History

The lofty barriers had wrapped the country with a cloak of mysticism. For centuries, the country did not have a name for the outside world. Some Tibetan chronicles referred to it with exotic names as "the Southern Valley of Medicinal herbs", and the " Lotus Garden of the Gods". To the Bhutanese, the country was always "Druk Yul" literally meaning "The Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon".

The name Bhutan appears to have derived from the ancient Indian term "Bhotanta" which means the end of the land of the Bhots. Bhot was the Sanskrit term for Tibetans.

Bhutan 's distant past is surrounded by mystery as books and documents were lost in a series of fires and earthquakes, which destroyed important Dzongs where the historical records had been stored. The prominent event in what little exists of Bhutanese history is the legendary flight of Guru Padmasambhava from Tibet in 747 AD. Guru Rimpoche, as he is today popularly referred to as, is considered the second Buddha. Guru Rimpoche arrived in Paro valley at the Taktshang (Tiger's nest). Today a monastery exists perched precariously on the cliff's face as an indelible mark of the Guru's visit. Guru Rimpoche is the founder of the tantric strain of Mahayana Buddhism practiced in Bhutan . He is also worshipped as the father of the Nyingmapa School of religion.

Although the religious presence was acting as the Spiritual cohesion, the country was not unified under one central authority. Many local lords who had for centuries been at war against each other ruled it.

In the early 17th century, Shabdrung Nawang Namgyal, a Tibetan Lama of the Drukpa School , came to Bhutan and eventually ended the long period of rivalry between factions of feudal lords. He established the Drukpa sect, which is still prevalent today. The Shabdrung, meaning, "at whose feet one submits" established himself as the Country's supreme leader and vested civil powers in a high officer known as the Druk Desi. The Je Khenpo, another leader was charged with the religious affairs of the country. The country was divided into regions and a comprehensive system of law was codified.

The Shabdrung built a chain of Dzongs throughout the country, which served as the seat of Government and as fortress, which guarded each valley during the times of battles. The Shabdrung died in 1651. In the ensuing two centuries, the country was again engulfed into regional fiefdoms with intermittent civil wars. At the end 18th century, the Trongsa Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck, who then controlled the eastern and central region suppressed all his rivals and again united the country. An assembly of representatives of the monastic community, civil servants and the people unanimously crowned Ugyen Wangchuck the first king of Bhutan in 1907. The monarchy has thrived ever since and the present king, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck commands the overwhelming support of his people.

Geography

Bhutan is one of Asia 's smallest nations, nearly lost between the extensive borders of the two great nations of China and India . Only 46,500 square kilometers in extent, the kingdom straddles the 27 th parallel north latitude, and stretches from 88°45' to 92°10' east longitude a mere 150 km in its longest dimension. Sikkim and West Bengal lie on Bhutan 's western border, Tibet to the north and northwest, Arunachal Pradesh to the east, and Bengal Duars and Assam to the south.

Bhutan is a land of Jungle-clad hills, Impressive River gorges and high mountains. No section of the country is without diversity. The southern strip, paralleling to the border with West Bengal and Assam is a jumble of forested hills heavily dissected by rushing watercourses with wide shingle banks.

The ridges of the southern hills generally trend north-south, and northward they give way to higher ridges oriented in a similar fashion. Between these mountains, many of whose summit exceeds 4000 m, lie broad flood plain valleys, the home of Bhutan 's largest towns and much of the country's population. The major concentration cluster around the sites of traditional fortress-monasteries known as Dzongs. Most of these are situated along major river courses, and inhabit the mid-mountain zone nearly equidistant from the northern and southern borders. From west to east the most important are in: Ha, Paro, Thimphu , Punakha, Wangdue Phodrang, Trongsa, Shongkar and Trashigang.

For centuries Bhutan 's isolated location and it's self-reliant national character kept the Kingdom outside the path of economic development in South Asia . Although this seclusion prevented Bhutan from fully benefiting from many of the medical, technical, and scientific advances of the day, it also shielded the country from many of the detrimental side effects of poorly planned or haphazard development. As a result, while most of the Himalayan region has seen its natural resource base severely compromised through deforestation, soil degradation, erosion and pollution, Bhutan's national patrimony of extensive and varied forests, limited yet fertile and productive farmland, and pristine water and air remains largely intact.

