Bhutan Culture & Religion
Trip Start
Nov 16, 2007
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16
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Trip End
Jan 14, 2008
Bumthang,
Bhutan
Thursday, December 20, 2007
To this day very few outsiders visit Bhutan - fewer than an estimated 20,000 total in all of last year! Of course, that“s partially due to the expense - the government regulates tourism and requires non-Indian tourists to spend at least $240/day per person. This includes hotel, all meals, guide and driver, all of which are arranged and paid for in advance. So it“s not as bad as it sounds. Individual tourism in Bhutan is simply not possible. This policy was implemented, among other reasons, to keep out the hordes of backpackers that travel to Nepal and often don“t leave.
Jampey Lhakhang
Bhutan is moving rapidly into modernity and at the same time trying hard to maintain its traditional culture. Until the 1960s there was no electricity, no roads, no telephones, and no mail. TV and the internet made their first appearance as recently as 1999! More than ¾ of the population are subsistence farmers, and many still live days“ walk from the nearest road. Public servants are required to wear their traditional dress during business hours. The King is determined to move the nation into the modern age. He coined the term "Gross National Happiness Index," which he deemed to be more important than our Gross National Product. Two years ago, the much-beloved monarch voluntarily abdicated his throne. He turned the crown over to his son, who will be officially crowned this year (2008), and who will serve as a constitutional monarch. The King also demanded that the people vote in a representational, democratic government. Like it or not (and most don“t), the final step in this process took place March 24th, 2008, with the election of the democratic representatives.
As already mentioned, Bhutan is very much a Buddhist Kingdom. They practice Tibetan, ritualized, tantric Buddhism, which permeates all aspects of their daily lives. Mysterious, centuries-old monasteries and temples cling to cliff faces, prayer wheels and prayer flags are everywhere. The number of deities and demons is absolutely dizzying
Kurje Monastery
. Most buildings are painted with religious paintings, and wooden phalluses are nailed over doorways, hung from the corners of houses, or painted on the building to ward off evil spirits. Monks in dark red robes can be seen almost everywhere. We visited numerous monasteries, from Jampey Lhakhang, built in the 7th century by a Tibetan king (one of 108 temples built to overcome a giant demoness), to several impressive "dzongs" (fortress-like buildings, ½ monastery and ½ district government offices), to the famous "Taktsang Lhakhang" (Tiger“s Nest), built into a cliff some 800 m above the valley floor. They were truly amazing - see photos below. We also went to National Day celebrations in Thimphu, the capital, where everyone turned out in their finest to watch parades and dances and to hear a speech by the King. We went to the local weekend vegetable market in Thimphu and saw the wide variety of fresh produce for sale. And best of all, we got to attend a "tsechu," a religious ceremony with masked dancers, within the Trongsa Dzong.
These were experiences of a lifetime we“ll never forget, no doubt about that. We loved Bhutan and her beautiful landscapes, her friendly, warm, welcoming people, and her very fascinating culture. We hope to make it back there sometime soon.
