Information About Bhutan Bhutan is a country nestled in the Eastern Himalayas. The high Himalayas to the north and west separate the kingdom from Tibet and the south and east border India. Regions of the country are some of the most remote in the world. A conscious policy of isolation complemented by formidable geographical barriers has enabled the kingdom to maintain its independence throughout its history and as a result its culture and traditions have thrived without external influences. The government is committed to keeping it this way, so all tourism is strongly regulated and only local tour operators can lead groups through the region. The restrictions are tight and solo travel is not encouraged. In fact, Bhutan imposes a daily surcharge for groups under three travelers! A mountain trek is one of the best ways to experience the Himalaya. You will experience Bhutan's natural wonders first-hand when travelling the mountain passes. Our journey will bring us through this isolated kingdom that was opened to the West in 1974. This trip is truly adventure travel where we give up comforts that we’re used to and gain insight into another culture. Be prepared to give up our Western way of thinking and experience another way of life. Namaste! Much of the information in this document is from http://www.tourism.gov.bt Gross National Happiness Economists the world over have argued that the key to happiness is obtaining and enjoying material development. Bhutan however, adheres to a very different belief and advocates that amassing material wealth does not necessarily lead to happiness. Bhutan is now trying to measure progress not by the popular idea of Gross Domestic Product but by through Gross National Happiness. While the emphasis is placed on both prosperity and happiness, the latter is considered to be more significant. Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck expressed his view on the goals of development as making “the people prosperous and happy.” With this strong view in mind, the importance of “prosperity and happiness,” was highlighted in the King’s address on the occasion of Bhutan’s admission to the United Nations in 1971. He also said that the rich are not always happy while the happy generally considered themselves rich. While conventional development models stressed on economic growth as the ultimate objective, the concept of Gross National Happiness is based on the premise that true development of human society takes place when material and spiritual development occur side by side to complement and reinforce each other. The four main pillars of Gross National Happiness are: 1. Equitable and equal socio-economic development 2. Preservation and promotion of cultural and spiritual heritage 3. Conservation of environment and 4. Good governance which are interwoven, complementary, and consistent. These pillars embody national and local values, aesthetics, and spiritual traditions. The concept of Gross National Happiness is now being taken up the United Nations and by various other countries. Gross National Happiness as a development paradigm has now made it possible for Bhutan to take its developmental policies into the remote corners of the kingdom and to meet the development needs of even its most isolated villagers, while still accentuating the need to protect and preserve our rich environment and forest cover. The policy of high value, low impact tourism has facilitated the promotion and preservation of our cultural values. Page 1 of 10 PATAGIONIA PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION Copyright Zephyr Adventures Information About Bhutan Furthermore, the concept of Gross National Happiness has greatly enabled the pursuit of development, while at the same time promoting the attainment of happiness as the core philosophy of life. For the government, it has facilitated the drive towards self sufficiency and self reliance, the ultimate reduction in the gap between the rich and the poor and ensuring good governance and empowerment of her people as one of its key directives. Following the international seminar on Operationalizing Gross National Happiness held in Bhutan in February 2004, the participants began working to establish a Gross International Happiness Network, indicating the influence of Gross National Happiness beyond the Bhutanese Borders. Ethical Travel in Asia While begging children are fairly uncommon in Bhutan, it is best not to give them anything. Often western visitors to poor countries are compelled to give things to children. Candy, money and things like pens are not advised to give directly to children. It is better to give directly to schools, charities, programs, monasteries, or parents. Beggars in general. As far as begging people, such as mothers with kids, physically disabled people, and pilgrims, it is the custom of local people to give a little something (the equivalent of US $1-2). In Buddhist countries, a cultural value includes an oath of generosity as it is one of Buddha’s six paramitas (or perfections). It is