Flora & Fauna

Among the Himalayan Nations, Bhutan has the richest diversity of Flora and Fauna made possible by the ecological sensitivity of the Bhutanese People and preserved by the policies of a concerned government. With over 70 percent of the country under forest cover and it's rich bio-diversity, Bhutan has been declared one of the 10 environmental "hot-spots" in the world.

The immense beauty of the Himalayas is contained in its diverse landscape. Cascading rivers, conifers, wild rhododendron and blue poppies, long sweeping valleys, fields of maize and tall, imposing white-capped peaks: these are only a few poetic references.

The wealth of the floral variety includes "Rhododendron, Junipers, Magnolias, Orchids, Edelweiss, Gentians, Daphne. In addition, the rare Blue Poppy , Bhutan 's national flower, which can be found at altitudes as high as 4000 meters. Along with these, grow rare medicinal herbs and exotic mushrooms.

In Bhutan the vegetation profile falls into five general classes:

•  Tropical [up to 1000 m]

•  Sub-tropical [900 m-1800 m]

•  Temperate [1800 m-3500 m]

•  Sub-alpine [3500 m-4500 m]

•  Alpine [4500 m-5500 m]

Spotting unusual fauna in Bhutan is almost obligatory. There are over 500 species of Birds to be seen in Bhutan . The rich bird life includes the Monal, Pheasant, the Tragopan, many different types of wild pigeons and Doves, the rare Rufus-necked Hornbill and the endangered Black Necked Crane. There is also an abundant butterfly fauna. This reflects the kingdom's wide range of agro-ecological environments, from subtropical to alpine, and its zoo-geographical Indomalayan (oriental) region and the permeable and fluid (for birds) border with China .

The Kingdom is home to a very rich mammalian wildlife population; there are 165 species of mammals. From the Snow Leopard, Blue Sheep, Musk Deer, Takin and Himalayan Black beer in the North to the Tiger, Rhinoceros, Gaur, the Great Indian Water Buffalo and the Golden langur in the South.

Brown Trout and local fish are found in the Northern Rivers and mountain lakes. Further to the South East, the rivers are full of elusive Mahseer.

Throughout the centuries, the Bhutanese have treasured their natural environment and have looked upon it as the source of all life. The traditional reverence for nature has delivered us into the 20 th century with our environment still richly intact.

The People

The population of Bhutan in the year 1994 was 600,000 with 43 percent of the population aged under 15 years. The government is keenly aware that an increased population will strain the country's resources.

Bhutan 's 90 percent lead an agrarian life style and continue to live in the valleys isolated from one another and the outside world by formidable mountain passes. Bhutanese are traditionally rural dwellers and their homes and villages reflect their rich history.

Bhutanese generally refer to themselves as Drukpas meaning the inhabitants of the Druk-Yul. The mosaic of different people can possibly be divided into three main ethnic groups, the SHARCHOPS , the NGALOPS , and the LHOTSHAMPAS . The Sharshops, Bhutan 's earliest residents reside predominantly in the eastern Bhutan . Although their origin is unknown, they are of Indo-Mongolian type. The Ngalongs who are the Mongoloid origin have migrated from the Tibetan Plains. They are believed to be the importers of Buddhism. Ngalongs reside in the western region of the country. The southern Bhutan is inhabited mainly by the Lhotshampas who are of Nepalese origin. Lhotshampas brought with them the Hindu religion and Nepalese languages, which is spoken today over much of southern Bhutan . Several small minority groups, many with their own language, form about 01 percent of the population. Many of these groups comprise fewer than 1000 people. The most important of these groups are the Bumthap in Bumthang, the Mandhep in Trongsa, the Kheng in the central region of Zhemgang, and the Layap in the north-west. Other smaller groups are the Brokpa in the far eastern villages of Mera and Sakteng, the Doya and Lophu in the southern district of Samtse, the Dagpa in the east, Tibetans in the central-west and north and the Lepcha in the west. The Bhutanese society is egalitarian in disposition and the people know of peace unhampered by the fast life that marks the advertisement driven consumerism society. The present population is officially estimated at close to 0.6 million

