Bhutan: A Holland & Holland gun

A Holland & Holland gun is considered as among the finest of modern times. It is known for its brilliant craftsmanship and today is one of the world’s most expensive handcrafted sports gun.

There is one such gun in Bhutan. It is a .458 double barrel. With engravings of the big game animals of Bhutan, it is the only of its kind and now worth more than £ 80,000.

The fourth king received it as his coronation gift in 1974. The managing director of the gun company, Malcolm Lyell, travelled from London to personally offer it. Lyell’s handwritten notes says, “The official day for present giving was Tuesday, June 4th but the King couldn’t wait! We were summoned the day before and presented it to him in the Royal Cottage.”

The third King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, had ordered the gun two years earlier in 1972, before he passed away. The third king first met Lyell in 1949, in London at the Westley Richards’s gun showroom where, as Crown Prince, he had gone to buy hunting rifles. Ever since, the two gun enthusiasts maintained their friendship.

The doyen of the London gun trade visited Bhutan as the guest of the king. He first came in 1970 and was one of the earliest to trek extensively in our northern mountains. Using hand-drawn maps of botanist Frank Ludlow, Lyell and his family made four such expeditions into the then largely unknown northern mountains. Lyell was a game enthusiast and keen on wild animals and, during his treks, saw and recorded many of these wild animals namely, the blue sheep, blue bear, wild yaks, takins, and snow leopards.

The Gun
In 1972, after returning from one such trip, Lyell had the gun of our king engraved with the large game animals that he saw during his treks in Bhutan.

For example, the right lock plate has an engraving of a group of takins - the national animal. The fore feet and body of the lynx are also just visible on the “fence” (standing breach at the left hand end of the barrel).

The left lock has an engraving of the Indian rhinoceros, which are found in the foothills of Manas. The tail and back of the snow leopard are scarcely visible on the “fence”. A Tibetan antelope, found along the Chumbi valley border, is engraved on the trigger guard, and the grip cap has an engraving of a blue sheep or bhurel.

History
Crafting a Holland & Holland gun took a long time and this became a setback as the soaring inflation of the 1970s cut into the company’s profit.

To sustain the business, Lyell started to craft presentation guns. These guns were fully functional but, because of the intricate artwork, enhanced its costs, and hence inflation did not affect its value.

Inspired by the gun makers of the 18th century, Lyell came up with the rococo gun, with deep engravings in gold and silver of classical motifs, such as Diana the huntress.

In 1966, the Shooting Times described it as the finest gun of modern times and, from then, Lyell produced a series entitled “Products of Excellence”. These included such guns as the Set of Five; beautifully matched shotguns in every gauge from 12 bore to .410; the African hunters series of big game rifles; and finally the Saurian four bore, decorated with scenes of prehistoric life.

Almost two decades later, after the launch of the “product of excellence”, in 1972, our late king ordered the .458 double barrel gun, which he never saw. In the memory of the late king, Lyell had it engraved with the big game animals of Bhutan and presented it to our fourth king during his coronation. Malcolm Lyell died early this year.

Source: Kuenselonline

Private Bhutan Tour Itinerary for 12 Days

Private Bhutan Pilgrimage Tour Itinerary for 12 Days

Day1: Arrival at Paro International Airport

During the journey to Paro, one will experience from the left hand side of the plane, breath taking view of Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga and other famous Himalayan peaks, including the sacred Chomolhari and Mount Jichu Drake in Bhutan. On arrival art Paro International airport the representatives from Bhutan Majestic Travel, Guides and Drivers Introduction and will escort to Hotel Altitude of Paro is 2240mts.

Visit the Paro Rinpung Dzong which was built in 1646 by Great Fortress builder to defend ourselves from Foreign Invaders, especially Tibetan Invaders in those days. Today it is the Paro District Administration Centre, Office of the District Governor, District Judge and House of the Buddhist Monks (Study and Live). After that visit the Ta-Dzong (watch tower) for Paro Dzong built in same time and later in 1868 it was changed to National Museum of Bhutan, one of the main treasures of Bhutan. Visit Festival

Evening Paro Town stalling and meeting the local Bhutanese

Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Day 2: Paro – Paro

After breakfast drive for 15kms and reach the base of Famous Tiger’s Nest “TAKTSANG” Monastery and hike up which would take Two Hours up and approximately One Hour down. Stop at Taktsang Tea House “Cafeteria” for refreshment of Tea & Coffee and on your return back from monastery you will have your Lunch here.

