Bhutan Literature

Abrencillo, Mary Joy Abegail A..

Arellano, Christine Joy S.
Bautista, Ivan Roy S.
Table of Contents

• Geography
• Flag, National Symbols
• Brief History
• Religion
• Cultures and Traditions
• Notable Writers and their Masterpieces
Geography
Geography

Bhutan is a landlocked country in South Asia, located in

Eastern Himalayas.

Bhutan has a total area of 14,824 sq mi. (square mile)

Geography

Bhutan’s capital and largest city is Thimphuis, while Phunstholing is

its financial center.
Geography

A Buddhist kingdom known for its monasteries, fortresses and

dramatic landscapes that range from subtropical plains to steep
mountains and valleys.
 Landscape of Bhutan
Gangkar Puensum, the highest
mountain in Bhutan

Jigme Dorji Sub-alpine

National Park Himalayan landscape

The Haa Valley in

Western Bhutan

A Himalayan peak
from Bumthang
As of early 2019 Bhutan has an estimated population
of 826,229, up from 817,054 in 2018, which makes it the 164th
most populous country in the world.
Weather

Winter
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Flag and National Symbol
The Druk or Thunder Dragon

It has been the national symbol of Bhutan since long before

the establishment of government in 1907.

The Druk is heavily associated with the sect of dominant

religion in Bhutan – the Drukpa sect of Buddhism, the state
religion.

The Druk thus features prominently in other national symbols

by tradition, and by law.
Flag of Bhutan
Flag of Bhutan

The Bhutanese subsequently redesigned their flag and

made modifications such as:

• Changing the red background color to orange,

• The Druk’s color from green to white and it’s position,
from horizontal to diagonal
• The Flag’s shape from square to rectangular.
The flag features the Thunder Dragon, the country’s national
symbol. Yellow symbolizes the authority of the king, white
represents purity and loyalty, while orange is symbolic of the
Drukpa monasteries.

The placement of Druk in the center of the flag over the

dividing line between the flag's two colors signifies the equal
importance of both civic and monastic traditions in
the Kingdom of Druk and evokes the strength of the sacred
bond between sovereign and people.

The jewels clamped in the dragon's claws symbolize wealth.

The snarling mouth represents the strength of the male and
female deities protecting the country.
National Emblem
National Emblem

The emblem of Bhutan is used in official government

publications such as legislation and websites.

The emblem of Bhutan is also used as the logo of some

government agencies, for example, the Bhutan Trust Fund.

The National Emblem is relatively a new addition to the list

of national symbols of Bhutan since 2008.
Within the circle of the national emblem:
 Two crossed vajras are placed over a lotus. They are flanked on
either side by a male and female white dragon.

 A wish-fulfilling jewel is located above them. There are four other

jewels inside the circle where the two vajras intersect. They
symbolize the spiritual and secular traditions of the Kingdom
based on the four spiritual undertakings of Vajrayana Buddhism.

 The lotus symbolizes absence of defilements; the wish-fulfilling

jewel, the sovereign power of the people; and the two dragons,
the name of the Kingdom.”
National Anthem

Druk Tsendhen ("The Thunder Dragon Kingdom") is the

National Anthem of Bhutan.

The music was composed by Aku Tongmi and the words

were penned by Dasho Gyaldun Thinley.

The original score was inspired by the Bhutanese folk tune

"The Unchanging Lotus Throne".
National Dress
National Dress for men is called Gho.

Gho is a knee-length robe tied at the waist

by a cloth belt known as the kera. On festive
occasions, it is worn with a kabney.

Gho is thus compulsory for schoolboys and

government officials.
National Dress for female is called Kira.

Kira is an ankle-length dress consisting of a

rectangular piece of woven fabric.

It is wrapped and folded around the body and is

pinned at both shoulders, usually with silver
brooches, and bound at the waist with a long belt.

The kira is usually worn with a wonju inside and a

short jacket or toego.

A rachu is worn over the traditional dress kira.

