Culture of Bhutan's Peoples

Bhutan is a beautiful landlocked country in the Himalayan mountain range between India and China.  It has a population of about 700,000.  It is an agricultural country which produces rice, corn, root crops, citrus, food grains; dairy products, and eggs.  Agriculture accounts for 93% of the business activity with industry and commerce 2%, and services 5%. 

The society of Bhutan today is made up of several ethnic groups. The Sharecrops, who are believed to be ancestors of those earliest residents, live mostly in eastern Bhutan.  The Ngalops live in western Bhutan and migrated from the Tibetan plains; they are credited with being the first to bring Buddhism and the so-called ruling group to the country. The other main ethnic group is the Lhotshampas, who were from Nepal originally .The small ruling group feel the large productive Lhotshampas will take power in hand and  so they brought autocratic and harsh rule to the southern part of Bhutan, and forcefully expeled Nepalese people from the country.  The exiles reside in India and different refugee camps throughout Nepal. 

Together, Nalung and Sharcrop are known as Drukpa.

Drukpa mainly live in the northern and eastern parts of Bhutan.  Some of them migrated to the southern part.  The dress of male Drukpa is called kho while female dress is called kira.  This kho and kira is the national dress of Bhutan.  Their main food is   Indian cuisine and is often mixed in daily dishes with the chilies of the Tibetan area. Mushrooms, apricots, asparagus, a variety of chilies and numerous spices are grown in abundance in nearly all the valleys.  Spices, fruits, and vegetables are cooked with beef, chicken, pork, and dried yak, and resemble Chinese and Indian cuisine. The typical meal also features rice, dried beef or pork, and chilies sometimes cooked with soft, white cheese popularly known as Aama Daasi.  They use plates made of bamboo called bangchu. 

The main festival of the Drukpa falls in the month of December and is call Lhosar.  On that day all the people go to the religious places called monastry or administrative building with their cultural dress where they perform dances and eat.  They put on masks of different gods or different face painting.  Their festivals are religious events. The ground where they are held is purified and consecrated by priest (lamas), so when we are watching a festival we are, in essence, on the perimeter of an outdoor religious ground.  The dancers, whether priest (called monks) or layman, are in a state of meditation. They transform themselves into the deities, which they represent on the dance ground. They generate a spiritual power, which cleanses, purifies, enlightens and blesses the spectators.  The festival (Tshechu) is a religious ceremony held on consecrated ground. Therefore it would be appreciated that respectful conduct is adhered to during these festival times.  Festivals are not entertainment held as tourist attraction. They are a religious tradition, which outsiders are -- at present -- allowed to attend.

The Nepali ethnic group consists of various Tibeto-Burman and Indo-Aryan speaking people, for example the Brahmins, Chettris, Newars, Rais, Limbus, Tamangs, Magars, Sunwars, and Gurungs.  Each have their own distinct social and cultural patterns.

Nepali Dress

Daura-Suruwal is the traditional Nepali dress. The dress has several religious connotations identifying its designs and has therefore remained the same from for many years.  The Daura has eight strings that serves to tie itself up around the body.  Eight is the lucky number in Nepali mythology.

Also, the Daura has five pleats or Kallis, signifying Pancha Buddha or Pancha Ratna. And the closed neck of the Daura signifies the snake around the Lord Shiva's neck. The Nepali dress for women is a cotton sari (Guniu), that is gaining great popularity in the fashion world They also wear different jewelry such as ear rings, neckless bracelets, and nose rings.  Some Nepali people wear different coloured tika on their forehead in the name of different gods and goddesses.   

Nepali Food

The main dish is daal bhaat, boiled rice (bhaat) with a thin lentil sauce (daal), accompanied by curried vegetables (tarkaari) and possibly a dab of pungent pickle (achaar).  In rice-growing areas daal bhaat is eaten twice a day, the first meal at around 10:30 a.m. and the second shortly after sunset.  Sweet, milky tea and snacks like beaten or popped rice, flat bread, or curried potatoes tide the hungry over until mealtime.  Beyond this there isn't a tremendous variety of dishes.  Ethnic groups have their own specialties, but basically it's all related. Before taking food they pray to god for food and offer little bit of food on a plant leave or small plate for god and is popular called aapsaani laaguano.

