Nov 13th 2008 | THIMPHU: In the mountainous forests above the Thimpu valley, the end-point of a five-day, guided trek through Bhutan for rich foreign tourists, lies the only big construction site in the capital of the isolated Himalayan country. The world’s youngest democracy is building houses for its parliamentarians. The former king, Jigme Singye Wangchuk, shocked his people in late 2006 by stepping down, decreeing the establishment of democracy and handing over to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk. Most Bhutanese would have preferred to preserve royal rule, but loyally obeyed the king’s order to rule themselves. Continue reading Bhutan and the Art of Happiness!
Category: News
Contains the local and the international news.
Bhutan Crowns a New King!
The Boston Globe: The United States was not the only country to name a new leader this week. In Bhutan, an insular nation of about 600,000 people located high in the Himalayas, a new king was crowned. 28-year-old Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, an Oxford-educated bachelor, was crowned as Bhutan’s fifth king – now the world’s youngest reigning monarch. Bhutan also has the distinction of being the world’s youngest democracy – having held parliamentary elections last March for the first time ever. The young ruler vows to maintain a stance of protection against the worst aspects of globalization, maintaining the “Gross National Happiness”, a measurement of national progress that places a high value on spiritual development. Gross National Happiness is a term invented by, and proudly embraced by Bhutanese since 1972. (22 photos total)
Bhutan’s fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck (right) crowns his son Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as the fifth King of Bhutan, in the Throne room of the Tashichhodzong Palace during the coronation ceremony in Thimphu, Bhutan on November 6, 2008. With medieval tradition and Buddhist spirituality, a 28-year-old with an Oxford education assumed the Raven Crown of Bhutan on Thursday, to guide the world’s newest democracy as it emerges into the modern world. (REUTERS/Royal Government of Bhutan/Handout)
HIS MAJESTY THE KING’S CORONATION ADDRESS
8 November, 2008 – It is with immense joy that we are gathered together on this most auspicious day. In these last 100 years the dreams and aspirations of our forefathers and the vision of our Kings have been fulfilled beyond all expectations. The wise and selfless leadership of our kings, the sacrifice and hard work of generations of Bhutanese and the special bond between the People and King have given us this unique and special nation – a jewel of the earth.
Two years ago, at a time of profound change I came onto the Throne as a young King. You, my people, in the spirit of generations past, worked with me with complete faith and gave me your wholehearted cooperation and goodwill. Thus, in these two short years while we have taken gigantic steps towards strengthening our nation, we have done so in a calm, deliberate manner in complete harmony. It is with great pride that we stand as new democracy, having successfully completed an unprecedented and historic transition. Continue reading HIS MAJESTY THE KING’S CORONATION ADDRESS
Bhutan’s Dragon King shows he is man of the people!
THIMPHU: He was supposed to look on regally from on high as warriors, monks and masked dancers celebrated his coronation, but Bhutan’s new Dragon King instead showed royal star quality by descending to mingle with the crowds on Friday.
The 28-year-old Oxford educated Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who assumed the Raven Crown on Thursday, spent most of the afternoon among the 20,000 spectators, chatting, joking, and greeting old friends, ordinary people, and tourists.
“He is very gracious and he has amazing charisma,” said 36-year-old Patty Wu from San Francisco, after the king stopped to jokingly enquire if her friends were wearing suncream, and to talk about California. Continue reading Bhutan’s Dragon King shows he is man of the people!
Bhutan Celebrates Coronation of Young New King
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
THIMPHU, Bhutan (AP) — Tradition in this Buddhist Himalayan kingdom says that the people pay homage to a new king by lining up with the gift of a white scarf. Their new monarch, however, was having none of it.
Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, a Western-educated bachelor with the good looks of a young Elvis and an easy charm, came down from his throne to his people after a ceremony Thursday that saw him become Bhutan’s first king since its transformation to democracy.
