Today is: 2008-09-08.

Links of importance ............................................... kuenselonline.com ............................................... drukair.com drukair flight schedule ............................................... bbs.com ...............................................

ABOUT BHUTAN

Tucked away in the depths of the Eastern Himalayas, the 47,000 sq km small kingdom of Bhutan, or Druk Yul, is little known and lesser visited. A forbidden land for centuries, this country was touted last year by National Geographic Adventure magazine along with Irian Jaya as one of the world's top 25 adventure destinations.

Still, the kingdom maintains a policy of "low volume - high quality tourism" and retains its exclusiveness in the world of travel. From high mountain peaks to deep lush valleys, from modern apartments in Thimphu to farmland barns, from meditative monks deep in prayer to fluttering prayers and vibrant, colorful festivals, Bhutan is incomparably unique.

Over the last few centuries, difficult natural terrain and a self-imposed policy of isolation saw to it that life here stayed virtually unchanged. It was only in the early 1960s that Bhutan opened up its doors to the world beyond and plunged into a new age of socio-economic development.

This development has, nonetheless, been slow and guarded because the government, a constitutional monarchy, has always held caution to be more valuable than reckless abandon. Wedged between China and India, the two most populous countries in the world, and being disadvantaged with little military or economic strength, Bhutan has been compelled to stay different in order to safeguard its sovereignty. The most practical way to achieve this has been to preserve and promote its unique culture.

Religion is the other value system that holds the Bhutanese people together. Tantric Mahayana Buddhism of the Drukpa Kagyu sect has survived unblemished here for centuries and continues to be the officially adopted religion of the state. But it is a religion that is more about tolerance than fanaticism - the people are allowed to practise any faith of their choice.

A multitude of factors have influenced the social fabric of Bhutan. Among them, religion and culture form the common thread that runs through the government, art, architecture, literature, music, indeed through the entire social fabric of the country.

Caught between the old world and the new, Bhutan is also a land of contrasts. Television and the internet were introduced here no longer than two years ago but we are already the third Asian country after Singapore and Hong Kong to have an entirely digital telecommunications network.

To the world, Bhutan is strange. To visitors here, it is special. Almost always.

The people
Outdated and conflicting data place Bhutan's population at 600,000 and at a little over a million people. It is believed, though, that the actual figure is closer to 700,000.

The population consists predominantly of three ethnic groups: the Ngalops of the western and central region, the Sharchogpas of the east, and the Lhotsampas, who are recent immigrants of Nepalese origin settled mainly along the southern belt.

Collectively called the Drukpas, the Bhutanese people generally speak the official state language, Dzongkha, although several dialects are also used. The Bhutanese are also known to be fairly proficient speakers of English as it is the medium of instruction in Bhutanese schools.

The general character of the Drukpas is that of pragmatism, enterprise, rugged strength, and a ready sense of humour. As you may discover for yourself, hospitality and friendliness are inborn Bhutanese values as well.

Lifestyle
More than 80 percent of the people lead agrarian lives in villages of rough farming terrain. However, they are not above enjoying the lighter moments in life and are known to be a sporty lot. The Bhutanese zealously celebrate religious festivals and holidays with indigenous sports such as traditional archery, dego, and khuru. These occasions always involve social gathering, feasting and drinking.

Art and craft
Bhutanese art and craft, inevitably religious in character, exists in 13 forms that are together called the zorig chusum. These 13 forms include textile weaving, wood and slate carving, painting, blacksmithery, and pottery, all of which have elaborate techniques and histories passed on through successive generations.

Royal patronage as well as social and government support for the zorig chusum have led to Bhutan to being reputed as the last bastion of Himalayan Buddhist art. In contrast to traditional artists in places like Nepal and Darjeeling, Bhutanese artists tend to value religious ethics and quality over commercial gain and quantity. Sophisticated machinery and mass production have no place in Bhutanese art. Indigenous textiles, for one, are entirely hand-woven over months or years and hence may be relatively expensive.

Festivals
Certain religious festivals, called tsechus, held annually in dzongs (fortresses) are the most popular programme for tourists and for the locals who attend them unfailingly in their best regalia. Tsechus showcase the best of religious dances, all of which are deep in spiritual meaning. Originally composed before or during the Middle Ages the dances are performed only once or twice a year by monks and village leaders. They usually culminate in the unfurling of an especially large and well-crafted thongdrel (applique).

Owing to their relative proximity to the airport, the tsechus of Paro (in spring) and Thimphu (in the fall) are well attended by foreigners. The tsechus of Bumthang are also popular.

See festival list 2002. Suggested Festival list.

Nature and wildlife
The Bhutanese people and their government are fiercely conservative of their natural heritage. Small wonder then that 72 percent of the total land area is topped by forests. Bhutan has a number of protected reserves and parks. All these areas are interconnected to each other by natural "corridors" of forests and serve as safe havens for innumerable species of flora and fauna. As a matter of fact, Bhutan has been designated as one of the 10 biodiversity hotspots in the world.

Many plant and animal species are endemic to Bhutan only. In 2000, researchers spotted an orchid species that had last been seen only in the 19th century. Meanwhile, the golden langur is a species of long-tailed monkey that was and still remains unique to Bhutan.

Small as the country may be, Bhutan's diverse landscapes, ranging from the sub-tropical and the temperate to the alpine and the snowbound, are home to an amazing variety of biological species. This is as much the land of the blue sheep and the clouded leopard as it is the land of the Royal Bengal Tiger. Yaks, takin, and some rare butterfly and bird species abound, as do wild rhododendron, blue poppies and conifer forests.