Taktsang is at 2900mts. Hike for another half an hour and you reach the Great and Magnificent Taktsang.

Visit the most important monastery were the Guru Rimpoche was flying on a Flaming Tigress from Singye Dzong in Eastern Bhutan to here and meditated for Three Months and flourishment of Buddhism in Paro started from 8^th Century.

Walk down to the Tea House for Vegetarian Lunch.

After Lunch walk down hill and drive to the Ruined Fortress the Drukgyal Dzong meaning Bhutanese Victory Fortress built in 1649 by great fortress builder and also the man who unified Bhutan in 17^th Century.

Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Thimphu is the Capital City of Bhutan but for the Buddhist Monk body moves to Punakha in Winter and their Summer Capital District is Thimphu but Winter s Punakha because it is cold in Thimphu during winter and Punakha is just perfect at 1300mts

Day 3: Paro – Thimphu Distance – 65kms. 2Hours Drive.

After breakfast drive to Thimphu following the Pa Chu (River of Paro) which divides the whole Paro Valley into two after one hour you will reach the Chuzom, where the Thimphu and Paro Rivers met and forms Wangchu. Drive till Chu Zom takes about One Hour. It is again a four road junction, where one lead to Thimphu, one lead to Haa Valley, one lead to Southern Bhutan, Phuentsholing closest town to the Indian Border and one that you had just drove. It is again One hour drive from here and you will reach Thimphu for your Lunch.

After Lunch Visit the visit the Memorial Stupa, built in 1974 by Royal Queen Mother and dedicated to the Father of Modern Bhutan, The Third King of Bhutan. This Tibetan & Bhutanese Architecture mixed Stupa has got three different sects of Buddhism such as Gongdu on the Top floor, Drukpa Kagyud on Middle with Second Buddha figure facing the Sun Rise and on the Ground Floor it is the Phurba. Visit the Festival.

Overnight: Hotel in Thimphu

Day 4: Thimphu – Thimphu

After breakfast drive to visit the Changangkha Monastery which is built in 16^th Century by the son of the Great Drukpa Kagyud Saint called Lama Phajo Drugom Zhigpo and where the Buddhism flourishment continued in Western Bhutan. Visit the Thimphu Mini Zoo where you can see the TAKIN, the National Animal of Bhutan, which has head of a Goat and Body of a Cow and as per the legend it is been created by a Saint from Tibet who visited Bhutan and popularly known as Lama Drukpa Kuenley or Devine Madman.

Drive to BBS Radio Tower (Bhutan Broadcasting Service) to get the magnificent view of Thimphu and also known as Lovers’ point.

Lunch will be served in Down Town.

Day 5: Thimphu – Punakha 142kms 5Hours

After breakfast drive to Winter Capital for the Monastic Body, Punakha at 1300m.

One hour drive reach you to Dochula Pass at 3150mts where you can see and enjoy the Eastern Himalayas in a Panoramic View and best picture time for group of Bhutanese Style of Stupas, as there are 108 Stupas built by Her Majesty for the well being of the Nation and Love Live His Majesty. It descends to Punakha and Wangdue at 1300mts which will take another two hours. Visit Historic and one of the most beautiful Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Great Zhabdrung Rimpoche who unified Bhutan in 17^th Century

Overnight: Hotel in Punakha

Day 6: Punakha – Punakha

Hike to Khamsum Yueley Namgyal Monastery built by Her Majesty and dedicated to the well bring of the nation and love life of the Crwon Prince.

