 If
ever there be a place that can take the clinche cut of Sangrilla,
then that place is Bhutan. The land of the thunder dragon
does justice to the legend of that wonderland, hidden far
and away from the prying eyes and humdrum ways of the modern
world.
It is still as much about magic and mystery, simplicity and
tranquillity; and about a way of life that has escaped the
clutches of time.
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 46,500 square km., Bhutan is comparable to
Switzerland both in its size and topography. It was the mighty
Himalayas which protected Bhutan from the rest of the world
and left the Kingdom 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 sparsely populated, with a population of only
600,000. 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.
Today it is the last bastion of Mahayana Buddhism. The religion
which influences every aspect of life here was also the main
impetus behind its birth.
The history of the Kingdom dates back to the 8th century,
with Guru Padmasambava's legendary flight from Tibet to Bhutan
in 747 A.D, 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, resulticng
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 17th 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.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.
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