The headline equates Thimphu to Bhutan. It is quite misleading.
Yes, in the capital city the impossible housing market has priced out much of the Bhutanese population. That’s another issue all together.
But here, I want to argue that elsewhere in the country, it is still possible to build and own a home, as long as you are not rushing to the urban towns or the priciest spots or being too choosy about what kind of houses you want. And as long as you follow my late mother’s advice: don’t try to match up with the rich and powerful. Find your own place, know where you stand, and you will find peace everywhere.
A modest traditional house in the outskirts of Paro, Phuntsholing, or Gelephu is still within the reach of a middle-income household. However, it requires some financing schemes from the bank, which for now don’t exist.
Still, it is not all gloom and doom in the rest of Bhutan—or in Bhutan, in general. Your life is not wasted because you don’t own a building in Thimphu.
Furthermore, connectivity in terms of roads and internet and car ownership has drastically improved in the last two decades so that you don’t have to live in Norzin Lam (the priciest spot in the country). Bumthang is beautiful; eastern Bhutan is warm with hospitality; and southern Bhutan is great to retire in because of mild weather.
I am in Gelephu these days, and I see many opportunities cropping up. Phuntsholing and Samdrup Jongkhar will surely rebound. These places offer lower construction costs too. Prices for a plot can be between Nu. 500,000 and 1 million. With another million and lots of hard work, you can build a decent 2-bedroom house. But you need to move fast and detach yourself from the fixation of Thimphu.
Practical advice from me Those who are retiring and those who are starting off their careers should consider moving to Gelephu or to places that are growing like Samtse and Nganglam. For the oldies, it is good for the bones. For the young, unless you have a birth lottery, Thimphu will keep you in perennial poverty.
Twelve years back I was accompanying the parents of a friend of mine from the US. They were visiting Bhutan. Towards the end of the trip, the couple, both billionaires, invited me to visit them in Florida. All expenses paid.
“I will come,” I said.
“Nope!” Dorji, you must say, ‘I am coming,’ and give me a date,” came the reply.
Amused by his approach, I quizzed him. What’s the difference?
“You see, in life if you say things in future tense, nothing much will ever happen for you. When you say, ‘I am coming,’ instead of ‘I will come,’ it is a commitment. It is intentional. Strong. Decisive.”
Wow! I thought. Who knew a simple change of words could mean all the difference? No wonder, I thought, that he was a self-made billionaire.
He continued, “Likewise, I don’t like when people say, ‘I have to do this, I have to do that.'”
“Nobody is forced to do anything. Instead, you choose to. You choose to do it; you don’t have to come, but you can choose to come,” he added.
He said that much of what happens in life is our own choices.
He was right. I never made it to Florida despite the generous offer. There was no commitment in my words.
Life happens. Choose your response.
Ever since that encounter I have been quite intentional with what I say. Furthermore, when I am faced with a dilemma in life, or some sort of hatred towards me, or hurtful words and actions—after the initial human reaction, I sit on it and ponder deeply to find the greater meaning. There is always one you will uncover.
“Does he hate me, or am I choosing to be hated? Are they being mean to me, or am I choosing to be hurt? Can I choose not to be hurt? Why me? Is the universe telling me something?”
I finally decided that what people do or say is not in my hands. Ultimately if I have to create my own solace, I need to be careful with how I respond to what life dishes out to me. To paraphrase Viktor Frankl, between a stimulus and response is a choice. And in that choice is the ultimate liberation and freedom.
Beware of social media.
Ironically, social media, which was intended as a social networking site, has become the perfect tool for personal attacks and envy and jealousies. Hateful comments and judgments are passed without knowing anything about anyone or the context.
One often feels disturbed or feels abused. Even here, you can ask yourself, “Is social media bad, or am I choosing to be perturbed? Can I engage with it in a more purposeful manner?”
Otherwise, social media in its origin was meant to be a digital space to connect us more based on shared interests, professions, and backgrounds while overcoming geographical and temporal barriers.
Beware of yourself.
Every moment that we breathe, we will have to make choices. As we do that, just remember that more than the outer Maras, we need to reconcile with our inner demons—just as Buddha Shakyamuni did. Occasionally we need to pause, take a deep breath, and remind ourselves so that the external forces do not suck the oxygen out of our lives. Otherwise, it is we who choose to be sucked.
Lastly, I also see people quoting great sages and business leaders and “successful” individuals. They have read every bestseller. Well, to pick a line from the movie The Matrix, those words and the wise “can only show you the door. You’re the one that has to walk through it.”
