News: Bhutan Today - Paro Tshechu

The Paro Tshechu, one of the most popular festivals in the kingdom, has begun. Every year it attracts thousands of tourists from across the world. But this year, because of the global economic crisis, the festival is seeing a sharp drop in number of tourists. The slump has not only affected tour operators but also hoteliers and resort owners in Paro.

Thousands of people throng the Deyangkha ground as the Paro Tshechu begins. Usually there will be as many camera totting tourists in the Tshechu ground as people from Paro, Thimphu and other neighbouring dzongkhags. This year, there aren’t as many tourists.

The Tshechu is an important occasion for the people. Apart from the religious and cultural significance, the festival is an important social occasion. For the elderly, coming to the Tshechu is an act of devotion. The young come here to socialize and generally have a nice time. It is also an occasion to flaunt the sesho ghos and kiras. The fairer sex come bedecked with jewelry.

The Paro Tshechu attracts thousands of tourists from across the world. But this year, the situation is quite different. In the Dey-yang-kha ground, there aren’t as many tourists jostling among the crowd as they try and focus their cameras on the mask dancers or the atsaras joking with the people. The sitting gallery is mostly occupied by Bhutanese.

The Dzongkhag Administration Officer Tshewang Dorji has been coordinating the festival for the last few years. He told BBS that compared to the past years, tourist arrival at the Tsechu this year is minimal.

The economic slump has also hit hotels and resorts in Paro. There are over 40 resorts and hotels in Paro. Most of them remain packed during the Tshechu season. But this year, most of the proprietors and managers have the same story to share. Most of the rooms are lying vacant.

Tour operators, hoteliers, and resort owners are all reeling from the global economic crisis. For them, the Paro Tshechu this year will not be as festive as the previous years or as lucrative.

The Tshechu will end with the unfurling of Guru Thongdrel in the wee hours of Thursday morning.

Source :BBS

News: Bhutan Today - Royal Marriag

Her Royal Highness Princess Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck was married to Dasho Phub Dorji

Her Royal Highness Princess Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck was married to Dasho Phub Dorji at the Mothithang palace today.

The Tendrel ceremony of the Royal wedding today was performed by His Holiness Gyalse Trulku. His Majesty the King, His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo, Her Majesty the Royal Grand Mother, Their Majesties the Queen Mothers and members of the royal family attended the ceremony.

Her Royal Highness Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck graduated from Harvard Law School with an LLM in 2007 and started work at the High Court of Bhutan. Her Royal Highness has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University in the US. Her Royal Highness interned with a highly reputed legal firm in San Francisco and returned to Bhutan to complete the Post Graduate Diploma in National Law.

Dasho Phub Dorji has a Masters degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. and Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Economics from George Washington University. He topped the 2004 civil service examinations and currently works in the Finance Ministry.

After the marriage ceremony, His Majesty the King, His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, Her Majesty the Royal Grand Mother, Their Majesties the Queen Mothers, other royal family members and well-wishers offered Tashi Khadhar.

Source: BBS

20. Zhemgang

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Starting in the 1990s, Assamese separtists maintained guerilla bases in the forests of southern Zhemgang from which they would launch attacks on targets in India and then return across the border. In late 2003 the King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck led a military operation which largely swept the guerillas out of the region. Because of the risk of attack, foreign tourists are not yet allowed to visit Zhemgang.

It is a three-storied Lhakhang, which was, constructed with, among others, financial contribution from His Majesty the King and His Holiness the 70th Je Khenpo, Trulku Jigme Choeda, who once headed the Zangtopelri. The lhakhang’s story begins in the early 1960s when Lam Yeshey Pema Thinley built a small monastry in Tali and established its first dratshang.
At that time it had student strength of only 30 monks. Other renowned Buddhist teachers such as Penlopkhen Rinpoche, who came to teach and bless the student in 1967, visited the monastry. Later a winter resident was added for the Tali dratshang in Gelephu.

19. Dagana

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Legend has it that the people of Dagana were a lawless bunch in the 17th century, and that the Shabdrung had to send in soldiers to gain control over the dzongkha.

Dagana Dzongkhag is one of the remotest Dzongkhags in the country. Dagana Dzongkhag comprises of Daga Lingsum and Daga Lungsum. The Lingsum are Peling (Tseza Geog), Lhaling (Kana Geog) and Dhaling (Kana Geog), And Daga Lungsum are Tasha (Lajab Geog), Dagana and Getana (now under Chukha Dzongkhag).

The total area of Dagana Dzongkhag is approximately 1389 km2. It lies between 26 Degrees 50 minutes North to 27 Degrees 17 minutes North and 89 degrees 41 minutes East to 90 Degrees 5 minutes east approximately. It shares its borders with Thimphu and Chukha Dzongkhag to the west, Wangduephodrang Dzongkhag to the north, Tsirang Dzongkhag to the east and Sarpang Dzongkhag to the south. The elevation ranges from 600 m to over 3800 m above sea level. The Dzongkhag falls within the Temperate Zone in the north and sub-tropical in south with hot and wet summers and cool and dry winters.

About 79% of the total area in the Dzongkhag are under forest cover with tree species like Champ, Arguray, Chirpine and Sal, etc.

18. Lhuntse

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It consists of 2506 households. Located in the northeast, Lhuntse is one of the least developed dzhongkhags of Bhutan. There are few roads, the first gas station was opened as recently as September 2005, electricity is not well distributed and the difficult terrain makes distribution of social welfare difficult. Despite its favourable climate, farming is also hindered by the difficult infrastructure.

Lhuentse is 77 km. from Mongar (3 hours’ drive) and is one of the most isolated districts in Bhutan. The landscape is spectacular, with stark cliffs towering above river gorges and dense coniferous forests. The region is famous for its weavers, and their distinctive textiles are generally considered to be the best in the country. The Kurtoe region of Lhuentse is the ancestral home of the monarchy.