Our Bhutan: Background and Introduction

Robert Tyabji, , based on a presentation I made to the Malaysian Culture Group, Kuala Lumpur, 25 May 2006

This is about my impressions of the Bhutan of the nineteen eighties, and a little about more contemporary times as, inevitably, for better or for worse, the country has evolved quite dramatically since then. I thank my friend Sanjay Acharya, who was Bhutan’s official photographer when Hootoksi and I lived there, for allowing me to quote extensively from his book Bhutan: Kingdom in the Himalaya, which in my opinion is the most readable book on the country written so far.

For Hootoksi and me, Bhutan was a life-changing experience. Strangely enough, we got there almost by chance.

One day in 1978, fate took a turn for us when I was at a UNICEF planning workshop and I impulsively offered to show slides of a trip I had just made on my motorcycle to Ladakh, high up on the Indo-Tibetan border. The Indian Army had just opened the passes between Kashmir and the Ladakh plateau to the public, and I was one of the first tourists to use it. (for that story, click HERE

My slides must have impressed the bosses, because the next morning I was asked if I would go to Bhutan to help the government there make a film! The film was to be about children and national development. It would be Bhutan’s contribution to the International Year of the Child, which was the following year, 1979.

So I made my way to Bhutan a few months later. I was stunned by the untouched beauty of the countryside, even in and around the capital town, Thimphu, and the unique architecture. An aura of profound respect for living things pervaded everything and everybody. Being a street-wise dude from the big bad city, I was quite disorientated by the unfamiliar atmosphere of peace and harmony!

Anyway, we later shot the film, called "A Tale of Bhutan", which was based on a story Hootoksi wrote about the sacrifices made by the king for his people, in keeping with his promise to the Moon.  It was released in 1979 and within a year it became a centerpiece in UNICEF’s development education programme in Canada and Europe. For Hootoksi ad me, it was the beginning of a relationship with Bhutan and the Bhutanese people which never stopped deepening. It wasn’t long before I was offered a UNICEF posting in Bhutan!

In December of 1980, Hootoksi, our three young boys and I bid farewell to New Delhi, packed our bags and took a journey into the unknown. After a 5-day safari by train and Land Rover, we moved into a converted farmhouse on the wooded slopes overlooking Thimphu, Bhutan’s charming capital. It was minus 18 degrees Centigrade, there was snow everywhere, and we had no heat! This was the Christmas card we sent out that year..

Bhutan is a country like no other. Secluded in the mountain fastnesses of the eastern Himalaya, it is hidden between the sultry riverine plains of India and the cold and arid Tibetan plateau. Thanks to its geographical position and the policies of the kings who have ruled since 1907, this tiny country still manages to remain outside the global mainstream.

With its breathtaking landscapes of mountains and verdant valleys, deep virgin forests of oak, pine and rhododendron, its torrential rivers which have divided the country into slices so sharply that different languages and dialects are spoken on each side, and its ancient heritage of Buddhism and Tantric spirituality, Bhutan’s Shangri-La allure remains undiminished.

The country is no bigger than Switzerland, but is sparsely populated, with fewer than a million persons spread over 47,000 square kilometers of mountainous terrain. This means that, overall, there are only about 17 persons per square km.

Like many Asian countries, Bhutan combines a heady mix of the medieval and the modern; but its exquisite natural beauty, the uniquely serene disposition of the people and their enchanting cultural traditions make it quite special in the region. Its distinctive political and administrative system has undergone many fundamental changes which might well become a model for emulation in other traditional kingdoms. But more of this later.

If you visited Bhutan today, it would be hard to imagine how much it has changed, particularly in terms of accessibility and communications. When we lived there, in the early 1980s, I communicated with the regional UNICEF office in New Delhi not by phone, or telex, or even telegram, but by Morse code! There was no way to fly into the country, even to the airport at Paro, so the only way in was to get to Bagdogra Airport or Jalpaiguri railway station in India, drive nearly four hours to the Bhutan border, and then another six hours up and down tortuous mountain roads to Thimphu. In practical terms, it was a two-day trip in which one covered less than 350 kms! And to make matters more difficult, the journey entailed driving through a restricted area of India, for which a special pass had to be obtained from New Delhi! Even so, we never found the journey tiring or boring no matter how many times we’d have to make it in a month.