Knowledge is useful to the extent that you give it legs, because it is only through practice and accumulation of experiences that you garner the wisdom—the ultimate link to sustained happiness now and liberation later—and whatever else you are seeking.
June 2 remains in my heart as a monumental day in my life.
On June 2, 1999, the day when the country celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Coronation of the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, I led the project team to successfully bring television to Bhutan after the most hectic four months in the history of BBS.
On that day, I accompanied Her Majesty Tsheyring Pem Wangchuck, who pressed the switch and opened Bhutan to the world and the world to Bhutan.
Obviously the project was not a one-man show. There were tens of hundreds of men and women—and supporting specialists from India and Singapore, and back-up support from France and Hong Kong—to make it happen. Of course, not in complete symphony and sync. There are endless tales of confusion and complexity through which we worked to get where we needed to get. All in good faith and fortune.
Today on June 2, which is the coronation anniversary of the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, may I take the opportunity to pay our gratitude to our beloved King-Father, the Supreme Guardian of Bhutan and the Bhutanese – who not only gave the blessings for the project, but also expressed full confidence that we would be able to do it successfully despite the tight timeframe. No national television in any country has ever been launched in four months.
On the 27th anniversary of that historic moment, I also express my reverence for this rarest of honors to our kings of the past and the present—and reaffirm my commitment to serve till my last breath. Like many of my generation I was groomed to build a modern Bhutan by bringing science and technology into the country. I did my part.
Lastly, I send my prayers and renewed love and friendship – and memories of laughters and tears to all those team members who are still kicking their lives. I pay respect to a few of them who left us in an untimely manner. I miss them all.
Through this post, I just want to remind ourselves of what our King keeps reiterating – and that even if we embark on the impossible, we will achieve it. We, the Bhutanese. 🙋♂️🙋🏼🙋♀️
Happy Coronation Anniversary of Our Fourth Druk Gyalpo to everyone.
I just completed teaching the foundations of Buddhism to the Desuups in Punakha. They are the 8th cohort I taught. They are training to be cultural tour guides. The experience is always rewarding for me since I know that unlike many courses I teach, this will be put into use right away as they go out in the market.
I have, however, not limited my class to the Buddha Dharma. I also gave them some insights and emerging trends in the global travel industry and how they could prepare themselves to be ahead in the game. This knowledge of the industry comes from the research I have done. Before teaching any course, one needs to have a deep knowledge of the industry itself.
Here, I happily share the findings for the benefit of all sentient beings in the tourism industry since it is the holy Saka Dawa month. 😁😁😁
Intentional versus informational. Travel versus tourism.
These days information is everywhere. Tourist guides need to provide more than just information. They need to move beyond what is already there in Wikipedia. That can be achieved by making the tours more intentional and not an information session in the sense that we need to move away from rushing from one cultural site to another to a more meaningful and mindful exploration of a place. It is quality over quantity, more human connections, and creating greater local impact as well.
At the very least, don’t treat temples like museums where you just walk through. Make the visitors sit and let the power and the blessings of the place sink in. Stop at social events if you come across one.
Post-COVID, the global travel has transformed. Today there are fewer tourists but more travelers. One must know the difference. Tourists try to hit every place marked as a tourist destination. Travelers seek deeper experiences, learn from locals, veer off to the unbeaten trails, and connect more with the community.
People’s taste is shifting from fulfilling the bucket list to filling the bucket. So, don’t pack too many things in the itinerary. Make it honest. Host them well. And take it slow. That is what Bhutan can be naturally good at. Turn our weakness into a product.
The Quiet Escapes.
The world is getting burnt out. As if the capitalistic and market-driven life were not already fast enough, Silicon Valley has made it faster, and life is now traveling at breakneck speed. People are sick of running, tired of capitalism, and exhausted with everything happening around them. They are overwhelmed with being smacked on the face with everything happening everywhere every time, via smartphones and social media.
Hence, demands for wellness retreats will surge. People will just come to Bhutan to slow down, sleep, and do nothing. So, keep in mind that most from the advanced economies will be coming to rediscover their own self or a new self that needs to be discovered to move forward with life.
We also live in what sociologists call the post-truth era of AI and nationalism and individualism, where the line between what is real and what is not has been blurred. The boundary between what is true and what is false is increasingly hazy, with people becoming distrustful, disillusioned, and dismissive.
The innocence and authenticity that still marks much of Bhutan, a genuine welcome for a simple tea, a shoulder to cry on without being judgmental, and mindful attention to their stories would catapult Bhutan to be the place to go to restore one’s sanity and faith in oneself and humanity.
