History:
Mystery surrounds Bhutan's distant past,
as priceless irretrievable documents
were lost in fires and earthquakes. In
the 8th century CE, Guru Padma Sambhava
made his legendary trip from Tibet to
Bhutan on the back of a flying tigress.
He meditated at Taktsang, Tiger's Nest,
in the Paro Valley. Bhutan is a small
country, and is located at the south of
Tibet and the north of north east
section of India as Assam and Sikkim.
Area is as large as Switzerland and is
46,500 square Kilometer. Most of the
country are in the steep slope of the
Himalayas. The king, His Majesty of the
King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, is the king
of the 4th reign is governing. A kingdom
is taking forms called the Separation of
a politics and a religion, and a king
takes charge of politics and a
archbishop Je Khempois conducting a
religion. Bhutan's early history is
steeped in Buddhist tradition and
mythology. Bhutan's medieval and modern
history was a time of warlords, feuds,
giant fortresses and castles. The visit
of Padama Sambhava in 747 AD is the
important landmark in the history of the
country. The kingdom's recent history
begins with a hereditary monarchy that
was founded in the 20th century and
continued the country's policy of
isolationism. It was under the
leadership of the third king that Bhutan
emerged from its medieval past of
serfdom and reclusion. Despite the speed
of modernization, Bhutan has maintained
a policy of careful, controlled policy
of development in order to preserve its
national identity. Though known as
Bhutan to the outside world, to the
Bhutanese, the country is known as Druk
Yul, 'land of the thunder dragon'. The
people are known as the Drukpas.
Geography:
Bhutan is situated in the eastern
Himalayan, bordered by Tibet in the
North, Sikkim in the West, Indian States
of Arunachal Pradesh in the east and
Bengal and Assam, the famous lands of
the tea in the South. It is a land of
drastic contrast 18,000 sq. miles
nestled in the heart of the Himalaya. It
has the snow capped mountain peaks and
in the north, glacier melt rivers
cascade down steep granite slopes
watering the lush valleys and passing
into the tropical jungle near the border
of India.
Religion:
The State religion is Drukpa Kagyupa a
branch of Mahayana Buddhism. It has been
institutionalised in the Dratshang
(Central Monk body), headed by the Je
Khenpo (Chief Abbot) who is chosen from
among the most learned lamas and enjoys
an equal rank with the King. Bhutan is
the only country in the world to have
adopted Mahayana Buddhism in its Tantric
form 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 (tsechus and dromches) are
spiritual occasions in each district.
They bring together the population and
are dedicated to the Guru Rinpoche or
other deities. Throughout Bhutan, stupas
and chortens 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.
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 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.
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. Bhutanese men wear a gho,
a long robe tied around the waist by a
small belt called kera. The women'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'.
Accommodation:
Hotels vary in style and quality from
town to town. During the colder months
hotels are heated and extra blankets or
comforters are provided in each room.
Bathrooms are reasonably modern with
running hot water common in Thimphu &
paro but less often further east. |
