BHUTAN
The Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked country located in the Eastern Himalayas between India and China. The country is spread over 38394 square kilometers and a population of approximately 780,000. Bhutan has adopted a constitutional monarchy with Vajrayana Buddhism as the state religion.
When you are in Bhutan between the lush valleys , the snow peak mountains and pristine rivers , you will meet the people who carries the Bhutan’s culture in their daily activities. Some important things that entail the Bhutanese culture are our Festivals , the architecture that shows on every Bhutanese houses and the fortress , monasteries , the traditional dress we wear daily and the Bhutanese cuisines we spread on our table.
GHO for Men
The national attire for Men in Bhutan is called the Gho. In one of the Ted talks our prime minister jokes about our Bhutanese men having the biggest pocket in the world which is true.
It is so versatile that we can fit anything as small as a pen to a human baby in this pocket. Gho is a large knee-length robe made from various types of patterns.
Normally, it has plaid and striped designs with different colors such as orange, yellow, and so on. It is nicely wrapped around the body and well tied by a Kera – a woven fabric belt designed with a myriad of colors and patterns at the waist to form the pocket in front of the abdomen .
KIRA for women
The national attire of Women in Bhutan is called the Kira . It is the traditional costume for women in Bhutan.
It is a long-ankle length dress consisting of a rectangular piece of woven fabric which is wrapped around the body.
After draping over the shoulder, it is pinned in both sides with a pair of Komas. Koma is an identical clip made from silver or silver gilt with a small piece of turquoise set in the center.
ARCHITECTURE
As you land in Paro airport , you will be welcome with the most visible distinctive and exotic features of architecture on a ordinary farmer’s house to public structures like the majestically built Fortress ( dzongs ), Lhakhangs ( Monasteries ) and Chortens ( stupas).
The traditional Bhutanese architecture is unique and has no nails and iron bars. It was heavily influenced by the religious beliefs and stand as witness to domestic structure over the centuries. Bhutanese people are very pious and the importance of the Buddhism is evident in its every aspect of life in the Bhutanese people.
Preservation and promotion of our architectural styles are important for a small country like Bhutan in order to strengthen our identity or independent from rest of the world. Owing to this our government and its people know the values of it and we proudly protect and preserve it.
FESTIVAL
Five year old, Ms. Pema Choden would be already dressed in her best intricate Kira (Traditional dress for Women) and ready to go to the much awaited Paro Festival (Tshechu) with her family.
They would be packing especially Pork and Beef with red chilli and Red rice along with Butter tea for lunch . Normally the lunch is packed in a Bamboo container called Bangchu covered with a cloth to keep warm. It’s one of an exciting event for most Bhutanese to attend tshechu so many civil service employees take annual leave and spend with their family.
Every district has its own tshechu which normally last for 3-5 days and its generally held inside the Fortress. Masked dances depicting different stages of life and death is one of the major attraction event.
On the last day for all Tshechu, a very large painting of Guru Rimpoche embryoid on silk is unfurled for everyone to witness and get blessings.
Mask Dance at the Dochula Festival
Bhutan – For Movies lovers
“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom” becomes the first Oscar nomination film for 2022 nomination from the tiny, long-isolated Buddhist country of Bhutan, which became the world’s last country to open to television and the internet in 1999.
LUNANA
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, shot in Lunana on solar-charged batteries, has received many international recognitions and awards.
It has been featured in international newspapers such as the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom is Bhutan’s first film to be nominated for the Academy Oscar Awards.
FANTASTIC BEASTS
“Kingdom of Bhutan, it sits high in the Eastern Himalayas. It’s a place of indescribable beauty. Some of our most important magic has its origins there.
They say if you listen carefully enough, the past whispers to you.”— Albus Dumbledore regarding the Eyrie in movie Fantastic Beast: The secret of Dumbledore