During the month of Kartik in the Bikram Sambat calendar (late September and early October), the Nepalese people indulge in the biggest festival of the year, Dashain.  Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese culture. The fifteen days of celebration occur during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon.

In preparation for Dashain every home is cleansed and beautifully decorated, painted as an invitation to the mother goddess, so that she may visit and bless the house with good fortune. During this time the reunion of distant and nearby relatives occur in every household. The market is filled with shoppers seeking new clothing, gifts, luxuries and enormous supplies of temple offerings for the gods, as well as foodstuffs for the family.  Labourers are almost impossible to find; from the poor to the rich, all enjoy the festive mood.

The first day of Dashain is called Ghatasthapana, which literally means pot establishing. On this day the kalash, (holy water vessel) symbolizing goddess Durga, often with her image embossed on the side, is placed in the prayer room.  

The kalash is filled with holy water and covered with cowdung on which seeds are sown.  A small rectangular sand block is made and the kalash is put in the centre. The surrounding bed of sand is also seeded with grains. 

The room where the kalash is established is called 'Dashain Ghar.'  By the tenth day, the seed will have grown into long yellow grass five or six inches long. The sacred yellow grass is called 'Jamara'.  It is bestowed by the elders atop the heads of those younger to them during the last five days when red coloured uncooked rice (so called tika) is put on. The Jamara is taken as a token of Goddess Durga as well as the elders blessing.

As days pass, regular rituals are observed untill the seventh day. The seventh day is called 'Fulpati'

The eighth day is called the 'Maha Asthami'.  The fervor of worshiping Durga and Kali increases. On this day many Hindus will be fasting. While the puja is being carried out great feasts are held in the homes of common people where large amounts of meat are consumed.
 

The ninth day is called 'Nawami'.. Thousands of people go and pay their respect to the goddess day. Temples of mother goddess are filled with people from dawn till dusk. On this very day the god Vishwas Karma, the God of creativity is also worshiped. All factories, vehicles, machinery, tools, and anything from which we make a living are worshiped. We also worship all moving machinery like cars, aeroplanes, and trucks to get the blessing from goddess Durga for protection for vehicles and their occupants against accidents during the year. The entire day is colorful.

The tenth day is the 'Dashami'. On this day we take tika and jamara from our elders and receive their blessing. We visit our elders in their home and get tika from them while our younger ones come to our home to receive blessing from us. The importance of Dasain also lies in the fact that on this day family members from far off and distant relatives come for a visit as well as to receive tika from the head of the family. This function continues for four days.  After four days of rushing around and meeting relatives, Dashain ends on the full moon day, the fifteenth day.  On the last day people stay at home and rest. The full moon day is also called 'Kojagrata' meaning 'who is awake'. The Hindu goddess of wealth, Laxmi, is worshipped. On this day the goddess Laxmi is given an invitation to visit each and everyone.

Tihar

Tihar, the festival of lights is one of the most dazzling of all Hindu festivals. In this festival we worship Goddess Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth. During the festival all the houses in the city and villages are decorated with lit oil lamps.

Thus during the night the entire village or city looks like a sparkling diamond. This festival is celebrated in five days starting from the thirteenth day of the waning moon in October.  In other words this festival symbolizes life and prosperity.

Goddess Laxmi is the wife of almighty Lord Vishnu. She was formed from the ocean and she has all the wealth of the seas.  She sits on a full-grown lotus and her steed is the owl.  On the third day of the festival at the stroke of midnight she makes a world tour on her owl, observing how she is worshipped.

The first day of Tihar is known as 'Kag Tihar', crows day.  On this day crows are offered food on a plate made out of leaves in the morning before anyone in the house takes in food.  Crow, the messenger of death, is honored on the first day of Tihar.

The second day is called 'Kukur Tihar,' dogs day.  A dog plays many roles in our society. We have dogs in our houses toguard it.  So on this day a big red tika is put on a dog's forehead and a beautiful garland around the neck.  After worshipping the dog, it is given a very delicious meal.  On this day you can see dogs running around with garlands on their necks.

The third day is the most important day of the festival. It is called 'Laxmi puja,' the day we worship the goddess of wealth. On this day, early in the morning the cow is worshipped. Tika is put on her head and a garland around her neck then she feasts with delicious food.  A cow also symbolizes wealth and she is the most holy animal for Hindus.