MOST SUITABLE MONTHS FOR TREKKING

Bumthang ~ March to May - August to October

Gangtey ~ January to June and September to December

Samteygang/Lingshi/Laya ~ January to June and October to December

Lunana Snowman ~ March to September

Gasa Hot Spring ~ January to May and October to December

Jhomolhari ~ March to June and September to October

Druk Path ~ March to June and September to October

Dagala ~ March to June and September to October

Religion

Bhutan 's official religion is Drukpa Kagyu, school of Tantric Mahayana Buddhism , similar to the Buddhism of Tibet. Tantric form of religion emerged as the last phase in the long evolution of Buddhism. The word 'Trantism' comes from Tantras, the name of a body of esoteric texts which appeared roughly between the third and the tenth century. These are divided into four groups: tantras of action, tantras of behaviour, tantras of yoga, and finally tantras without any superiors. If we place Bhutan 's religion in the full context of Buddhism, it is necessary to go back nearly 2500 years and trace the points at which the Drukpa Kagyu lineage and its antecedents diverged from other schools of Buddhism.

Buddhism is practiced throughout the country though, in the south, most Bhutanese people of Nepali and Indian descent practice Hinduism. Minority groups practice various forms of animistic religion including Bon, which predates Himalayan Buddhism. Religion has shaped the history of the nation and continues to play an important role in the life of god fearing and spiritual people. All over Bhutan , evidence of this can be seen in many religious monuments and symbols that have been erected.

The air of spirituality is pervasive even in the urban centers where the spinning of prayer wheels, the murmur of mantras and the glow of butter lamps in the houses are still important features of every day life. Bhutan 's religious sites and institutions are not museum, but the daily home of its people.

Music & Dance

Bhutanese religious dances are called "CHAM" and there are a large number of them. Dancers wear spectacular costumes made of yellow silk or rich brocade often decorated with ornaments of carved bone. For certain dances, they wear masks, which may represent animals, fearsome deities, skulls, manifestation of Guru Rimpoche or just the simple human beings

Religious dances can be grouped into three categories; INSTRUCTIVE OR DIDACTIC DANCES; which are dramas with a moral (Dances of the princes & princesses, the Dance of the stag and the hunting dogs, the Dance of the judgment of the dead), DANCES THAT PURIFY AND PROTECT A PLACE FROM DEMONIC SPIRITS (the dance of the master of the cremation grounds, the dance of the stags, the dance of the fearsome gods, the dance of the black hats, the dance of the ging and the Tsholing) and DANCES THAT PROCLAIM THE VICTORY OF BUDDHISM AND THE GLORY OF GURU RIMPOCHE (all dances with drums, the dance of the heroes, the dance of the celestial beings, the dance of the eight manifestations of Guru Rimpoche).

  Like the dances, religious music reflects a strong Tibetan influence. Music gives rhythm to the dances and religious ceremonies, and it punctuates the singing or recitation of the texts.

Arts and Crafts

The Himalayan Mountains are a fragile environment the actions of wind, water, earthquakes and fire have made serious changes in the topography. The intervention of people on this environment has, to date, been without major effect. However, that influence is changing and, unless checked, could be disastrous to the Himalayan states and their neighbours.

The Himalayas posses an unforgettable aura and magnetism, a personality at once diverse and distant but also familiar and friendly; there are high mountain peaks, rushing streams and delicate waterfalls, narrow fertile valleys and mountain slopes carpeted with rich colours of autumn leaves or spring rhododendrons, of tall pine forests, green and glistening in the monsoon rains, or ghostly and reflective in winter.

