Bhutan is a Buddhist kingdom in the Himalaya. Bhutan is known for its monasteries, fortresses, and dramatic landscapes that range from subtropical plains to steep mountains and valleys. It has some of the world’s tallest peaks such as 7,326m Jomolhari, which are popular among tourist as trekking destinations. A landlocked country, it is bordered by China to the north and India to the south, east, and west. A protectorate of India, Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy.
Bhutan and neighboring Tibet experienced the spread of Buddhism which originated in India during the lifetime of Gautama Buddha. It reached Bhutan from the southern Pala Empire of Bengal, ultimately spresding across Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim, and Nepal. Paro Taktsang monastery is also known as Tiger’s Nest is one of the most visited in the country. During the 16th-century, Ngawang Namgyal unified the valleys of Bhutan into a single state. Namgyal also defeated Tibetan invasions, subjugated rival religious schools, codified Tsa Yig legal system, and established a government of theocratic and civil administrators.
He became the first Zhabdrung Rinpoche and his successors acted as the spiritual leaders of Bhutan like DalaiLama in Tibet. During the 17th century, Bhutan controlled large parts of northeast India, Sikkim, and Nepal; and wielded significant influence in Cooch Behar state of West Bengal, Bhutan ceded Bengal Duars to Britishers after Bhutan War in the 19th century. The Wangchuck emerged as the monarchy and pursued closer ties with British signing a treaty that guaranteed British advice in foreign policy in exchange for complete internal autonomy in Bhutan.
This arrangement continued under a new treaty with India after its independence and in 1949 both countries recognized each other’s sovereignty. The c9untry joined the united nations in 1971 but until the turn of the century didn’t have diplomatic relations with anyone except India. but in the last 20 years has set up relations with over 50 nations. Bhutan is unique has doesn’t focus on GDP but on GNH or Gross National Happiness. Since the 17th century, Bhutan’s official name has been Druk Yul or “country of the Drukpa Lineage” or “the Land of the Thunder Dragon.
Bhutan signed the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity on 11 June 1992 and became a party to the convention on 25 August 1995. and produced a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, with two revisions, the most recent of which was received by the convention on 4 February 2010. Bhutan’s flora is notable for its great variety and its continuous transition from tropical through temperate to exclusively alpine forms. Bhutan’s fauna includes Sambar deer, gaurs (type of wild ox), rhinoceroses, elephants, tigers, and other animals are found in Bhutan, particularly along the Manas and Sankosh rivers in the central and eastern regions and in the country’s forest-covered hills.
Bhutan has established a number of protected areas, including the Royal Manas National Park (1966), which adjoins India along the banks of Manas River and Jigme Dorji National Park (1974). About two-thirds of Bhutan is covered with forests. Consequently, timber production emerged as an important component of the economy. Tourism plays an important part in the economy of Bhutan. The country’s capital Thimphu has no direct link with other major cities. Anyone who wants to go to Bhutan can reach it via Kolkata to Paro valley and then to the capital of Thimphu.
Bhutan has a rich and unique cultural heritage that has largely remained intact because of its isolation from the rest of the world until the mid-20th century. The main attraction for tourists is the Bhutanese culture and traditions. deeply steeped in its Buddhist heritage. Rice (red rice), buckwheat, and increasingly maize, are the staples of Bhutanese cuisine. Well-connected by air from Kolkata and Guwahati. Bhutan can also be reached by land from Gangtok and Darjeeling to Phuntsholing.
Manufacturing, which began in Bhutan about 1970, has grown considerably with cement, chemicals, wood products, processed foods, and other industries in both the public and private sectors. Nearly all Bhutan’s manufacturing centers are located in the south, close to the Indian border with Phuntsholing, being the site of nearly half of Bhutan’s manufacturing activity, being the largest industrial center. The country has no traffic lights. Smoking, as well as tobacco products, are illegal, as are hunting and fishing (except for catch and release).
It is forbidden to climb high peaks (where spirits dwell), and employees must wear traditional clothing—a gho robe for men and kira dress for women—during work hours. In the last few years thanks to opening up of economy there are more hotels, coffee outlets and souvenir stores in the cities of Bhutan. To deter low cost tourism, Bhutan requires visitors to spend a minimum amount per day—some hundreds of dollars, as a means to control the number of visitors entering Bhutan per day, Before visiting Bhutan, visitors must pay a lump sum fee to any of many authorized Bhutanese travel agents.
These funds are directly deposited within a bank account belonging to the government Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB). This money is not released to that agency until visitors have completed their visit—providing a check on the quality of service rendered. Once considered as costly it actually covers accommodation, meals, vehicle and driver, fuel, a guide, permits for visits, and daily excursions for guided visits to still largely uncrowded sites. Tourists visiting Bhutan find it an intriguing ad enchanting out-of-the-world experience.
