Bhutan - Lindsay Brown [35]
Linked to thadamtshi and less formal than driglam namzha is the concept of bey cha. Bey cha emphasises the aesthetics of performing everyday tasks gracefully and with care and consideration for others.
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RELIGION
Buddhism is practised throughout the country though, in the south, most Bhutanese people of Nepali and Indian descent are Hindu. Relations between Buddhists and Hindus are very good, with major Hindu festivals marked by national holidays. Minority groups practise various forms of ancient animistic religions, including Bon, which predates Himalayan Buddhism. Bhutanese Buddhism is discussed in more depth on Click here.
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There are approximately 5,500 monks in Bhutan, half under the patronage of the Je Khenpo, the other half subsidised by private patronage.
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MEDIA
In 1999, to mark the 25h anniversary of the coronation of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, TV and satellite channels were permitted in Bhutan. Since then there has been rapid growth in the number of small cable providers throughout Bhutan. There have been deep concerns expressed about the negative impact of satellite TV on Bhutanese society. It is too early to say if it is damaging Bhutanese society. Rather, those problems which are arising perhaps reflect the problems of urbanisation and changing material aspirations.
There was a recent move to increase the diversity of independently run media in Bhutan. Kuensel was, until recently, the only national newspaper. Originally government owned, Kuensel was privatised in 1992. Since April 2006 the Bhutan Times and the Bhutan Observer are have become available. A media act passed by the National Assembly in 2006 caused a great deal of comment in editorials and from Bhutanese film makers (for more on this issue, see www.kuenselonline.com).
The Bhutan Broadcasting Service is government run and provides both TV and radio services. It is worth tuning into the TV channel to hear the news in English and to catch locally produced features and foreign documentaries. The radio channel does not operate all the time and has a schedule printed in Kuensel. Since the official introduction of satellite TV in 1999 Bhutanese have been learning about WWF – not the World Wildlife Fund, rather the World Wrestling Federation (and other novelties). Various sections of Bhutanese society expressed concern over the impact of TV on young Bhutanese and, in 2005, several channels were blocked.
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You can read current and archived stories at www.kuenselonline.com.
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Internet is available in Bhutan and is gradually being introduced throughout the country. In Thimphu there are a growing number of internet cafés which are popular with young Bhutanese. Druknet originally attempted to screen certain sites but found that it was too expensive to maintain. A second internet provider, Drukcom, began operation 2004. Since then, the internet has been unrestricted.
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WOMEN IN BHUTAN
Compared to other areas of south Asia, Bhutanese women enjoy greater equality and freedom with men. The right to inherit often passes property to women rather than men.
In rural areas women often inherit the house and the family land. Traditionally, women look after the household, preparing food and weaving textiles for family use and for sale. However, they also work in the fields, notably at harvest times when all available labour is required. Decisions affecting the household are jointly made. Travelling in Bhutan you will notice that Bhutanese women are independently minded and possess a strong entrepreneurial spirit. In Thimphu and the emerging urban centres such as Trongsa, Gelephu and Phuentsholing, women may seek to boost family income by engaging in trade, selling goods from home or renting a small shop.
Rural women are often presented as the custodians of traditional values, while urban women face a different set of challenges.