Gen Z from the region. Welcome them.
The world’s economic center of gravity is shifting towards Asia. China and India will join Japan, South Korea, and Singapore as countries filled with the nouveau riche. With that, of course, the ills and ailments from overconsumption and being consumed will creep in.
Bhutan can offer some quiet time for them to recover from the stress and strains of the newfound wealth and reset their lives and recharge their batteries.
The beauty of these markets—especially India—is that the travelers are younger, and they can make lifelong connections with Bhutan. Welcome them with open arms. It is a big market.
Specialize and expand.
The world is getting hyperconnected, with basic information being shared on everything, including tourist sites and culture. The market is more competitive. Hence, you need to specialize in one area, such as food tours, river guiding, high-altitude trekking, birding, skydiving, spiritual yatras, or agro-tourism. Do not stick to one skill or one product. You will soon be out of the market.
The Gelephu Mindfulness City offers newer opportunities for you to expand, because of a different visa/entry regime that will be worked out and a different environment and culture being in the southern subtropical area.
You can also cast your net wide there and venture into other travel-related enterprises like food, yoga, meditation, medicines, photography, cycling, transport, and even laundry services – plus organising outbound travels to Assam and Arunachal.
No one can predict exactly what kind of city in terms of its character and charm will emerge eventually there. But one thing is certain. A city will happen, and you can always carve out a small corner for yourself. And moving there now might give you an early-bird advantage.
I just completed teaching the foundations of Buddhism to the Desuups in Punakha. They are the 8th cohort I taught. And the experience is always rewarding for me since I know that unlike many courses I teach, this will be put into use right away as they go out in the market.
I have, however, not limited my class to the Buddha Dharma. I also gave them some insights and trends in the global travel industry and how they could prepare themselves to be ahead in the game. This knowledge of the industry comes from the research I have done. Before teaching any course, one needs to have a deep knowledge of the industry itself.
Here, I happily share the findings for the benefit of all sentient beings in the tourism industry since it is holy Saka Dawa month.
Intentional versus Informational.
These days information is everywhere. Tourist guides need to provide more than just information. They need to move beyond what is already there in Wikipedia. That can be achieved by making the tours more intentional and not an information session—in the sense that we need to move away from rushing from one cultural site to another to a more meaningful and mindful exploration of a place. It is quality over quantity, more human connections, and local impact.
At the very least, don’t treat temples like museums where you just walk through. Make them sit and let the blessings sink in.
Travel versus tourism.
Post-COVID, there are fewer tourists but more travelers. One must know the difference. People’s taste is shifting from fulfilling the bucket list to filling the bucket. So, don’t pack too many things in the itinerary. Make it honest. Host them well. And take it slow. That is what Bhutan can be naturally good at. Turn our weakness into a product.
The Quiet Escapes.
The world is burnt out. As if the capitalistic and market-driven life was not already fast enough, Silicon Valley has made it faster, and life is now traveling at breakneck speed. People are sick of running, tired of capitalism, and exhausted with everything happening in the world. They are overwhelmed with being smacked on the face with everything happening everywhere every time.
Hence, demands for wellness retreats will surge. People will just come to Bhutan to slow down, sleep, and do nothing. Believe me!
Gen Z from the region.
The world’s economic center of gravity is shifting towards Asia. China and India will join Japan, South Korea, and Singapore as countries filled with the nouveau riche. With that, of course, the ills and ailments from overconsumption and being consumed will creep in to their society.
Bhutan can offer some quiet time for them to recover from the stress and strains of the newfound wealth and reset their life and recharge their battery. Welcome them with open arms. It is a big market.
Specialize and expand.
The world and the skills market will keep changing. And things will change very fast. So, on one hand, you need to specialize in areas such as food trails, river guiding, trekking, birding, skydiving, or agro-tourism. Do not stick to one skill, one product.
And on the other hand, you need to expand to, or base out of, Gelephu, where you can venture into other travel-related enterprises like food, yoga, meditation, medicines, and even laundry and transport services.
If I have to name my favorite pilgrimage place in Bhutan, it is Chumphu Nye. It is tucked away in a corner of Paro Valley, hence off the normal tourist trail.
This sacred site, Chumophu (literally meaning “female waters mountain”), is dedicated to Vajravarahi (Dorje Phagmo), the queen of all the dakini and mother of Buddha. It is thus a very powerful place. In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Dakini practice is the last stage towards liberation from Samsara.
