UNIT 1

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND REGIONAL

SETTINGS OF BHUTAN
• Bhutan was known in ancient times by several other names, such as: Lho Mon (Southern
Country of Mon), Monyul (Dark Land, a reference to the Monpa aboriginal peoples of
Bhutan), Lho Yul (Southern Land), Lho Jong (Southern Valley), Lho Men Jong
(Southern Valley of Medicinal Herbs), Lho Tsenden Jong (Southern Valley of
Sandalwood), Lhomon Khashi

• (southern Mon country of four approaches – Sha Dungsam Kha in the east, Lho Pasam
Kha in the south- cooch Bihar, Nup Daling Kha in the west and Jang Taktse Kha in the
north), Sanskrit words Bhota-ant (end of Bhot, an Indian name for Tibet) or Bhu-uttan
(meaning highlands), Drukyul (country of the Drokpa, the Dragon People, or the Land of
the Thunder Dragon – Phajo Drugom Shinpo expanded his kingdom - Sha, Wang, Paro,
Thed and Thimphu).

• According to Hasrat (1980), Bhutan, the land of the Mon or Mon to the South, is applied
because it is the state which lies to the south of Lhasa. Bon religion (worship the deities
of the Sky and Earth and Variuos cosmic gods and goddesses – fire, wind, sun and moon)
existed in Tibet. The Bon practices spread in the southern region of Tibet. Since the
teaching of Budhha did not exist, the southern region or country was called Mon
(darkness) and the inhibitants as Monpas. Lhasa Tshangma introduced the Bon religion in
Tibet.

1. Territorial Consolidation or Territorial Occupation

• The territorial consolidation of Bhutan can be explained in five phases or stages:

• A. Bhutan as part of Tibetan Bhuddhist World

• B. Zhabdrung Era and Unification of Bhutan

• C. British Encroachment and Southern Boundary Disputes (1772-1907)

• D. Indo-Bhutan Relationship after 1949

• E. Indo- China Relationship and Occupation of Bhutan Territory

A. Bhutan as Part of Tibetan Bhuddhist World

i) King Songtshen Gampo

• According to the Tibetan chronicles and Bhutanese namthars, the great Bhuddhist
Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in the 6th Century believed that the demons, which
encompassed the whole Tibet, was striking out with her arms and legs. In order to pin
these down, he pledged to build 108 monastries to propagate Bhuddhism. He built four
temples in the central region of Tibet known as the Four Great Horn Suppressors (Ru-
gnon Chen-po-bzhi).

• Then he built further four temples to tame the border (mtha-dal) and finally a set of
another four temples to tame the area beyond the border (yang-dul). The two monasteries
Japa Lhakhang in Bumthang and Kichu Lhakahng in Paro are the main existing temples
in Bhutan which are built by the King to subdue the demons and spread the Bhuddhism.
A detailed diagrammatic description is provided with the maps below:
ii. Gurupadsambhava (Guru Rimpoche)

In the 8th century A.D. Sindhu Gyab (Sindhu Raja) ruled in Bumthang for a short period. He
was born as the middle of seven sons to the King Sing-ga-la of Serskya (Kapilvastu). He built an
Iron Castle on the banks of the river Chamkhar. The King Nabudara, the ruler of the Duar plains
in India or the main enemy of the king Sing-ga-la, occupied the territories belonging to Sindhu
Gyab. The king defeated the Bumthang forces and Tala Mambar, the son of Sindhu Gyab was
killed. The defeat resulted the King to lose his faith in religion and his supporting deities. He
destroyed all temples and images of gods and goddesses in his kingdom.

• Shegig Karpo, the spirits attacked the King and became very ill. To overcome his illness,
the messengers were sent to Tibet to invite Guru who was spreading Bhuddhism amongst
the Tibetans. Guru fought with the devil (Shegig Karpo) and was killed. Guru saved the
King and converted him to Buddhism from Hinduism. This led to the construction of 12
famous Buddhists temples in Bhutan- Tagtshang, Kurje Damar, Paro Chumphu, etc.

• Moreover, Guru enquired the King the cause of the conflict between him and King
Nabudara. Guru ordered that both kings must meet him on the border of India and Mon.
In the presence of both kings, a pillar was erected on the spot (Nabzhi- south of holy
mountain Jo-Bo-Dung Shering now known as the Balck Mountain), where Guru declared
that henceforth whoever contravenes this oath-stone pillar he would die.