For me, each journey was a valuable lesson in ecology as I passed through a fascinating range of ecosystems. On the way up, in the foothills, I’d drive through steamy, tropical rainforests riven by deep river valleys and teeming with tiger, leopard, elephant and the unique golden langur which is found only in Bhutan and Assam.  Climbing higher, one traverses temperate forests of oak, pine and rhododendron, then meadows glowing with wild flowers. Later, at between 5,000 and 10,000 feet, one reaches the pine-fringed river valleys where most of the Bhutanese live and cultivate terraced fields of wheat, highland paddy and buckwheat. Even higher, above the snow line, is the great wall of the eastern Himalaya which separates Bhutan from Tibet in the north. This is the domain of the snow leopard, blue sheep and takin -- and the occasional yak herder.

In 1983, Bhutan launched its national airline, Druk Air, which now connects Paro with Calcutta, Delhi, Bangkok, Dhaka, Kathmandu and other major gateways in the region. Very few pilots are qualified to fly in and out of Paro airfield which lies at the base of the great fortified monastery or dzong, and is a couple of hours’ drive along steep river gorges to Thimphu. You fly past Everest, Makalu, Lhotse and Kanchanjunga, then dodge through a tiny window in the clouds over steep wooded valleys. You then make a tight turn past terraced fields, so that the wingtips nearly graze the shingled roofs of homes, and sideslip to line up with the runway. Believe me, it's scary stuff, but quite addictive!

The Paro valley is dominated by the majestic dzong and ta-dzong, the watch tower above it, now the National Museum. Nearly all of Bhutan’s 20 district administrations are housed in dzongs, which are also monasteries and home to the monk body. Buddhism permeates every aspect of society and is an integral part of everyone’s daily life. Monks preside over births and marriages, consecrate monasteries, exorcise evil spirits, appease the rain gods, or just welcome a traveler. Clusters of prayer flags flutter from shrines, monasteries, private homes and public places, broadcasting their blessings on the winds.

Periodically, the serenity of the monasteries and surrounding countryside is shattered by the clash of cymbals, bellowing trumpets and thundering drums. Monks and laymen in elaborate costumes and masks perform ritual dances to appease the guardian deities and bring blessings upon the onlookers.  The dances are reenactments of epics celebrating the victory of good over evil.  Many of these dances clandestinely passed on embedded martial arts skills, in spite of official bans. Bhutanese festivals or tsechus are held throughout the year, attracting people from distant hamlets and the surrounding districts. Many families trek for days to participate in the often week-long pageantry.

At the famous Paro tsechu (festival), which lasts 5 days, and also in other tsechus, a thondrel, or huge thanka of applique work depicting Guru Padmasambhava in his eight manifestations and with two consorts, is unfurled before dawn of the final day. The devout light butter lamps and place ritual offerings before it, while monks dance in celebration. The thondrel is then lowered and carefully rolled up before the sun’s first rays can reach it, to be stored in the dzong for another year.

At Punakha Dzong which is situated at the confluence of the Po and Mo Rivers and is the winter capital of the monk body, a special celebration called Dromche takes place at the end of winter in the first month of the lunar year. The monks spend hours chanting Buddhist mantras in deep bass tones interspersed with trumpets, drums and cymbals. Then citizens and monks perform an elaborate re-enactment of how the Bhutanese generals once repelled Tibetan attackers. Dressed in red military uniforms of the period, they rush out of the dzong, flourishing swords.  With the deafening sound of firecrackers, the generals leap onto horses to ride into battle, the people by their side.

The "troops" are camped in four places around the dzong where ritual dances are performed to seek the protection of the deities while the warriors fortify themselves with alcohol.

The procession at the end of the festival is led by the Chief Abbot of Bhutan, the Je Khempo, who emerges from the dzong with great fanfare, led by troops and dancers, to pray on the banks of the river and to proclaim the victory of the Bhutanese forces.

Tsechus usually take place in the courtyards of the great dzongs which guard the valleys and mountain passes.  These castle-monasteries are centuries old repositories of priceless treasures and works of art. They were built on ancient architectural principles using sun-baked mud blocks, stone and wooden beams. No metal, not even a nail, was used in the construction. Thick, slanted walls tapering inwards are whitewashed with a band of red painted across the top. Windows, beams, pillars and ceilings are decorated with floral or geometric motifs and lucky signs.

