The
Kingdom of Bhutan is a small Himalayan country neighboring Tibet
(north) and the northern Indian states of Sikkim (west), Assam
(south) and Arunachal-Pradesh (east). Nepal (west of Sikkim) and
Bangladesh (south of Assam) are its other two close neighbors. Up to
now, Bhutan has managed to preserve its cultural identity.
It
opened up recently by keeping a strict annual quota for visitors. It
became a member of the United Nations only in 1971, lifted a ban on
television and the Internet in 1999 and attracted World's attention
when the young king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck came to power
after his father, Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicated in December 2006
in favor of his eldest son. The new King's coronation was held in
November 2008. He became the 5th
Dragon King of the Kingdom of Bhutan and at the time also the
youngest head of state in the world. In October 2011, the King
married Jetsun Pema, who became Queen of the Kingdom of Bhutan. The
royal wedding attracted the world's attention one more time.
When
traveling in Bhutan, I couldn't help thinking of some similarities
with Switzerland or the UK.
Indeed,
Bhutan is about the size of Switzerland. And strangely enough, the
two countries have a few common traits. Both are landlocked alpine
states with waterfalls, torrents, lakes and deep narrow valleys
surrounded by snow-capped mountains. There are four seasons in Bhutan
like in continental Europe. But the resemblance lies also in a few
striking cultural aspects. Like in Switzerland, Bhutan has a number
of covered bridges built over its streams. The winter climate may
account for these old constructions. But they are built in the same
architectural spirit. The Swiss covered bridges were exported to
Pennsylvania Dutch country by the Amish or the Mennonites. The
Bhutanese covered bridges however, are a world apart. Bhutanese
architecture is conspicuous by its colorful wall paintings. Once
more, this is a reminder of the alpine tradition of Switzerland,
Bavaria or Austria. And so is archery, another Bhutanese
particularity. As a matter of fact, it is the country national sport
and it is still a very active tradition. Then, it is hard not to
remember William Tell! And to pursue with another wink, the Swiss
Bakery is one of Thimphu touristy hotspots.
Perhaps,
it is not so surprising that Bhutan displays a light British
atmosphere too. After all, India or Nepal have long been British
colonies. A neighboring influence most certainly. But it may be
useful to remind that Bhutan is one of those rare Asian states –
like Japan or Thailand – that has never been colonized. Both are
kingdoms with a parliamentary system, keeping a specific religious
identity. In Bhutan, driving is on the left side of the road like in
many other Asian countries. Although people speak Bhutanese, English
is the medium of instruction. But Bhutan is definitively a place for
tea. Red tea, yellow tea, ginger tea mixed with the pure mountain
water make it an unforgettable experience, too bad for coffee lovers.
Bhutan tea is as palatable as the brands from Assam, Sikkim or Nepal.
It
is also worth to note that Bhutan has had close relations with the
Kingdom of Thailand. In June 2006, when he was still a Crown Prince,
Khesar was invited to attend the 60th
Anniversary Celebrations of the Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej in
Bangkok. He became so popular in Thailand that he was nicknamed
'Prince Charming' by the Thai medias. Drukair
operates
daily flights to Bangkok. Visiting monks often come to Thailand. Thai
people have a great admiration for Bhutan. In the heart of Thimphu,
the Bhutanese capital, they have built a Thai square with a typical
Thai temple. More recently in 2008, a group of Thai monks came to
build a standing Buddha that now proudly stands in Thimphu Coronation
Park.
The
Old World's flavor is not Bhutan sole originality. Besides its
striking architecture, daily life and the Bhutanese themselves make
it a major attraction.
Architecture
remains traditional and unique. All buildings have vivid color
paintings. And the few more modern constructions adopt a purely
Bhutanese style. We mentioned the existence of the covered bridges.
The other curiosity are the 'dzongs'.
These are old fortresses scattered all over the country. They are
built in a square shape with turrets at corners and a sort of dungeon
in the middle of an open courtyard. They served not only as a
protection from possible invaders but also as administrative and
religious centers. The Bhutanese flag reflects how the country is
ruled. The yellow side stands for the monarchy whereas the orange
side is for the monastic tradition. The white dragon in the middle
shows the Buddhist branch to which Bhutan belongs. As a part of the
Buddhist Great Vehicle, the religion is a branch of the Tantric
Buddhism of Tibet.Therefore, a 'dzong'
is a living illustration of the 'Land
of the Dragon'.
