Bhutan at Glance

Bhutan General Info

Bhutan yet another gem jostled between two big Asian economic giants India and China is a beautiful county with high hills and mountains originating from the north to the south. Bhutan is one of the most fascinating country that is very less explored by the adventurers and explorers. It’s unique terrain have almost no flat land. Bhutan’s capital is Thimpu, tucked amongst the hills of the glorious country, it is rule by Monarch. The people and culture of this country are still a mystery to lots of outsider. It receives less visitors than its neighboring country due to it rather unconventional visa prices and criteria. Nevertheless it is a beautiful enigmatic country that offer so many mysteries that’s awaiting to be revealed.

Geography of Bhutan:

“Where is Bhutan?” can be the first question one might ask oneself when one come to know about this enigmatic nation. The country is nestled between two economic power house, China and India. The northern part of the Bhutan consisting highest mountains, which is also the eastern most part of Himalayas marks its border with China. The southern most strip of the country with low lands of low elevation marks its border with India. The lowest point of the country is Drangme Chhu which has elevation of 97 m, and the tallest point of the country is Gangkhar Puensum standing tall at 7570 meters. Most of the mountains in the Bhutan are of heights ranging around 7000 meters. Below the ice and rock there are highlands and valleys between them, which is where majority of its population dwells. The highlands are rich in floral beauty, with forests covering more than 70% of the country, it provides a beautiful sight for tourist and explorer to observer the natural beauty. The extreme southern strip consists mostly of Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests, that resembles the characteristics of forests found in Indian flatland adjacent to it. The Bhutan has wonderfully preserved its ecosystem, thanks to its centuries of isolationism, small population and topographical extremes.

Bhutan has 4 major river system that provides with its valley the very elixir of life and fertility. The Drangme Chhu, Pung Chhu, Wang Chhu and Ama Chhu are the major river system traversing the valleys thriving with life. These rivers have been major source of energy as Bhutan produces hydro electricity with these rivers. The water from these rivers is also use for other purposes, like irrigation, consumption and similar activities. All these rivers eventually enter the Indian land and amalgamate with other major Indian rivers all unifying in Indian ocean.

It’s valley which is densely populated are mostly created by rivers, glacial melt and monsoon rains. These valleys are only flatlands that Bhutan possess. The population is mostly concentrated in these valleys and lowland. Travelling to one valley to another is difficult, and one often has to go through series of passes to travel to another valley.

Bhutan also has 59 natural lakes and 2674 glacial lakes. The presence of mountains has gifted the land of Bhutan with numerous glacial lakes which are marvelous sight to witness.

The country of Bhutan is politically divided into 20 districts(dzongkhags) which are further divided into 205 gegwogs(village blocks), Gegwogs are further divided into numerous thromdes for political administration.

History of Bhutan:

According to different legends the Land of Bhutan around 7^th century B.C. was ruled by Cooch-Behar King Sangaldeep, but there is no concrete evidence about any sort of rules before 9^th century. In 9^th century many monks from Tibet fled to Bhutan as result of turmoil against them. Then during 12^th century Druk Kagyupa School, the Buddhist monastery school was established. The political and religious history of Bhutan are intertwined with each other. Bhutan is one of the very few nations that has never been conquered or colonized.

Evidences support that during 17^th century, Ngawang Namgyal a Tibetan monk, a Rinpoche spiritual leader, lead Bhutan and defeated 3 Tibetan invasion, subjugated rival religious school and established himself as a ruler over the ministries and public administration of the nation. But after his death the infighting and civil war broke which collapsed the rule of law in Bhutan.  However, in 1885 Ugyen Wangchuck was able to consolidate power and began cultivating closer ties with the British in the subcontinent. In 1907, Ugyen Wangchuck was elected as hereditary ruler of Bhutan and crowned as Dragon King(Druk Gyalpo). In 1910, Treaty of Punakha was signed with British, which stated that British will not be involved in Bhutan’s internal affair. Ugyen Wangchuck was succeeded by his son Jigme Wangchuck, who was succeeded by his son Jigme Dorji Wangchuck in 1926 and 1952 respectively. After India got independence it recognized Bhutan as an independent nation, Bhutan and India signed Treaty of Peace and Friendship which stated that India will not be involved in Bhutan’s internal affair but will guide its foreign policy. Bhutan got the UN membership in 1971 and in following year Jigme Singye Wangchuck succeeded his father. He has been emphasizing in modern education, decentralize the governance, hydro electricity generation and development of rural areas.

