Blessings of the Thunder Dragon

Written by Kinza Mujeeb • December 2010

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Every nation is seen getting more and more entangled in the complexities of globalization. According to a Post Modernist, Anthony Giddens, a highly modern society is characterized by heightened ‘reflexivity’ which includes a state of uncertainty due to increased willingness of exploring and adapting to new changes, attitudes, religious beliefs, knowledge, ideas and cultures. Hence, globalization, in the name of positive change and cultural assimilation, has often resulted in a social havoc.

Amidst such examples, Bhutan, the tiny ancient land, inhabited as early as 2000BC, has managed to keep much of its culture and religion intact. It has also ensured that the inevitable process of change occurs extremely slowly. The landlocked country is uneasily squeezed between two powerful neighbors, each offering a distinctive and spectacular flavor of multifaceted religious and cultural hues. The new era of technology and connectivity although is spreading like a contagious disease, Bhutan still has many precious sights, myths, beliefs and cultures to hold on to.

The splendor of the serene beauty surrounding the Bhutanese is elevated even more because of their religious beliefs. The natural environment is not only seen as sheltering all life forms but is also considered the abode of the gods and the spirits. Consequently they not only live in harmony with nature, they revere their religious beliefs, considering many mountains sacred, which are still unexplored and preserved, like the famous Mount Jumolhari “The Goddess Peak”. The sacred and mysterious mountainous folds contain many stories and myths, which still reverberate in this tiny realm, giving a sense of unity to all its inhabitants. The pristine environment provides an atmosphere where communion with god is possible.

An intriguing early morning ritual, which they believe helps purify negative karma, is worth mentioning in which leaves or aromatic herbs (juniper) are burned as an offering to the mountain deities. While worshipers also offer seven bowls filled with water, which are placed on altars of homes or temples.

Bhutan offers a kaleidoscope of fascinating rituals and vibrant traditional festivals. As the Bhutanese always emphasize on ‘Tendrel’ or good auspices, winter crops are not planted until the fields are blessed with the appearance of the black necked crane. The Black Necked Crane festival is held on November 12 each year. The festival in Phobjikha celebrates the long awaited arrival of these sacred birds. As the cranes are circling to lose altitudes, the children beneath, clad in their crane costumes, perform wonderfully choreographed crane dance. The audience wearing crane masks also gets a chance to witness other spectacular masked dances, which evokes a sense of homogeneity amongst the locals and the tourists. Moreover the passage of years has not erased the belief in the existence of elusive creatures like ‘Snowman’, which resembles a savage ape-man, leaving giant footprints along with a pungent odor that travels as an evidence of its reality.

Acknowledging the need of modernization and globalization, the Bhutanese are entering into the 21st century with slow, steady and calculated steps, so as not to lose the precarious balance between faith and modernity. Bhutanese monarch King Jigme Singye (fourth King) is famous for inventing the term ‘Gross National Happiness’, which serves as a blueprint for survival for many Bhutanese because it aims to achieve a balance between the spiritual and the material.