tibet', or from 'Bhu-uttan', meaning 'high land'.
Historically the Bhutanese have refered to their country as Druk
Yul, 'land of the thunder dragon'. Bhutanese refer to themselves
as Drukpa people.
Guru
Rinpoche (Precious Master) is the father of the Drukpa Kagyu school
of Tantric Mahayana Buddhism practiced in Bhutan. Shabdrung Ngawang
Namgyal, a Tibetan lama of the Drukpa School, arrived in Bhutan
in 1616 CE. He introduced the present dual system of religious and
secular government, creating and building the system of Dzongs throughout
Bhutan. Shabdrung unified the country, and established himself as
the country's supreme leader and vested civil power in a high officer
known as the Druk Desi. Religious affairs were charged to another
leader, the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot of Bhutan). For two centuries
following Shabdrung's demise, civil wars intermittently broke out,
and the regional Penlops (governors) became increasingly more powerful.
This ended when an assembly of representatives of the monastic community,
civil servants and the people, elected the Penlop of Trongsa, Ugyen
Wangchuck, the First King of Bhutan in 1907-1926. The monarchy has
thrived ever since, and the present Fourth King, His Majesty Jigme
Singye Wangchuck (1972 to present), commands the overwhelming support
for his people.
GEOGRAPHY:
The Kingdom of Bhutan lies in the eastern Himalayas, between
Tibet to the north, the Indian territories of Assam and West Bengal,
to the south and east, and Sikkim to the west. The Kingdom has a
total area of about 47,000 square kilometers, about the size of
Switzerland. Located in the heart of the high Himalayan mountain
range, Bhutan is a land-locked country surrounded by mountains.
The sparsely populated Greater Himalayas, bounded to the north by
the Tibetan plateau, reach heights of over 7,300 meters (23,950ft.),
and extend southward losing height, to form the fertile valleys
of the Lesser Himalayas divided by the Wang, Sunkosh, Trongsa and
Manas Rivers. Monsoon influences promote dense forestation in this
region and alpine growth at higher altitudes. The cultivated central
uplands and Himalayan foothills support the majority of the population.
In the south, the Duars (the gates) Plain drops sharply away from
the Himalayas into the large tracts of semi-tropical forest, savannah
grassland and bamboo jungles.
PEOPLE:
Early records suggest scattered clusters of inhabitants had already
settled in Bhutan when the first recorded settlers arrived 1,400
years ago. Bhutan's indigenous population is the Drukpa. Three main
ethnic groups, the Sharchops, Ngalops and the Lhotsampas (of Nepalese
origin), make up today's Drukpa population. Bhutan's earliest residents,
the Sharchops (people of the east) reside predominantly in eastern
Bhutan. Their origin can be traced to the tribes of northern Burma
and northeast India. The Ngalops migrated from the Tibetan plains
and are the importers of Buddhism to the kingdom. Most of the Lhotsampas
migrated to the southern plains in search of agricultural land and
work in the early 20th century. The current population is approximately
750,000.
Bhutan's
official language is Dzongkha. Given the geographic isolation of
many of Bhutan's highland villages, it is not suprising that a number
of different dialects have survived. Bhutan has never had a rigid
class system. Social and educational opportunities are not affected
by rank or by birth. Bhutanese women enjoy equal rights with men
in every respect. To keep the traditional culture alive, Bhutanese
people wear the traditional clothing that has been worn for centuries.
Bhutanese men wear a gho, a long robe tied around the waist by a
small belt called a kera. A woman's ankle length dress is called
a kira, made from beautifully colored and finely woven fabrics with
traditional patterns. Necklaces are fashioned from corals, pearls,
turqoise, and the precious agate eye stones which the Bhutanese
call 'tears of the gods' or dzi beads.
RELIGION:
Bhutan is the only country in the world to retain the Tantric
form of Mahayana Buddhism (Drukpa Kagyu) as its official religion.
The Buddhist faith has played and continues to play a fundamental
role in the cultural, ethical and sociological development of Bhutan
and its people. It permeates all strands of secular life, bringing
with it a reverence for the land and its well being. Annual festivals
(tshechus and dromchoes) are spiritual occasions in each district.
They bring together the population and are dedicated to the Guru
Rinpoche or protective deities. Throughout Bhutan, chortens or stupas
(receptacle for offerings) line the roadside commemorating places
where Guru Rinpoche or another high Lama may have stopped to meditate.