In the evening goddess Laxmi is worshipped.  Days before the houses are cleansed and decorated. For the goddess likes clean and tidy places. In the evening a small potion of the house outside the main door is painted with red mud and an oil lamp is lit on it.  A pathway is made from there to the place where the old money box and valuables are kept in the house that is the puja room.  All the Nepalese have a box where from generation to generation money is put every year worshipping goddess Laxmi. This money is never used except for extreme emergencies.  The entire house is decorated with lit oil lamps in every door and window.  Laxmi, goddess of wealth, is worshipped performing the traditional rituals.  On this day throughout the evening groups of girls come to houses singing the song of praise of the goddess and they are taken as guests and given gifts. This day and throughout the night, the entire place is lively.

The fourth day is bit different.  On this day the things you worship depend on your specific cultural background. Normally most of the people perform 'Guru puja', ox worshipping.  The ox is worshipped with tika, garland and then a delicious meal is fed to it.  On the other hand, people who follow lord Krishna perform 'Gobhardan puja'.  These people build a small hill made out of cowdung and put some grass on it then do puja on it.  This puja symbolises the act of lord Krishna when he lifted the gobhardan hill and saved millions of people and cows from floodwater.

The last day of tihar is 'Bhai tika,' putting colorful tika to the brothers by their sisters. The astrologer gives the appropriate time to put the tika.  The main theme behind bhai tika is the sisters praying for their brother's long life.

The most exotic and dazzling festival comes to an end after these five magnificent days of worship and honour to the goddess Laxmi.   

Death Customs

The Nepalis are rigid so far as funeral ceremonies are concerned and they follow the pattern of religious ritual.  They mainly cremate the dead bodies.  However, some ethnic groups bury bodies under the soil too. Relatives of the dead person remain clean, away from different daily activities, and mourn by talking food without salt and oil for 13 days.  If the wife lost her husband, she is not allowed to wear custom ornament provided at the time of marriage ceremony.  The son of dead person has to restrict himself to a number of austerities during the period of 13 days mourning.  He must shave all the hair from his body and wear only white loincloth called Languti and small scarf tied on his head. He eats only one meal a day consisting of boiled rice, butter, sugar without salt and oil. Besides this he has to conduct a ritual under the guidance of a priest that takes several hours daily for 13 days and requires bathing several times in cold water during the ritual performance.  This funeral activity is called Kriya. At the end of this rite, a big feast is given to the neighbors, relatives and particularly to all those who participate in the funeral procession and went to the cremation Ghat (cremated areas are near the river).  Every year they perform the Shraddha rite. During this period, the family gives household items including clothes, bed, utensils, and such to the priest.  At least one year or six month or 45 days of the death, the son of dead wears white colour dress and restricts meat and other foods.

It is believed that there are around 33 million god and goddess in Nepali culture.  So each of the 360 days of the year are packed with some festival!  

The many different ethnic groups have their own festivals making this a very fertile culture. 

Kirati Culture

Kirati is one of the Nepali ethnic groups.  They have very rich cultural tradition.  Sone of the main festivals in this culture are Ubhauli and Udhauli.  Ubhauli and Udhauli festivals are celebrated by offering prayers to the gods and goddesses of Nature for good crops and protection from natural calamities.

When a baby is born in Kirati culture, it is named in a ceremony after the eleventh day.  The priest gives the name to the new born baby.  At the age of three years, if the baby is boy, his hair is cut for the first time.  It is done by the nearest relative accompanied with chanting holy words from the holy book by the priest. 

At the age of eleven , it is believed that the child is grown up and should put on their own dress, so they provide custom cloth.

When the child reaches the age of 18, they start talking about a marriage ceremony.  Marriages are mostly arranged by the parents or sometime  by the individuals entering the marriage.  To get married, a certificate is required from the Court of Law, but most marriages are performed by a religious leader.  Most brides move into their husband's household, as is common throughout much of the Indian subcontinent, but this move is not compulsory.  The new husband may reside with his wife's family if their need is greater.   Alternatively, the new couple may set up their own household on their own plot of land.  Divorce is permitted in Bhutanese society, although compensation is required from the party seeking the separation.

Thank you for this opportunity. 

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