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BhutanSpecial

Inside this issue

From the CEO’s Desk

Punakha, the Lord made it beautiful

Thimphu My Way

Happiness

In the Realm of Colours

My Wild Night Out

I am an Animist

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From the CEO’s DeskDear Friends,

My first and only visit to Bhutan was in August 2010. It was no less than a time travelling experience. Once I landed at Paro Airport, roughly at about 10 in the morning, empty roads were indeed a shocking sight; neither was there any traffic nor a crowd. That is Bhutan for you, completely relaxed and at ease with itself; one tends to just get sunk into this cosy atmosphere and its pristine beauty. For lovers of nature, it is definitely a hard to resist destination.

The locals are extremely proud of their unique culture and offer, with a lot of love their traditional attire, mine of course is tucked away in my wardrobe yet reminds me of my visit each time I happen to see it. With television and the internet having made their debut very recently; Bhutan remained cut off from the rest of the world.

I remember going out for lunch to a small European restaurant, it felt as though I had been invited to a house party. Every single person came up to greet me and continued to exchange a friendly conversation amongst themselves as well. The entire atmosphere was very laid back, I could have sat there for hours and so could have every other person or maybe they just did, since time is of no real essence in Bhutan. Like I said it was definitely a time travelling experience!!

Surprisingly, with all this peace at hand, the nightlife in Bhutan is said to be very popular, although I didn't get a chance to experience it, yet am sure it would have offered an interesting perspective to Bhutan. Maybe next time....

I can't thank Dago Beda enough for being such a gracious host during my Bhutan trip. She so kindly sent a little bit of Bhutan back with me, some home grown apples from her very own backyard, organic to the core and a complete reflection of Bhutan's slow food.

This issue we bring to you a Bhutan Special, I do hope you enjoying reading it.

Come explore with us

Dipak Deva

Executive Editor: Dipak Deva | Managing Editor: Lata Chauhan Editor: Kuntil BaruwaCopy Writer: Urvashi Walia & Yatin Birdi | Coordinator: Soumya Mukherji | Design: Naresh Dogra

| | Photos: Saga Metho Travels/Jetsun |

Punakha, the Lord made it beautifulPunakha district is in the east of Bhutan's capital city, Thimphu. The name has been acquired from the word Pung-than-kha which means 'the gathering ground'. The Dzong (fortress like building) stands at the confluence of the two rivers that flow through the valley. The structure does look like piles of debris gathered by the rivers. Hence the name 'gathering ground'. Officially, the Dzong here is named Punthang Dewachengi Phodrang. The crude translation would mean 'the blissful castle at the gathering ground'. The Dzong was consecrated in 1637 as the seat of spiritual power of Bhutan and it served as the capital until the 1950s. The Monastic Body of Bhutan still considers Punakha as their winter capital and every year they migrate from Thimphu to their winter residence on the 1st day of the 10th Bhutanese month. On the way, thousands of devotees wait at different places to receive their blessings. They spend six months in Punakha before moving back to Thimphu on the first day of the fourth Bhutanese month.

It takes two hours to drive to Punakha from Thimphu. Some tourists make day excursions from the capital but most like to spend at least two nights there. Punakha Valley is almost sub-tropical. The birdlife is very rich with highlight being the white-bellied heron. This heron is Asia's largest and endangered. Only few hundreds are left in the world. Many migratory aquatic birds do visit the valley in winter months. Blessed with sub-tropical vegetation, many varieties of insects thrive here. The valley does have reptiles too that includes the King cobra. Of bigger animals there are sightings of the Takin, the National Animal of Bhutan at the northern end of the region. Takins closely resemble the Musk Ox and migrate to lower pastures in winter.

Punakha is also the cultural heartland of western Bhutan. The first King of Bhutan was crowned at the Punakha Dzong in 1907. Henceforth, all crowning ceremonies are held at this Dzong. One of the most fascinating temples in Punakha is the Khamsum Yuelling and it has some exquisite wall frescoes. There are numerous temples, farmhouses and view points where one can go for day hikes. The temple of the Divine Madman is also in Punakha. Drukpa Kinley (1455-1529) aka the Divine Madman taught radical teachings which made him popular amongst the common folks. The phallic image that adorns Bhutanese farmhouse in western Bhutan is associated with the Master. There are also numerous festivals in Punakha that one could time their visit with.