Prayer flags dot the hills, fluttering in the wind. They allow Bhutanese
people to maintain constant communication with the heavens.
WAY
OF LIFE: While urban settlements have sprung up with the
process of modernization, the majority of Bhutanese people still
live in small rural villages. Small family farms are the predominante
way of life and the farmer the most common occupation. As the altitude
rises, crops give way to cattle and yak breeding with herds grazing
in the high pastures.
The
Bhutanese diet is rich in meat and poultry, dairy, grain (particularly
rice-red and white) and vegetables. Emadatse (chili pepper and cheese
stew) is considered the national dish with many interpretations
to this recipe throughout the country. Poulry and meat dishes, pork,
beef and yak, are lavishly spiced with chilies, and it is common
to see bright red peppers drying on rooftops in the sun. Salted
butter tea, or suja, is served on all social occasions. Chang, a
local beer, and arra, a spirit distilled from rice, maize, wheat
or barley, are also common and widely favored. Doma or betel nut,
is offered as a customary gesture of greeting. The Bhutanese way
of life is greatly influenced by religion. People circumambulating
(kora) the chortens with prayer beads and twirling prayer wheels
are a common sight. Every Bhutanese home has a special room used
for prayers, a chosum.
NATIONAL
SYMBOLS OF BHUTAN: The rectangular national flag of Bhutan
is divided diagonally and depicts a white dragon (druk) across the
middle. The upper part of the flag is yellow, representing the secular
power of the king, while the lower part is orange, symbolizing the
Buddhist religion.
The
national emblem, contained in a circle, is composed of a double
diamond-thunderbolt (dorji) placed above a lotus, surmounted by
a jewel and framed be two dragons. The thunderbolt represents the
harmony between secular and religious power. The lotus symbolizes
purity; the jewel expresses sovereign poer; and the two dragons,
male and female, stand for the name of the country which they proclaim
with their great voice, the thunder.
National
Day is celebrated on December 17 and commemorates the ascension
to the throne of Ugyen Wangchuck, the first king of Bhutan.
The
national flower is the blue poppy, found in the high altitudes.
The national tree is the cypress, which is often associated with
religious places. The national bird is the raven, which adorns the
royal crown. It represents the deity Gonpo Jarodonchen, one of the
most important guardian deities of Bhutan. The national animal is
the takin, an extremely rare bovid of the ovine-caprine family.
Found in heards in the very high altitudes (13,000 ft and over),
living on a diet of bamboo.
GOVERNMENT:
The form of government in Bhutan is as unique as the country.
It is the only Democratic Monarchy in the world. His Majesty King
Jigme Singye Wangchuck is Bhutan's fourth king. A very special man
who has kept the culture and traditions of his county intact while
listening to the voice of his people. One of the six development
goals HM King Jigme Singye Wangchuck has expressed is: People's
participation and decentralisation in the government.
Inherited
from Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel's administrative system of the 17th
century.Bhutan is divided into 20 Dzongkhags (dzong districts or
states, see map above), each with its own elected 3 year representative,
a Dzongdag (district chief). In 1988, four Dzongde (zones) were
set up as administrative units between the district level and the
central government. A group of four districts make up one zone,
which is headed by the Dzongde Chichab (Zonal Administrator) with
authority over the district chiefs in the area. All districts are
divided into blocks, administrative units that include several villages.
At the block level, government orders are transmitted through an
elected representative the Gup (village headman).
The
Tshogdu, or National Assembly has 154 members who fall into 3 catagories.
The largest group with 105 members are the Chimis. Representatives
of Bhutan's 20 dzongkhags. The regional monk bodies elect 12 monastic
representatives who also serve 3 year terms. Another 37 representatives
are civil servants nominated by the king. They include 20 Dzongdags,
(district administrators or mayors): The old term for Dzongdag is
Penlop (Governor), the first king was the Penlop of Paro and Thimphu)
ministers, secretaries of various government and other high ranking
officials. The Tshogdu meets in Thimphu twice each year and is presided
over by an elected speaker. The speaker may also call special sessions
during emergencies. The Tshogdu body passes all the kingdom's legislation
by a simple majority vote.
A
GIFT FROM BHUTAN: In a changing world, the Venerable Yongten
Gyaltshen, The Dorji Lopen (one of the ministers in the monk body
directly below the Je Khenpo or the Head Abbot of Bhutan) composed
a peace prayer to share with the people of the world. We are honored
by his effort, and thank him for his contribution.
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