Moving through some 20,000 Bhutanese near the Tashichho Dzong, a 17th-century white-walled fortress where the coronation was held, the king bent low to take the scarves and in return handed out coronation coins. Continue reading Bhutan Celebrates Coronation of Young New King
Bhutan Prepares for Historic Coronation of the Fifth King
29 October, 2008 – It is the end – and the beginning – of history. On the morning of November 1, the third day of the ninth Bhutanese month, His Majesty the King will be empowered as the Druk Gyalpo in a unique and sacred empowerment ceremony, which symbolises his transcendence of the ordinary and the temporal and the personification of divine wisdom.
His Majesty will receive the Dar Na-Nga, a special arrangement of the primary colours that signify the five elements. The ceremony will take place in the Machhen Lhakhang, and the Dar Na-Nga will be symbolically conferred by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, in the presence of the fourth Druk Gyalpo, with the empowerment prayer chanted by His Holiness the Je Khenpo.
The white, yellow, red, green, and blue silk scarves represent the elements – water, earth, fire, wind, and space – the basis of physical existence, that His Majesty personifies, as well as the underlying energies from which the physical world arises.
In Buddhist belief, the empowerment of the Druk Gyalpo mandates that he assumes the strategies of the Gewa Rigna (five Buddha families) – that of pacification, increase, magnification, power, and a combination of all.
Continue reading Bhutan Prepares for Historic Coronation of the Fifth King
Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria Announced
A coalition of environmental organizations and travel businesses is forming a global sustainability standard for tourism.
More travelers are desiring sustainable vacations and more destinations are seeking to lessen the impacts of rising visitor numbers. But tourists who want to leave a lighter footprint must currently choose among some 300 different sustainable tourism standards, members of the Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria said Monday at the launch of their criteria at the World Conservation Union (IUCN) World Congress in Barcelona. Continue reading Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria Announced
Graduates’ program graced by His Majesty
“What GNH means will never change but how we achieve GNH will.”
25 October, 2008 – “We would be starting our career and ending it together. We will see each other grow old over time. But more importantly, we will see each other become wiser, more capable, more intelligent, and we will see each other serve our country well.”
Addressing the over 1,220 centennial graduates on October 22, His Majesty the King said, “If the country does well we all stand to benefit. If it doesn’t we will suffer equally. We share the same destiny.”
His Majesty reminded the graduates about national goals and asked, “Why do we want a strong economy? Why do we want to preserve our culture and tradition and to protect our environment? Why did our forefathers work so hard and achieve so much? In the end it is for lasting peace, stability, and tranquillity of our country and the unity, harmony, and well being of our people.”
The Role of Buddhist Scholars in Promoting Gross National Happiness
One hundred and eleven monks and nuns of the Gangteng Buddhist institute were awarded certificates of three levels of qualification by the Prime Minister, Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley, on October 11.
35 scholars obtained degrees in Master of Arts (Achariya) in Buddhist philosophy, 33 got Bachelor of Arts (Shastri) in Buddhist philosophy, while 43 students, including 11 nuns, completed Madhiyamika course (diploma) on language and Buddhist philosophy. Nuns, who completed tertiary education (class XII) from Pema Shedrup Choki Gatshel nunnery in Tang, Bumthang were the first batch. Continue reading The Role of Buddhist Scholars in Promoting Gross National Happiness
Semtokha Dzong: History Lives On
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| FIRST BUILT TO LAST – Semtokha Dzong, restored and consecrated |
If walls could speak the Semtokha Dzong would tell fascinating stories of the days when the Bhutanese polity was established, when fact and mythology merged to form Bhutanese history.
On October 14, His Majesty the King, His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo, the royal family, Bhutanese and international dignitaries, and the people of Thimphu, attended a simple and profoundly spiritual ceremony to consecrate the restored dzong.
The ceremony was conducted by His Holiness the Je Khenpo, invoking the blessings and essence of the wisdom of dragmar, dedicated to the wrathful form of Guru Lohita Rudra. Continue reading Semtokha Dzong: History Lives On