Bhutan

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Buddhist doctrine always promoted an extra care for nature, or any living entity. 

It’s possible to enjoy hours of driving in valleys and passes without any sign of human touch through untouched forests at first glance inhabited, but it is sufficient to stop the car for a few minutes to be able to observe colourful birds, groups of vultures slowly flying in circles searching for animals to feast on. If lucky it is possible to be greeted by shy langurs. By far the primates with the best bangs in the animal kingdom. 

Superstitious say that if you come across a grey langur on the road, the next day you’ll have a successful business meeting.

Nothing seems to be there by chance or as result of natural evolution. There is a legend to provide an explanation to almost all iconic animals or natural elements of the area. 

The takin is the national animal of Bhutan, it resembles a small yak without horns and a large nose, and it is said to be created by a religious figure, a Lama, who after feasting with a whole goat and a cow assembled their bones and created the takin. This would explain its ability on rocky grounds and the cow shaped body. Similar stories can be found for monkeys, cranes, elephants or tigers. But also for lakes and rivers, and because of this reason swimming is prohibited.

While driving through its valleys, Buddhist symbols are literally everywhere. Countless number of temples, pagodas and shrines, each containing hundreds of statues of Buddha or other deities in a multitude of sizes and colours. Red, white, green and blue prayer flags hanging across trees to let the wind flow through and sing its sutras. Small red or white conic statues placed in caves by the side of the road. Tall white flags erected over the side of mountains, in memory of family members who passed away. 

We can only be confused spectators in front of this vortex of symbols and hypnotic chaos. Buddhism is one religion, but each country has its own traditions usually blended with local folklore. And naturally all individuals bring their personal view.

Probably a lifetime would not be sufficient for a foreigner to fully grasp the Bhutanese mindset, their beliefs, their reasons of joy and fears. A tourist is always welcomed with smiles, a white ceremonial scarf put around the neck right after they land and a generous amount of fun facts about the self-proclaimed happiest country in the world.

What’s less in line with the Buddhist doctrine is how the country handled the integration of Nepali living mostly in the Southern part, along the border with India. They account for more than 25% of the population, and they initially migrated from Nepal or India at the end of the nineteenth century. In the early 90s, in order to enforce a national identity branded with the slogan One Nation - One People, many Nepali were oppressed, in particular those who were found illegally in the country or refused to accept the local culture and adhere to the national etiquette. This included wearing in public the goh, the Bhutanese traditional dress for men, or the kira for women.

Today Bhutan is no longer the mysterious Buddhist kingdom isolated from civilisation, but not yet the fast paced Asia of its neighbour countries. At first glance, today Bhutan still provides all the ingredients to those who want to romanticise Asia, its mountains and its people.