Facts for Travellers

Just as the kingdom's history is characterized by religious landmarks the influence of religion is highly visible in every day life of the lay population. Hundreds of sacred monasteries, stupas, religious institution, prayer flags and prayer wheels which dot the countryside provide a strong infrastructure and atmosphere for the teachings of their living faith.

Both urban and rural Bhutan, religious ceremonies and rituals are performed regularly and with reverence. On auspicious days Bhutanese families make pilgrimages to monasteries to offer prayers and butter lamps. The horoscope of Bhutanese life is drawn from the scriptures. National and regional festivities, coinciding with the seasons, are major events for the entire population the year round. The Buddhist world, thus, regards the kingdom with special importance as the last bastion of Mahayana Buddhism. Earlier this century, an ethic Nepalese minority, settled in the southern regions of the country, brought Hinduism, which is regarded in Bhutan as being closely related to Buddhism.

Guru Rinpoche

The preservation of culture and religion is important into the context of Bhutanese and it is still untouched by the modern fashion outside Bhutan. The relevance of culture also lies in the sense of identity and unity that it confers to its people, which is invaluable to a small country like Bhutan. The efforts to foster the country’s cultural heritage will also continue to ensure that it is not eroded in the process of development.
 

Fluttering prayer flags