The first temple was established by Sacha Rinchen (1710-1759)—the ninth Je Khenpo and perhaps the greatest scholar in Bhutanese Buddhism. There are three main relics, and while Sacha Rinchen discovered one, the other two are attributed to Terton Tseten Gyaltshen and Terton Drukdra Dorji.
Chumphu was built as Tsari Nyipa (Second Tsari)—with reference to the famed Tsari (Crystal Mountains) in Tibet, which is believed to be the eternal abode of Dorje Phagmo. Story has it that Sacha Rinchen, in his vision, saw Dorje Phagmo telling him that in the future the first Tsari would see a decline, and Chumphu Nye would be her main abode.
The main statue—a 5-foot-tall Dorje Phagmo (Vajravarahi), according to one legend—is rangjung (self-arisen) and not man-made. The other legend is that it was discovered in a lake—located some 30 minutes up from the temple.
Whichever be the true story, the marvelous thing about this statue is that it is levitating—meaning it is floating.
The walk and the experience of entering this valley are always enchanting and surreal. Although it’s been 16 years since I have visited this place, it is always like the first time. Very emotional trip. 🥹🥹🥹
Today I made my long-awaited visit to the ancestral home in Bebena belonging to my former work colleague Phuntsho Dendup.
Phuntsho and I worked together in His Majesty’s Secretariat between 2009 and 2013. We share many stories and memories – especially of state visits to India and other countries.
Visiting his house is like walking into an architectural marvel and the modern history of Bhutan. The house is a little over 60 years old and was built by his father, Shaab Dophu, who served as palace attendant of the Third King before he was appointed as Haa Ramjam (sub-district officer) and then in Dungna and finally in Chapcha. He was the attendant who walked alongside the visiting Indira Gandhi during the historic visit of Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru in 1958. (See photo)
What is striking about the house is the perfect proportion and the intricate details of every corner, both inside and outside the house. The interior mural paintings, the mud walls, the windows are all classy and tasteful. Phuntsho’s father must have been a perfectionist like him.
Phuntsho is the most organised person I have ever worked with. All the personal effects of his father, and all the items from his time with His Majesty are neatly displayed like in a museum. His proudest moment is witnessing the signing of the 2007 Treaty Signing between Bhutan and India in Delhi of which he carries an autographed memento from our King.
The ancestry. The past.
Phuntsho’s mother, Aum Pem, traces her ancestry to the legendary master craftsman Pinsa Dewa, who is credited with making bronze statues for Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel in the eighteenth century.
Her father, Lotey, served the First and Second Kings as a palace retainer. The Third King appointed him as the chief commissioner of a new royal initiative—the Institute of Zorig Chusum. He personally crafted the golden pinnacle of Tashichho Dzong and of Dodeydrak Temple.
The only statue-relic of Guru associated with Pinsa Dewa and held by the family was offered by Phuntsho’s parents to be the main inner relic of the large Buddha Shakyamuni statue in Tashichho Dzong when it was expanded in 1968.
Here and after.
Phuntsho retired from his last position as Acting Director in the Ministry of Information, in 2022 and now lives with his wife and dedicates his time to prayers and spiritual activities. He is proud to inherit the house and has no plans to tear it down despite the land being a prime real estate area of Thimphu.
However, he says,
“I don’t know what the future holds for this masterpiece. I have done my part by maintaining it. My children will do what is best for themselves.”
“If such houses are taxed like they do now, my children will be tempted to bring it down and build a more commercially viable five-storied building. I don’t know,” he adds.
My hopes and prayers are that this house and other traditional houses in Thimphu valley receive some sort of heritage status and subsidy from the state and are preserved for posterity. For these houses have a soul – a character that reflects our collective past, history, and culture. New concrete buildings are modern but without the warmth and class as these houses.
And above all, these houses tell our story. The story of an ordinary family associated with Pinsa Dewa, of a family offering their only treasure to the state, and of a palace retainer who walked the visiting foreign PM over the mountains of Bhutan. And of his son being the third generation to serve our monarch in a simple capacity.
With each house being replaced by a hollow building, a part of us is lost forever.
It rained heavily on the morning of 13th of April – the second day of the Sixth Volunteers Program organised by the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) project. However, from the window of my room, I could see volunteers walking in the rain, and laughing and cracking jokes. It was a sight to cherish – so much solidarity – so much pride.
That night the laughter and some music filled the air, as members of the Bhutanese Sandalwood entertained the crowd with songs, dances and jokes.
Two days later, with the program having ended and the participants making their way back to their homes in other parts of Bhutan, Gelephu felt bit empty. But not as empty as it was during Covid.
