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History of
Bhutan |
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It is
believed the counrty got the name 'Bhutan' from the
Sanskrit word 'Bhu-Uttan' which means 'High Land'.
Another theory says that it comes from the Sanskrit
word 'Bhots-ant' meaning 'end of Tibet or south of
Tibet'. However, to the Bhutanese themselves, their
country is known as "Druk Yul" and its inhabitants
as 'Drukpa'.
In Bhutanese language, Druk means dragon and 'Druk-Yul'
means 'the land of the Dragon'. This is because when
the sect of Buddhism, which was later to become the
dominant religion in Bhutan was first initiated at
the Ralung monastery in Tibet, 'a loud roar of the
thunder dragon' was heard echoing to the south. This
was taken as an auspicious sign that the sect would
fluorish in the south of Tibet, where Bhutan is, and
the sect was named as the 'Drukpa sect'. The country
where this sect later flourished was henceforth
known as 'Druk-yul'.
To this day, the state religion of Bhutan is 'Drukpa
Kargyud' although other sects are almost equally
popular and tolerated.
One thing that all Bhutanese are proud of is that
Bhutan was never colonised. Despite many wars with
Tibet, and some rough encounters with the British,
Bhutan always managed to remain independent.
Recorded histroy begins from around the 8th century
AD. In the 8th century, the great Tantric mystic
Guru Padmasambhava (more popularly known as Guru
Rimpoche in Bhutan) came to Bhutan from Swat,
present-day Pakistan, and spread the Buddhist faith
through the land, planting the seeds of the culture
that flourishes today. Temples and monasteries
dating from the 8th century still stand as honoured
places in contemporary Bhutan.
The greatest event in the history of Bhutan was the
arrival of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel from Tibet in
1616. He was aged 23. He was to become the first
person to bring all parts of Bhutan under one
central authority and unify the 'country'.
"Shabdrung" literally means "at whose feet one
submits". He was the father and unifier of medieval
Bhutan. He was a great man. After repelling numerous
Tibetan invasions, the Shabdrung subdued the many
warring feudal overlords and brought all of Bhutan
under the influence of the Drukpa Kagyud School. His
35 year reign also saw the establishment of a
nation-wide administration, aspects of which still
endure, and the building of dzongs as easily
defensible fortresses and seats of local government.
In fact, many of the dzongs you see today were built
during the Shabdrung's reign, although some future
renovations were carried out.
Shabdrung set up a dual system of Government with a
secular head known as the 'Druk Desi' and a
spiritual head known as the 'Je Khenpo'. However
after his death, before his reincarnation would be
found and would come of age, rivalry between
different lords and fight for power broke up, which
took Bhutan through a tumultuous period until 1907,
the hereditary monarchy was insititued in Bhutan
with Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuk as the first king of
Bhutan.
Like the great Shabdrung, Ugyen Wangchuk pacified
the feuding Regional Governors who had plunged
Bhutan into a state of almost perpetual civil war.
Having consolidated his authority across the entire
country by 1885, he played the key mediator role
between the British and the Chinese. Finally, on
December 17 (Bhutan's National Day) 1907, Ugyen
Wangchuk was unanimously elected by all Regional
Governors and the Central Monastic Body, at the
Punakha Dzong and crowned "Druk Gyalpo" ("Precious
Ruler of the Dragon People).
The present king, the fourth hereditary monarch, is
Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuk, upon whose
coronation in 1974 Bhutan opened its doors to
tourists.
Monarchy of Bhutan
Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (Founder)
The monk ruler, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel
(1594-1651), a Tibetan native, is considered as the
founder of modern Bhutan state. He was the first
ruler of Bhutan. He ruled for 35 years. His
successors ruled the country till 1907.
KING UGYEN WANGCHUCK (FIrst King)
Ugyen Wangchuck ( 1907-1926 AD) was the son of Jigme
Namgyel . He was born in 1862 . He was an able
administrator and a wise diplomat. He took several
reforms and introduced the system of western
education. He opened many schools. He signed a new
Anglo-Bhutanese Treaty with British India Raj in
1910. He ruled for 19 years. He died in August 21,
1926. He was married to Queen Ashi Tsendue Lhamo.
His son Jigme Wangchuck became the second King of
Bhutan after his death.
