Happiness is a Country

The lighting of butter lamps is an everyday act of reverence. It’s part of Buddhist belief, representing the eradication of darkness and ignorance with wisdom and light. Each day, the faithful light butter lamps on home altars to brighten their paths in life’s journey. On special feast days, or when a close relative or friend has passed away, more lamps will be lit. On these occasions, we often use real yak butter to fuel the lamps, instead of the more commonly used solidified vegetable oil.

It’s very important to the Bhutanese that proper protocol should be followed when visiting temples or government offices. Clothing should be modest and shoes should be taken off at temple entrances. Photos should not be taken inside temples and it’s considered polite to ask permission before taking pictures of locals. In our culture, when you visit private homes or monasteries, it is also customary to bring a gift of some kind. When conversing with Bhutan’s most important figures: royalty, head monks, Rinpoches and so on, you should cover your mouth with your sleeves or hands.

A guest visited Bhutan shortly after the loss of her daughter. She was in deep mourning. Throughout the journey she made with us, her sadness was profound and yet somehow cathartic, especially during temple visits where offerings were made and butter lamps were lit. 

In Central Bhutan in my hometown of Bumthang, we have a festival called Jambay Lhakhang Drup. It’s held in honour of one of Bhutan’s oldest temples, the seventh-century Jambay Lhakhang. The festival culminates at midnight with the Ter Cham, or naked dance, an ancient tradition which celebrates the construction of the temple after demons were successfully subdued. 

Absolutely. Folklore has very special significance among Bhutanese families; we share our stories from generation to generation. We believe yetis exist in Brigdungla and Bumthang, as well as magical lakes such as Chumphul, or the Floating Goddess Lake.

The Wheel of Life. It depicts the Karmic life cycle, which teaches us how to be better people, and how to elevate the way in which we live our lives. 

My top recommendations would include a pilgrimage to Tiger’s Nest Monastery, which is perhaps Bhutan’s most iconic temple complex, a butter lamp lighting ceremony, and the hoisting of prayer flags. Another extraordinary experience is a helicopter journey to Jomolhari, winding between the hidden glaciers and lakes around Paro and Thimphu. 

I would recommend the Jewels of Bhutan itinerary, which takes in the best hikes around Paro and Punakha. It is fully customised for each family to suit all ages and abilities.

The Trans-Bhutan Trail — covering 250 miles, and opening this year for the first time — connects all the valleys and districts of Bhutan along its centuries-old pathways. It’s a great way to promote trekking: we can choose which parts of the trail we walk to match any length of stay and point of interest. It shines a light on the pristine areas and different cultural centres of Bhutan outside the usual tourist circuit.

It depends on how you measure happiness. We are not rich in a material sense, but in Bhutan, happiness is measured by having enough. We are contented and grateful: to be able to give unconditionally builds kindness in us all, which in turn creates more happiness. 

My favourite guidebook is Bhutan Travelog by Ashley Chen and Joni Herison. It has insights into Bhutan’s history, values and culture, and also includes first-hand travellers’ accounts of their journeys to the Dragon Kingdom. For an everyday sense of Bhutanese life, I love Chablop Passang Tshering’s PaSsu Diary. He’s a very popular Bhutanese blogger, and this collection spans ten years of his writing about everyday people, places and events.  

The Kingdom is still culturally intact. For instance, most Bhutanese still wear the country’s national dress daily (gho for men, kira for women). The monasteries and temples are active places of worship that still have monks and nuns residing in them. The food has not changed much over the years; fern tips, chilli and cheese — my grandparents and their grandparents before them ate the same things I do. 

We’re lucky in Bhutan. When His Majesty the Fourth King opened Bhutan to tourism in 1974, he promoted a ‘high value, low impact’ philosophy. It means that we prioritise quality of tourism over quantity, which allows us to preserve our culture and environment.