Half is for the Royal Administration and the other half is a monk
monastery. This is particularly evident in the monumental Thimphu
Dzong. In the Assembly Hall, the huge royal throne is in the middle.
To his right is the King's father throne and to the left is the 'King
of the Monks'
throne. These make the 'dzongs'
a real unique Bhutanese type of construction. Like in Thailand or in
Tibet, temples or monasteries are the other more traditional
architectural aspects of Bhutan. Religiously speaking, they are close
to the Tibetan culture.
Still
untouched by mass tourism, Bhutanese remain a simple and open-hearted
people. They are very friendly, helpful and smiling. This contributes
to making your visit a memorable one. Almost all of them wear a
colorful national costume in their daily life. And in Thimphu, it is
a pleasant sight to come across groups of school children – males
or females - dressed according to their respective school traditional
attire. Shops are also different. It is often just an open door and a
glassless shopwindow. And just under the window, there is a small
ladder that allows customers to request a purchase from outside.
Culturally,
Bhutan has also a rich mask tradition. Like in African cultures,
Bhutanese masks are worn in religious dance ceremonies. Buddhism was
imported from Tibet in the 8th
century AD. These religious dances are part of the Mahayana Buddhist
tradition. The masked dancers are supposed to get rid of all evil
spirits while the sound of the drums are meant to scare evil spirits
away. At the same time, those who attend the performances are
cleansed from their sins.
Archery
was already evoked earlier as Bhutan national sport. It was declared
a national sport when the Kingdom became a member of the United
Nations in 1971. But for these highly Buddhist people, it is not
meant to kill. It is a form of martial art that helps socializing,
brings fun and physical exercise and helps build concentration. It is
a common occupation in the Kingdom, particularly on weekends. There
are usually two teams of thirteen archers competing with two
shootings of arrows. The target is relatively small and stands 130
meters away. Bows are made of bamboo whereas arrows can be made
either of bamboos or reeds. Women also take part in these
competitions. Wives sing and dance to encourage their husbands in a
sort of gracious cheerleading ceremony.
With
the coronation of the young King, the Bhutanese Government has
decided to open its doors to progress. However, they are keen in
preserving their cultural heritage and a strong balance in their
ecological system. This is what makes Bhutan a unique place to visit.
Hopefully, they'll be able to succeed in their endeavor and be
leaders in showing examples to the rest of the world. Laos has also
been trying to do the same. Major hotel chains have not invaded the
tourist industry. There are no fast food brand names in the country.
Drukair
is
still the only airline to operate out of Paro Airport. But for how
long will all this be possible? Changes are already visible. Thimphu,
the country capital, is experiencing a rural exodus. Lodgings have
become rare and expensive. Thimphu has now a population nearing
100,000 inhabitants. There are 700,000 people living in Bhutan. New
suburbs have grown with new apartment buildings mushrooming
everywhere. Car dealers have started to open new modern display
rooms. Traffic has even become a problem at rush hours. Granted, the
capital has no traffic lights. Policemen still rule the traffic. A
few years ago, Thimphu municipality installed some traffic lights in
town. But motorists were not prepared for this. Traffic became so
erratic that they decided to dismantle them all!
Going
to Bhutan remains a personal decision. It still is a country off the
beaten track. It is most certainly one of Asia's most secret
destination. Backpackers have not been able to invade its territory
like in Nepal, Laos or Myanmar. The daily expense quota imposed on
foreign visitors has played its role in protecting the nation
cultural integrity. But there is a danger that consumption or
technology may prove to be a lethal economic arm for 'Druk
Yul'
(the 'Land of the Dragon'). Whatsoever, it is good to know that
Bhutan has been rated as one of the happiest country to live on
earth.
Christian
Sorand,
Bangkok, May 2012.
Article written for TripAdvisor :
References :
- Bhutan, Insight Pocket Guides, 1999
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