TAKING TOURISM TO THE TOP

ABOUT BHUTAN

Bhutan could be an alternative reality in the world driven by materialism. A tiny Himalayan nation, wedged between the two global powers, China and India, still bestowed with resplendent natural beauty and ecological heritage of the high Himalayas. Add to this the fact that happiness comes before money, even for public economic pursuits. As the towering Himalayan range descends toward the central and then the southern region, rich diversity of landscape, floral and faunal lives, and cultural and other aspects of people’s life unfold. Today, 72% of Bhutan’s total land area is covered by natural forests. Its rich and diverse biodiversity, spread across different forests, is a bonanza both to scientists who seek to study wildlife and biodiversity and visitors who want to appreciate the richness of life on the planet. The pristine river system, fed by some of the world’s highest unclimbed mountains, are the nation’s wealth, the source of hydroelectric power which is the chief export of the country. Bhutan’s cultural and architectural richness is equally dazzling. Dotting the hills and valleys are the ancient monasteries and forts, known as Dzongs, which have arrested traveler’s imagination and fascination for centuries. Located at precarious and picturesque settings – such as the cliff edges and hill tops, these are wonders of the human genius. At the time they were built, they served as strategic forts and watch towers; today rich legends and histories, as well as deep spiritual significance, hinge about these majestic creations. Bhutan cultural heritage, which is often justly identified as a strong determinant of the nation’s sovereignty, has remained vibrant, untainted by assaults of time and influence from other cultures. The national dress worn by the men, gho, is a knee-length wraparound and the kira, worn by the women, is an ankle-length wraparound skirt. Office goers wear the national dress to their work. In 2008, Bhutan became the world’s youngest democracy. The peaceful transition from absolute monarchy to a parliamentary democracy, with a written constitution, was a result of the Royal Command of His Majesty the Fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who upon taking up the reins of kingship at the tender age of 16 in 1972 had started the work to steer his country and the people toward democracy. Hundred years after the Wangchuck Dynasty was established in Bhutan, with Sir Ugyen Wangchuck of the Trongsa region being unanimously declared through historic agreement between the leader and the people as the first King of Bhutan, the fourth King returned to the people the power to lead which the people had offered to his great grandfather, the first king. The government is elected through democratic suffrage. Bhutan famously maintained an isolation till the second half of the 20th Century. When it looked outside its own happy dens, a lot of things had already happened in the world: The world had fought major wars, international communities were formed and they had failed in their mandate, and of all, India had won independence from the English colonial powers. It was about time Bhutan too made its inroads internationally. So it did. In 1960s, it made calculated steps into modernization. First came the road development and the planned five year plan. In about 60 years since opening doors to modernization, Bhutan has made significant progress in the socio-economic fronts. But even as the nation was making progress, the Fourth King, still in his 20s, realized the need for a unique way to steer his country forward. He promulgated the concept of Gross National Happiness, a development philosophy that seeks to establish a harmonious balance among the economic, socio-political, and ecological aspects. The concept of GNH – defined by the Fifth King of Bhutan as “development with values”—is today widely known to the world. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan enshrines the idea that spiritual wellbeing is as important as economic progress. Bhutan’s rich natural environmental heritage, its cultural heritage, and the way the nation is navigated in the rather boisterous geopolitical waters of the 21st century make for an interesting travel destination, a destination many visitors to Bhutan regard as one of the most fulfilling of all destinations. It is perhaps not without reasons that a lot of travelers forge lifelong friendship with Bhutan.