Raven Crown

The Raven Crown, worn by reigning

monarchs since the reign of Ugyen
Wangchuck - the first King of Bhutan.

Raven as the unique symbol of his

authority a crown surmounted by the head
of a raven.

The raven represents a form of Mahakala,

Bhutan's guardian deity.
Raven Crown

The prototype of the founding monarch's

Raven Crown had first been devised as a
battle helmet for his father, Jigme
Namgyel - had worn it in bloody struggles
against his many rivals within the country
and against the British who tried,
unsuccessfully, to subdue him.
National Language

Dzongkha, was declared as the national

language of Bhutan in 1971.

Dzongkha study is mandatory in all schools in

Bhutan, and it is legally designated lingua
franca among the many languages of Bhutan.

The word dzongkha means "the language of

the district"; kha is language, and dzong is
"district".
National Flower

The Himalayan blue poppy is the national

flower of Bhutan.

Bhutanese tradition links this flower with

the yeti of lore.

The flower was discovered in 1933 by

British botanist George Sherriff in remote
part of Sakteng in eastern Bhutan.
National Tree

The Himalayan cypress is the national tree of

Bhutan.

They are associated with religion, and may

often be found near the religious structures.

To the Bhutanese, its ability to survive on

rugged terrain represents bravery and its
simplicity.
National Bird

The national bird is the raven.

The raven represents the deity Gonpo

Jarodongchen, the raven-headed Deity /
God.

The Bhutanese credit the raven with having

guided the founder of Bhutan, Shabdrung
Ngawang Namgyal, to victory during the
invasion from Ü-Tsang in the seventeenth
century.
National Animal

The national animal is the Takin.

This bovid is also associated with religious

history and mythology.
Today it is a rare animal, and its conservation
status is "vulnerable.“

It has a thick neck and short muscular legs. It

lives on bamboo, traveling in groups at
elevations around 4000m on the northwestern
and far northeastern parts of Bhutan.
National Sports

Archery has been the official

national sport of Bhutan since
1971.

Legend has it that the father of

the first king used his archery
skills to vanquish a general of
invading British forces in 1864.
 History of Bhutan

Bhotant - meaning 'the end of Tibet' : or from

Bhu-uttan - meaning high land'

Brief History

600 - 660
- Parts of Bhutan under Indian control.

- King Srongtsen Gampo introduced Buddhism, ordered construction of two temples

- Kyichu Lhakhang monastery built.

1600 - 1800
-Tibetan Buddhist lama, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, established a base in
Bhutan.

-He became the leader or Bhutan.

- Namgyal prevailed in Battle of Five Lamas over Tibetan and
Bhutanese forces; first to unite Bhutan into single country

- The construction of Dzongs that serves as religious, political, and

social center.

- Started the Dual System Administration wherein the the control of

the country was divided between political and religious leader.

-Shabdrung Ngawang Namgya died on 1651 and kept it secret for 54

years
1900s is the start of Wangchuck dynasty

1907-1926- Ugyen Wangchuck elected Bhutan's first hereditary ruler

after politically unifying the country

-He spent his 20yrs in throne in reuniting - He united the concept of

God and King by simply uniting the crown with ultimate symbol of
Shabdrung divinity, the raven.

1926-1952
- Jigme Wanchuck son of Ugyen Wangchuck

-He built palaces and keep visiting people of Bhutan to keep attach
to them

- His throne was tested because of reincarnation of Shabdrung.

1952-1972
- Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
-father of modern Bhutan
- roads, establishment and communication
systems was established
-the first national assembly was instituted
- Bhutan joined in UN
1972-2008
- Jigme Singye Wanchuck

- Bhutan was introduced as land of Happiness

- Implented the "GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS“

- Bhutan was invaded by other foreign ethnic groups specially by

Nepalese.

- Nepalese was force out the country and brought to the Nepal
Refugee Camp.
Gross National Happiness

Gross National Happiness or GNH, is a holistic and sustainable

approach to development, which balances material and non-material
values with the conviction that humans want to search for happiness.
And happiness as more profound contentment than any other thing.
Religion of Bhutan
BUDDHISM

Buddhism is the main religion in Bhutan.

Approximately two-thirds to three-quarters of the population practice

Drukpa Kagyu or Nyingma Buddhism, both of which are disciplines of
Mahayana Buddhism.

One of the two major traditions of Buddhism, now practiced in a

variety of forms especially in China, Tibet, Japan, and Korea.

The tradition emerged around the 1st century AD and is typically

concerned with altruistically oriented spiritual practice as embodied in
the ideal of the bodhisattva.
A bodhisattva who has accomplished this goal is called a
samyaksaṃbuddha, or "fully enlightened Buddha". A
samyaksaṃbuddha can establish the Dharma and lead disciples to
enlightenment. Mahāyāna Buddhists teach that enlightenment can
be attained in a single lifetime, and this can be accomplished even
by a layperson.
HINDUISM

One-quarter of the population are ethnic Nepalese and they practice

Hinduism.
Key beliefs shared among Hindus:

1.Truth is eternal
2.Brahman is Truth and Reality
3.The Vedas are the ultimate authority.
4.Everyone should strive to achieve dharma
5.Individual souls are immortal
6.The goal of the individual soul is moksha.
 CULTURES AND
TRADITIONS OF BHUTAN
FEAST

TSHECHU
• tshechu means 10th day which each temple host their tshechu on
different month.

• every festival held on the 10th day of thier chosen month which
corresponds to the birth of Guru Rimpoche

• they believed that evey single bhutanese must join at least one
masked dance to wash away their sins.
Thimphu Tshechu (August 10– 13)

• it is 3 day religious event were the buddhist follower has the

opportunity to to immerse and cleanse themselves of the karma
and to remind them of what to make of their lives.
 Paro Tshechu
• The monks and layman dress
up in dazzling brocade
costumes and re-enact the
famous legend in Buddhism
Bhutan.

• At the end of the festival, a four

storey high thangka (a fabric in
cotton cloth) It is believed
that one can cleanse their own
sins upon viewing the
Thongdrel.
Jambay Lhakhang Drup (October 18 – 22)

• this festival is known for the

sacred naked dance known
as Ter Cham and Mewang or
the fire blessing.

• the fire dance was perform in

evening to bless infertile
women so that they may
bear children.
Punakha Drubchen (February
15-19)
• it celebrates the famous
victory of Bhutan when the
armies managed to
supress the tibetan forces

• local military and village

volunteers reenact the
battles costumes of bright
colors.
Haa Summer Festival (July 6-8)
• gorgeous lakes and lush valleys are the backdrop of this festival
• it shows the traditional living of the bhutanese.
Cuisine
• Bhutanese Cuisine employs a lot of red rice to grow the high attitude

• Their food were rice mixed with leftover vegetables and known as Zow
shungo

Ema datshi

Jasha Maru

Paksha Paa

Momos
Ema datshi
• is a spicy dish made with large, green chili peppers in a cheesy
sauce similar to chili con queso
• this dish was called the national dish for its ubiquity and the pride
that the Bhutanese have for it.
 Jasha Maru

• jasha maru a chicken dish

 Paksha Paa

• dried pork cooked with

chili peppers, spices,
and vegetables,
including turnips,
greens or radish
 Momos

• momos a Bhutanese
dumpling
 MUSIC
Bhutanese Music

Religious Music

Folk Music

Rigsar
 RELIGIOUS MUSIC
• Zhanbdrung Ngawang Namgyal - it is the
period were the folk music and dance
blooms.

