Bhutan

Archery is a national game but played so such that spectators and even players are hit by the arrows during the match instead of the hitting the targets. And not a single medal has been won in Olympic events by the national archery players so far.

Bhutan has two main religions, Buddhism and Hinduism. Bhutan is the only country in the world to have maintained the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism as its official

Not a single traffic lights in Bhutan. Once in the past traffic lights was introduced in the capital but it was removed the very next day.

Basically a size of Singapore but it takes three to four days to travel from west to east unlike Singapore which is a matter of an hour to cover.

Geographically, Bhutan ranges from plains to steep mountains, glacial lakes and valleys. You will be driving, touring and trekking through these virgin landscapes

It lies in South East Asia bordered to the north by China and to the south, east and west by India. 

Tourist using natural space for toilets during the drive.

Gangkhar Puensum is the highest point in Bhutan. This is the highest mountain in Bhutan and there are several others.

Bhutan is a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy since 2008 with King as Head of the State and elected Prime Minister as head of the Government.

As our Bhutanese flight roared through the cliffs and landed, I know you were relieved of uncertainties of your life and death. But this landing and take-off seems normal for Bhutanese. Of course, this airport is marked as one of the dangerous airport in the world.  The people in Paro are assumingly rich and would go for a superior living than others, even  competing with their immediate neighbors in terms of better cars & houses to live in. Interestingly, most officials of good portfolios & even ministers in the past were from Paro. Parops fought wars with Tibetans although they were of common origin.

Bhutan is a mountainous country. You know it has borders with China in the north. One of the reasons why Haa was opened to tourists recently is due its proximity and border disputes with China. On the other hand, our second neighboring giant -India,  has stationed its Indian military training team- IMTRAT using our historical Haa Dzong as their regional headquarters. Haa, competing with Paro, also saw many high profile officials in the Bhutanese bureaucracy in the past. They celebrate their own new year, Lomba, with a unique and delicious dish, Hoentea -of buckwheat, like dumplings, especially made and served only during this occasion.

Changlimithang ground which is now a national stadium was Bhutan's last civil war site to resort to ultimate supremacy over the country’s rule. Heavy fights were fought at Changlimithang. And thus it gave birth to hereditary Wangchuk dynasty and monarchy in 1907 with King Ugyen Wangchuck as the first monarch of united Bhutan.

Bhutan unlike west, is not rich on per capita income, yet we have history to be proud of. In the eyes of outsiders, like you, the historical buildings or the Dzongs, as we call them, may all look similar. However, each carry their own symbols and standings in the pages of our history. Just to quote one, none other but only Punakha Dzong possess those sacred relics and antics which were part of many wars Bhutanese have proudly and successfully fought with Tibetans in our olden raw days.

Almost like aborigines in Australia, Bhutan do have indigenous people. There is a wild conception outside our borders that Bhutan has one language and people. Not really, Bhutan has a mix of different people and 18 dialects are spoken in different places with Dzongkha as the national language.

Bhutanese Government development philosophy is based on the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH). GNH is considered more important that country’s GDP but we see most of the flag bearers and preachers of GNH are purely following a materialistic life and amassing enormous wealth.

Gho for men & Kira for women is the national dress of Bhutan. You can see Bhutanese wearing their national dress on all formal occasions and places