Snuggled in the folds of Eastern Himalayas, Bhutan is the
only country in the world where Vajrayana Buddhism is a way of everyday life
and is often known as “ The Last Shangri- La”. Welcome to Bhutan – the happiest
place on Earth ! Famous for its concept of Gross National Happiness, Bhutan is
the best place to visit when you want to break away from monotony of a hectic,
stressful lifestyle. Be it the beauty of the spectacular Himalayas and wide
landscapes dotted with rice fields or the magnificent architecture of age old
monasteries and houses, Bhutan is a treat for your eyes , mind , body and soul.
The two main cities are Thimphu, the capital city and Paro,
the only international airport in the country. The other important city is Phuentsholing which is an Indo Bhutan border
town and is one of the entry point to Bhutan by surface from India.
LOCATION : Located in
the Eastern Himalayas, Bhutan is bordered by China in the North & Indian
state of Arunachal Pradesh , Sikkim , Assam & West Bengal in the east ,
west & south.
AREA : 38398 sq km
ALTITUDE : Varying from 180 to 7550 m above sea level
POPULATION : Approximately 700000
LOCAL TIME : 6 hours ahead of GMT & 30 minutes ahead of
IST
RELIGION : MAHAYANA BUDDHISM & HINDUISM
BEST TIME TO TRAVEL : Bhutan has 4 distinct season – spring
, summer , autumn and winter.
Spring and autumn are the best time to visit Bhutan ,
example from end of February till mid of May and September to November .
If you love flowers, you will get plenty of them during
spring and summer.
November , December , January and February will be blessed
with breath taking mountain views , sunny days and the morning / evening
chills.
NATIONAL FLAG: The national flag is rectangular &
divided into 2 pars with a white dragon in the middle. The upper yellow half
signifies the country’s secular authority of the King & the lower saffron
orange half signifies the religious practice & spiritual power of Buddhism.
PEOPLE: Bhutanese are friendly & hospitable people. The
large majority of Bhutanese people are a homogeneous group divided
linguistically into 3 broad sub groups. These are Sharchops,Ngalong &
Lhoyshampa.
FOOD : Staple diet is red rice, buck wheat , wheat , maize,
pork, beef , chicken ,yak meat , cheese chilies ( taken as vegetable – not as
spice)
ART & CRAFT : Bhutan is known for handicraft items in
bronze , silver & other metals. Sculpting of religious figures is widely
practiced & every temple, houses are large and brightly painted &
gilded statues of Buddha & other saints.
ARCHITECTURE: The castle like Dzongs , with their gently
tapering walls classic lines, large courtyard & beautiful galleries, are
among the finest examples of Bhutanese architecture.
LIVING CULTURE: In almost every Dzongs ( fortresses that house
both the monastic & the Government administrative wings ) there is an
annual traditional festival ( tsechus) that normally spans 3-5 days. Colorful
& well-choreographed mask dance are performed during the tsechus. Due to
the nature of the lunar calendar year, exact dates for tsechus vary from year
to year.
BHUTAN AT A GLANCE :
NATIONAL SPORTS : ARCHERY
NATIONAL ANIMAL : TAKIN
NATIONAL DISH : EMA DATSHI
NATIONAL BIRD : RAVEN
NATIONAL DRESS : KIRA
NATIONAL DAY : 17TH DECEMBER
NATIONAL FLOWER :BLUE POPPY
NATIONAL TREE: HIMALAYAN CYPRESS ( CUPRESSUS TOROLUSA)
NATIONAL CURRENCY :NGULTRUM
BHUTAN AT A GLANCE :
NATIONAL SPORTS : ARCHERY
NATIONAL ANIMAL : TAKIN
NATIONAL DISH : EMA DATSHI
NATIONAL BIRD : RAVEN
NATIONAL DRESS : KIRA
NATIONAL DAY : 17TH DECEMBER
NATIONAL FLOWER :BLUE POPPY
NATIONAL TREE: HIMALAYAN CYPRESS ( CUPRESSUS TOROLUSA)
NATIONAL CURRENCY :NGULTRUM
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