Bhutan-Mountain Kingdom of Enchantment

Mystic Moutain Kingdom in the Himalayas.

The Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan lies along the lofty ridges of the eastern Himalayas , bordered by China
(Tibet) to the north and northwest, and by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh , Assam , West Bengal and Sikkim on the east, south and west respectively.

With an area of 38,394 square km., Bhutan is comparable to Switzerland both in its size and topography. The mighty Himalayas protected Bhutan from the rest of the world and left it blissfully untouched through the centuries. The Drukpa Kagyupa school of Mahayana Buddhism provided the essence of a rich culture and a fascinating history. The Bhutanese people protected this sacred heritage and unique identity for centuries by choosing to remain shrouded in a jealously guarded isolation.

The kingdom is peopled sparsely, with a population approaching 700,000. Four main linguistic groups constitute Bhutan 's population: the Sharchopas, who are held to be indigenous inhabitants, the Bumthangpas and the Ngalongpas who originate in neighboring Tibet , and the Lhotshampas, recent immigrants of Nepalese origin. The inhabitants of Bhutan are gracious, gentle and very hospitable. They are peace loving and possess a lively sense of humor.

The history of the kingdom dates back to the 8th century, with Guru Padmasambhava's legendary flight from Tibet to Bhutan in 747 AD on the back of a tigress. The Guru, also considered as the second Buddha, arrived in Taktsang (Tiger's Nest), on the cliffs above the valley of Paro, and from there began propagation of the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism. In the ensuing centuries many great masters preached the faith, resulting in the full bloom of Buddhism in the country by the middle ages. Although sectarian at first, the country was eventually unified under the Drukpa Kagyupa sect of Mahayana Buddhism in the early 17 th century, by the religious figure, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The Shabdrung codified a comprehensive system of laws and built dzongs which guarded each valley during unsettled times, and nowadays serve as the religious and administrative centers of their respective regions. In the next two centuries, the nation was once again fragmented into regional fiefdoms with intermittent civil wars.

At the end of the 19th century, the Tongsa Penlop, Ugyen Wangchuck, who then controlled the central and eastern regions, overcame all his rivals and united the nation once again. He was unanimously accepted as the first hereditary monarch of Bhutan in 1907.

Bhutan is the only extant Mahayana Buddhist kingdom in the world of today, and the teachings of this school of Buddhism are a living faith among its people. The air of spirituality is pervasive even in urban centers where the spinning of prayer wheels, the murmur of mantras and the glow of butter lamps are still commonplace features of everyday life. Bhutan 's religious sites and institutions are not museums, but the daily refuge of the people.
One of the most striking physical features of Bhutan is its architecture. The characteristic style and color of every building and house in the kingdom is a distinct source of aesthetic pleasure. The dzongs - themselves imposing 17th century structures built on a grand scale without the help of any drawings and constructed entirely without nails - are outstanding examples of the best in Bhutanese architecture. Patterns of rich colors adorn walls, beams, pillars and doors in traditional splendor.

As with its architecture, art and painting are important aspects of Bhutanese culture and they bear testimony to the spiritual depth of Bhutanese life. Whether it is on a wall, or one of the renowned thangkhas, painters use vegetable dyes to give their work an unparalleled subtle beauty and warmth. Bhutan also boasts a wealth of cottage industries, and the skills of its wood carvers, gold and silversmiths, and weavers (to name only a few) are all representative of highly developed art forms.

One of the main attractions of the kingdom is its annual religious festivals, the tsechus celebrated to honor Guru Padmasambhava (more commonly referred to as “Guru Rinpoche”). For local people, tsechus are an occasion for reverence and blessing, feasting and socializing. Two of the most popular tsechus are held at Paro and Thimphu , in spring and autumn respectively, but others are held all the year round at temples, dzongs and monasteries throughout Bhutan . Attendance at one of these religious events provides an opportunity for the outsider to experience the extraordinary.
Nowhere in the Himalayas is the natural heritage more rich and varied than in Bhutan . In historical records, the kingdom is referred to as the “ Valley of Medicinal Herbs ”, a name that still applies to this day. The country's richly diverse flora and fauna result from its unique geographic location in the eastern Himalayas where the Tibetan plateau meets South Asia, its annual rainfall which is significantly higher than in the central and western Himalayas, and its considerable altitudinal variation, from 200m above sea level in the south to over 7,000m above sea level in the north, and consequent dramatic climatic variations. Because of the deep traditional reverence which the Bhutanese have for nature, the kingdom is one of the leading countries in environmental conservation. Over 70% of Bhutan 's land area is still under forest cover. Many parts of the country have been declared wildlife reserves, and are the natural habitats of rare species of both flora and fauna.

Opened for tourism in 1974, after the coronation of the present King, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, Bhutan is perhaps the world's most exclusive tourist destination. The country still retains all the charm of the old world, and travelers experience the full glory of this ancient land as embodied in the monastic fortresses, ancient temples, monasteries and stupas which dot the countryside, prayer flags fluttering above farmhouses and on the hillsides, lush forests, rushing glacial rivers, and – perhaps most important of all – the warm smiles and genuine friendliness of the people. Each moment is special as one discovers a country which its people have chosen to preserve in all its magical purity.

Bhutan : A short background

Bhutan (Bhhu Uttan- meaning high land in Sanskrit) is also known as DrukYul, The Land of the Thunder Dragon. Bhutan is an ancient Himalayan Kingdom with India to the south and China to its north. Little has been known about Bhutan , mainly due to its rugged terrains and thick forest cover. With the difficulties of nature overcome, Bhutan is yet to be discovered!

With a size of 46,500 sq km and a population of roughly 600,000, it has left most of Bhutan 's nature unscathed by humans. It was befittingly declared as one of the ten global hotspots for environmental conservation.

The National flag is rectangular and divided diagonally into two parts with a white dragon across the middle. The upper yellow half signifies the country's secular authority of the King in fruitful action in the affairs of religion and state. The lower saffron-orange signifies the religious practice and spiritual power of Buddhism manifested in the Drukpa Kagyud and Nyingma traditions. The dragon symbolises the name of the country, Druk Yul and its white colour signifies purity and loyalty of the Bhutanese people. The snarling mouth of the dragon expresses the strength of the male and female deities protecting Bhutan while the jewels in its claws represent the wealth, prosperity and perfection of the country and the people

The National Emblem , contained in a circle, is composed of a double thunderbolt placed above a lotus, surmounted by a jewel and framed by two dragons. The double diamond thunderbolt represents the harmony between the secular and religious power; which results from the Buddhist religion in its Vijrayana form. The lotus symbolises purity; and the two dragons, male and female, stand for the name of the country- the Thunder Dragon (Druk Yul).

Religion: Bhutan is the only country in the world to retain the Vajrayana form of Buddhism as it state religion. The Buddhist faith plays a fundamental role in the cultural, ethical and sociological development of Bhutan and its people. Annual festivals known as the Tshechus and Domches are spiritual occasions that are held in various parts of the kingdom. Other than being a religious occasions, it also acts a social occasion bringing people from various districts to view celebration dedicated to the Guru Rinpoche and other deities

Archery is the national sport of Bhutan . High spirited competitions are a part of all festive occasions. A team of archers shoot at targets from a distance of 200 meters. Each team has a crowd of supporters who encourage their own side and try to put off their opposition .