KING JIGME WANGCHUCK (Second King)
King Jijme Wangchuck ( 1926-1952 AD) was born in
1905. As the eldest son of King Ugen Wangchuck, he
received education in English, Hindi and Buddhist
literature. During his reign, Bhutan started to
forsake its self-imposed isolation. In 1947 Bhutan
participated in the Asian relations Conference in
New Delhi, India. The Treaty of perpetual peace and
friendship between the government of Independent
India and Bhutan was signed in Darjeeling, on 08
August 1949. This Treaty governs the modern day
Indo-Bhutan relations. Bhutan agreed to be guided by
the advice of India in regard to its foreign
relations, according to this Treaty. He was married
to Queen Ashi Phuntsho Chhoedon
KING JIGME DORJI WANGCHUCK (Third King) Father of
Nation
King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck ( 1952-1972) was born in
1928. He learned English and Hindi languages at
early childhood. He ascended to throne as the third
king in 1952. During his 20 years reign, Bhutan
emerged as a modern nation. Bhutan achieved
all-round development during his reign. He was a
far-sighted monarch. He introduced land reforms
putting a landholding ceiling of 30 acres. He
distributed lands to land-less citizens. He put a
ban on slavery and serfdom. He established a High
court and reorganized the judicial system. In 1953,
he established the Tshogdu or National assembly -
Bhutan’s first unicameral Parliament. He established
the Royal Advisory Council in 1963. During his reign
Bhutan’s first planned economic development plan was
drafted. In 1961, a five year economic development
pan was launched for the years 1961-1966. Bhutan is
still following this five-year economic development
plan. He created Bhutan’s first Council of Ministers
in 1968. In 1963, Bhutan joined the Colombo Plan.
During his 20 years reign, 1770 Km of roads were
constructed, the number of schools rose to 102 and 6
hospitals were established. In 1971, he set up a
Planning Commission. Bhutan was admitted to the
United Nations in 1971. He died on 21 July, 1972. He
was the main architect of modern Bhutan he was
married to Queen Ashi Kelzang Chhoedon wangchuck.
HIS MAJESTY KING JIGME SINGYE WANGCHUCK (Forth
King)
The fourth hereditary and the current King Jime
Singye Wangchuck ( 1972 -) was born on 11 November
1955. His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, King of
Bhutan is the reigning monarch and head of Bhutanese
Royal Family. He received modern education. He
briefly studied in India and the United Kingdom. He
returned to the Ugyen Wangchuck Academy in Paro,
Bhutan in 1970. However, he could not complete his
school education due to the sudden death of his
father. He became king on 23 July 1972 at the age of
17. His official coronation was held on June 02,
1974.
In 1979 His Majesty King Jime Singye Wangchuck
married four sisters - Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck,
Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck, Ashi Tshering Yangdon
Wangchuck and Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck as
queens. An official royal wedding and a public
ceremony was held on 31 October 1988. They five
princes and five princesses. HRH Dasho Jigme Khesar
Namgyal Wangchuck is the Crown Prince.
His Majesty King Jime Singye Wangchuck also carried
forward the socio-economic progress of the country
initiated by his father. Bhutan has made tremendous
progress in the filed of communications,
hydro-electric power development, education, health,
financial sector, environmental protection, and
industrial and infrastructural development during
his reign. The per capita GDP stood at its highest
of US$ 712.8 (Nu 32,006) in 2000.
Bhutan became the member of. ESCAP in 1972, NAM in
1973, IFAD, IMF, IBRD, IDA and FAO in 1981, WHO,
UNESCO and ADB in 1982, UNIDO in 1983, ITU in 1988,
ICAO in 1989, ECOSOC in 1992.
Under his reign, Bhutan established diplomatic
relations with Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, EEC,
Norway and Netherlands Kuwait, Japan, Finland, South
Korea, Austria, Thailand, Bahrain, Hongkong,
Singapore, Macaw, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Pakistan ,
Bangladesh, India and Nepal. |
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