Even ordinary Bhutanese homes are unique in their design and decoration, and very well suited to local lifestyles. Building is usually done cooperatively, neighbors and friends helping out. The walls are made of clayey mud which is rammed between wooden formers and then sun hardened.  Preconstructed door and window frames are grouted into the walls. Most houses are built on a rectangular floor plan, with steep wooden ladders leading to the upper floors. The family rooms and altars are on the first floor while the ground floor is the home of the cattle, so that their body warmth rises upstairs. But this is seldom so nowadays as the government has been urging farmers to move the animals into outhouses for hygienic reasons, as in this house. The attic is used for storing grains, drying meat and hides and for other utilitarian purposes. The roofs are made of wood shingle, or more commonly nowadays, slate. Metal sheeting became very popular in the early eighties but is rarely used any more since the government discourages it. These architectural principles have been adopted in all types of buildings, private and institutional, in keeping with traditional designs which have been codified by the government.

History and religion are inextricably interwoven in Bhutan. Druk Yul is the indigenous name for Bhutan and is derived from Drukpa, the dominant religious sect of Mahayana Buddhism. According to legend, Drogon Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorji, the first Gyalwang Drukpa, was consecrating a new monastery in Tibet when he heard thunder. Taking it to be the call of a dragon, he named his monastery Druk and his school of religious thought came to be known as Drukpa. When Bhutan was unified by the Drukpa followers, it became known as Druk Yul, Land of the Thunder Dragon.

The dragon adorns the backdrop of the royal throne (Photo: Sanjay Acharya) and forms part of the design of countless motifs. Bhutan’s flag is emblazoned with the fire-breathing dragon and the name Druk is used in almost everything in Bhutan, from jam to hotels to the national airline.

Buddhism originated in Gaya, India, and was introduced in Bhutan in the 7th century AD by the Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo who established temples in the Paro and Bumthang valleys. A century later, Saint Padmasambhava, a wandering tantric from the western Himalaya, brought the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism to Bhutan.  A landmark event in the country’s history was the arrival in 1616 of a young Tibetan monk called Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel. Through a combination of religious education and military tactics, he managed to subdue the warring feudal overlords and unify the valleys under one central authority. He repelled numerous Tibetan invasions and brought the entire country under the influence of the Drukpa Kagyud School. His 35-year reign also saw the establishment of a dual system of Government with a secular head known as the Druk Desi and a spiritual head known as the Je Khenpo.

The great fortress dzongs were built during this period and became the seats of local government.  But after Shabdrung"s death, fights between different lords broke out. Bhutan went through another tumultuous period until 1907, when the hereditary monarchy was instituted with Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck as the first King.  Like the great Shabdrung, Ugyen Wangchuck pacified the feuding Regional Governors who had plunged Bhutan into a state of almost perpetual civil war. Having consolidated his authority across the entire country by 1885, he played a key mediator role between the British and the Chinese, for which he received a knighthood. Finally, on December 17, (Bhutan\'s National Day) 1907, Ugyen Wangchuk was unanimously elected by a broad-based assembly of monks, village elders and civil servants.

Bhutan’s fourth king and present ruler (he later abdicated in favor of his son, Khesar Wangchuck, in 2006) , HM Jigme Singye Wangchuck, is the Druk Gyalppo, or Dragon King, and rules supreme over Druk Yul. The fact that he is vested not only with absolute temporal powers but with divine rights as well enhances Bhutan’s mystique.

His father, HM Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, the third King, who ruled from 1952 till his sudden death in Nairobi in 1972, was the one to begin modernizing the country. He envisioned a progressive Bhutan that looked southward towards and beyond India rather than northward to China, whose invasion of Tibet had given him a rude shock.  With Jawaharlal Nehru’s help he established a planned programme of national development. He was smart enough to realize that the traditionally despotic monarchical power structure would have to be replaced with a democratic system so that the people themselves could take the initiative, bear the burden and enjoy the fruits of progress. He established a National Assembly and a High Court, and abolished serfdom. He went so far as to voluntarily surrender his absolute veto powers and declare that laws passed in the Assembly were now supreme.  No doubt his Queen, HM Ashi Kesang Wangchuck, shared his vision and was a decisive supporter.

When he died suddenly, his 17 year old son Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who was crowned king two years later,  took the challenge of finding a workable formula for building a modern state while preserving its ancient traditions, heritage and cultural identity. Instead of making changes to his father’s reform agenda, he applied himself to reinforcing it. He introduced and refined a new measure of progress which he called "Gross National Happiness" in place of the internationally established gross national product.

To ensure more meaningful people’s participation in his agenda, he traveled every year to one of the country’s 20 districts for in-depth discussions with the communities.  Then, in a radical and far reaching move, he dissolved his nominated cabinet and established an elected cabinet which was accountable to the National Assembly. He shocked the people by commanding that the reigning monarch would henceforth have to win a periodic vote of confidence from the house and could even be removed by a two-thirds vote!

The country now has a constitution and an elected parliament. King Jigme Singye Wangchuck retired on 17 December 2006 and officially handed over the throne to his 26-year-old son, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, the fifth Druk Gyalpo of the Dragon Kingdom.

Whatever the future holds for Druk Yul, it will not suffer for want of historical and cultural heritage, or wise leadership. As everywhere, its destiny lies in the hands of the people and the policies they collectively make for survival and development in an increasingly competitive and complex world. Geo politically, Bhutan has laid solid foundations and is in good stead with its powerful neighbors.  Economically, the country has made very good progress especially in the export of renewable resources, primarily hydroelectric power, and building infrastructure for transport, communication and tourism. Today, Bhutan is the world's only carbon-negative country.

In 1980, when Hootoksi and I got there, the GDP percapita was 80 US dollars, now, in 2006, it’s about 1,500 dollars, and the economy is growing at 5-1/2 percent per annum.  At the same time, policies and legislation for environmental and cultural protection are in place and are strictly enforced.

Socially, Bhutan has made huge advances -- in primary education, basic health services, nutrition, food security, and water supply and sanitation. Villages now have water taps, and houses have latrines built in.

Possibly the greatest socioeconomic advancement Bhutan made is the elimination of the scourge of iodine deficiency and the terrible disorders associated with it. This was possible because of political will and the appropriate use of technology. The lack of sufficient iodine in the peoples’ diet, due to a deficiency in the soil, caused widespread goiter, dwarfism and other physical and mental disabilities, as well as the most extreme forms of cretinism.

Cretinous children and so-called "village idiots" were quite commonly seen in Bhutanese villages at the time. Iodine deficiency was also at the root of subnormal intellectual development and poor learning ability of school-age children. A programme of universal salt iodation in combination with the administration of iodized oil to pregnant women was started in 1983 and has succeeded in virtually eliminating this problem.

As my tenure in Bhutan was drawing to a close and we were preparing to say our farewells to friends and government colleagues, Hootoksi composed a series of poems for Bhutanese children, which she presented to the Queen Mother, Ashi Kesang Choden. To read the book click HERE.

Bhutan is truly another world that has to be visited to be appreciated!

Update from our dear friend Yazdi Bankwalla, following his visit to Bhutan, June 2024

The Kingdom of Bhutan or Drukyul (the land of dragons) promotes Happiness as a way to development. A nation built on respect and reverence. A people that avoids causing harm to all beings as well as nature too.

Some of thier unique practices include no fishing, no slaughter houses for meat. No hunting of wild animals. Trees and seeds are protected too.

Mountains peaks are revered by the people. They view them not for climbing to conquer to satisfy our ego but a reminder to be humble & respectful to the majesty of nature.

The only country in the world that is Carbon negative, contributing towards a safer planet.

Thier culture is to give more than what you take. Many temples are built in remote mountains, built from the 16th Century onwards designed to bring positive energy to all the world.

Large pine and cypress trees cover their slopes. Only 7% of thier land is flat and suitable for cultivation.

Good winding roads, though plenty of cars with narrow roads. The rule of life is respect for others and patience applies to traffic, there is not a single traffic light.

Gross National Happiness (GNH) is thier model of development , not GDP. The GNH objective is to ensure a holistic and sustainable development by balancing the material and non-material values.

A soft spoken and humble people.

A nation that balances the harmony between the secular and religious power. With immense respect for their King who tirelessly works to serve the people. A new democracy too, initiated by the 4th King, who also introduced the GNH concept when he was enthroned at an early age of 17.

Yet they face the pressures to honour their traditions and culture against the desire towards consumption and accumulation.

Timely reflections for us, can we remain open to examine some possibilities from them in our development rather than the limiting GDP world view we seem to be caught by? 

Much for us to learn.

A sense of personal gratitude to all the noble souls we met who practice compassion and gratitude that makes the soul of Bhutan.