Bhutan through the Eyes of Jimmy Yoedsel

Bhutan through the eyes of Jimmy Yoedsel

Contents

Facts and Figures Page 3

Dzongkha

Sports

Page 4-5

Pages 6-9

Festivals and Religion

Architecture

Clothing

Food

Arts

Pages 14-17

Pages 18-20

Pages 21-24

Pages 25-29

Pages 10-13

Page 2

Facts and Figures.

The Land of the Thunder Dragon or Bhutan is located between India and China in South Asia. It is predominantly a Buddhist country lying on the Himalayan Mountain range.

Prayer Flags in the wind.

National Language: Dzongkha Currency: Ngultrum Capital City: Thimphu Type of Government: Constitutional Monarchy Head of state: His Majesty the King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Head of government: Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay Year of unification: 1907 Total area: 38,394 sq. km Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism Highest level of elevation; 7,570 meters above sealevel Lowest level of elevation: 97 meters above sealevel

Welcome

Page 3 03

Language

National Flag of Bhutan outside the Tashicho Dzong.

Page 4

Language The main language spoken in the kingdom of the Thunder Dragon is Dzongkha.

Dzongkha is a south Tibetic language and is the national language of Bhutan. Dzongkha is related to languages such as Sikkimesse which is spoken in the Indian state of Sikkim, Brokpa which is spoken in Gasa and Tashi Yangtse and Tshangkha which is spoken in Trongsa and Wangdue Phodrang. The populaton of Bhutan is only 753,947.

Source: Wikimedia commons A sample of Dzongkha text - a map of Bhutan with the names of districts in Dzongkha

30 Alphabets of Dzongkha

Page 5

Sports

Page 6

Sports

An archer with a compound bow is aiming for the target at Changlimithang Archery Grounds Source: thestar.com

The national sport of Bhutan is Archery. The Bhutanese game of archery is that the two targets are spaced out 150 meters away from each other and the main aim for the contestants is to hit the target. Archery is mainly played by the Bhutanese during national or religious holidays. In Bhutan, nearly every village has a field that they can play archery in. The traditional way of playing archery is using bows and arrows made from bamboo.

Now the players use compound bows and arrows that are made from aluminium. Usually in tournaments and big matches, it is a tradition for each team to hire women as cheerleaders. What the cheerleaders typically do is that they sing songs that mock and distract the players from the other team while shooting. Archery matches in Bhutan usually last a full day.

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Sports Eventhough archery is the national sport in Bhutan there are other sports, both modern and traditional which the people enjoy. These traditional sports like archery is usually played during auspicious days or family gatherings.Some well know traditional sports include

-Degor, which is a game where contestants have to throw a roundish shaped rock that fits in the palm to a distance of 25 meters where lies the target which is normally a stick poked into the ground. At the end of the round, the rock closest to the target gets the point.

Two people in gho playing Degor Source: Wikipedia.

-Khuru, a version of darts where the two targets are spaced 50 meters away from each other and the goal is to hit the target.

A contestant aiming down his sights for the target Source: Statickflickr.com

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Sports The Bhutanese also play sports such as basketball, football, tennis, badminton and golf. Throughout the year there are several tournaments which are held by local companies. Football is one of the main sports played. Bhutan has competed in international competitions such as the Asian Football cup. Bhutan is 209 in the FIFA world rankings.

Two Bhutanese Student playing basketball Source: New York TImes.

A game of football in Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu Bhutan

Page 9

Festivals

One of the traditional masked dances.

Page 10

Festivals Tshechu.

A tshechu is a religious festival celebtatred in every district and it normally occurs on the 10th day of the month of the lunar calendar however it occur in different months. During Tsechus mask dances are performed that typically dpeict a moral story from the life of Guru Rinpoche, a great saint.

During Tshechu’s a long Thongdrel is unfurled. A Thongdrel is similar to a Thangkha painting. In Thongdrels, it usually depicts Lord Padmasambhava surrounded by holy beings. It is said that when the viewers take a look at the Thongdrel, then all the sins which the viewer has committed will be cleansed.

Other than that, tshechu is the time of the year where people wear their brightest and best kira’s and gho’s. It is the time of the year where families come together and share meals.

Above: A solo performance of a masked dance.

