Bhutan, the last Shangri La

Prayer flags are the integral part of Bhutan’s tradition. They symbolize happiness, long life, prosperity, luck, good health and other merits of Karma. Some scholars believe that the flags are raised on the Himalayan mountain peaks so as to allow the wind to move through the flags and activate blessings for people in the surrounding villages and nature.
Hundreds of such traditional flags with woodblock prints of texts and images can be found in the peaks of this Himalayan mountain Kingdom.
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I see trees of green…I see skies of blue and clouds of white…the colours of the rainbow so pretty in the sky are also on the people going by… #Bhutan, truly a wonderful world.
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This is Drukgyal Dzong, a fortress and a Buddhist monastery build in 1649. This historical monument is listed in Bhutan’s tentative list for UNESCO inclusion. Even after the Earthquake in 1897 and recent fire incident, the Dzong still stand strong and retains its popular name, Bhutan’s Victory Fort.
What makes this place even more attractive is the view of Mount Jhomolhari, popularly known as the bride of Kangchenjunga, spreading across Tibet, China and Bhutan.
In 2016, the Prime Minister of Bhutan announced that the Dzong will be rebuilt and reinstated to its former glory to celebrate the birth of His Royal Highness The Gyalsey (born 5 February 2016). Join me @shravanregretiyer and explore Bhutan, the last Shangri La.
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These small horses of the Himalayan mountain kingdom of Bhutan are called Bhutai Pony or Bhutan Pony or Indian Country Bred pony. They are best suited to these mountainous terrains and are sure footed with strong legs than most other breeds.
These ponies have a short and thick body well suited for harsh climatic conditions. Their poorly-conformed body makes them good for pack and draught work. Poor nutrition in the Himalayas could possibly be one of the reasons for their short body than those found in the lush areas.
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This painting illustrates the most well-known national folktale of Bhutan. It is the story of four harmonious animals (elephant standing under a fruit tree carrying a monkey, a hare and a bird). The scene refers to a legend which tells that four animals were trying to find out who was the oldest after a conflict began for respect. The elephant said that the tree was already fully grown when he was young, the monkey said that the tree was small when he was young, the hare said that he saw the tree as a sapling when he was young and the bird claimed that he had excreted the seed from which the tree grew.
So the bird was recognized by the other animals as the oldest. The bird advised that they should all do good and avoid evil by observing the five precepts of no killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and taking of intoxicants. Thus living peacefully and sharing resources they were later reborn as humans.
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The Himalayan mountain kingdom of Bhutan spreads across an area of 46, 500 square kilometers. The mountains here range from 150 meters up to 8000 meters in elevation. The rugged terrain makes it more challenging for commuters/travellers and even more so for road construction and repair and regular maintenance.
And to add to this, frequent landslides due to heavy rainfall is a major fear for the people here, as it blocks the connectivity between Bhutan and the neighbouring state of India, which is an important trade partner for goods and services.
Though Bhutan has relatively smaller population compared to any other country in South Asia, the number of motor vehicle accidents and deaths is more due to the rugged terrain. According to the WHO report, the country ranked 99 in the world for road accidents. From July 2015 and June 2016 as many as 326 people were injured in 747 accidents and about 86 people died.
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There are more than 45 popular Buddhist monastery, including the government-run monastery that houses about 375 monks, and many more in the remote parts of the country (mostly on cliff edge in the Himalayan mountains) not so known to the modern world. In these monasteries many young Bhutanese children between the age of six and nine years start learning the ancient language and read sacred texts for many years to become monks. In total there are about 388 monastic schools in Bhutan, 7,240 monks and about 5,149 Buddhist nuns (as of March 2013).
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This is Bhutan’s Royal Court of Justice. One of the most colourful buildings in Bhutan and that which symbolizes Bhutan’s history, mythology, spiritual traditions and the modern value of justice. The mission of the Royal court as it reads, “Safeguard, uphold and administer justice fairly and independently without fear, favor, or undue delay in accordance with the Rule of Law to inspire trust and confidence and to enhance access to Justice.”
