Apparels of Unity

Written by Manam Iqbal • July 2010

2-1 Despite tough outside pressures, the small kingdom of Bhutan has succeeded in protecting its cultural heritage from the global onslaught.

The colorful and uniquely designed dress code of Bhutan is a symbol of its national identity as well as the evidence of the stress that is laid on the cultural character of the nation. A land-locked kingdom cradled in the lap of the Himalayas, Bhutan has tried hard and successfully so far to sustain a balance between traditions and modernity in the face of globalization.

Roughly the size of Switzerland with a population of 700,000, "Druk Yul" or the Land of the Thunder-Dragon as it is known locally, has a draping style which dates back to the 17th century when Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel entered Bhutan to unite it and to give the country its distinct attire.

The men wear Gho, a knee-length robe-like apparel which is held in place with a belt or kera in such a way that it forms a pouch at the front. The women's dress is called Kira which is comprised of a plain ankle length rectangular piece of cloth in earthly tones worn with a colorful blouse called Wonju. Silk jackets or Toego which are generally used for special occasions complete the attire. Different situations call for the use of variety of other garments along with the basic dresses. For instance, male commoners are required to wear a white sash, or Kabney in presence of high officials or while visiting a monastery whereas women may make use of Ranchu, a piece of embroidered cloth draped over the shoulder.

All citizens are obliged to wear their national dress under the law Driglam Namzha which is a set of guidelines for how Bhutanese are to dress and behave in public. These rules are enforced rigorously in the whole country, the reason being that although Bhutan is a country which was never colonized or over-run by foreigners, it is however plagued by a deep sense of vulnerability. Jigme Singye Wangchuk, the fourth king or Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan told the New York Times in 1991: "Being a small country we do not have economic power. We do not have military muscle. We cannot play a dominant international role because of our small size and population and because we are a land-locked country, the only factor which can strengthen Bhutan's sovereignty and our different identity is the unique culture we have."

Surrounded by the economic giants of the region i.e. China to the north and India to the south, Bhutan has felt waves of pressure hit it continuously in 1950's when Tibet was occupied by the former and in 1970s when independent Sikkim was annexed to the latter. Bhutan has thus strictly followed a policy of isolationism until a chink was opened to the last Shangri-La in 1975 and limited numbers of tourists started trickling in. The number of foreigners visiting the country is stringently controlled with only around 23,000 allowed to visit last year.

The tendrils of globalization have been kept at bay for long enough and western vogues and behavior patterns are discouraged widely, especially among the youth who are quick to adapt to change. Bhutan was one of the last countries to lift the ban on internet and television in 1999 lest indigenous culture be eroded.

The heed to avoid foreign customs and mores maybe gauged from the fact that the capital city Thimphu (read: tim-pooh) is more of a village then an urban centre, home to the country's only cinema and only newspaper and a virtual stranger to traffic lights.

The only country in the world to measure Gross National Happiness as the standard for prosperity rather than economic growth, the land with the pristine environment seems to be an anomaly, a haven in the utterly chaotic world.