What does it mean to be Bhutanese?

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 Identity has been mankind’s longest search. The question of “who am I?” has intrigued thinkers from Plato to Prince Siddhartha to Descartes. For us in Bhutan, this question has become even more relevant, as the country faces the onslaught of technology and outmigration, and the dilemma and divisions brought about by changing politics and policies. Simply put, what does it mean to be Bhutanese? This lack of common understanding, I believe, forms the core of our challenges – whether it is at an individual level or as a nation. Drawing from my PhD dissertation, I will attempt to give a definition to this slippery topic.

Identity has several definitions and concepts. Depending on the discipline, there are racial identity, gender identity, religious identity, cultural identity, political identity and so on. Here, by identity I am looking at the one coming from psychology – as in the personal identity, which describes one’s distinctive attributes that make a person unique. And more so, to the sociological definition, which refers to qualities, beliefs, and traits that characterise a person or a group. Scholars argue that it is the social circumstances in which people have been raised that determine the ways in which they identify themselves. Identity is, thus, believed to be produced through social interactions and experiences. 

The traditional, virtual, and hybrid communities

A traditional community is where everything is shared – life, work, happiness, or sorrows. When you build your house, the whole village comes together without expecting a payment. Wherever celebrations and ceremonies are taking place, everyone is invited by default.

Nature and spiritualism occupy the centre stage in this community. It is not humans, but nature, which dictates everything including the pace and rhythm of life. Places are not just physical spots. They are sources of stories and spirituality, and of inspirations and wisdoms. Thus, kinship and family ties are extended not only to humans, but also to nature and to nonhuman forces and spirits. For instance, tigers are referred to as azha tah (maternal uncle Tiger), bears as aku Dhom (paternal uncle Bear), and elephants as memay Sangye (Grandpa Buddha). Certain deities and mountains are also embraced like a family. Examples of case in point are ama Jomo (mother Jomo), memay Chador (grandpa Vajrapani), or as memay Ralang – a mountain in Trashigang. Kinship terms do not only serve a referential purpose. They build and sustain emotional connections too. This may be the reason why Bhutanese are close to nature and mountains.

Time, in a traditional Bhutanese community, is conceived as cyclical and not as linear. For instance, older people do not remember their age. They will remember their Buddhist zodiac signs, which is a cycle of twelve years known as lo-kor. The correct question to ask is, “How many cycles have you done?” instead of, “How old are you?”. Nature also defines the flow of time. To lift from American sociologist Robert Levine, traditional Bhutanese prefer event time, and not clock-time. In rural Bhutan, you don’t say, “I will see you at 9.30”. Rather it would be something like, “Let’s meet before the Sun sets, and after we collect our cows from the jungle”. This may explain why Bhutanese are rarely on time.

At the other extreme of a traditional society is the virtual community where humans, instead of nature, are at the centre of the universe. Here everything must be rational, logical, scientific, and black and white. It is also where time is linear. The resulting characteristics are: more individualism, expressiveness, innovation and celebration of anonymity. Money and materialism are means to enhance one’s self-worth or belonging.

Striding between tradition and technology, between collectivism and individualism, and between money and meaning, is the hybrid community. Time starts to become linear here, and the cyclical concept is still accepted. Nature has its place, and so does rational science. There is more “we” and less “me” in this group, and wealth is to enable one’s pursuit of the greater good.

Therefore, the traditional Bhutanese identity is an interdependent self, which consists of a personal self, social self and a spiritual self. The social self is derived from one’s social identity as a parent, and from the vocation one practises. The spiritual self is the recognition and internalisation of the external nonhuman energies and spirits.

The chronotopic Bhutanese identity

While one may observe these identities manifesting in different generations or communities, an interesting finding is that you can also notice these multiple identities in individuals, as one lives through the changing circumstances and contexts in life. The ingredients of the interdependent self – the personal, social and the spiritual selves, are all there in each one of us – in different dosages and degrees. I call this the chronotropic Bhutanese identity. Chronotope comes from Greek and it means time-space (chronos means time, and topos – place). The term was coined by a twentieth century Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin as a literary tool to posit the idea that time and place are inseparable in art. Chronotropic identity basically argues that a change in timespace configurations triggers a seamless shift in roles, behaviours, discourses, modes of conduct, mindsets, and cultural practices. 

Take for example, the people of my generation – the predominantly hybrid group that grew up in a traditional setting, and got introduced to science and technology. We start the day by reciting a few lines of prayers. We then get up, wash and offer water and incense to the altar, have breakfast and open a laptop at work. The virtual community, on the other hand, may be on the technology from the moment they wake up till they retire to bed. They would attend spiritual calls on special religious occasions, or visit a temple like Dechenphu if they need something. Conversely, the traditional people access the technology too but not as a default mode. It sees materiality both in technology and spirituality, though.

The key to a harmonious Bhutan, then, is not only to recognise these parallel matrices, but, to paraphrase another philosopher, Jean Gebser, to embrace an integral consciousness that would involve a more holistic understanding of the reality, which includes both the rational thoughts and the intuitive sense of interconnectedness and spirituality. The Generation Z (or Gen Z – referring to people born roughly after 1999) must not refute the traditional as archaic and outdated. On the other hand, the hybrids should not discard the Gen Zs as not adhering to established norms. There is space for everyone.

What’s going on in Bhutan, instead

From a sociological perspective I feel that there is a loss of innocence among traditional Bhutan, which was accelerated by political changes.

By ‘innocence’, I mean where people are honest, spontaneous, sincere, always helpful, and trusting of others, and have a strong moral compass. In general, people who haven’t been corrupted by the evils of modern society. You can find some in rural Bhutan.

The loss of innocence has led us to empathy deficit among the hybrids – because of newfound power, ego and fear. And then, among the younger generation, a decline in the sense of belonging from being not understood. Unless we address these, people will go off on tangents in search of meanings to life, instead of drawing satisfaction and purpose from the service to the collective.

My greater concern, however, is for the next generation. For better or for worse, from an interdependent-self that we should be, Gen Zs are growing up as more expressive, questioning and independent selves. Instead of love and guidance by the collectivist society, it is viewed as a social divergence. Our youth, then, feel misunderstood, and even rejected. Research shows that when they are isolated from their physical communities, they will either go away, shut off completely, or hide behind computer screens and smartphones and try connecting with the online world. One issue with living on social media is the abundance of information and knowledge there – both good and bad. Information is not knowledge, and knowledge is not wisdom. In life you need wisdom. You develop wisdom only when you engage with the physical world, where you roll out your sleeves and get your hands dirty. This may explain the success of the Desuung program. It gives that opportunity – to go hands-on and feel a sense of belonging to a meaningful community.

Fortunately, some compassion is still around in Bhutan, which is evidenced by frequent and successful fundraisers on social media, like for someone in Australia who needs a surgery, or for a fellow Bhutanese who has to go for a transplant in India – or to simply save some yaks – or build a stupa. 

So, what does it mean to be Bhutanese? 

To be Bhutanese means to be compassionate, altruistic and spiritual; and be aware of one’s place in a family, community and country; and share this temporary space with other beings – that are both seen and unseen. If Bhutanese, young and old, could embrace this more, instead of over stressing on cultural paraphernalia or purely pursuing economic dreams or power, a brighter and a fulfilling future – as individuals and as a nation, will be more than guaranteed.

Zurphel Temple, Zhemgang

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Zurphel is probably a mispronunciation of Zur-Bae from the word, Baeyul, which means a hidden paradise in Buddhist mythology. Story has it that a cow herder entered a hut here to find a large ceremony going. He spent a week, after which he missed his home, and instantly he found himself at the doorstep of the hut, and which suddenly had turned to a rock face. When he reached his home he discovered that his wife had passed away a long time before and his children had grown as old as him.

The cow herder probably entered the baeyul, a mythical land where it is believed that one year there equals to 1000 years in the human world.

Zurphel Lhakhang was built in the same area by Chorten Gonpo, who was the heart-son (thuksey in Bhutanese) of the great treasure revealer, Terton Dorji Lingpa (1346-1405). It is believed that Chorten Gonpo built 108 temples of which Zurphel temple is one of them. Zurphel Lhakhang is believed to be built over a small lake.

According to Gangtey Trulku Rimpoche, this temple is one of the most sacred places in Khengrig Namsum (the Bhutanese name for Zhemgang region).

There are two important relics of Zurphel Temple. One is the statue of Guru Padmasambhava, which is believed to have been built by Chorten Gonpo himself. This is the most sacred piece, which is believed to speak some day in the future. It is a beautiful statue, where Guru looks like a young lad. It emits a powerful aura.

This statue of Guru is curiously wearing the robe from left to right, which is the opposite from the usual right to left. No one could explain to me why and how this happened. Nonetheless, the statue is supposed to be very sacred because of this.

There is also a smaller statue of Guru, which is believed to have been presented by the lords of Samkhara Drung, a place towards Gelephu. This statue is believed to have taken unto itself the smallpox epidemic in the 1930s. While the whole of Samkhara village was wiped out by the epidemic, only the family of Samkhara Drung survived and they moved to present-day Zurphel. And for allowing them to settle in Zurphel this statue was gifted to the village.

Nabji Lhakhang – The Temple of the Truce

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Bhutan’s earliest recorded history takes us to the Eighth Century when Guru Padmasambhava was invited to Bumthang to help the then-King Sindhu Raja recover from a serious illness by retrieving his life-power from a local deity Shelgeng Karpo. Guru, who was then in Yanglasho, having just completed his Vajrakilaya practices and attained his version of enlightenment would travel to Bumthang, fight the local deity and restore the health of the King. (At the site where this happened stands Kurjey temple).

In return for the favour the King would declare Buddhism to be propagated in his Kingdom.

The stone pillar of Nabji

Nabji Temple plays its role in the story as the place where Guru Rimpoche negotiated the truce between King Sindhu Raja and his rival, Nawache.

The two kings were apparently at war and in the ensuing battle the son of Sindhu Raja, Tagla Mebar, was killed – after which Sindhu Raja is believed to have either forgotten to offer his regular propitiating rituals to the local deity Shelgeng Karpo, or he deliberately did that. The deity got upset and threw some incurable disease at the King.

After the life-power of King Sindhu Raja was restored, both of them travelled to Nabji, and Padmasambhava, who also had a good relation with King Nawoche, called him over from the South. Guru negotiated a peace between the two, and the three of them placed their handprints on the stone pillar (in the picture) as their eternal promise. “Na” in Bhutanese means promise – or an oath.

Mebar Tashi Khyidron and the Temple

Later, Mebar Tashi Khyidron, who some sources associate her as the daughter of the King, and who was offered to Guru as his consort (later historians argue she was from Khoma in Lhuntse), built a temple on this location, where the pillar stood. The two thumbprints, in fact, are believed to be placed by her as the key Witness to the historic event.

Legend has it the dakinis led by Tashi Khyidron would build the temple in the daytime, and at night malignant forces would destroy it.

Story also goes that Tashi Khyidron, who was so exasperated with the demons continuously destroying the work, placed her hands on the wall and called out the Guru for help. Two fingers immersed into the stone of the wall. The marks can be seen today on the outer wall of the temple (ask the caretaker).

It is believed that Guru Rimpoche came to her aid by performing a sacred dance (tercham) on the nearby cliff, and when the demons and spirits were distracted by him, the dakinis quickly completed the temple.

The temple is also associated with the 14th century Terton Dorje Lingpa (1346-1405) who is believed to have consecrated the temple.

Visiting Nabji – Korphu

For me this was a return trip. I visited Nabji-Korphu some 20 years back – after walking for four days from Langthil village in Trongsa. We crossed the Mangdichu to the Monpa village of Jangbi and from there travelled to Phumzur (where Guru placed a Phurpa on the rock), Kubra (where Guru rested) and Ugyen Drak. We camped in the jungles with the Monpa guides who knew everything about the forests. At night around campfire they and told me about their origins.

I was passed to Korphu guides at Nabji, who took me up to Korphu, offered me the greatest of hospitality and then reached me till Nimshong.

Now from Wangdigang in Zhemgang it is a cool one hour drive with a small car to get to both Nabji and Korphu. To go to Ugyen Drak and beyond you still have to hike.

The valley, people and the sacred temple at Nabji are simply out-of-the-world. The statue of Guru is believed to be warm like a human body – even today (We cannot touch it though) and the stone pillar releases duetsi (sacred droplets of water) when persons of great spiritual attainment visit the temple.

Recommendation:

Just go! And tie-up the trip by visiting Buli Lake and the other temple built by Tashi Khyidron in Zhemgang, which are close to Trongsa-Gelephu Highway.

People make your journeys memorable. The valley has three villages with three linguistic groups – Nabji, Korphu and Nimshong. If you want to stay overnight, I recommend Korphu, which commands a better view of the valley, and made up of hospitable people who mostly came from Bumthang – and speaks Bumtap.

Back to Korphu after 20 years

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Korphu takes its name from a two-feet flat and oval boulder under which the great treasure revealer (terton in Dzongkha), Pema Lingpa (1450–1521) is believed to have taken shelter – after turning himself into a bee. “Gor means “stone” and phug means “cave”, and it became a cave for the Terton”, says former gup (headman) Zeko – an elderly gentleman whom I randomly met in Gelephu a month back and invited me to his village.

I had visited Nabji-Korphu before – in 2004, as a part of a UN team to open an eco-trail that the community had built with UN-GEF funding. It was a week-long trek from Langthil to Nimshong through some of the most dramatic trails – especially crossing the famed and scary Ugyen Drak. Needless to say, my team and I thoroughly enjoyed that trip and had only fond memories of me going broke midway into the trip – and scamming a colleague to be the chief guest and tip the villagers.

And now here I am back. It is 2024. How time flies!

“You can drive your car all the way to our doorstep, la” Zeko assured me when I met him in Gelephu. In fact that’s what we did.

The Lhundup Chodarling Temple:

The village of Korphu revolves around this temple – the history of which starts with the arrival of lama Chogden Gonpo (1497–1543) in Nabji. He was considered as the reincarnation of the treasure discoverer Dorji Lingpa (1346–1405), and was also a disciple of Pema Lingpa (1450–1521). He came there to disseminate the teachings of Dorling Tradition and offered statues of Guru Rinpoche and Dorji Lingpa – both of which can be seen there even today.

Few years after his arrival, an epidemic of smallpox spread in the valley and took many lives. Chogden Gonpo requested his guru, Pema Lingpa to come to Nabji to help cure the disease. Pema Lingpa obliged and came and conducted several rituals and prayers and cured the valley of the disease.

Pema Lingpa then built a two-storied retreat center following which many disciples joined him and build small huts and houses around his centre. Korphu, therefore, is one of the few cluster villages in Bhutan with houses attached to one another unlike the typical farmhouses in Bhutan that are independent and spread.

Korphu is on the hill overlooking the beautiful paddy fields and the village of Nabji. In fact, many people in other parts of Bhutan refer to this twin village as Nabji Korphu. From Nabji if you walk it is a two-hour uphill climb.

The origin of Gorphu:

When Pema Lingpa was looking for a place to establish his retreat centre, he wanted a good source of water. After befriending a local hunter called Pema Dorji, he was shown a water spring at a place known as a Umchu Gang.

One day Pema Lingpa found animal traps around Umchu Gang and he immediately removed them so that no animal was hurt. When Pema Dorji found out, he charged Pema Lingpa for doing that. Finding him really furious and relentless in his attacks, Pema Lingpa magically brought down wind and hailstorm over the place, while he himself turned into a bee and took shelter under a flat boulder.

Pema Dorji saw that he was dealing with no ordinary man, and apologised. He also gave up his hunting business and became a gomchen – lay monk under Pema Lingpa. He named the place after the boulder – as Gor-phug, and over time it was mispronounced as was popularised as Korphu.

The relics of the temple:

While Nabji is associated with Guru Padmasambhava, Korphu is a seat of Pema Lingpa. The outer structure of the temple has been renovated but the inside still is old and feels very sacred. There are the statues of Guru Padmasambhava and Avaklokiteshvara that are believed to be the handworks of Chogden Gonpo. Both the statues have the powers to grant any wish one makes, the caretaker told me.

The inner relics (nangten) are: a volume of Transcendental Wisdom in 8,000 stanzas which are referred to as Gyatongpa, which is believed to have been written in golden ink by Pema Lingpa; the ceremonial hat of Ani Choeten Zangmo, the grand-daughter of Pema Lingpa, and who is widely known for establishing a Peling seat in Dremetse in Mongar; the dress worn by Pema Lingpa, which he wore when he dove into Mebar Tsho in Bumthang; and two bells crafted by Pema Lingpa.

The sacred chamber of the Guardian Deity (Goenkang) is dedicated to Gonpo Maning Nagpo – flanked by the two local mountain deities Ap Jowo Durshing and Ap Muktsen.

Visiting Korphu:

Visiting Korphu brought me immense joy and smiles from funny memories from the earlier trip. The people of Korphu are some of the nicest folks I came across and every guest is treated like a VIP. They take pleasure in serenading you and singing you off as as you leave their magical village.

Truly it is a place I recommend before modernity or some other things erase this genuine Bhutanese hospitality. This time I also got to get blessings from each and every nangten they hold in the sacred village temple. As a descendent of Peling lineage, it was an emotional experience to see so many personal effect of this greatest of masters.

And this time, as Ap Zeko promised, it was a cool drive from Wangdigang in Zhemgang for an hour along the narrow black-topped road till the doorsteps of both Nabji and Korphu temples.

It is a place I will return again to listen to more stories, songs and soak in their warm hospitality.

New-Year Pilgrimage – Finale in Rukha

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I closed my week-long New Year Pilgrimage with a visit to Athang Rukha – my adopted village for 18 years now. The village of Rukha is one of the few sacred abodes of Palden Lhamo – one of the three supreme protectors of Bhutan.

My association with Rukha.

For those of you who have not been following my work, I have been associated with that valley since 2007 when I went there for the very first time on a documentary mission. The remoteness of that place (it was two days of walking through the leech infested jungles) and the misery I came across shook me to the core that I decided then and there that whatever remained of my life would be dedicated to doing something for that village. The valley is now known for the Oleps – the last hunter-gatherers of Bhutan.

I subsequently volunteered for a foundation that went on to lift them out of abject poverty to a dignified life. When the project ended, the villagers and I had bonded so much that they wouldn’t let me leave. So, I stayed on and we built some temples together in a valley that didn’t even have a prayer flag when I first got there (they practised shamanism and nature-worship). I provided the funds using my own money (which ran out every now and then and the work stopped) and the people there did the hard work – extracting the timber, carrying the boulder, ramming the mud, etc.

Fast forward to 2024, the third temple – a tshokhang (community hall) dedicated to Guru Padmasambhava – my birth deity, is getting the finishing touches of religious art on the ceiling – three mandalas of Tshela Namsum (Buddha Amitayus, Unisha Vijjaya and Tara). These mandalas when completed would throw down more blessings when anyone does ceremonies to Sangye Tshepamay, Namgyelma or Jetsun Drolma.

Abode of Palden Lhamo.

The place is believed to be the abode of Palden Lhamo and visited by both Guru Padmasambhava – on his way to Bumthang in the Eighth Century, and by Terton Pemalingpa in the Sixteenth Century on his way from Bumthang looking for a place that would eventually become Gangtey Gonpa.

A temple built in the mediaeval era stood there until it was completely destroyed in the early 1930s after the original inhabitants abandoned the valley because of the smallpox epidemic. Between 2009 and 2014, the Oleps, the new settlers of Rukha and I built the temple over the mud ruins of the original temple. Left untouched, the ruins can be seen on the ground floor. The carpenter, Chorten Tshering, was told in his dream by a girl not to destroy the mud ruins.

In 2014 when the former Tsugla lopen Samten Dorji consecrated the first temple, many old people from the valley heard the sounds of the religious instruments for the first time in their life. Furthermore, many young people, and every elder member, took the oath from Tsugla Lopen to refrain from hunting and killing wild animals – a skill and way of life they inherited from their forefathers. Now, a twice-monthly Lhamo Tsho-ja is conducted with households taking turns.

Traditionally the Oleps practiced shamanism and animism, and this continues in some forms till this day. And here, I have been very respectful not to force anyone into one or the other spiritual practices. As Buddha said, I can only show the way.

In 2020, when the pandemic hit and we were all stuck, the Rukha Lama, Ugyen Tshering, and I initiated another temple to be used as Tshokhang, so as to turn the first temple into a Neykhang (place for protector deities) and dedicate it solely to Palden Lhamo. I also built an altar with 21 Taras for my daughter and grandson whose birth deity is Tara. In 2022, the tshokhang was consecrated by Gangtey Rimpoche, who also presided over a three-day Tshechu with mask dances – the first one to be instituted in lower Sha region.

The blessings of Palden Lhamo and Tara are evident. Rukha has been receiving bountiful harvest, in general, and the families who were solidly behind the temple project are having a fulfilling time with their children doing well with their life.

And the story continues..

From going hungry to building a better life for themselves and their children, to temples and hosting the first Tshechu in the region, the Oleps have come a long way in less than two decades. It has been close to an economic and social miracle – a case study in development management. The credit fully goes to the people who believed in themselves and were ready to work hard.

Along the way the State also provided the valley with a power-tiller road (2011) upgraded to a farm road (2018), electricity (2019), and mobile phone network (2023). From a two-day treacherous hike the road to Rukha has been reduced to an hour-long pleasant drive from the Wangdue – Tsirang highway.

I offered three butter lamps in a new large Karmi Khang that a family from Rukha had bought in the memory of their father, who passed away a few months back. It arrived on the same day I landed there. I prayed that the people of Rukha continue on their path and be a part of this small great nation, as it moves confidently into the future.

They say you cannot take anything with you when you die. This is not true. You will carry with you the good and bad karma and the merits and retributions you accumulated. And more importantly, you will also leave behind the memories of you in people whose lives you made some difference.

So, as you breathe in the Dragon Year 2024, I invite you all to take a moment to reflect on a few questions. How many thoughts and prayers (moelam zangpo in Bhutanese) have you sent to others? How many smiles have you brought in someone else? How many lives have you touched through your small or big works?

As a Mahayana Buddhist, these should be the questions of your life – and the greater meaning of a pilgrimage.

(Itinerary of my pilgrimage – Semtokha Dzong (Thimphu), Dobji Dzong (Paro), Lhakhang Karpo (Haa), Punakha Dzong (Punakha), Mebar Tokchoe (Zhemgang), Lamga and Rukha (Wangdue)

Mebar Tokchoe Lhakhang, Zhemgang

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The third leg of my New Year Pilgrimage 2024 took me to Mebar Tokchoe temple in Kheng Kikhar in Zhemgang where my teacher #3, Dorje Phagmo Rimpoche (popularly known as Khandro Dorje Phagmo) has established a nunnery called Ngajur Pemachophelling.

I conducted a Drolma Yuldhog, which literally means “Obstacles removing Tara ritual”, which is considered as the king of all rituals. While one could conduct the Drolma Yuldhog at one’s home or at other sacred places, for me there is no better place than here.

First, Khandro Dorje Phagmo is considered as the emanation of Jetsun Drolma (Tara). Second, Mebar Tokchoe temple is believed to have been established by Monmo Tashi Khyidron on the advice of Guru Padmasambhava to pave the way for the success of Samye monastery construction in Tibet. During the same endeavour, Guru is believed to have advised King Thrisong Detsen to conduct Drolma Yuldhog to clear the obstacles standing in the way in the establishment of Samye monastery. And third, the invocation of the blessings of Tara done by nuns is believed to yield better merits.

So, there are lots of reasons – both religious and historical – that make this place special for a Drolma Yuldhog. I commission this ritual twice a year – once after the winter solstice and one after the summer.

It is always a sublime and blissful moment to be here. To paraphrase the some lines from the rituals:

“May you be free from the Seven Internal and Six External Sources of diseases. May you be protected from all negative energy. May you all be firmly on the Path to Enlightenment”

(To be continued)

New Year Pilgrimage 2024

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Seeking three divinities, three deities and my three teachers

We celebrate the New Year on the first day of the twelfth month – at least in the eastern half of Bhutan from where I come from that’s the case. So, the last few days of the eleventh month and the first week of the “new year” are spent on pilgrimage inside Bhutan – visiting temples, sacred places and getting blessings from my teachers and conducting rituals for the year. I do this to pay gratitude for the closing year, while propitiating the deities and divinities, and receiving the blessings for the new year.