One of my favourite books on Punakha is 'Seeing with the Third Eye: Growing up with Grandma in rural Bhutan'. It is written by my colleague Sangay Wangchuk who is also a native from Punakha. It is a book with a long name yet captures the small, taken as not so important by many, kind of experiences in the Punakha valley. It is actually the smaller charms that make this Himalayan sub-tropic valley endearing. I highly recommend this book to all visiting Bhutan.

Chimi Tshomo started her career in the hotel industry but found working in a travel company more thrilling and close to her heart. She loves finding joy in small things and in this issue Chimi recalls her childhood in the Punakha Valley. The warmth of this sub-tropical region where Chimi grew up is her idea of a perfect holiday in Bhutan. Chimi is a friend of Distant Frontiers and works in Thimphu.

As a child I was told that it was rude to ask questions to elders and that I must learn on my own and seek the answers by using my power of observation. But when I went to school my teachers wanted me to ask questions all the time. Looking back perhaps it is the right balance of the two which is required in today's world.

That brings me to my experience with the Antlions in Punakha because that is how the experiments began. You can find Antlions almost every where in Bhutan. In my language we call it 'Gu-lue Gyalmo'. It means the 'Queen with protruding head'. I spent many hours as a child watching the deadly sand traps of the Antlions. The insect drills a sand pit in the ground that resembles a dust funnel. Hidden under the sand pit trap, the Antlion stalks its preys, mostly ants. The trapped victim in the sand pit disappears under the dust. It works like quicksand. That was then when my inquisitive mind forced me to dig out the whole sand trap. It was a thrilling moment to see the victim caught within the Antlion's pincers. Nature's Design…something that you can never learn at school.

Irish hymn-writer and poet Cecil Alexander (1818-1895) wrote a record of 400 hymns of which a popular one is “All things bright and beautiful” The first stanza of that hymn is:

I use the title “Punakha, Lord made it beautiful”, whenever I write something about my hometown.

Come Explore with us. Chimi

All things bright and beautifulAll creatures great and smallAll things wise and wonderfulThe Lord God made them all.

Want to witness the migration of Bhutan's Monastic Body to their winter capital in Punakha? Let us know

Thimphu My Way How long have you lived in Thimphu?

What do you like living most in Thimphu?

Is there anything you do not like living in Thimphu?

Why should travellers visit Thimphu?

Do's for travellers while visiting Thimphu?

Don't for travellers while visiting Thimphu?

A hidden gem in Thimphu that you would recommend and which most travellers give a miss?

If you had only one night in Thimphu which hotel would recommend?

If you had only one meal in Thimphu which local dish would you recommend?

I was born and raised in Thimphu.

Thimphu is the biggest city in Bhutan and I like the fact that the city has maintained our traditions and yet also has the convenience of modern living. I also love the quality of life we still have here.

I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world.

For its quaint mix of tradition and modernity. It's the only capital in the world without any traffic lights. It has many specialized museums/institutes showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Bhutan.

Visit the museums/institutes

None

The Institute of Traditional Medicine in Thimphu. I recommend you go for a check up. Diagnosis is made by checking your pulse, tongue, eyes and interviewing the patient (you'd have to queue up, the lines can get quite long but I think it's worth the wait as it is a unique experience).

Since hotels in other parts of Bhutan are in a rural/natural setting, I'd recommend staying in one in the city centre.

Most Bhutanese dishes are available in other parts of the country. Thimphu has more variety in terms of specialty restaurants, so I'd advice people to try them.

Eutha Karchung is a friend of Distant Frontiers and lives in Thimphu, Bhutan's capital city. She completed her primary school in Bhutan, high school in India and university in the USA (Knox College, IL & UC Berkeley) where she studied Economics, Business & Marketing. Eutha now represents one of Bhutan’s top travel company at international travel fairs and enjoys them as she gets to travel to new places, meet people and do business - all at the same time! She is also one of the board directors of the Bhutan National Bank Ltd. Kuntil Baruwa, our editor caught up with Eutha on the sidelines at The World Travel Mart, London in November last year to get some insider tips on Thimphu.