• reenact namstars and distinctive mask and

costume- namstar is spiritual biographies of
saints

• choke- refers to the language of any text

written in tibetic after the old tibetic period-
is the language used in this music
 FOLK MUSIC
• enacted in chanting styles
• choke-is the language used in this music
• masked dances and dance dramas-are most common participatory
components of folk music and it features the Bhutanese tshechu or
festivals
• zhungdra and boedra are the two dominant forms of Bhutanese folk
music
• Zhungdra tells buddhist allegories, which the singer tells about his
former life
• Boedra use the instrument chiwang, which symbolizes the horse. It
evolves out the tebitan court music
 RIGSAR
• it is the modern genre of bhutanese music

• it compared to traditional music in its modern

instruments, fast rhythm, and language especially the
Dzongkha and stands

• Dzongkha is the language of the district and tsangla

primarily spoken in eastern bhutan and act as the
lingua franca in the country.
Instruments

Lingm-six holed flute

Chiwang-tibetan-two-
stringed fiddle

Dramnyen-similar
to a large three -
stringed rebec
Arts
• the traditional arts are known as zorig chusum- which means (Zo
for ability to make, rig for science or craft and chusum means
thirteen
Traditional arts are
• Dezo- paper making
• Dozo-stonework
• Garzo-blacksmithing
• Jinzo-clay arts
• Lhazo-painting
• Lugzo-bronze casting
Arts

• Parzo-wood, slate, and stone carving

• Shangzo-woodturning
• Shingzo-woodworking
• Thagzo-weaving
• Trozo-silver and gold smithing
• Tshazo-cane and bamboo work
• Tshemazo-needlework
Dance

• Cham is traditional dance of bhutan. It involves a series of masked

dances, which are usually performed by monks and laymen, wearing
colorful costumes. This dance is a kind of lively dance and is perform in
tsechu or festivals.

• Joenpa Legso
• Drametse Nga Cham
• Pa Cham
• Zhungdra
Joenpa Legso

• it means welcome. It is
known to bless the audience
and the entire ceremony
with luck and charm. Men
and women wears the
traditional costume while
performing this dance. Men
wear gho and their shoes
are called tsholham. Women
wear kira, tego and wonju.
Drametse Nga Cham

• the most popular masked

dance in bhutan, it means
"mask dance of the drum
from Drametse" the dancers
perform wearing masks and
drums are being played
alongside. It has a team of 16
male dancers and 10
musicians. The dancers wear
silk robes and wooden masks
of animals faces.
Pa Cham

• the dance of powas means

heroes and pams means
heroines. Dancers wear
colorful silk robes and
fancy crown on their heads
and also carry a small
cylindrical hand drum while
dancing
 Zhungdra

• it is the royal dance of bhutan.

It is believed to be one of the
oldest dances in bhutan. It is
performed by women, who
stand in a row and wear the
traditional attire, they also
carry a handwoven scarf and
dance together in a perfect
rhythm.
Clothing

• the traditional attire for men and women were introduced

around 17th century by Ngawang Namgyal to display their
unique identity. It was made mandatory to wear their national
outfit to promote and preserve bhutanese heritage.
GHO

• a knee length robe-like cloth

which is wrapped around their
bodies and secured with a
belt known as Gho. It forms a
pocket which purpose is to
storage various things but
now is mobile phones. It is
worn in especial occasions
and events
KERA

• a woven cloth belt used

to tighten their outfits. It
is an additional
accessories and
enhances their looks.
KIRA

• an apron like a dress.

This tradition is ankle
length dress. Women
prefer to wear this
outfit most of the time
TOEGO

• it is a short jacket like a

garment and os worn by
the women to compliment
kira
WONJU

• wrapped around a
long-sleeved
blouse
RACHU

• a long scarf and is

worn by females as
a mark of respect
while attending
formal gatherings
or visiting temples.
KHATA

• a traditional ceremonial
scarft. It us worn by
people in nations that
practice or have strong
influence of tibetan
buddhism. It is
important in almost
ceremonies from
celebrations of birth to
mourning in a funeral.
KABNEY

• mens usually wear thise

kabney commonly
known as scarves. The
colors of these kabneys
refers to the rank or
position they entail in
the nation. The majesty
adorns a yellow colored
scarf, being the highest
authority of the nation.
 BHUTAN LITERATURE

Bhutan's folklore, urban legends and myths have been celebrated through
the country's rich oral traditions.