After Lunch visit Wangdue Dzong the third oldest Dzong built in 1638. On the way back to Punakha Hike to the legendary Chimi Lhakhang built in 15^th Century by a saint popularly known as Devine Mad Man “Drukpa Kuenley”. It is believed that the couple who are married for so long years and doesn’t result in pregnancy, they go there and pray and in next coming months the wife gets pregnant

Overnight: Hotel in Punakha

Day 7: Punakha – BumthangAfter breakfast drive to Bumthang. On the way visit Wangdue Dzong the third oldest Dzong built in 1638. After crossing Pelela at 3340 mts. Decend down to Rukhubji and then to Chendibji where your lunch will be served and circumambulate the Nepalese Style Stupa built in 15th Century. Visit the Trongsa Dzong and the Watch Tower. The Trongsa Dzong was the ancestral home of the ruling dynasty. It is also the district administration office of the Trongsa district. It was built in 1648 A.D. The landscape around Trongsa is spectacular, and for miles on end the Dzong seems to tease you so that you wonder if you will ever reach it. Backing on to the mountain and built on several levels, the Dzong fits narrowly on a spur that sticks out into the gorge of the Mangde River and overlooks the routes south and west. The view from the Dzong extends for many kilometers and in former times nothing could escape the vigilance of its watchmen. Furthermore, the Dzong is built in such a way that in the old days, no matter what direction a traveler came from, he was obliged to pass by the Dzong. This helped to augment its importance as it thus had complete control over all east-west traffic. The Ta-Dzong, an ancient Watch Tower of the Trongsa Dzong is located on top of a steep hill about 1 km beyond the Trongsa Dzong. The watch tower displays many interesting armors used by the Bhutanese soldiers during the olden days. The Journey takes about 3 hrs (68kms.) and is over one of the most scenically beautiful routes in Bhutan. Check in at the Guest house. (Bumthang has only guest houses but they are very comfortable with good facilities.)

Day 8: Bumthang –BumthangVisit the historical Jakar Dzong built by Minjur Tenpa, the third Druk Desi (Temporal ruler) in 1646 A.D. It was later repaired and expanded by Gyalse Tenzin Rabgay, the fourth Desi of Bhutan in 1683 A.D. It is probably one of the biggest Dzongs in Bhutan with the surrounding walls about 1 km in circumference. Visit several ancient and important monasteries such as, Jambay Lhakhang, Kurjey Lhakhang, Kencho Sum Lhakhang, Tamshing and Pema Samba Lhakhangs. Also visit the Bumthang Swiss farm and the Member Tso” The flaming Lake” which is considered one of the most important pilgrimage spots.
Overnight: Hotel in Bumthang

Day 9: Bumthang – BumthangDay excursion to remote and beautiful Ura Valley. Picnic lunch will be served.
Overnight hotel in Bumthang

Day 10: Bumthang – WangdueAfter an early breakfast, drive to Wangdue.
Overnight: Hotel in Wangdue

Day 11: Wangdue – ParoAfter breakfast drive to Paro. Lunch stop at Thimphu, after lunch shopping and going around Thimphu city, drive to Paro for overnight
Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Day 12: Depart Bhutan

Early morning drive to airport and board the flight for onward destination.

Wishing you safe journey and thanks for visiting Bhutan with us

Thank You very much for visiting Bhutan with us and we look forward in hearing and re-organizing same Pilgrimage Tour for you, your family members and Friends!!!

Bhutan Income is necessary but not an end-all to be happy

It may come as no surprise but, the higher your income, the happier you are, at least in Bhutan.

This glimpse into the findings of the 2010 GNH survey was provided during a presentation at the ‘happiness and economic development’ conference, yesterday.

Yet, while income may play a major role, up to a certain extent, several other significant factors were also found to positively impact an individual’s happiness. This was mentioned during an analytical presentation of survey data on ‘subjective well-being’ by the centre for Bhutan studies (CBS) president, Dasho Karma Ura.

“But GNH isn’t equivalent to subjective well being alone,” he said. It tries to combine both objective and subjective elements of happiness, while presenting the analysis from a subjective wellbeing point of view, he said. He added that some are economic factors, such as the amount of land owned, sufficiency in household equipment and the level of education possessed. Postgraduates reported higher happiness levels than university or college graduates.

Bhutanese, who are more inclined towards positive emotions, like calmness, empathy, compassion, and contentment, are happier than those, who experience more anger, frustration, and worry.

