Explore the Secrets of the Mystical Kingdom Bhutan

[Sonam Therchen]

"THE WORLD HAS FEW SECRETS LEFT, BUT BHUTAN IS ONE OF THEM"(Kartie Hickman, Author)

The Kingdom of Bhutan is known to avid trekkers around the world as one of the last great frontiers for hiking and exploration. Nestled in the Himalayas South of Tibet and North of India, Bhutan is a predominantly Buddhist nation with deeply held customs and beliefs. With a population of just under 750,000, Bhutan prides itself as being a nation that has limited outside influences in favor of protecting the unique culture that it has known and developed for centuries. This tight regulation on outside influence has made Bhutan one of the most secluded nations in the world. For example, the television wasn't introduced into Bhutan until 1999 and the cellular phone did not arrive until 2008. Both of these technologies, as well as dozens of others, are very uncommon even today which makes traveling to Bhutan almost like taking a step back in time.

ABOUT BHUTAN

Bhutan, in its entirety, only encompasses about 47,000 sq km; about the same amount of land as Switzerland. The Southern half of the country generally remains below 3,000 meters in altitude and has a number of valleys that serve as home to a majority of the country's population. The vast majority of the country (72%) is covered in pine forests and it has been decreed by the government that at no point in the future is the country to harvest lumber below the point of 60% coverage. The Northern half of Bhutan sees a dramatic increase in altitude as some of the highest peaks in the world are found in the Bhutanese Himalayas. Containing thousands of lakes, hundreds of glaciers, and endless trekking paths, Northern Bhutan is one of the most amazing trekking destinations left in the world.

Geography

Being a predominantly agriculture-based economy with plenty of cultivatable lands; Bhutan is an exporter of many crops to India and China. The key exports are potatoes, apples, oranges, and chilies. With a small population relative to the land they have for farming, Bhutan has completely avoided using any hormones or pesticides on their crops thus making them the only fully organic country in the world. However, as is the case with most agriculture-based economies, the average income in Bhutan is quite low. But, despite the poverty, there is no noticeable homelessness as it is core to the Bhutan culture to care of one's fellow citizens in their time of need.

Bhutan made headlines in the early 2000s when it declared the primary measure of its society’s prosperity was 'Gross National Happiness'. After spending a few minutes in Bhutan you are likely to agree that people are genuinely happy and content. While the phrase may be a little humorous, it may be the best description of what makes Bhutan so amazingly different than the rest of the world in this day and age.

Overview of Bhutan

The Bhutan constitution guarantees freedom of religion as long as the practice of said religion does not impose on the will of others. Therefore Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam are all found within Bhutan. However, the vast majority of the country is Buddhist and has been since the 8th century when the religion was introduced to the country. Today the Buddhist influence on Bhutanese life is unmistakable as each city is peppered with practicing Monks, the national architecture draws heavily on Buddhist lore, and many of the countries laws are written around Buddhist principles (such as it is illegal to kill any living creature).

For a relatively small country, Bhutan has a very diverse climate. In the South, the climate is generally hot and stable year-round. Temperatures generally stay between 15-30C and the humidity is sub-tropical. In Central Bhutan, there is some variety with warm wet summers and cool dry winters. In the Northernmost parts of Bhutan, one will find year-round snow on the peaks of mountains and cool weather at the base of the mountains due to the increased altitude of the region.

As the case with most countries in Southern Asia, rice forms the main portion of the Bhutanese diet. Generally speaking, two side dishes are served with rice at meals. These dishes can be either vegetable-based or meat-based. (Note: As the killing of animals is forbidden in Bhutan, all meat is imported from India) The most common vegetables eaten include pumpkin, spinach, onions, green beans. And, no dish in Bhutan would be complete without some helping of chilies. A few of the most popular dishes in Bhutan are:

1) Ema Datshi: Known to foreigners as Chilies and Cheese, Ema Datshi, the National Dish of Bhutan is a simple blend of local cheese with locally grown chilies for a spicy and creamy treat

2) Jasha Maru: Spicy minced chicken served over rice

3) Momos: Tibetan style pork, beef, or cabbage dumplings with cheese

Passed down through the generations, Bhutanese people are skilled craftsmen and craftswomen. With a focus on religious context, the Bhutanese can choose to go to school and train to become master weavers, woodcarvers, sculptors, metal workers, bridge builders, carpenters, jewellery makers, and more. School for these trades is provided to the population for free as part of a cultural preservation effort.

Facts Of Bhutan

Name of the Country: Kingdom of Bhutan

• Land of the Thunder Dragon
• Land of happiness

King: The 5th King His Majesty Jigme Gesar Namgyel Wangchuck

Queen: Her Majesty Ashi Jetsun Pema

Population: 738,267- 2011 World Bank Report

Area: 38,398 sq.km. (source – 2005 census)

Location: 88 deg 45’ East to 92 deg 10’ East in Longitude and 26 deg 40’ North to 28’ deg 15 North in Latitude

Elevation Range: 300 m (985 ft) to 7000 m (23,000 ft)

Time zone: 6 hours ahead of GMT

Capital city: Thimphu

Districts (Dzongkhags): 20 Dzongkhags

Language: Dzongkha

Religion: Mahayana Buddhism

Currency: Ngultrum (Nu)

Government: Democratic Constitutional Monarchy

Prime Minister: Dr. Lotay Tshering

Opposition Leader: Dr. Pema Gyamtsho

National Game of Bhutan

Archery is the national sports of the Kingdom. Archery was declared the national sport in 1971 when Bhutan became a member of the United Nations. Since then, the popularity of Bhutanese archery has increased and popularly played during local festivals, between public ministries and departments, and between the dzongkhags and the regional teams.

Archery in Bhutan is culturally distinctive and is a way of socialisation, communication, and development of relations between people

The national flower of Bhutan is the Himalayan Blue Poppy (Meconopsishorridula). In Bhutan, the Blue Poppy grows to a height of 1 meter on the rocky mountain terrain, above the tree line at altitudes of 3500m to 4500m. It is a delicate blue or purple tinged blossom with a white filament. The flower was discovered in 1933 by British botanist George Sherriff in a remote part of Sakteng in eastern Bhutan during an expedition in the Himalayas. Interestingly Frank Ludlow of the same expedition discovered a rare butterfly called the Ludlow's Swallowtail, another icon found exclusively in Bhutan

The Himalayan Cypress (Cupressustorolusa) is the national tree of Bhutan. This tree is associated with religion and usually found near-religious structures like Dzongs and Temples in the temperate zone between altitudes of 1800m and 3500m. To the Bhutanese, its ability to survive on rugged terrain represents bravery and simplicity.

The national bird is the Raven. The symbol of the Raven head is the most prominent component of the royal crown. In Bhutan, the raven represents the deity Gonpo Jarodongchen, the Raven-headed Mahakala, one of the country's chief guardian deities. The Bhutanese credit the Raven with having guided the founder of Bhutan Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel to victory during the invasion from U-Tsang(Tibet) in the seventeenth century.

The national animal is the Takin (Burdorcastaxicolor). This bovid is also associated with religious history and mythology. Today it is a rare animal, and its conservation status is "vulnerable." This unique animal has the head of a sheep and body of a cow! Legend has it that this animal was conjured up by Lam Drukpa Kuenley, a Buddhist Saint notoriously famous for his crude and un-conservative ways of preaching Buddhism. There is a Takin Reserve in Thimphu for those wishing to see this strange and beautiful animal.