• According to the Namthar (Biography), the Chagkhar King resided in Bumthang. Kurje
Rock, Shegig Karpo, and his companion demons caused a serious illness by their
powerful magic (Harsat, 1980:29). Guru was invited from India to Bhutan. Guru tamed
the demons and the snakes and the king was cured. Guru introduced Mahayana Buddhism
- the recognition of various Buddhas of the past, the present and the future (Bodhisattavas
– successive rebirth for the wellbeing of the human race).

• All these stories support that there was a parallel development of Buddhism in Tibet and
Bhutan.

iii) Phajo Drugom Shigpo

• The nephew of Tsangpa Jarey of Tibet, Phajo Drugom Shigpo, was sent to south
Sandalwood country from Druk Ralung to spread Budhhism. He stayed at Lingshi Jya-
goed Dzong and from there we moved to Paro Tagtshang and then went to Thimphu and
meditated at the natural “Horse-Headed Rock” Tango Choeying Dzong. He and his
descendents ruled in western and central Bhutan of Sha,Wang, Paro, Thed, and Thimphu.
The celebrated persons from Ralung helped spread the Kargyupa sect of Budhhism and
later given the name “Drukyul” instead of “Lho Mon.” The inhabitants began to be called
as “Drukpa.”
 B. Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel - At Whose Feet One Submits, or, in many Western
sources, dharma raja (1954-1651 A.D.)

• Lama Ngawang Namgyel, the rebirth of Kunkhen Padma Karpo and the scion of Ja,
arrived Bhutan in 1616 A.D. at the age of 23 because of earlier prediction and prophecies.
He was the descendent of Tsangpa Jarey Yeshe Dorji, the founder of the Drukpa sect.
Harsat (1980:46) states that Pal Yeshi Goempo, the protecting deity of Bhutan, in a
dream urged him to go to Bhutan and assume its spiritual and temporal leadership. He
first arrived at Tago monastery (Chari) and went to Pangri Zampa and from there he went
to the Valley of Paro. He governed the country for 35 years and ruled from East
Dungsamkha to West Dalingkha ad from South Pasamkha to North Tagsterkha. The four
“Khas” grew into the kingdom of Bhutan – this union is known as Palden Drukpa. He
promulgated a code of law (Tsa Yig-spiritual and temporal law), appointed the Deb and
heirarchy of officials,and built a network of dzong, a system that helped bring local lords
under centralized control and strengthened the country against Tibetan invasions in 1629,
1631,1639, 1643, 1647 and 1714.

C. British Encroachment and Southern Boundary Disputes (1772-1907)

i) Cooch Behar

In the early eighteenth century, Bhutan had successfully developed control over the
principality of Cooch Behar. The raja of Cooch Behar had sought assistance from Bhutan against
the Indian Mughals in 1730, and Bhutanese political influence was not long in following. When
the Deb Zhidarla (Sonam Lhundup) invaded Sikkim in 1770, Cooch Behari forces joined their
Bhutanese counterparts in the offensive. In a succession dispute in Cooch Behar two years later,
however, Deb Zhidarla intervened and nominated Brijendra Narayan for the throne and this
appointment was opposed by a rival (Kha gendra Narayan) who invited British troops, and, in
effect, Cooch Behar became a dependency of the British East India Company in 1772. The Deb
signed a Treaty of Peace with the British East India Company on April 25, 1774. Bhutan agreed
to return to its pre-1730 boundaries, paid a symbolic tribute of five horses to Britain, and, among
other concessions, allowed the British to harvest timber in Bhutan.

The Duar War (1864-65)

• It lasted only five months and, despite some battlefield victories by Bhutanese forces,
resulted in Bhutan's defeat, loss of part of its sovereign territory, and forced cession of
formerly occupied territories. Under the terms of the Treaty of Sinchula, signed on
November 11, 1865, Bhutan ceded territories in the Assam Duars and Bengal Duars
(2,750 sq.miles), as well as the eighty-three-square-kilometer territory of Dewangiri in
southeastern Bhutan, in return for an annual subsidy of 50,000 rupees. Jigme Namgyel,
the Trongsa Penlop, and Dzongpon Darlung Tobgye of Wangdiphodrang were the
prominent persons involved in the Duar Wars. Jigme Namgyel died in 1881. The maps
are provided to show the status of Duar War.
• iii) Hereditary Monarchy (1907 onwards).