Up until the 1960s Bhutan is basically an oral society with literacy limited
to the monastic/ religious institutes which catered mainly to the boys.

The abysmal absence of contemporary literary works and a limited reading

culture is placing Bhutanese literature in a tricky situation.

Fortunately, during 1960s onward, educational opportunities have been

open for both males and females and the reading and writing habits are
maturing and developing gradually.
Mountain Echoes: The Bhutan Festival of
Literature, Art & Culture
Mountain Echoes is a literary festival
celebrated in Bhutan.

It brings together writers,

biographers, historians,
environmentalists, scholars,
photographers, poets, musicians,
artists, film-makers to engage in
cultural dialogue, share stories,
create memories and spend three
blissful days in the mountains.
Notable Writers and Their Masterpieces
Kunzang Choden

Kunzang Choden is one of Bhutan’s

leading writers.

Born in 1952 at Bumthang

District, Bhutan.

She is the first Bhutanese woman to

write a novel in English.
At the age of nine, her father sent her to school in India,
where she learned English. She has a BA Honours in
Psychology from Indraprastha College in Delhi and a BA
in Sociology from the University of Nebraska, USA. She
has worked for the United Nations Development Program
in Bhutan.

From 1990 onwards, Kunzang has been writing on

Bhutanese oral traditions, folklore and women.
The Circle of Karma was published in 2005.

It takes place in the 1950s, the initial period of imperially

regulated modernization in Bhutan.

The main character, a Bhutanese woman and road-builder

by occupation, is forced to deal both with the traditional,
restrictive gender roles of pre-modern Bhutan and the new
kinds of sexism developing as men gain economic freedom.

The Circle of Karma has been translated into many

languages and was shortlisted for the Elle Prix des
Lectrices award.

The Circle of Karma

Folktales of Bhutan

It is a collection of thirty-eight folktales and legends

and is a first attempt by a Bhutanese to record in
English the oral tradition of Bhutan.

All of the stories recounted in the book were heard by

the author when she was a child living in Bumthang
and are the ones that she passes on to her children
today, in the spirit of the oral tradition.
Other Masterpieces of Kunzang Choden
 Bhutanese Tales of the Yeti (1997)

Bhutanese Tales of the Yeti is a collection of twenty-two stories set in

four different regions of Bhutan.

The presence of the yeti commonly exist to the kingdoms of the

Himalayas, where beliefs and attitudes related to it go beyond
scientific judgment and analysis.

The Bhutanese consider the yeti, or the migoi, to be an essential part

of the backdrop of their existence.
 Bhutanese Tales of the Yeti (1997)

Believed to possess supernatural powers enabling it to become

invisible at will, the yeti often manifests itself in a tangible form and
then suddenly vanishes, leaving behind nothing but an unexpected
void.

This collection of stories is an attempt to document a vital tradition

before it is wiped out entirely. The book is well illustrated and
includes maps of the four regions.
 Dawa: The Story of a Stray Dog in Bhutan
(2004)
Dawa, looks like just another scruffy Thimphu street dog.

Dawa loses his mother and his siblings in tragic circumstances as a

young and helpless pup, wins over other stronger and ferocious dogs
in Paro and Thimphu.

His rise as the legendary "Leader of the Howling" in Thimpu.

That is attributed to his beautiful voice and his strange gift to learn
different languages.
 Chilli and Cheese- Food and Society in
Bhutan (2008)
This is a pioneering book offering insight into Bhutanese food culture within
its historical and geographical context, as well as looking at food-related
beliefs and practices.

The book discusses the changing socio-cultural meanings of food in

Bhutan.

Kunzang Choden, from her perspective as a privileged member of the

gentry in a feudal society in the 1950s, shares her perceptions,
observations and experiences.

She highlights the importance of food as a socio-economic signifier and

illustrates how food has meaning beyond nourishment, particularly in its
symbolic forms in religion and ritual.
 Chilli and Cheese- Food and Society in
Bhutan (2008)

Kunzang Choden explores regional agricultural and herding

practices, the use of wild plants and the resulting food customs and
habits.