On the first leg of my pilgrimage I covered Semtokha Dzong to pay my respects to the Supreme Guardian deity, Yeshe Gonpo (Mahakala in Sanskrit) where the resident caretaker lopen Wangchuk considers me his jindha (patron) and conducted a brief soelkha for me.

I continued the next day visiting Dobji Dzong (estd 1531) in Paro where there is an amazing statue of a smiling Milarepa, which is believed to have spoken in the past. The statue is said to have been gifted by the Tibetan patrons to lama Jetsun Ngawang Drukpa (1682-1748) – the founder of Tshamdrak Gonpa, during his last religious mission to Tibet. Milarepa, who is supposed to have become enlightened in one lifetime after committing some atrocious deeds, gives me hope that if one is committed, one can attain enlightenment in a go. That’s a dream, which increasingly looks like it will be a dream.

On the same day, I also visited Lhakhang Karpo in Haa – a sacred place, believed to have been built on the spot where a white dove released by King Songtsen Gempo (617-650) from Tibet landed. The place is believed to be the abode of powerful local guardian, Aap Chundu – a deity known for his physical strength, and also for being honest, dedicated and principled.

The second leg of my pilgrimage took me to Punakha – the former winter “capital” of Bhutan where the monastic body still travels to avoid the freezing cold of Thimphu. Punakha Dzong has the Machen Lhakhang, which contains the sacred remains of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel in permanent retreat (thudam in Dzongkha). I make it to Punakha at least once a year to pay my respects and receive the blessings of the divine founder of Bhutan. Without Zhabdrung, there might not have been Bhutan.

In Punakha I also received kago from one of my teachers, Most Venerable Lopen Samten – the former Tsugla lopen. He is also my “Google Scholar” for anything related to Vajrayana Buddhism.

On the following day (today) I drove straight from Punakha to Gelephu, where my family lama, Rangshikhar Rimpoche, resides. He is another teacher I visit at the start of every year. There is nothing I can say that people don’t know about him. The oldest and the most humorous of my three teachers, it always feels blissful to be in his presence that I feel it is okay if I died the next day. I mean, that’s how powerful he is and how peaceful you feel that I always wondered that if God really existed it would look like and be like him.

“How is my year?” I asked him. I have been quizzing him like this for over 40 years. He is one of the few togdenpas I know and who is known for perfect divinations.

“Just be a little careful in this coming month till 27th day,” he warned me, “And remember to say your barchel lamsel prayers every morning and don’t be careless”.

With that assurance, and after updating who is where in my family, I took his leave, so as not to hog his time. There were two groups waiting after me.

(To be continued with a third leg of my pilgrimage – from Zhemgang, Bumthang, Wangdue and end in Paro. I will be breaking my pilgrimage for a few days here in Gelephu to work on another article on the mindfulness city project)

😇😇😇
Tentative itinerary

– Semtokha Dzong – The oldest dzong built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel. Grand altar to Yeshey Gonpo

– Dobji Dzong – Built by Lama Ngawang Chogyel in 1531. Talking statues of Milarepa and Guru Padmasambhava.

– Lhakhang Karpo – 7th Century. Medicine Buddha and an altar to Ap Chundu

– Punakha Dzong – 1637. Sacred remains of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel.

– Mebar Tokcho (8th Century) and Buli Tsho, Zhemgang

– Kurjey (Bumthang) – Sacred site of Guru Padmasambhava

– Rukha (Wangdue) – abode of Palden Lhamo

– Nyechen Dongkala (Paro) – Buddha Shakyamuni relic discovered by Terton Pema Lingpa

A new era for the airlines?

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Druk Air has resumed scheduled flights to Gelephu. It came on the heels of the salang tendrel for the extension of the existing airport, which will play a major role in the Mindfulness City project that was formally launched on National Day. 

Our airlines are more than just airlines. They are our connection and our lifeline to the world. Besides, Druk Air is our national flag carrier. And this is not a small responsibility. In my view, connectivity and furthering national pride and identity should be the main focus of Druk Air. 

The concept of national flag carrier

Allow me to elaborate my argument with some academic studies and experiences from around the world.

As a Bhutanese, I grew up at a time when there was no air service in the country. Bhutan did not even have a helicopter then. I have always loved aeroplanes since I was a child. I watched the Indian jet fighters thunder over our school in Kharbandi. So one can imagine the excitement I felt when I saw pictures of a Dornier aircraft with the national flag on its tail. Of course, back then I was unaware of all the hard work, and the diplomacy of the Highest Office, which went behind to get that tiny aircraft flying. I only learned that much later – first hand.

Today, in the world, there are more than 30 state-owned airlines, and some big names such as Thai Airways and Air India, that run on loss. However, these countries recognise that air transport in general, and national airlines in particular, play a pivotal role by facilitating rapid connectivity, fostering economic growth through tourism and trade, and enhancing a country’s sovereignty and security. Above all, they instil pride and promote national identity by flying the national flag around the world.