The GNH survey also found that meditation increases happiness, although only an extremely small percentage meditated daily. But spending two hours on average in prayer daily is a general practice.

Contrary to what single Bhutanese may claim, married Bhutanese are much happier, compared to their fellow citizens, who have never tied the knot. But those, who never married, can be happier than those who married and are divorced or widowed.

Other activities that increased happiness for Bhutanese is frequent socialising with relatives, trust in others, good physical and mental health, and in which dzongkhag you live. According to survey results, living in Dagana, Pemagatshel and even Thimphu can negatively affect happiness levels.

According to statistics presented, the U-curve, whereby the happiness level of individuals drops to the lowest point some time between 40 and 50 years of age was also confirmed. But the U-curve of subjective wellbeing is flatter, if the data is restricted to farmers, because their income is stable throughout their lifecycle, while that of salaried people is not, he pointed out.

The survey also found that the happiest people are those that have “less work and more leisure, and eight hours of sleep.” The findings of the 2nd GNH survey, carried out between April and December 2010 by CBS, will be released next month. About 8,000 Bhutanese were interviewed for the survey.

Japan and Brazil too shared their experiences with GNH surveys and activities conducted so far, revealing some universal factors that contribute to an individual’s happiness.

Professor Shigeru T Otsubo, Nagoya university, pointed out that a 2010 survey in Japan found that health, family, income, and spirituality made up the main elements for happiness. He said that the desired goals for Japanese society are securing safety, concern for others, and spiritual enlightenment. He added that Japan needs a more connected society and sound economic growth.

The survey also found that females and younger people in Japan are happier, despite social conditions that favour males and older generations.

Susan Andrews, who is involved with implementing GNH in Brazil, described how far the effort has progressed. She said that the objective of Brazilian GNH is to get communities involved in decision making, establishing social networks, conducting practices for physical and mental well-being, and encouraging participatory democracy.

Like in Bhutan, an ‘educating for happiness’ program is also being implemented in Brazil. But, instead of a Buddhist-based approach, since students are of multi-cultural backgrounds, a universal scientific approach is used, she said. Some of these exercises include lighter practices, such as comedy theatre, and more serious activities, such as group “deep listening”.

Susan pointed out that youth has also be trained to conduct their GNH survey. The advantage of this approach, she said, was that the survey was not expensive.

Plans are afoot to implement the GNH approach in seven more communities.

Distrust, apathy, alienation, exhaustion, and television addiction are some of the problems Brazilian society is grappling with, according to Susan.

The three-day conference ends today.

Source: Kuenselonline

Bhutan summer festival at Haa

As the two-day summer festival came to an end yesterday, Haa residents said it was not as bright and sunny as last year’s if sales from the stalls are any thing to go by.

Nor the food stalls nor the handicraft stall saw good business during the festival and stall owners said the Kathri took their crowd. Tshering Dem, 53, from Katsho gewog said the sale of food items in her shop is about 60 percent less than last year’s.

“Last year we were very busy with too many people and this time we are waiting for people to visit our stalls,” she said. “It’s because everyone is attending the Kathri ceremony.” Tshering Dem’s stall had Hoentey, Tse Thup, Khuley, tea and doma on sale.

The Tarayana rural craft stall also saw a drop in sales by almost 80 percent, program officer Karma said. “Last year we sold products worth more than Nu 40,000 in the two days,” he said. “But this time we sold products only worth Nu 11, 000 in two days.”

Likewise, other stalls also saw a drop in their sales but said they would continue participating in the festivals. A total of 61 tourists attended the festival, 10 more than what the festival saw last year.

While a number of programs were planned until 8pm, the festival had to end by afternoon because local participants wanted to attend the blessings at the Kathri ceremony. The photography competition was also cancelled because the tourism council had not received enough entries.

Haa dzongdag Rigzin Dorji said they had started the festival well last year and thought they’ll do better this time. “But since lots of events have coincided, we could not pay much attention to the summer festival,” he said. “While we attach equal importance, but with limited manpower and the people pre-occupied in attending the Kathri ceremony, the festival did not do well like last year.”

Source: Kuenselonline