Tucked away in a small section of this vast mountain is Bhutan ; unique, mysterious, independent, with a rich cultural heritage. Because of it's long isolation, Bhutan has been able to preserve its diverse customs and values, its close ties with communities and families, its way of worship, its traditional skills and, above all, a simple and un-complicated way of life. To understand Bhutan , one needs also to understand the nature of the Himalayan Kingdoms and their historical and cultural relationships; how they viewed their neighbours, and how they were seen in return.

To adequately describe Bhutan is to first picture the visible; towering snowscapes, high mountain passes, large fortress-monasteries or dzongs, rows of fluttering prayer flags, powerful racing rivers, colourful festivals, and attractive national costumes. The intangibles within Bhutanese culture form an equally vital part of the fabric that binds the country together: the immense importance of the royal family; the code of conduct and responsibilities [driglam namza]; the physical, mental and verbal guiding principle of 'the science of crafts' [zorigpa]; the option for an individual or group to withdraw from the world and be apart - or the possibility to be at peace with oneself and one's environment and yet still be part's of one's community. A way of life is available for most people where materialism is of minor importance and quality of life is measured by a standard quite foreign to the everyday values that most people in the West live by it; solitude instead of crowded place, introspection instead of busyness, and serenity instead of anxiety.

Out of this physical and temporal environment and people's response to living in it, has evolved a series of traditional skills, ancient and sophisticated, colourful and complicated, and in many ways special because they are so unique. These traditional skills or crafts came out to be known as zorig chusum [thirteen traditional crafts] and today represent hundred of years of knowledge and ability that have been passed down from father to son and mother to daughter.

Architecture

The traditional architecture of the kingdom of Bhutan is associated with a number of clear-cut architectural concepts and building types that are deeply rooted in Tibetan Buddhism: majestic and strategically positioned fortress monasteries [dzong], dramatically located temples [lhakhang] and monasteries [gompa], picturesque clusters of village farm houses [gung chim], and various types of religious and votive structures such as Buddhists stupas [chorten], prayer walls [mani], different types of spirit houses [lukhang and Tsenkang] and the technical genius of its cantilever and chain bridges [zam].

Anyone who has had the opportunity to experience Bhutan 's unique built landscape will have marveled at it's strikingly beautiful traditional architecture. Most publications that mention Bhutanese architecture tend to emphasize it's monumental character and aesthetic intent. It is possible that such object-oriented descriptions of architecture contribute - albeit unconsciously - to what may be called 'monumentalization', 'objectification', and 'concretization' of Bhutan 's 'living architectural tradition'. In terms of western values and approaches to issues of cultural preservation and conservation, each and every traditional architectural landscape in Bhutan , each and every building and structure, would seem entitled to conservation.

Clothing

Due to wide range of temperature and climatic conditions, it is advisable to bring appropriate clothing. From May to September normal traveling cloths plus a light woolen sweater or a light jacket and a light walking boots are sufficient. From November to end of April on the other hand, you will need very warm cloths including underwear or woolen tights to wear under trousers, thick socks, strong boots and down jacket.

You will be offending people if you walk around in skimpy or tight fitting clothes. Although there are normally opportunities to wear skirts or loose trousers, men should not wear singlets. During visit of monasteries, dzongs and other religious sites, you should not wear shorts and hats.

  The following is a fairly exhaustive list of what you should pack for the trip:

Clothes as per season, sunglasses/spare glasses or contact lenses, pair of casual shoes, washing kit, shaving kit, towel, hat umbrella, camera, film and accessories, maps, insect repellent, hand cream, small sewing kit & safety pins, torch or flash light with spare batteries, mirror, sun screen cream, lip salve or soluble aspirin, antiseptic cream, preparation for the relief of sunburn. You may not be tuned to the Asian drugs so it is always better to bring own brand.

Currency

Bhutan 's unit of currency is the ngultrum (Nu), which equals 100 chetrums. It is at par with the Indian rupee, itself a legal tender in the kingdom. One US dollar is exchanged for roughly 44 Ngultrums. Tourists can exchange traveller's cheques or cash at the Bank of Bhutan or at their hotels. American or Australian dollars, pound sterling, French and Swiss francs, German marks, Dutch gilders, Hongkong dollars, Singapore dollars, Thai bath or Japanese yen are all accepted currencies.