Left: A group of masked dancers about to perform Source: Indochinatravel.com

Page 11

Religion

The national Memorial Chorten in Thimphu, Bhutan Page 12

Religion Bhutan is the only country in the world where Buddhism is the official religion and is supported fully by the government.The Buddhist faith plays an important role in the cultural, ethical and sociological development of Bhutan and its people. Mahayana Buddhism is the state religion, and Buddhists made up of about 70% of the population.

Although the Buddhism in Bhutan originates from Tibet, Buddhism in Bhutan differs significantly items of its rituals and monastic organization. The government annually donates large sums of money to monasteries, shrines, monks, and nuns. Throughout Bhutan, stupas or more commonly known as Chortens line the roadside commemorating a place where Guru Rimpoche or Shabdrung may have stopped to meditate. Prayers flags are even more common as they maintain constant communication with heaven, in terms of Buddhist belief. The large majority of Bhutan's Buddhists are followers of the Drukpa subsect of the Kargyupa School, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The Kargyupa concept is about tying the realization of emptiness to freedom from reincarnation.

An example of a relgious manuscript.

One of the daily religious rituals performed by most of the families throughout Bhutan is in the morning before the sun rises, a family member would offer 7 bowls of water and incenses to the gods along with prayers. Along with the offering of water, people also light butter lamps. Before the sun sets, the bowls of water offering made in the morning are then emptied. In rural villages people also burn pine or cyprus leaves to make a thick aromatic smoke as an offering to the gods.

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Traditional Architecture

Examples of Traditional houses in Paro.

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Traditional Architecture

The Traditional Architecture of Bhutan is unique in comparison to the rest of the world. The traditional Bhutanese houses have specific guidelines which need to be followed.

-Must be built out of clay and wood -Built using traditional methods such as beating clay into wooden frames using wooden logs -The doors of a household always face east -Stair cases are made out of wood -Iron bars and nails are not utilized -Windows have to be carved in a very specific way.

-Houses should usually have 2 stories, where the ground floor usually is used for storage or as an animal shed. The top floor if used for living quarters -Houses are usually white washed with paintings on the outside walls of the households.

Page 15

Modern architecture

Modern Houses in Paro, Bhutan.

Page 16

Modern architecture

The Modern architecture is very different compared to the traditional architecture of Bhutan. The modern architecture makes use of technology such as electricity or the use of cement or glass in building the house. The modern houses have more freedom than the traditional houses in terms of guide lines. The modern houses are almost never made out of wood or clay. Modern houses do not have to be painted white, they can be painted any other color.

Page 17

Traditional Clothing of Bhutan

A Bhutanese couple posing for a picture in Gho and Kira Page 18

The Gho The national dress for men in Bhutan is called Gho. The Gho was introduced by Zhabdrung Nawang Namgyel in the 17th century. The Gho is a knee length robe which is tied at the waist with a belt made out of cloth, which is called kera. The people of Bhutan are expected to adorn the national dress for all formal occasions such as going to a monastery, office or going to school.

The fourth King of Bhutan playing archery in a gho

Page 19

The Kira Kira is the national dress for females in Bhutan. Kira is a long, ankle length piece of fabric which is woven into a rectangle. The kira is wrapped and folded around the body and is secured by two pins at the should area with traditional brooches called Koma. Along the waist, the kera or long belt is wrapped around the body, ensuring that the kira does not fall off. Along with the kira, a long sleeved blouse or a wonju is worn and inside the wonju, there is a smaller blouse called the toego.

An old lady at Changangkha Lhakhang in a kira

Page 20

Food

A Bhutanese speciality, Dried Red chillies.

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Food Food in Bhutan is very different in comparison to other countries. First of all, rice is the main part in every meal. Whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner, there will always be rice.

Secondly, chillies are essential in Bhutanese cooking. People in Bhutan say if the food is not spicy, then it is boring. That is why when some foreigners come to Bhutan, they have problems adjusting to the food. Below are some food items which you can expect to find in the local sunday market: Buckwheat

Red rice

Dried Red chillies Sichuan pepper

Spinach

Yak meat

Cheese

Buttermilk

Chillies

Tree tomatoes

Okra

Bittergourd

Mint

Tripe

Mushrooms

Butter

A typical Sunday markey stall selling sichuan peppers and dried vegetables

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Food Ema Datsi Recipe Arguably the most famous Bhutannese dish or Chilli and Cheese.

