Engaging Bhutan
Bhutan is a small and predominantly Buddhist nation, tucked between China and India. It is the only country having pioneered the concept of Gross National Happiness. It is the measure of collective happiness and well-being of a population. The government of Bhutan lives by this philosophy. It was coined in 1972 when the then king of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, said in an interview “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product.” Bhutan experiences four seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The climate in Bhutan, depending on the altitude, varies from semi-tropical to alpine.
Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital and the largest city, occupies a valley in the country’s western interior. The city is known for its Buddhist sites. The massive fortified monastery and government palace Tashichho Dzong, is embellished with gold-leaf roofs. The Memorial Chorten, a revered Buddhist shrine is a whitewashed structure with a gold spire, dedicated to Bhutan’s third king Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. The towering bronze-and-gold Buddha Dordenma statue sits on a southern hill at a height of 51.5 meters, above Thimphu.
Bhutan is carbon neutral, actually absorbing more carbon than it emits! The country is one of the last pristine pockets in the entire Himalaya. The best time to visit Bhutan is during the spring months of March to May when the valleys all around are resplendent with the various hues of the flowers in bloom. The currency is the Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN or Nu) which equals INR 1(fluctuates).