• Ugyen Wangchuk became Tongsa Penlop in 1883. In 1882, he defeated Jakar Dzongpon,
Singye Namgyel. He also defeated the combined force of Alu Dorji, Dzongpon of
Thimphu and Phunstho Dorji, Dzongpon of Punakha at the battle of Mendegang. In 1885,
the battle of Changlingmithing, the Paro Penlop,Dawa Penjor killed Phuntsho Dorji and
Alu Dorji was fled to Tibet. He won all the civil wars of western and eastern Bhutan and
brought the whole country under his rule after the final victory at the battle of
Changlingmithang in 1885. On 17 December 1907, he was unanimously elected King
Ugyen Wangchuk as the hereditary King of Bhutan, ending 256 years of rule of Desi
from 1651 to 1907 (Ura, 2004:10). The Wangchuk Dynasty started from 1907 till the
present time.
Bhutan in 1909 as indicated in British Map

• D. Indo-Bhutan Relationship after 1949

• The King Jigme Wangchuck signed the Indo-Bhutanese Treaty on 8 August,1949 with
the Governer-General of India at Darjeeling. The treaty marks the modification of the
Treaty of Sinchula. Through this Treaty, Bhutan restored 32 square miles of Diwangiri
and enhanced the annual subisdy from the Rs.500, 000 to Rs. 100,000. Indo-Bhutanese
friendship became the cornerstone of Bhutan’s foreign policy.

(Bhutan map after the loosing of Tawang monastery)

 • During the reign of second king Jigme Wangchuk, the issue of Tawang monastery in far-
east was in dispute. The Tawang monastery has its links with the McMahon like that
outlines the international boundary of Indian sub-continent with China. The McMahon
Line is a line drawn on map attached to the Simla Convention, a treaty between Great
Britain and Tibet concluded in 1914. It is named after Sir Henry McMahon, foreign
secretary for India and the chief British negotiator of the convention. The line extends
along the crest of the Himalayas for 550 miles from Bhutan in east to the great bend of
the Brahmaputra River in the west. This still is a disputable issue between India and
China. The McMahon Line is approximately the same as the Line of Actual Control,
which marks the boundary between territory controlled by India and territory controlled
by China. The McMahon Line is regarded by India as a permanent national border, but is
considered only a temporary line of control by China.

E. Indo- China Relationship and Occupation of Bhutan Territory

• The Indian government, he said, had first sketched the border maps between the two
countries when the first five-year plan began in Bhutan in 1961. Drawing the borders and
erecting the pillars for the entire boundary between the two countries, which began in
1963 was completed in 1970.

Bhutan’s border with China is largely un-demarcated, or remains unresolved. Bhutan is eager to
resolve its boundary disputes with China quietly and amicably. Thus, Bhutan’s China relation is
centred on the resolution of border disputes. Bhutan shares about 1075 km of land boundaries
with its neighbours - China 470 km, India 605 km. The Sino-Bhutan direct border talk was held
first time in Beijing in 1984. The Tenth round of Bhutan-China border talk was held in
Beijing, in November, 1996.  China proposed to exchange 495 sq km area of Pasamlung and
Jakarlung valleys in the northern borders of central Bhutan (which China claims) for
Sinchulumpa, Dramana and Shakhtoe with an area of 269 sq km in the north-west Bhutan.
Bhutan in principle accepted the proposals as also reported by the BBC on July13, 1997.
Sinchulumpa shares borders with Indian state of Sikkim, close to Chumbi valley.

• The Eleventh border talk was held in Thimphu in August 1997. There was no final
decision on the exchange of territories as discussed in Tenth Talk. The Twelfth round
Bhutan and China signed an Agreement to Maintain Peace and Tranquillity on the
Bhutan-China Border in 1998 during the Twelfth round of bilateral border talk. This
could be the first Sino-Bhutanese agreement or treaty till today.  The Agreement
“reiterates its position to fully respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial
integrity of Bhutan”. The Thirteenth   round of boundary talk was held in Thimphu in
1999. The Fourteenth round of boundary talk was held in Beijing, China in November
2000. Bhutan and China signed an Agreement to Maintain Peace and Tranquillity on the
Bhutan-China Border in 1998 during the Twelfth round of bilateral border talk. This
could be the first Sino-Bhutanese agreement or treaty till today.  The Agreement
 “reiterates its position to fully respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial
integrity of Bhutan”. The Fifteenth round of boundary negotiations was held in
Thimphu, Bhutan on the last week of November 2001. The talk focused on the
international boundary between the two countries. The Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty of
2007 strengthens Bhutan's status as an independent and sovereign nation. The Sixteenth
round of China-Bhutan boundary talks were held in Beijing, China  on 12 October, 2002.

The present area is 38,394sq.km