Studies by scholars such as Raguraman on the national carriers of Malaysia and Singapore reveal how the governments of these two nations viewed their airlines “as important national symbols and as ‘chosen instruments’ for projecting their countries internationally”. In his paper, he examined the varying ways in which their flag carriers, a term coined at the Chicago Convention in 1944, have served to promote nation building and national identity. There was even a joke back in those days that a nation was not considered legitimate until it had collectible stamps and a flag carrier. 

In recent years, three countries that have taken up building their airlines as their national brands are the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Turkey. In the last decade or so, they have gone on, with heavy subsidies from their governments, to build some of the best airlines in the market today. Switzerland did the opposite, only to realise the error and put their flag carrier back in the sky.

Our flag carrier can do more. I have suggested in my article on the Australia exodus that one way to keep an emotional link with our growing diaspora is to establish a physical connection by having our airlines do regular flights to Australia and to the Middle East. That would spark off, what in sociology is called, a circular migration. Maybe to start with, our government could negotiate seasonal flights with these governments, and then slowly make it a scheduled offering. Imagine being greeted by Druk Air’s dragon logo in Kuwait, Qatar or Canberra. Definitely it would help maintain a stronger connection with home through regular visits and investments.

Role of air connectivity for Gelephu

With the launch of the most ambitious project of our lifetime, which would require the best and most convenient connectivity to Gelephu, I commend the decision by Druk Air to resume its scheduled flights there. I understand it also plans to go international using the existing runway and the ATR aircraft to fly to cities like Bagdogara, Kolkata and Kathmandu. That would really act as a catalyst for the project. For these routes even an unpressurised Cessna Grand Caravan would do the job. These have very low operating costs.

In the long run our airlines stand to gain the most from this project – and so does our tourism industry. I hope that Bhutan Airlines, which bravely weathered Covid-19 when many private airlines went bust, will join this noble initiative to build the city of the future. 

As a student of communication, I cannot stress how much communication, connectivity, and connections play a vital role in the making of a nation. Different political parties have been toying with the idea of more airports around the country. Why not? We don’t have to fly the Airbus around. Small aircrafts known as STOL (short take-off and landing) could be deployed like in Nepal and other mountainous countries. There are many makes and models in the market, such as the Twin Otter and Beechcraft. If you have at least 800 metres of runway, you are good to go. We should shed the description of our country as being poor, mountainous or landlocked. It blocks our minds from doing anything big or bold. 

There should be more than just two flights in a week to Gelephu. Agreed that there is no demand now. However, to paraphrase the legendary Steve Jobs of Apple Inc, you create the demand where there isn’t one. That’s how you become a market leader and a trendsetter. I believe that if somehow our airlines could bring down the prices, more could fly, and more demand could be created. This is the business model of budget airlines such as AirAsia whose slogan is “Now Everyone Can Fly”. If the government needs to subsidise our airlines, it should do so. The overall benefit would be spread to the people and to the economy. After all, we are talking about national unity and solidarity, and pressing our economic pedal hard, as we embark on the most important royal initiative for some years to come.

I travel a lot. Nothing is more reassuring than seeing your own people and the flag waiting for you in India, Nepal or Thailand to take you back home. Whenever I am close to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on the highway, I always turn my head towards the tarmac where our two airlines, Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines, are usually parked. Seeing either of them with our national symbols always makes me proud.

And like that little boy who was incredibly excited to see the tiny Dornier carry our flag in 1983, I was once again filled with wonder and awe when I landed in Gelephu two weeks back. I just stood there for a couple of minutes savouring that beautiful moment in history.

The Real Bhutanese New Year

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This year, 12th January will be celebrated as Sharchop Losar or Chunyipa Losar. However, it appears that this is not just the new year’s day for central and eastern Bhutan, but for Bhutan as a whole.

Historical records show that the Founder of Bhutan, Zhabdrung Namgyel observed this day by returning to Punakha (he was more a travelling ruler) and having his subjects visit him and pay homage and tributes. It is said that the three-way staircase of the main entrance to Punakha Dzong was built to welcome the three regional governors called the penlops on that day. Zhabdrung also made all state appointments while also greeting other lesser regional leaders and their retinues as they paid tribute to him. Thus, the day was referred to as buelwa phuewi nyim, which is poorly translated as traditional day of offering.

Astrological significance

This day falls on the first New Moon after Nyilo – a traditional Bhutanese holiday, and in the month when the Moon meets with the Cancri constellation. In the older Lama Gongdue (བླ་མ་དགོངས་འདུས་) – a terma teaching revealed by Sangye Lingpa (1340-1396), the month is considered as the first month of its calendar year. This was probably the calendar prior to the adoption of the official Buddhist calendar followed in Bhutan. The celebration of New Year on this day in central and eastern Bhutan is thus more local, and more traditional Bhutanese.

According to Bhutanese scholar, Karma Phuntsho (PhD), Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal was a serious follower of Terton Sangay Lingpa’s teachings and incorporated rituals such as the Lama Gongdue into the ritual curriculum of the Central Monastic Body. And this may also be the reason why he marked the day as the day of accepting tributes and a day of celebration with his people.

Why do Tibetans celebrate the New Year a month later?