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This is Thimphu, capital of the Himalayan mountain Kingdom of Bhutan. The city occupies a valley in the western part of the country. About 100,000 inhabitants including the Royal family live here. Thimphu is also the only capital city in the world that does not use traffic lights. The city has a 350-year-old monastery fortress which is also the present administrative centre of Bhutan. The rich culture of Bhutan is reflected in Thimphu and people here mostly follow national dress code.
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For people of Bhutan, their deeply held Buddhist beliefs have interesting relationships with the animals in their country. Similar to the Gross National Happiness followed across the country one can find Gross Animal Happiness too.
These three new born puppies, less than an hour old, are about to explore this Garden of Eden! An extraordinary moment to capture.
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A pair of Dungchen (traditional 13-foot long horns) used by the monks in Buddhist ceremonies and prayers to create the sounds of Thunder Dragon.
As author Allione, Tsultrim describes, “It is a long, deep, whirring, haunting wail that takes you out somewhere beyond the highest Himalaya peaks and at the same time back into your mother’s womb.” Join me @shravanregretiyer on Instagram and Facebook and explore ‘Bhutan, the Last Shangri La’
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The hand with a missing fingertip of a rescued Eastern Assamese Macaque (that almost looks and feel like a worn leather). Look how human that hand is!
These macaque species of the Old World monkey family are now listed as near threatened species on the IUCN red list.
Hunting and trapping for sport, medicine, food, and the pet trade has put these species at risk in India, Bhutan, Tibet, Myanmar, Vietnam and South western China.
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This is Paro Taktsang, popularly known as the Tiger’s Nest, located on a precarious cliff at an altitude of 10,240 ft.
According to the legend Guru Rinpoche flew to this place from Tibet on the back of a tigress from Khenpajong and meditated for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours in the 8th century. Today, this temple complex is a prominent Himalayan Buddhist sacred site.
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A girl in traditional Bhutanese dress (Kira) takes a breather during an hour long trek to the Tango Monastery, which belongs to the Drukpa Kagyu School of Buddhism in Bhutan and located at an altitude of 9200 feet in the Himalayas.
The monastery is the highest Center of Buddhist learning in the country and it is currently the home of young reincarnate lama who was recognised as reincarnation of Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye at the age of five.
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Bhutan is the most bio-diverse country in the world. As of 2017, more than 71 percent of the total geographical area of the country is covered by forests. It’s the ‘only’ carbon negative country in the world where people live in perfect harmony with nature.
This is a bird’s eye view of Punakha Valley, located at an altitude of 4265 ft in the Himalayas. This place is considered to be one of Bhutan’s most scenic destinations.
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This is Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten. A Chorten so unique that it was designed based on the Holy Scriptures instead of engineering manuals. The Chorten was built by the queen mother for the well being of the people of Bhutan, and is located on the hill above the Punakha valley.
Inside the Chorten is Vajrakilaya (a protective deity against negative forces) a 20 feet high massive sculpture surrounded by 103 complete three-dimensional sculptures painted with brilliant colours. Photography inside this sacred building is prohibited. Very few visitors’ visit this remote place in Bhutan which falls under restricted area.
I am truly honored to have been granted access to explore this magical place, despite the fact that travel to the Himalayan mountain Kingdom of Bhutan is highly regulated under the “High Value, Low Impact Tourism” a policy that reduces the impact on the country’s unique society and its natural environment. Tourists are issued entry permit to visit Thimphu and Paro ‘only’. As the rest of the country is considered restricted area and require ‘Restricted-Area Permit’ from the Ministry of Culture.
For me it is truly one of the most extraordinary places on the planet. Unforgettable beauty and a treasure of the Himalayan mountain Kingdom of Bhutan.
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