Business is picking up, cyclists and joggers – even chhilips cycling and jogging, are a common sight, and hotels are doing brisk business as the spiritual projects organise long prayer ceremonies and blessings and volunteering works.
You can’t get a flat in core town. It is houseful. The sharp demand for housing came mainly from the airport construction where much of the levelling works looks done.
The location of each of the 108 chortens has been cleared. And GMC Building is for now the star attraction in the old town.
The Mindfulness City project is far from over, though. In fact it has just started. The journey will be hard and long but it is a journey worth embarking on, and a venture – if delayed by another 10-15 years, will miss its mark. For now, patience and belief will do us some good.
What needs some improvement is public communication and better public awareness. Confusions still reign.
GMC is our hope to take Bhutan to the next level. No hope can become a reality if there is no sense of ownership among the very people the project is supposed to benefit. The series of volunteers programs helps to adequately this vital goal – of bringing together a nation towards a common vision.
So, we keep moving, with patience and conviction.
A day after the volunteers have left the town, I was interviewed by a foreign journalist. He asked me to define GMC in one sound bite. I replied,
“Simply put, GMC is prosperity with purpose. That’s my definition. For far too long we have been sacrificing economic growth in favour environment. We need to find a better balance to address the dissatisfaction among our people, the youth especially. Covid exposed that imbalance.”
. . . .
(Disclaimer: views are my own. And not of any organization I represent or lead)
This stupa will probably be the last thing I will remember when I am at the end of this earthly journey.
Of course, I didn’t build it. Dorje Phagmo Rimpoche did. What I did was to kickstart the process.
In 2013, fresh out of my last job in the government, I found myself in front of her for the first time. She shared a prophecy wherein she was supposed to build this chorten before anything else to “resume” her Dharma activities in this lifetime. But fate had been cruel to her. She didn’t have any major support. She was not even given the construction permit. Things simply didn’t take off big.
I had Nu. 59,000 in my account. Like many average government employees, I had a skinny bank balance. In spite of that, and without a second thought, I offered 50,000 to start the fulfillment of the prophecy.
Rest, as they say, is history.
Construction started in 2018. Over 4,000 people joined in with donations of modest amounts. One villager offered Nu. 6. Together we built this monument. Later, as my finances improved by leaps and bound, I offered more.
The project was suspended in 2019 after a major setback. However, covid-19 hit, and I was stuck back home from my position in Macau. I personally oversaw the resumption of the construction and its completion. Just as I had started, I also sponsored the final touches—the external carving and gold-painting. It was completed as the world reopened in 2022.
If you are traveling in Zhemgang, Buli, or Tingtibi, this stupa and monastery are just 30+ minutes from these places (road conditions permitting). It has some of the most unimaginable treasure relics buried in it—from the personal effects of Buddha to Guru Padmasambhava to Pema Lingpa to Penor Rimpoche.
Flew into this sparkling fresh Paro Valley that was rinsed by the incessant rain of recent days. For those missing our beloved home, this is the latest picture from this morning.
Back from a superb three weeks of a mixed trip of business, fundraising, another billion-dollar investment deal in the making, identifying architecture firms and experts, and a denting-painting of my teeth (for free). And some Vipassana meditation and Tom Yum soup.
In Thailand I also visited some top retreat centers in the Khao Yai area. It is mainly to help us do the final designs for the spiritual center in the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC).
The spiritual centers in GMC, in my view, should go beyond a temple caretaker and just ritualistic practices. They should inspire Buddhism in action and an alternative way of living and being in the world—not only sustainably but also in a regenerative manner—all founded on the Vajrayana ideals.
There should be infrastructures to organize festivals and fairs to bring communities and countries together – thus creating not only harmony and solidarity in the world but also direct employment opportunities for our people and an economic system around it that indirectly sustains a couple of thousand families.
My dream is to see something like Boudhanath in Kathmandu, where around the stupa countless people make an honest living, and thousands more are welcome there regardless of race or nationality.
That’s my vision to help fulfill the greater vision of GMC.
Picture: The red roof square building is Rinpung Dzong. The cluster of red-roofed houses is Paro College of Education. . . . . (PS: All my travel expenses are from my own savings and income, and for now I don’t gain anything monetarily out of these. But I am gladly doing it as my humble contribution to the project in GMC, and along the way I am also able to support the greater cause of selfless service and nation-building. I have, of course, no doubt that in the long run anything done with good intent pays off.
Dorji Wangchuk 