Bhutan Kitchen (Bhutanese)Baan Thai (Thai)The Zone (for Bhutanese & Continental), Art Cafe, Season's Pizzeria, Klein Cafe, (Continental)Chula & Druk Hotel (Indian), Musk (home style Bhutanese & Nepali food)

Ohm Bar, Wishbone, Tiger pub, Ara (Taj)

Thimphu Tsechu which is one of the largest and most colorful festivals in Bhutan but I prefer the smaller village festivals as it is less crowded and you have more personal interaction with the people from the village.

Tseten, the office driver for being super efficient and a multi-tasker.

Walking is the best way to explore Thimphu and discover the small and quaint shops.

Kuzu zang pola (hello)

Where would you eat?

Where would you go for a drink?

Best Festival and why?

Your favourite Bhutanese and why?

What's your best insider tip to Thimphu?

That one word in the Bhutanese language which, according to you, every traveller should know and will help them get by in Thimphu?

Happiness

©Happiness - Nancy E. Wright, 2008

I am a small countryOn an infinite journey,

Tucked between dynasties,Enfolding scarlet rhododendrons,

Cascading down forested mountains,Their currents transcending current time.

On an infinite journey,Stretching backward and forward,

Like a tiger reclining across centuries,Reaching as far as a dragon's thunder,

Lasting long like the fire of chili peppersOn the lips of my storytellers

Tucked between dynasties

That trade with and invade me, I too have been kingdom and trader, defender, invader,

With skirmished frontiers, I pulled myself apart, Then wiser, traded water for oil.

The dynasties needed energy, and I needed warmth.

Enfolding scarlet rhododendrons, Overlooking fields of asparagus

And orchards of apples, Together oil and sunshine yield warmth and light,

Modern tradition, traditionally modern, Mysterious happiness in a peaceful land.

Cascading down forested mountains Are the narratives of my life,

The seeds, the buds, the blossoms cradling seeds That must fall into rich earth to grow tall;

Falling ahead and advancing back-- This is what I call happiness.

Their currents transcending current time, These rhododendrons are eternal,

Scarlet emblems of my changeless heart, Embraced by deciduous and evergreen,

More growth than progress, both falling and remaining, As lines reappear in the journey's every new verse.

Nancy E. Right's poem 'Happiness' is based on her journey to the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan in 2008. It won the first prize at the North American Festival of Wales the same year.

In the Realm of ColoursThroughout the world, colours are accepted as powerful tools of connection. Colours have been used as representations in politics, religion, societies and cultures. The essence of colours to the Bhutanese is very much universal. We see this throughout the kingdom from colourful prayer flags fluttering on the ridges to the smiling red teeth natives (from chewing betel nut of course). Bhutan is predominantly a Buddhist country and the essence of colours in Bhutanese society is mostly associated with tradition.

Whenever we refer to Bhutanese culture, the emphasis is mostly on textiles. The colours used in textiles are tuned to social occasions and preferences attached to each age group. Colourful dresses are worn during festive occasions. Younger generation prefers intricate colours while the elders like it simple. In Bhutan, colours used for official scarves depict the position within the Bhutanese society. The King wears yellow, orange by his ministers, people's representatives wear blue and white is for the common man.

The significance of colours differs from one culture to another. To illustrate this point let us look at the colour of mourning: in the Western culture it is black, white in Japan, red in South Africa and yellow in Egypt. There is no particular colour of mourning in Bhutan. Something dull or a simple light colour is worn to suit mourning as bright colours represents festive moods. Colours are signified differently even in the world of religion. For instance white, a symbol of peace has been adopted by most. Judaism has yellow as a sacred colour and for Islam the green is holy. In Buddhism, we have the concept of five colours.

As one travels through Bhutan, colours become very prominent. The festivals display colourful textiles. Art and architecture are done in a variety of colours. The fauna and flora are visual feasts. The landscape itself is a paradise of colours. On a larger side, the significance of colours in Bhutan are categorised under three important divisions of the Bhutanese society- Cosmology, Astrology and Buddhist teachings.