Ingredients: -250g of chillies (green and of medium hotness) -1 onion chopped -1 tomato sliced -50g Gouda cheese -2 cheddar cheese slices -2 tablespoon vegetable oil -1 teaspoon of salt

Directions: -Cut chillies longitudinally (1 chilli = 4 pcs).

-Put these chillies, chopped onion and sliced tomato in a pot add approximately 200 ml of water and salt.

-Add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil.

What you finished product should look like

-Then boil in medium heat for about 5 minutes.

-Once it boils add cheese and let it boil for a minute or two.

-Finally give it a good stir and ensure the chillies are coated with the cheese.

Serves 3. As always, serve with a generous portion of red rice or polished white rice, along with some other dishes. You are now ready for a treat of great Ema Datshi.

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Food Momo Recipe Momo is a dumpling usually filled with meat or vegetables. It is a very popular snack with people of all ages within Bhutan.

The dough.

To make the dough, you need: -500 grams of flour -1 to 1 and half cup water Put the flour in a large bowl, make a hole in the middle and pour the water and knead the dough.

When the dough is firm and supple set it aside.

The Filling -250 grams minced meat -250 grams chopped onion -150 grams finely chopped cabbage -a small piece of ginger finely crushed

Momos in a steamer

-3 tablespoon oil -2 tablespoon salt In a large bowl put in the ingredients the minced meat, chopped onions, chopped cabbage, crushed ginger and mix it all together, add the oil and the salt. The filling is now ready for the momo.

Making the dumpling Using a rolling pin and a flat board, roll out the dough, using a cookie cutter, cut out into round shapes, holding the round shape in the palm of your hand put in a spoonful of the filling, then starting from one end close the skin together from side to side. Once the dumplings are ready, lay it out on the steamer lined with oil and cook the dumplings for 15 mins, then the momos are ready to be served.

Page 24

Arts

A Thangkha painting of Lord Padmasambhava, Source thangkhar.com Page 25

Arts Arts and crafts for Bhutan is vital. Arts and crafts are used everywhere throughout Bhutan for example, religious paintings and religious sculptures are used in monasteries. Art can also be found in the patterns of the national dress of Bhutan. In Bhutan, traditional art is known as Zorig Chusum which means “The Thirteen Arts.� The Thirteen Arts of Bhutan Include: Dezo: This art of making paper out of the Daphne plant, which is native to Asia in general.

Source: http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/ blogs/debbysdepartures/files/2012/01/ BhutanHandmadePaperScreen2.jpg

Dozo: The art of stonework.

This form of art is used when making the extior walls of the Bhutanese Dzongs (fortress), Monasteries and Chortens (Stupas).

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Arts Garzo: The art of blacksmithing. This form of art is used in crafting tools, knives and swords Source: oriental-arms.com

Jinzo: The art of shaping clay. This form of art is used to make religious sculptures, pottery and using clay to build traditional houses.

Lhazo: The art of painting. This form of art is used to paint thangka’s (religious paintings), painting walls, statues and painting windows and doors.

Source: Wikipeida.com

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Arts Lugzo: The art of Bronze casting. This form of art is used when producing statues, religious instruments and jewelry.

Source: mattandemilyinbhutan.blogspot.com

Parzo; The art of wood, slate and stone carving. This form of art is used in making masks for religious dances, making the wooden printing blocks for religious texts and making images of religious figures on slate.

Source: masks of the world.com

Shagzo: The art of wood turning. This form of art is used in making wooden bowls, plates and cups Source: vacationinbhutan.com

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Arts Trรถzo: The art of silver and gold smithing. This form of art is used in forming gold and silver for jewelry and religious instruments.

Source: beadcollector.net

Tshazo: The art of cane and Bamboo work. This form of art is used in making items such as bows, arrows, fences, mats and Bangchu (bamboo container).

Source: cigay.blogspot.de

Shingzo: The art of wood working. This form of art is used in the construction of wooden beams which are used in Dzongs (fortresses) and other monastries.

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