The history of Bhutan is nothing short than the story of a blockbuster movies. Bhutan has a rich history, it is a history of struggle, wars, and ploys for powers with religion involved to its core. History of Bhutan can be studied on detail in this blog or in this article.

Culture of Bhutan

Bhutan though small in area and population does not fails to impress the visitors with its culture which has been stayed out of sight for many centuries. Because of geographical isolationism, which prevented tourists and outsider from Bhutan to visit the country, the culture of Bhutan has remained untouched and unaffected by foreign factor. The Bhutan’s population also comprises Lhotsompas, who are Bhutanese with Nepali origin. These people are 23% of the whole population of Bhutan, they practice Hinduism and tradition that resembles the traditions of other Hinduism culture. Bhutan also has 0.2% of Muslim population and rest of the population follows Buddhist religion as their moral and guiding principle of the life. Monks are admitted to the monasteries from the young age of 6-9 years. Having a son or brother in these monasteries as a monk is considered as good karma in Bhutanese buddhist communities. These monks later can choose two paths, to study theology and buddhist theory, or to become proficient in rituals and personal practices of faith.

The monasteries are an abbot who is usually a lama, a spiritual leader. The chief abbot of Bhutan is called Je Khenpo, who is equivalent to the stature of the king. This signifies how religion and its preacher are revered throughout the land of Bhutan.

Bhutanese people once a year at select dzong, celebrate Tsechu festival. These festivals are held at big courtyard of the monasteries, where many traditional masked dances are performed by experienced performers. Each dance takes several hours to complete and the festival is celebrated for 4 days, where people from neighboring dzong gather to witness the festival, socialize and contribute offering to the lama or monastery. Just observing this festival is believed to bless the person and their family. The dress code for the Bhutanese people rather stern subject, Bhutanese men are required to wear Gho, and Bhutanese women wear Kira, while in government offices, school and while taking part in formal occasions like preaching, attending religious events in monasteries.

The monasteries of Bhutan display its breathtaking architecture intricacies, deriving its fundamentals from the Tibetan architecture, a subtle blend of Bhutanese essence makes a huge impact on the architectural craft. The inscriptions of dragons and other mythologically important metaphors makes it a beautiful art piece that transcends time and space.

Bhutanese cuisine, with its emphasis on spicy flavors and unique dishes like Ema Datshi (chili and cheese stew), offers a taste of the country’s cultural diversity. The use of red rice, buckwheat, and locally sourced ingredients reflects the importance of self-sustainability and a reliance on the bounty of the land.

The culture of Bhutan might seem nebulous and vague when someone tries to decipher from distance, but it is a spectacle, a labyrinth which confronts you with unheard beauty on each turns, it will captivate you with its uniqueness and beauty stamping its mark on the walls of you memory.

Weather and climate of Bhutan:

Bhutan’s weather patterns and climatic conditions are closely tied to its varying altitudes. The country can be classified into three distinct climatic regions. The southern foothills and plains exhibit a humid subtropical climate, with temperatures ranging from 15 to 30˚C. Moving towards the central regions and Himalayan valleys in the north, a temperate climate prevails. The northern parts of Bhutan experience extreme cold, with certain mountain peaks retaining snow throughout the year.

Rainfall distribution also varies across regions. The Himalayan region receives less than 500 mm of annual rainfall. The Inner Central Valleys witness 500-1000mm each year, while the southern foothills experience a higher range of 2000-3500mm annually. The southern border area records the highest rainfall, exceeding 3000-5000mm per year.

Bhutan’s seasons are classified into five distinct periods. Spring, from early March to mid-April, is generally dry with minimal rainfall. Summer spans from mid-April to late June, featuring occasional showers. The subsequent summer monsoon season, from late June to late September, is characterized by high humidity and misty conditions. Autumn, from late September or early October to late November, brings bright sunny days with occasional snow at higher elevations. Finally, winter, lasting from late November to March, brings frosty days and snowfall in areas above 3,000m elevation.