To begin with the cosmological significance, one must understand the Buddhist view on the origin of the Universe. According to Buddhism everything originates from the four primordial essentials. These essentials are the Fire, Wind, Water and Earth. The Space predates these four essentials. Fusion of the four essentials takes place within the Space which results in creation of the body. The foundation of Bhutanese indigenous medicine is built on this concept. So health problems are understood as imbalances amongst the five essentials. The remedies seek to create the balance. To simplify the understanding of the five essentials, colours are assigned individually. In this context the colour red means the fire, green is wind, white is water, yellow is earth and blue is space. All life forms and so called evolution takes place due to the fusion of these essentials. How about calling this, “the Buddhist Big Bang theory?”

T. Sangay Wangchuk is a friend of and joined the tourism industry right after university in 1991. Sangay loves the outdoors and has trekked every corner of Bhutan. He published his first book on Bhutan in 2006, is a columnist for a local daily and advises the Bhutan Government on creating sustainable tourism opportunities. In this issue Sangay talks about the essence of colours in Bhutanese society, the Buddhist Big Bang theory, the Dance of the Elements and more.

Distant Frontiers

In the Himalayas, the sight of colourful prayer flags is very common. The colours used in the prayer flags follow what we call the astrological directions. An astrological direction is all about creating harmony by enhancing the directions. Here we are not referring to geographical directions alone; directions here also include fitting everything into their correct places. The significance of colours under the astrological directions is attached to the five characteristic elements called “Kham” which is like assigning personalities at the time of birth.

According to this concept, each of us gets a lifetime element at birth. These are Fire, Water, Earth, Iron and Wood. The fire, water and earth here are different from what we have seen as primordial essentials. Here, the element determines a person's dominant personality or characteristic. The dominant personalities seen from a positive angle are passionate (fire), diplomatic (water), giving (earth), strong (iron) and supportive (earth). Likewise, on the negative note they are rash (fire), sly (water), dumb (earth), stubborn (iron) and lazy (earth). When exposed these elements influence each other. This is called the “Dance of the Elements”.

During this dance the personality undergoes temporary changes because of the environment. To illustrate this let us take an example: a person of fire hangs around with the one of water element. Eventually the fire person loses passion and water person runs out of diplomacy. However, this does not mean that the fire and water characters should keep away from each other. We need the opposing elements to tone down each others negative qualities. The fire person's rashness and the water person's slyness will be kept under control. Therefore, the Dance of the Elements is essential. The elements may be opposed to each other but are essential for existence.

So the Dance of the Elements takes place beyond human understanding. The physical side we see is through assignment of colours to each of the Khams. Red (fire), blue (water), yellow or black (earth), white or silver (iron) and green (wood). It is believed that one must enhance and increase the power of one's Kham. In Bhutanese tradition it is believed that enhancing your Kham to the maximum limit will deter all the unforeseen ill effects. Empowering one's Kham is called Lungta, which is crudely translated as luck-force. Lungta means Wind-Horse when literally translated.

Now let us look at the role that colours play here: to empower ones luck-force, each individual enhances their Kham. The individual hangs a prayer flag with his/ her Kham colour. Some even do the same with their dressing. In the recent times, most Bhutanese do not bother much about the colour of clothes but when it comes to buying a car, they think twice. So when you travel through Bhutan and see colourful prayer flags, think of them as luck-boosters. Lungta phenomenon is employed during marriages, promotions and other festive occasions. During these ceremonies you would see scarves used with all the five colours. Usage of all the colours depicts harmonisation of all the Khams. This means that people do not want negative forces of the Khams to disrupt the festive occasion. The Bhutanese colour concept is vast and I can go on and on.

Having talked about the colour significance from cosmological and astrological side, let us see what Buddhist philosophy has to say about colours. The temples in Bhutan are filled with paintings and statues done in different colours. The colours used on the paintings and statues carry the essence of Buddhist philosophy. To simplify this topic we must see the Buddha as the teacher. Everyone has the Buddha's nature within but we miss the path most of the time.

