THE JOURNEY132 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | MAY 2018
two envelopes full of diaries, writing paper and few scrolls with
paintings of dragons and characters from the Jataka stories.
Even amidst winds of change, legends and folktales drive
people’s lives in Bhutan, often intermingling with historical
facts. The belief is unwavering and the stories endless; a fact
I realise in the most unlikely place: the Motithang Takin
Preserve. Opened in 2005, it is the primary home for the now
endangered national animal, a curious-looking goat-antelope.
According to legends, the takin’s story goes back to a 15th-
century Tibetan lama, known as the Divine Mad Man, who
is said to have brought Buddhism to Bhutan. When he first
arrived, animal sacrifice was prevalent. On being offered goat
and cow meat for a meal, he refused and instead searched for
bones of the two animals. The takin, it is said, was created
from the bones.
A sense of mysticism has surrounded almost everything I’ve
seen so far, from Thimphu’s chortens and stupas to the symbolism
in art and design. Not unexpected, I suppose, for a country
named after a powerful mythical creature—Bhutan, in the local
tongue is known as Druk Yul after the druk or dragon—and
one where the Buddha is sentinel. There is a gleaming Buddha
Dordenma statue at the edge of a hill in Kuenselphodrang that
looms over all of Thimphu valley, the gateway to the country.
Later, standing in front of the 169-foot bronze statue,
constructed at the site of a 13th-century palace, I am in awe
not only of its size but also the detailing of the midnight-blue
curls and robes of the Shakyamuni Buddha statue. The throne
it sits on is a meditation hall, and inside the statue are over
1,00,000 smaller bronze Buddha figurines. “The statue fulfils
a prophecy from the eighth century that said there will be a
Buddha statue here to bless the land,” says Sajan.
I am not religious, but lore and legends are intriguing. And,
there is one every step of the way here. In Bhutan, stories foster
more than just belief.PHOBJIK HA
By the time we’ve reached Phobjikha valley, I have learnt that
when on the road, it is a good omen to spot a deer on the right
or a snake on the left but a bad one if the sides are reversed. A
capped langur spotted anywhere is a lucky sign; too bad I only
catch a glimpse of its lesser but equally beautiful cousin, the
golden langur.
Legends like these, I have learnt, go a long way in forming an
intimate relationship with nature: the Bonbibi in Sunderbans,
the faes of the forest in Scotland, the faith of the Bishnois of
Rajasthan. In Bhutan, by law, there has to be 60 per cent forest
cover at all times; currently there’s 72 per cent. While conser-
vation efforts and many partnerships signed with European
nations have brought sustainable methods of development,
in some way the stories of every other bird and beast—luck of
a capped langur, blessings of good harvest in a nightingale’s
song—might have helped Bhutan become the carbon-negative
country it is today.Autumn is the time of festivals in
Bhutan and their biggest draws are
masked dances. Masks, like this
150-year-old one, are part of an
important tradition, and every god,
demon and animal has their own
brightly painted mask. DAVID GREEDY/LONELY PLANET IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES