Bhutan experiments with democracy. Government of Bhutan. Image source, Getty Images. Read full media profile. Bhutan has had limited exposure to the outside world. Read full timeline. By Greg Rodgers. Greg Rodgers. Greg Rodgers is a freelance writer and photographer from Kentucky. He's been covering all things Asia for TripSavvy since TripSavvy's editorial guidelines. Share Pin Email.
Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Tell us why! Your Privacy Rights. In , the clergy, the government and the people unanimously elected Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck as the first hereditary monarch of Bhutan. He brought a central authority to the country and laid the foundations for a modern Bhutan. The s saw Bhutan begin to open to the rest of the world and the country joined the UN in While still very traditional people in Bhutan are required by law to wear clothing styled after the 14th century , they are taking steps into modernity with access to television being granted in as well as internet access and even some tourism ventures.
The fifth and current reigning king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck has placed great importance in ensuring democracy in Bhutan as well as striving for better standards in education, business and civil service. At Goway we believe that a well-informed traveller is a safer traveller. With this in mind, we have compiled an easy to navigate travel information section dedicated to Bhutan. Learn about the history and culture of Bhutan, the must-try food and drink , and what to pack in your suitcase.
Read about Bhutan's nature and wildlife , weather and geography, along with 'Country Quickfacts' compiled by our travel experts.
Our globetrotting tips , as well as our visa and health information will help ensure you're properly prepared for a safe and enjoyable trip. The only way you could possibly learn more is by embarking on your journey and discovering Bhutan for yourself.
Start exploring After your Bhutan vacation , consider taking the time to visit other destinations. Goway offers exciting China vacation packages , India tours and Thailand vacation packages plus a comprehensive selection of vacation packages in many other Asian countries. ASIA by Goway is an exclusive division that specializes in planning and organizing Bhutan tours , vacations and e xperiences. Choose from a simple city stopover or see the country highlights when travelling on one of our independent travel modules.
We want to be your first choice when next you go globetrotting to Bhutan. Request Brochure. Go Your Way Brochure Request Now! Greece Indonesia Bali Maldives. Mauritius Samoa Seychelles. Bhutan's historical period begins at about A. Known also as Guru Rimpoche, this remarkable man -- almost as highly esteemed as Buddha himself in Bhutan -- is credited with various events.
It is said that he flew to Bhutan on the back of a tiger, and that at Taktsang he conquered the demon spirits that were standing in the way of the spread of Buddhism. It is more certain that he visited Bumthang in central Bhutan, where he cured the ailing King, and various places in the Paro valley, and that he and his later followers meditated in a cave on the cliff where the Taktsang monastery now stands.
In Bumthang, the kurje temple was built at the spot where, after Padma Sambhava had meditated, his fingerprints and footmarks appeared etched into solid rock, and where a cypress tree which still stands sprouted from his staff. The pattern of Buddhism has changed considerably over the centuries, influenced particularly by emigrants from Tibet.
Later, Bhutanese sects developed their own forms of the religion. Dominant amongst these has been the Drukpa sect of Kagyupa, a branch of Mahayana "Greater Vehicle" and now the official religion of Bhutan. Apparently, Kagyupa was a somewhat ascetic and rigorous practice of Buddhism that demanded long periods of isolation; its stringency led to the formation of more lenient sub sects. Drukpa "Thunder Dragon" was so named because when it was being formed thunder echoed across the sky.
During the whole of the period from the first introduction of Buddhism into Bhutan, and possibly well before, it seems likely that Bhutan existed as an independent entity, within similar natural boundaries to those that exist now.
However, there was no central authority, and a number of separate towns or principalities existed, often practicing different religions or different forms of the same religion, and with mutually unintelligible dialects. By , Gelugpa power in Tibet had extended as far as the Ralung monastery near Lhasa, the religious center of the Drukpa sect. The Drukpa Lamas were forced to submit or flee, and many of them found their way to Bhutan.
Amongst these refugee lamas was Ngawang Namgyal, who was to have a remarkable effect on his adopted land. He arrived in Bhutan in , a time when there was no central authority, no laws and no dominant religion. Yet by the time he died in , the whole of western Bhutan was under one government, and five years later, the whole country had one government and one religion -- Drukpa Buddhism. When Namgyal first arrived, he realized he would need the support of many rich families in western Bhutan who already supported the Drukpas.
As soon as he was assured of this support, he set about building a chain of dzongs in all the main valleys of Western Bhutan, starting with the Simtokha Dzong in the Thimpu valley. These rapidly became the focal points for civil and religious authority for each region, and remain one of the great features of the landscape and life of Bhutan today. In , this unification was tested by a Tibetan invasion, which Namgyal won in a great victory.
After this victory, he assumed the title of Shabdrung and effectively became the temporal and spiritual leader of Bhutan.
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