| | Need to Know | Capital City Thimphu | | Tipping Tipping is not yet a regular practice in Bhutan. | | Electricity Bhutan uses 220 Volts, AC current and if your gizmos are customised to any other specifications, carry an adaptor or converter. | | Weights and Measurements Bhutan uses the Metric system for weights and Measures. |
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People & Language
The first settlers arrived in Bhutan 1400 years ago to find the indigenous population of “drukpa” already inhabiting the country. Three main ethnic groups, the “Sharchops”, “Ngalops” and the “Lhotsampas” (of Nepali origin) make up today’s Drukpa population. The earliest residents of Bhutan are the Sharchops whose origin can be traced to the tribes of northern Burma and northeast India. The Ngalops migrated from the plains of Tibet and brought Buddhism into the land.
The Bhutanese opened their boundaries two decades ago to take a peek at the world outside but opted to approach modernization very gradually. The King and his subjects decidedly want to preserve their ethnological identity. To keep their traditions alive Bhutanese men and women wear their ethnic attire called “gho”, “kera” and “kira”. Necklaces are fashioned from corals, pearls, turquoise, and the precious agate eye stones which the Bhutanese call 'tears of the gods'. Religion plays a very important part in the day-to-day life of the Bhutanese. Buddhism has a very strong influence in their institutions, arts, drama, literature, social structures and architecture.
Bhutan has never had a rigid class system and social and educational opportunities are not determined by rank or birth. Gender bias is also absent and the women enjoy equal rights with men in every respect.
Bhutan's official language is Dzongkha. Given the geographic isolation of many of Bhutan's highland villages, it is not surprising that a number of different dialects have survived.
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Religion
Bhutan is the only country in the world to retain the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism (Drukpa Kagyu) as its official religion. Throughout Bhutan, stupas and chortens (temples) line the roadside commemorating places where Guru Rinpoché or another high Lama (priest) may have stopped to meditate. Prayer flags dot the hills, fluttering in the wind. The Bhutanese believe these help to maintain constant communication with the heavens.
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Food
Bhutanese diet is mainly meat, dairy products, rice (red or white) and vegetables. “Emadatse” (chilli and cheese stew) is the national dish with many variations throughout the country. Meat dishes, mainly pork, beef and yak are lavishly dosed with red peppers, which are a common sight drying on rooftops. Social occasions mean serving salted butter tea, or “suja” as it is called. “Doma” or betel nut is offered as a customary gesture of greeting. The Bhutanese vastly enjoy “Chang”, a local beer, and “arra”, country liquor, distilled from maize, rice, wheat or barley.
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Culture & Crafts
The Buddhist faith has played and continues to play a fundamental role in the cultural, ethical and sociological development of Bhutan and its people. The monks dressed in burnt orange are not otherworldly and ascetic but a fun-filled and sometimes young and well-educated populace. Buddhism permeates all strands of secular life including art, drama, music and literature. Annual festivals (tsechus and dromches) are spiritual occasions held in each district bringing together all strata of society. Bhutan has been described as 'a living museum' because its ancient dzongs (districts) and temples are still the focus of modern life.
Traditionally there are 13 arts and crafts in Bhutan. The students sell the works in a shop nearby to supplement their income. They include painting, carving, gold & silver jewellery making and weaving.
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Travel Tools
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