Things to Buy:

Thangkas

Thangkas are Buddhist paintings, usually on canvas. Traditionally, they are mounted on a background of brocade and hung by a stick sewn across the top. You can also buy an un-mounted painting.

Textiles

Hand-woven cotton fabric is the most traditional and useful item you can buy in Bhutan . The quality is almost always good, but the price will vary depending on the intricacy of the design and whether any expensive imported silk is used in the weaving

Other items

Brass statues and Buddhist ritual items, such as bells, cymbals, trumpets and dorjees are available form specialist shops. Jewellery and other silver items are best purchased from a reputable shop or from the artisans themselves. Excellent wood pieces can be bought. Useful items such as picture frames and furniture is available, as are wooden masks similar to those used in the tshechu dances. Wooden bowls, either plain or lined with silver, are a specialty of eastern Bhutan .

Bamboo work is available in most of the handicraft shops and sometimes at roadside stalls. The round bangchung baskets are a typical Bhutanese item. Another unusual item are the large bamboo pipes covered with weaving that is used for carrying local liquor.

  Handmade paper: is available in large sheets and is packaged into handy packets of letter-writing size.

Carpet manufacturing: is recent innovation in Bhutan .

  Handicrafts: Bhutan boasts a variety of high quality handicrafts.

Customs and Regulations:

Custom Regulation: The Bhutanese authorities strictly prohibit the export of any religious Antiquity or antiques of any type. All personal electronics, Cameras, Video Cameras, Computers and personal electronic equipment may be brought into the country but they must be listed on the customs form provided on arrival at Paro and will be checked on departure. Two liters of Alcohol and reasonable quantity of cigarettes may be brought in to the country without duty.

Post and Communications

The Bhutanese postal system is reliable, you can send mails from hotels and post offices and no special procedures are necessary. If you mail cards or letters from the Thimphu post office, you can buy exotic Bhutan postage stamps from the philatelic bureau and use them on your letters and postcards. Bhutan Post offers outgoing EMS [expedited mail service], which is a reliable and fast international mail delivery facility that is cheaper than courier services. It also has a LUM [local urgent mail] service for delivery within Bhutan . DHL is the only international courier to operate from Bhutan .

Most of the country's major towns have both domestic and international direct dial facilities. Nearly all hotels and some PCO's have facilities to send and receive faxes. Bhutan has its own Internet and email services.

Photography and Filming:

The photography opportunities on a trip are immense. Photography is permitted nearly everywhere in Bhutan and the local population has no aversion to being photographed. If you wish to record the local population, their houses, shops etc, always ask by gestures if it is okay to do so. Photography inside the Dzongs and Monasteries are not permitted. Please follow your guide's instruction carefully while visiting Dzongs, monasteries and religious institution.

Of late, the Royal Government encourages the filming groups. Any commercial Filming must pay a royalty to obtain the permit from the Royal Government of Bhutan. We will assist you to get the permit.

Filming royalty: All proposals for filming are subjected to payment of a royalty at the following rates:

Duration of the final Edited version Amount in (US dollars)

•  First 30 minutes or part thereof 10,000.00

•  Next 30 minutes or part thereof 6,000.00

•  Every additional30 minutes or part thereof 3,000.00

Food and Drinks

Bhutanese food is a tantalizing blend of hot Himalayan flavours. Northern Indian cuisine mixes with the chillies of the Tibetan plateau and traditional recipes from Bhutan 's villages to create sizzling and memorable tastes. Chanterelle mushrooms, apricots, asparagus, a wide variety of chillis and a host of spices grow in abundance in Bhutan 's valleys.

These spices, fruits and vegetables are prepared with beef, chicken, pork, and dried yak or with each other to make dishes that resemble elements of both Chinese and Indian cuisine. Bhutanese dishes are traditionally served with ample portions of indigenous red rice. The food prepared for tourists is tempered to western taste. The tourism authority imported the knowledge of selected European hotel experts to improve the quality of food and beverage