How do I describe a country that believes in happiness and provides it too? That provides free education and free healthcare to all citizens? That has pure mountain air, 70% forest cover and pristine Himalayan rivers? Throw in organic food, cars that don’t seem to have horns and you have the perfect holiday destination – Bhutan. It was a special vacation, the first for us this year.
And Bhutan greeted us with open arms. A country that welcomed us Indians even without the basic requirement of a visa is a rare treat. The $65 per day charge is meant to discourage backpackers, not us. No need to get foreign exchange, our rupee is welcome too. In fact with Ngultrum pegged to Indian rupee, there was no need to calculate – Nu 100 is equal to Rs. 100!
The flight from Kolkata was short and we got a clear view of Mount Everest. On landing, I noticed the air was noticeably fragrant – it was spring with wild flowers blooming on the slopes and swaying Cypress trees everywhere. The roads are being widened and repaired but the terribly bumpy ride did not stop us from doing all the famous touristy stuff – braving the trek up to the spectacular Tiger’s Nest (a daunting climb up 2500 feet), visiting the Dzongs and ancient monasteries, catching the Archery finals at Thimpu, rafting at Punakha and much more. We enjoyed the typical fare of red rice and Ema Datshi (a delectable chilli and cheese dish) but it was reassuring to go back to the readily available Indian grub from time to time. I was amazed at the local people’s marked preference for their traditional dress of Goh (for men) and Kira (for women) in spite of the Western and Korean influences.
As we drove from Paro to Trongsa to Bumthang over 12 days, what struck me most were the smiling faces and confidence of the women.
Wearing Kiras as bright as the Rhodohonderon growing wild on the hills, the women were managing businesses alongside men. They were in the hotels, shops, offices and cafes. The weavers of the intricate Kiras and shawls are mostly women.
The reason women stand side by side with the men is the fair culture prevailing in their society. This is one of the few regions in Asia where the girl child is equally welcome. Marriages are true partnerships with equal say in decision making for the wife.
Divorce is easy to obtain and remarriage is common. While the younger generation in cities may choose to live independently after marriage, often the groom moves into the bride’s household. In fact, you may come across a mom telling her son to get married quickly and vacate the room for her son-in-law!
I met and spoke to many women and we talked about many things as English is spoken widely along with Nepali and Hindi. When I said I lived in Mumbai, the talk invariably turned to movies and then to Indian TV soaps which are telecast across the border. That’s the first time I felt less than happy in Bhutan. All the women unanimously expressed disconnect with the repressive culture depicted in our shows. That was something they could not relate to; nor could they understand why such serials were allowed. I realized perhaps we underestimate the impact of showing indiscriminate content on TV.
I also realized that there are several things we can learn from this tiny Buddhist kingdom. And I intend to return – as soon as the highway is repaired!