This informative but also deeply personal book includes simple and
easy to follow recipes of some typical dishes.

It invites readers to try out the unique taste of Bhutanese foods.

Colored and black and white photographs bring the narratives to life
with vivid depictions of Bhutanese food and society.
Tales in Colour and other stories (2009)

A collection of stories about the challenges faced by

Bhutanese women in an urban existence.

All the stories take place in rural settings, to which creeping

urbanization brings gradual change, and tensions surface
between the new and the old, or the traditional and the
modern.
 Tales in Colour and other stories (2009)

The book contains the stories :

I am a Small Person, where a despised woman uses her femininity

as a means to control a man.

I won’t ask Mother, wherein a young girl suddenly feels

empowered and confident when she makes a decision without
consulting her mother.

Look at Her Belly Button and The Photograph, two stories that
dealt with many rural women who wants to be able to connect to
the city and all its perceived glamour and power.
Karma Phuntso
Karma Phuntsho was born in Bumthang district of central Bhutan.

Karma specialises in Buddhism, Tibetan & Himalayan Studies and

Bhutan, and has published a number of works including eight books,
translations, book reviews and articles on Buddhism, Bhutan and Tibetan
Studies.

In 1986, he came to Thimphu and had a short spell at Yangchenphug

Higher Secondary School before leaving school to become a monk and
study Buddhism at Chagri Monastery.

In 1997, partly he says because young Bhutanese educated in English

looked down on monks even though they were very learned, he
joined Balliol College in Oxford.
Karma Phuntso

In 2003, he received a D.Phil. in Buddhist Studies from Oxford University.

He worked as a post-doctoral researcher in CNRS, Paris and as a Research Associate in

the Department of Social Anthropology, Cambridge University.

He was also the Spalding Fellow in Comparative Religions at Clare Hall and ran The
Historical Study and Documentation of the Pad Gling Traditions in Bhutan project
subsequently he spent years creating a digital archive of rare Bhutanese manuscripts.

Dr Phuntsho is the first Bhutanese to receive a D.Phil from Oxford and the first Bhutanese
to become an Oxbridge Fellow.

In Bhutan he has founded the Loden Foundation, a charity to promote education and
entrepreneurship in Bhutan as well as the Shejun Agency for Bhutan's Cultural
Documentation and Research
Ap Chuni Dorji

Ap Chuni Dorji is a Bhutanese poet and creator of perhaps the most

famous Yak Song ever written.

He was partaking in the art of Lozey.

a poetry tradition among yak herders in Bhutan where the competing herders
try and create rich metaphorical and symbolic poems that outdo their
counterpart- when he came up with his song "Yak Legpai Lhadar Gawo."
The History of Bhutan (2013)

The History of Bhutan has been called "the first book to

offer a comprehensive history of Bhutan in English“.

Along with a detailed social and political analysis, it

offers substantive discussions of Bhutan’s geography
and culture; the result is the clearest, richest account of
this nation and its history ever published for general
readers.

The History of Bhutan received Choice Outstanding

Academic Title Award in 2015.
 Mipham's Dialectics and Debates on Emptiness: To
Be, Not to Be or Neither. Routledge Critical
Studies in Buddhism (2005)
This is an introduction to the Buddhist philosophy of
Emptiness which explores a number of themes in connection
with the concept of Emptiness, a highly technical but very
central notion in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism.

It examines the critique by the leading Nyingma school

philosopher Mipham (1846-1912) formulated in his diverse
writings. The book focuses on related issues such as what is
negated by the doctrine of emptiness, the nature of ultimate
reality, and the difference between 'extrinsic' and 'intrinsic'
emptiness. Karma Phuntsho's book aptly undertakes a
thematic and selective discussion of these debates and
Mipham's qualms about the Gelukpa understanding of
Emptiness in a mixture of narrative and analytic style.
-END-