Bhutan - Fortresses and Monasteries

The ten days we were in Bhutan were very fascinating and enjoyable. Bhutan requires visitors to go with a tour, so we were cared for and chaperoned by a young guide and driver (28 and 33 YO), Sonam Dorji and Sonam Penjor respectively. Just the four of us. Sonam D. was very knowledgable on all Bhutan topics - governance, culture, Buddhism, and open to all kinds of questions. I especially enjoyed our visit to temples and his explanations of the various depictions of Buddha and Buddhist principles. Also, explaining the important founding characters who appear frequently in temple art: in addition to the Buddha who brought Buddhism to the world, 1) the founder Guru who brought Buddhism to Bhutan from Tibet, 2) the “Unifier” who unified the various kingdoms and districts of Bhutan, 3) their fourth king who established parliamentary democracy in Bhutan.

We visited several, what they refer in English to as “fortresses” its major towns and regional centers. The “fortresses” were indeed originally fortresses for protection from Tibetan and other invaders. Now they are beautiful architectural gems that principally house two important functions: 1) regional administration / parliamentary offices and 2) regional religious and monastic offices and quarters for the monks. That division is key to Bhutan’s culture and governance, with a royal family as a third pillar. In Bhutan they are very diligent about preserving their culture and deliberately choosing development that is good for the country. You’ve probably heard of their GNH (Gross National Happiness) measures.

These photos are mostly of the “fortresses” - administrative and monastic centers that we visited.