In preparation for my October trip to Bhutan, I have been reading several great and informative books about the country. I have come across some interesting facts and unique tidbits which have solidified my decision to travel there.
Thunder Dragon
The origin of the name “Bhutan” is unclear, but the most plausible guess is that it comes from the Indian term “Bhotanta,” which refers to all the regions bordering Tibet.
In the Dzongkha language, the language of the Bhutanese, Bhutan is called Druk Yul and the Bhutanese people, Drukpas. Legend says that when a great Tibetan saint was consecrating a new monastery in Tibet in the 12th century, he heard thunder, which he believed to be the voice of a dragon (druk) which loudly proclaimed the great truths of the Buddha’s teachings. He thus named this monastery “Druk,” and the religious sect that he founded, “Drukpa Kargyupa.” When this Drukpa school of Mahayana Buddhism became Bhutan’s state religion in the 17th century, the country was named Druk Yul, the poetic translation of which is “Land of the Thunder Dragon.”
Before Druk Yul, Bhutan had also been called by other poetic names by the Tibetans: “The Valley of the South,” “Southern Land of Four Approaches,” “Southern Land of Medicinal Herbs,” and “Southern Land where Sandalwood/Cypress Grows.”
In fact, Druk Air is the national airline!
Sacred Birds
Each year the Phobjika and Bumdaling Valleys of Bhutan await the arrival of the Black-necked cranes, which make their winter home in these valleys. These birds are regarded as sacred, and the popular belief is that in Phobjika, they circle the monastery there three times when they arrive and depart. They land in both places late October and leave late March for their summer home in northern China. The Black-necked cranes are an endangered species, and only about 5,000 of them remain in the world.
I will be in the Phobjika Valley towards the end of my travels. Perhaps I will get to see these sacred birds!
Healing Waters
Taking a cure at some hot springs is a favorite Bhutanese pastime, especially during the cold winter months. They combine therapeutic effects, with being located in very scenic (and sometimes quite remote) places, and they make for delightful week-long family holidays for the Bhutanese. The hot springs have been said to cure ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, sinus problems, and can even lower blood pressure.
For those who cannot get to the hot springs, there is the Bhutanese custom of taking a “hot stone bath” which offers a cure that can be taken closer to home. A wood trough, with heated stones at one end, uses waters from springs rich in minerals. The water from these medicinal springs is piped over the stones, which heat the water, and release their healing minerals. Soaking in a hot stone bath gives instant relief from aches and pains.
I will be visiting the Gasa Hot Springs in October, and I also plan on taking a hot stone bath at some point as well when I’m in Bhutan to experience these healing waters!
Now, doesn’t this make you want to go to Bhutan?
The wording of this blog was mostly verbatim from a couple of books, which I recommend highly to everyone, whether traveling to Bhutan or not.
Sweet Travels!
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