The Tibetan New Year’s day, which comes a month after, coincides with the Mongolian New Year known as Horda (ཧོར་ཟླ་), which the latter instituted as their calendar – to mark the day of victory over the Tangut Kingdom by the first emperor, Genghis Khan.

After Gushri Khan (1582-1655) invaded Tibet in 1641, the Horda became the Tibetan calendar and thus the Mongolian New Year day was celebrated as the Tibetan New Year. Furthermore, Gushri Khan was referred to as Chogyal (Dharma King). And thus this Losar (New Year) was also referred to as Gyalpoi Losar (རྒྱལ་པོའི་ལོ་གསར་) – King’s New Year. Older folks in Bhutan would be familiar with this term

In essence, the Dawa Dangpi Losar has neither any auspicious significance to Bhutan, nor any important astral reasons. As Dr. Karma Phuntsho adds, it is even odd that we celebrate it as the main Losar, which is a legacy of Mongol rule over Tibet.

Let’s celebrate Chunipa Losar as our New Year

In sociological studies we say that repeated behaviour becomes a habit. A habit embraced by a mass becomes a culture. A culture repeated periodically becomes a tradition. So, we can institute some new traditions, and retrieve some older ones, around this Day, so that over time it consolidates as the Bhutanese New Year.

First of all, call it Bhutanese New Year!
As someone trained in sociolinguistics, trust me, vocabulary matters. To continue with the misnomer Sharchokpa Losar would do no good.

Second, making appointments, promotions and pay raises:
Following Zhabdrung’s tradition, new and important appointments could be made on this day. Promotions and bonuses can be declared on this day.

I am not limiting this invitation to the government only. That would take time. I would rather invite our private sector, and companies to do that. Pay the bonuses and give a salary raise on this day. Why not? As I said, if we all do this every year it would become a tradition. Employees all over Bhutan would be eagerly waiting for this day – and a whole new industry can come up on this just like the red envelope tradition in East and Southeast Asia.

Third, PIT Day. No one likes taxes but as a cliche goes, it is the only sure thing in life besides death. So, why not do it on the eve of this day? Why not celebrate it? Why not file your personal income tax with a prayer that your few ngultrums take this country an inch forward and benefit as many sentient beings? Make it a happy moment to pay your taxes. It is all in the mind.

Fourth – make it a Day of Offering:
Most importantly, as Buddhists, it can be the day of offering to your root-lama and to the gompas you visit, astrologers you consult and places you revere. Just as our forefather did to Zhabdrung, we can do it to the lamas of our time. As we believe in Bhutan, such offerings will “clear your obstacles for this life, and help you accumulate positive merits in your next”. And so, why not start the year with a bang.

Above all, make it a tradition in your own family to meet – and, again, to paraphrase a local saying, “meet and eat one meal together”. If not, WeChat is there.

Happy Bhutanese New Year!

Why do we do annual rituals in Winter months

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Today is Nyilo (literally meaning the Return of the Sun), which is an important day in the Buddhist calendar. In Thimphu, Punakha and Wangde it is celebrated as the New Year. In the West, it is called Winter Solstice.

It is believed that today the Sun starts its journey from the South after paying homage to the Lord of South Direction, Yama (Shinje in Dzongkha, གཤིན་རྗེ་), who is also the Lord of Death – or the Lord of Judgement of Death.

Since in the court of Yama is believed to be filled with many dead souls waiting for the trial, some of them escape by tagging along with the Sun.These dead souls called shinpo are considered to cause all sorts of problems in the human world – sickness, accidents, disaccords, loss of property, etc.

To avert such misfortunes, one has to conduct propitiating ceremonies to one’s family protector deities (choe-sung) and kay-lha (birth deities) and invoke the blessing of Sangay Tshepamay for life (Tshe in Dzongkha) and Namsey for wealth (Yang). This is the reason why Bhutanese families conduct annual lochoe (rituals) during winter months.

During the Summer Solstice, the Sun returns from the North and the Lord of North Direction is Kubera – the God of Wealth. So in Summer if one can do propitiating rituals to deities of wealth such as Kubera (Zambala), Unisha Vijjaya (Namgyelma) or Tara (Drolma), it would be great. You need some wealth to pay your bills and do dharma. Many temples across Bhutan do Namgyel Tongcho in Summer.

The king of rituals is Drolma Yuldhog, which is my favourite. I do this twice a year, irrespective of the season because it includes everything – wealth, health, progress in life, enlightenment thereafter, etc.

If you cannot conduct large ceremonies you should at least visit temples and wish away your problems. I usually go to Semtokha because there are three altars in one big hall.

You could also donate a small amount of money to conduct prayers such as Barchel Lamsel, Dukkar, and Sherub Nyinpo. This Saturday and Sunday are very good days to do that. (These days just use mobile banking from anywhere. Contact me if you want to donate to Ngajur Pemachopheling Monastery).

Happy New Year to the natives of Thimphu, Wangdue and Punakha. Please don’t forget to wish me back on Sharchop Losar (coming soon). 😁😁😁