At the very beginning, the government created Kuensel. Then the government said, let there be liberalization, and there was, Bhutan Times and Bhutan Observer – two years prior to Bhutan’s democratic transition. And then the government said, let there be many more, and there was, in chronological order, Bhutan Today, Business Bhutan, The Journalist, Druk Neytshuel,...Read More
As a visitor you’re probably wondering what Thimphu has to offer in terms of aesthetics. Well, Little Bhutan has come up with a list of things you could do and the places you should visit while taking in the sights and the surrealistic setting of this magnificent Himalayan capital. Tashichhodzong The Dzong (fortress), along...Read More
Revered and deeply respected in Bhutan, the Thrung Thrung Karmo not only flies around Phobjikha valley but also in Bhutanese folklore and in Bhutanese song and dances. Sadly, today, it has flown straight into the list of vulnerable species. Currently, the population of the black-necked-crane – standing at an average height of 1.5 meters and...Read More
On the morning of December 14, 2006, His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo Jigme SingyeWangchuck issued a royal decree that declared the Crown Prince, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the new King of Bhutan. Though at that moment it stunned every Bhutanese, it was a moment in history that was as simple as it...Read More
It was only in the early 60s that secular modern education of the Bhutanese began; in a small room located at a watermill at the base of Trongsa Dzong. There was just one teacher and just one blackboard. Until then, monastic education was the only form of education accessible to the Bhutanese. That too was...Read More
My moment of reckoning arrives when I say yes to a fateful trip that sparks childhood memories of leisurely hikes in the green valleys of my youth and so much else besides. It begins when― after too many years of urban indolence and monotony― I choose to accompany my friend and his group,...Read More
The Gentle Giants Face Rough Opposition One among the 50 rarest birds in the world with a population of less than 200, the white bellied heron, also referred to as the gentle giant because of its mild nature, has at present found its passage into the list of ‘critically endangered’ species. The heron still...Read More
A huge, bloody red nose is the first thing that strikes you about the Atsara. Then comes the exaggerated facial expressions – the perpetual grin as if to mock you to submission. And then the attire gets you, somewhere between a hippie and a gypsy doing an absurd dance. Say hello to the Atsara, the...Read More
The Chipdrel and Marchang ceremony is a sight we witness at any given scenario in Bhutan. It seems like the scale of occasion doesn’t matter – be it a Royal Wedding, a visit by a head of state, or the promotion of a high ranking official – a Chipdrel and Marchang ceremony can make one...Read More
Covering 38,394 sq. kilometers, Bhutan boasts of 70% forest cover, which is home to more than 700 species out of the 2,900 species of birds in Asia. Bhutan is considered a birding paradise with 678 recorded species. At least 14 species are globally threatened and ten fall within the restricted range. The white-bellied heron...Read More