The Buddhist teachings can be understood through the concept of the five colours. You see multicoloured Buddhas through out Bhutan. There are red, blue, white, yellow and green Buddhas. The philosophic side of these coloured Buddhas is the teaching of controlling the Five Poisons. These five knowledge or poisons are Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Pride and Jealousy. These forces are called Poisons when they create negative energy. The same is called Knowledge when positive energy is created.

Knowledge is essential for mankind but when left untamed it can lead to destruction. To tame the destructive nature we need wisdom. So we see the importance of wisdom to guide greed, anger, ignorance, pride and jealousy. The method of using wisdom to tame the five poisons is the way of the Buddha. The five wisdoms are represented by red (greed), blue (anger), white (ignorance), yellow (pride) and green (jealousy). In a nutshell, Buddha’s teachings are depicted as colours on paintings and statues. The expressions, sizes and decorations are methods employed in the taming of the knowledge by wisdom.

I donot claim that the above descriptions of colours and their significance in Bhutanese society as comprehensive. Maybe I did miss out on things. That said, Bhutanese people do use colours in accordance to their personal preferences. Like anywhere else in the world, age does play a vital role when it comes to preferences. Some even take colours as a therapeutic tool. In the Realm of Colours Bhutan is an interesting place to study and experience.

Come Explore with us.

Sangay

Want to perform a Lungta Ceremony during your trip to Bhutan to enhance your Kham? Lets us know.

My Wild Night Out“Hey Pemo, you must have been born with your mouth first” has been an axiom during every meal with my friends. Well maybe it's true since I love my food and enjoy eating anywhere. My foodie nature has opened a world of likeminded people for me to be friends with. Frankly speaking, except for a few, people who are happy by nature are foodies.

I love restaurant excursions in Thimphu. Bhutan's capital city has so many places where I can spend cheerful times with my friends eating. The best times are when I am actually cooking. A colleague of mine often comments that I can taste even before it is cooked. I am not raved about cuisines though. I relish simple food such as a bowl of rice with Bhutanese chutney. In Bhutan the word Achar or Aizay means chutney. This comes as either pickle or a chilli salad. Bhutanese make a huge variety of chilli salads using supplements such as cabbage, radish or even meat. A word of caution Bhutanese chutneys are not for those who are paranoid about putting on weight.

Talk of food and the conversation can go on forever. As I am writing this, I still recall one of my night-outs with a group of friends last summer. A colleague proposed that we have dinner outside. I thought he was taking us to some momo bar or a Bhutanese noodle joint, but it turned out to be a real jaunt.

We drove almost 30 kilometres east of Thimphu. Our colleague had it all planned. We were a group of five ladies and two men. We stopped near a stream with many wild banana plants. Our hero said that we will be having a classic meal tonight. His car booth had a piglet, almost a foot and half in length, cleaned and ready to be cooked. For drinks, he had carried peach wine and several bottles of beer.

The fun part was preparing the meal. First we built a fire with dead chestnut logs. Next we made the sauce from tomatoes, soya, chilli powder and salt. To this we added chopped spring onions, coriander leaves and turmeric powder. The piglet was then stuffed with the sauce generously. The stuffed piglet was then wrapped in dozens of banana leaves and tied into a bundle using pieces of wild vines. The men, by then, had prepared a huge pile of mud paste. The bundled piglet in banana leaves was then wrapped in the mud paste and made into a huge ball of mud. We laid the mud ball with the piglet inside on three rocks arranged in a triangular shape. Around it we created a huge bonfire and waited for the next two hours.

After a stint with BPOs, Sonam Pemo shifted to the hospitality industry. It was here she laid her hands and tongues on the international cuisines. Pemo is a foodie and knows all the cool eating joints in Thimphu, from a compact Momo outlet to grand dining options in the most upmarket restaurants. Pemo believes that people who are happy by nature are foodies. Her idea of a wild night out is going on a long drive with friends, firing up a barbeque and cooking a hearty meal, complete with a bottle of peach wine. Sonam Pemo is a friend of Distant Frontiers and works in Thimphu.

Some of my friends made chilli chutneys as we sang and drank around the fire. One of my friends found some wild berries which we relished as dessert. After two hours the bonfire was reduced to cinders and we had to use the headlight of the car to light up our dinner venue. We rolled the mud ball from the cinders onto the leftover banana leaves. As we shouted with grace, “Accept our dish, oh spirits of the land”, we hammered off the baked mud. And lo! The aroma of the piglet baked inside the mud ball wafted through the air.

The baked, cooked, whatever you may want to call it, piglet was a wonderful treat. We spent several hours gorging on the food of our lives. I am sure even the spirits of the forests found us fun to be with. After a hearty meal, we lingered on over drinks. The night came to an end when the summer rain started pouring down on us. We scrambled back to our car and made a slow, zigzag drive back to Thimphu through rain and fog. That was a wild night out and I don't mind doing it again.

Come Explore with us.

Pemo

If you are a foodie and visiting Thimphu, Sonam Pemo is happy to take you around some of her favourite eating joints. Let us know.

I am an AnimistBon-choe, the Bhutanese name for Animism predates Buddhism. In simple terms Animism means worship of nature. However, Bon-choe draws some negative undertones whenever mentioned since the extreme primitive practice involved elements of blood sacrifice called Mar-choe. With the onset of Buddhism in the 7th century, effigy rituals called Kar-choe replaced the bloody sacrifices.

The Bhutanese way of life is deeply rooted in animist rituals which we are unaware as the Buddhist and Hindu philosophies have been high-flying in the present. The animist rituals have always been a prerequisite to Bhutan's social and cultural heritage and should not be brushed aside as some rustic mumbo jumbo. One can view them as a spiritual person revering a communion with the unseen, while a rationalist may see it as an ecological necessity. It can be anyone's choice.

In Bhutan, the animist traditions helped a lot in the preservation of the environment and culture. A core animist belief is that human beings are just visitors on this planet and that the permanent owners are the guardian spirits. To live in harmony on this planet, the humans must pay their respects to these guardians. To name a few; Tso-mems (water spirits) rule the water world and Dra-tsens (cliff spirits) own the rocky cliffs. Likewise, Jomo is the guardian of the fauna and Mems of flora; Gang-tsens are the spirits of the ridges and Lhung-tsens are wind spirits. There are others such as the Gyalpos (kings), Nyelpos (hosts) and subterranean guardians like Lu, Drelpo, Sa-dhag and many more.

In Bhutan Dralha Solnee is primarily an animist ritual where the spirit (Dralha) is propitiated. Some Dralha verses are filled with earthly wisdom that delve into understanding the formation of life itself. One of such verses explains the fundamental understanding of the origin of life: the belief that the primordial body was formed from the fusion of Fire, Wind, Water and Earth. Once the body was created, the soul (dralha as per animist belief) took refuge in it. Such is the animist wisdom from ancient times that it still runs in parallel with the modern scientific perceptives.

From several centuries there have been attempts to eradicate animism from Bhutan. But today’s younger generation is lucky as they can choose to view animism as a spiritual union or as an ecological bond. This seems interesting because it is a global philosophy. My own journey into understanding animism within the frontiers of ecology has been great. I call this my Journey into the deep ecology.

Born and brought up in rural Bhutan, Ugen has lived with Bhutan's age-old animist tradition with his joint family. He now finds a deep connection between the ancient animist tradition and the conservation of the environment. Ugen is strong advocate of experiential travel and sees it as an opportunity where all such quaint, but meaningful traditions could be witnessed and kept alive. Ugen Tenzin is a friend of Distant Frontiers and works in Thimphu.

I look at all the animist rituals as a communicative tool for understanding the soul of Mother Earth and to create harmony and balance on this planet. Comprehending animism this way has helped me preserve this ancient belief system in this electronic world. Just like Buddhism has become a way of life for many of my friends, animism has become one for me. It is an individual's realization and my understanding on this has opened a new chapter in my life's which I am documenting in a private journal titled “The Dawn of my Realization”. I am happy to share more with anyone who may be interested.

Come Explore with us.

Ugen

Our interactive sessions with local experts on Bhutanese Culture and Tradition is a great way to know more about this beautiful country. Let us know if you would like us to organise one during your visit.