Landing in Bhutan’s only international airport, especially for those flying in for the first time, can be quite an experience with terrible air turbulences and sudden drops in altitude as we ram through the clouds towards Paro Valley. When you look out of the window, the wings are almost scrapping the trees and the roofs of the houses, or scratching the rock face of Dongkala or Dra Karp. But these are nothing compared to the 1990s rides with a maverick American pilot called George, who used to take us down on a nose dive and make us all pray or vomit – or both.

What is reassuring is the amazing safety record of Paro Airport. That’s because, besides the visual flight rules that the pilots have to abide by, here, the captain in command has to take full control of the landing – unlike other airports in the world where the co-pilots can also have the option to land the aircraft. Of late, pilots can also depend on better navigation support services such as GPS on the plane, and one more VOR station on the ground, to guide their way through the mist and the mountains. So, travellers who have been doing this route since the 1990s will also remember frequent flight cancellations, which are rare nowadays.

We Bhutanese, however, leave no stones unturned. Even the gods and the higher hands are invoked regularly for the smooth operations of these flights. (See Druk Air Facebook page)

The temples in the mountains often play host to appeasement rituals to local protector deities such as Dongko Tsen and Jowo Drakey of Paro, and Aap Chundu of Haa. Likewise, they invoke Tsi-Mar in Bumthang, and Aum Jomo and memay Dangling over Yonphula, Tashigang.

Being Bhutanese is about recognising that we are just part of the universe with the presence of different forces and nonhuman agencies – and not just with our human ingenuity or ego. Everything we do, is about harmony between humans, nature, and the supernatural – including flying the latest Airbus that science and technology have to offer.

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