Bhutan : Land of the Thunder Dragon

Although it measures only 110 miles from the north to south and 200 from east to west, Bhutan - called by its people Druk Yul, "the Land of the Thunder Dragon." The Bhutanese have treasured their natural environment as it is seen as a source of all life and the abode of the gods and spirits. It is to safeguard this rich natural environment and culture, that the country has consciously adopted a controlled tourism and development policy.

Many eastern classics and books of wisdom have referred to the Himalayas as the abode of the gods and home to the immortals. These descriptions did not stem merely from the majesty and grandeur of the natural surroundings but perhaps alluded to a special environment where communion with the divine was possible through contemplation and meditation. Bhutan is a country nestled in the eastern Himalayas. The country has been visited by a great many saints, mystics, scholars and pilgrims over the centuries who not only came for their personal elucidation, but blessed the land and its people with an invaluable spiritual and cultural legacy that has shaped every facet of Bhutanese lives.

The form of government in Bhutan is as unique as the country. It is the only Democratic (or Constitutional) Monarchy in the world. It is believed that the name Bhutan is derived from the Sanskrit 'Bhotant', meaning 'the end of Tibet', or from 'Bhu-uttan', meaning 'high land'. It has a population of 2.5 million people with the Drukpas being the dominant tribe. The languages spoken are Dzongkha, Tibetan and Nepali.

Bhutan is the only country in the world to retain the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism (Drukpa Kagyu) as its official religion. The Buddhist faith has played and continues to play a fundamental role in the cultural, ethical and sociological development of Bhutan and its people. It permeates all strands of secular life, bringing with it a reverence for the land and its well-being.

Bhutan is a land-locked country surrounded by mountains. The sparsely populated Greater Himalayas, bounded to the north by the Tibetan plateau, it is divided into three major land regions: plains and river valleys in the south; a mid-Himalayan (5,000 to 14,000 ft. high) area north of the valleys; and the mountainous lands in the Himalayas, which range from 14,000 to 24,000 ft. above sea level. The country has been identified as one of the 10 bio-diversity hot spots in the world and as one of the 221 global endemic bird areas.

Its eco-systems harbor some of the most exotic species of the eastern Himalayas with an estimated 770 species of birds and over 50 species of rhododendron, besides an astonishing variety of medical plants and orchids.

To keep the traditional culture alive, Bhutanese people wear the traditional clothing that has been worn for centuries. Bhutanese men wear a gho, a long robe tied around the waist by a small belt called a kera. A woman's ankle length dress is called a kira, made from beautifully colored and finely woven fabrics with traditional patterns. Necklaces are fashioned from corals, pearls, turquoise, and the precious agate eye stones which the Bhutanese call 'tears of the gods' or dzi beads.

Western Bhutan is known for its stunning scenery with rice paddies and orchards cascading down magnificent mountains, the pristine rivers that flow through many of its towns. Central Bhutan is known for its buckwheat and apple production, its sturdy stone houses, and its plethora of monasteries. It's the ideal place for walking due to its broad valleys and sloping mountains. Eastern Bhutan is the least traveled area of the country and is where many of the kingdom's most ancient spiritual sights are found.

The entire region boasts a richness and variety of plants and wildlife that are perhaps unequaled in the world. Botanists have estimated that at least 6,500 species of flowering plants grow in Nepal alone. Bhutan, far less explored and cataloged, is acknowledged as having more.

The largest and most colorful festivals (tsechus) take place at Bhutan's dzongs and monasteries once a year, in honor of Guru Rinpoche. They normally take place in spring and autumn. Tsechus consist of up to five days of spectacular pageantry, masked dances and religious allegorical plays that have remained unchanged for centuries.