ok to give a little to beggars especially pilgrims, mothers, physically disabled, and holy people/monks. That said, compared with other south Asian and Himalayan countries, you don’t see as much poverty in Bhutan. Conservative dress in public and temples. You should not wear shorts, sleeveless shirts, or other revealing clothing while in Bhutan. Conservative dress is a sign of respect for the local culture and religion. We suggest light trekking pants with zip off shorts. In the mountains, shorts may be okay, but not in the villages, towns, or temples. No public display of affection towards the opposite gender. Touching the opposite sex is considered inappropriate. However, it is okay to show low-key affection towards the same gender. Women often will hold hands as friends for example. Men are commonly affectionate with one another in public and hold hands or walk arm in arm. Your guides will ensure you follow local customs and walk in the sacred direction at temples and shrines, which is clockwise. History Ancient stone implements and other archaeological findings indicate that there were settlements in Bhutan dating back to 2000 B.C. The chronicled history of the kingdom begins with the advent of Buddhism in the eighth century. The country came to be known as Druk Yul or The Land of the Drukpas sometime in the 17th century. The name refers to the Drukpa sect of Buddhism that has been the dominant religion in the region since that period. The country was first unified in 17th century by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel. After arriving in Bhutan from Tibet he consolidated his power, defeated three Tibetan invasions and established a comprehensive system of law and governance. His system of rule eroded after his death and the country fell into in-fighting and civil war between the various local rulers. This continued until the Trongsa Poenlop Ugyen Wangchuck was able to gain control and with the support of the people establish himself as Bhutan’s first hereditary King in 1907. His Page 2 of 10 PATAGIONIA PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION Copyright Zephyr Adventures Information About Bhutan Majesty Ugyen Wangchuck became the first Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King) and set up the Wangchuck Dynasty that still rules today. In 2008 Bhutan enacted its Constitution and converted to a democracy in order to better safeguard the rights of its citizens. Later in November of the same year, the currently reigning 5th Druk Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was crowned. Geography The total area of Bhutan is only 46,500 square kilometers, about twice the size of New Hampshire. North to south the country is only 90 miles and east to west only 180 miles. But realize the there are no superhighways or speedy transportation through the mountains and short journeys can take a long time. Bhutan can be divided into three major geographic regions from north to south: the high Himalayas of the north, the hills and valleys of the center, and the foothills and plains of the south. People and Population The population of Bhutan is almost 800,000. Bhutanese people can be generally categorized into three main ethnic groups: the Tshanglas, Ngalops and the Lhotshampas, however there are also many other minority groups in the country. Tshanglas: The Tshanglas or the Sharchops as they are commonly known, are considered the aboriginal inhabitants of eastern Bhutan. Besides cultivation of maize, rice, wheat, barley and vegetables, the Tshanglas also rear domestic animals to supplement their living. Weaving is a popular occupation among their women and they produce beautiful fabrics mainly of silk and raw silk. Ngalops: The Ngalops have settled mostly in the six regions of western Bhutan are of Tibetan origin. They speak Ngalopkha, a polished version of Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan. Agriculture is their main livelihood. They cultivate cereals such as rice, wheat, barley and maize along with a variety of other crops. In the regions of Thimphu and Paro apples are also cultivated as a cash crop. They are known for Lozeys, or ornamental speech and for Zheys, dances that are unique to the Ngalops. Lhotshampas: The Lhotshampashave settled in the southern foothills of the country. It is believed that they migrated from Nepal in the beginning of the 19th century, attracted by the employment opportunities provided by the many constructions works taking place in the kingdom. They speak Lhotshamkha (Nepali) and practice Hinduism. Nowadays they are mainly employed in agriculture and cultivate cash crops like ginger, cardamom and oranges. Society Bhutanese society is free of class or a caste system. Slavery was abolished in the early 1950s through a royal edict. Bhutanese society has always maintained relative gender equality. Living in Bhutanese society generally means understanding some accepted norms such as Driglam Namzha, the traditional code of etiquette, conduct to adhere to as members of a respectful society.