Le Grand Tour du Bhoutan

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Le Grand Tour du Bhoutan Le Grand Tour du Bhoutan est une agence de voyage. Son équipe de guides français et bhoutanais vous invite à découvrir le Bhoutan.

Le Grand Tour du Bhoutan vous propose des voyages sur mesure, en groupe, à deux ou en individuel au Bhoutan. Niché dans l'Himalaya, entre l'Inde et la Chine, ce petit royaume bouddhiste vous réserve plus d'une surprise.

02/12/2020

The Druk Wangyel Tshechu is a special festival of mask dances performed by the Royal Bhutan Army personnel on December 13 every year at Dochula, Thimphu. This unique tshechu is performed against the spectacular setting of the great Himalayan mountain ranges.

🇧🇹 🇧🇹 🇧🇹

24/09/2020

Tshechu or annual mask dance festival is a colorful celebration of both the sacred and the mundane. It is a festival where the spiritual and the material radically converge as Bhutanese people, dressed in their best outfit, witness the sacred dances performed by monks, conceived by englightened Buddhist saints of past and present.

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Photo:

22/09/2020

May the sacred rains cleanse all our impurities and usher in a period of joy and happiness. May the blessed rains wash away the inflictions of the pandemic and herald a new era of good health and peace.

07/09/2020
02/09/2020

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER EDITION IS OUT

Dear Readers,

In this edition, we take you on an exotic trek of Merak-Sakteng in our OFFBEAT segment.
This edition also includes a glimpse of birds in Bhutan in our EXPOSURE segment and the much talked about Garden of Haa in a special feature on the 6th Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition.
All this and more in Tashi Delek Magazine.

For those of you who have already subscribed, the magazine will be emailed to you. If you are a new subscriber, just drop a message to us on messenger and we will share a mobile-friendly version with you on messenger.

We hope you will enjoy reading this edition of Tashi Delek and we are able to bring you a bit of Bhutan wherever you are.

Stay Safe. Stay Happy Lots of Love from Tashi Delek Team
Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines
Tourism Council of Bhutan

05/08/2020

This video was featured on CNN TV.

17/07/2020


𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 Stephen Couchman, 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿, 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗕𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁

Bhutan Canada Foundation Tourism Council of Bhutan

The Trans Bhutan Trail Project is reviving the ancient east-west trail that was used for hundreds of years prior to the construction of road networks in the country. The trail cuts through 28 gewogs and nine dzongkhags, all the way from Haa till Trashigang, offering an exciting experience of Bhutan's past, history, cultural diversity, and pristine environment. And more. The Project Director of Trans Bhutan Trail Project, Stephen Couchman, talks to Tashi Delek magazine about this project and what we can expect along this wonderful journey!

𝗤. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗕𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁-𝘄𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗻. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁?
It was His Majesty’s Vision that the ancient trail connecting Haa to Trashigang should be refurbished. As an important symbol of Bhuta¬nese unity, the trail has always been there in some form. For hundreds of years, it was the thin thread through the mountains, which connected this land from East to West. Whether in continued usage for seasonal migra¬tion, cattle and yak herding, travels of the Monastic Body, repurposed as tourist day hikes, or for events like the 2002 and 2014 Move for Health Walks, large parts of the trail have never stopped being used. Connect¬ing all these pieces and identifying alternative routes where the ancient trail was subsumed by the National Highway, has been in the works since last October.

Sam Blyth, Chair of Bhutan Canada Foundation (BCF), made the initial financial commitment to the Trans Bhutan Trail (TBT) and helped bring together the best practices of other trails from around the world. BCF has collaborated with Tourism Council of Bhutan which has also provided significant support, resources, and expertise in the first phase of refurbishment. We were joined by a unique coali¬tion including 9 Dzongkhags and 28 Gewogs, Forestry, Desuung, Local Government, Royal Society for the Protection of Nature, Association of Bhutan Tour Operators, Bhutan Sustainable Tourism, National Land Commission, Guides Association of Bhutanese and many others in order to realize this Vision. In this sense, the trail continues to fulfill its purpose in bringing the Nation together.

𝗤. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹?
The total length of the trail is 430km crossing 11 passes. Most days involve climbs of 1000m or more. It may not be the longest trekking trail in the world, but it is easily one of the toughest. (Just be glad you don’t have to do it with 35Kg of chilies on your back.) The initial survey and clearing expedition in March took 28 days. Given the work done by communities in 28 Gewogs since then, it should be possible to hike the entire length in either direction over the course of 21 to 28 days. Since there are many access points, you can also challenge yourself to hike the TBT in sections over a longer period.

𝗤. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗕𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁?
The initial survey identified over 400 cultural sites along the route. That’s just a start. There are remnants ev¬erywhere of the extraordinary work of Bhutanese ancestors. Even though the way is often clear, whenever I walk the trail it is always in the com¬pany of a local guide. They are full of stories, jokes, knowledge of flora and fauna, and practices to ensure we keep good relations with local deities and demons.

I am reluctant to play favorites regarding highlights and I know better than to take a position on which region produces the best ara. Every day on the trail has unique highlights; views over the Paro Valley, the hidden Dochula Trek, Divine Madman Trail, Samtengang ridge walk, Trongsa Bazam, Mem¬bertsho, Phrumsingla National Park rhododendrons, Zhongar Dzong, Drametse Lemon Grass, and Eastern village hospitality…The list goes on and on. The TBT has something for everyone, every day.

𝗤. 𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗸𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁? 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹, 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀?
Full development of trail infrastruc¬ture will take time. Early trekkers will be trailblazers, helping the TBT through our social media and trail app, to understand where and what facilities are needed. A big focus of the TBT is on community economic development. Homestays, guesthouses, local guides, community campsites, transportation services, food, and other goods and services; these are all part of the long-term plan for the trail. The TBT and our partners will be working with com¬munities to develop these over time. As the trail connects the dzongs trek¬kers will have an opportunity to spend time in larger centers every few days.

𝗤. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗸𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗻?
First, it’s worth noting that the TBT incorporates and is linked to, several popular routes. In this sense, we hope to improve and increase usage of existing trails. Where possible we are developing multi-user trails provid¬ing opportunities for trekkers and mountain bikers. One way the TBT is different is that it is more accessible than remote routes. This allows for supported trekking with the potential for, ve¬hicle support, homestay, and hotels all along the route. It will be your choice to camp, homestay, or live in luxury, as you hike the TBT. Starting this fall, there will also be a trail passport, which allows trekkers to track their journey and collect stamps as part of the TBT recognition program.

Finally, the TBT is an important symbol of national unity. It is a community trail that will be used by Bhutanese youth for leadership development, community service, and educational purposes.

𝗤. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹?
A trail is not as much a physical path, as it is a way to connect people and communities. I have already mentioned the potential economic benefits. Underlying this is the fact that people who remember life before the National Highway, will not be with us forever. To know the TBT is to keep alive the stories of the Ancestors. It is an opportunity for future generations to maintain traditions and to learn the historic narratives that are literally embedded in the landscape of the trail.

14/07/2020

Presenting Gasa : The natural splendor of Gasa is unparalleled in the country. The whole district falls under the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Park and with its beautiful highland villages, majestic Dzong, and well-known Hotspring, Gasa is among the 20 Iconic sites in the kingdom.
Tourism Council of Bhutan Gasa Dzongkhag







14/07/2020

Best of Bhutan
Haa is one of the smallest Dzongkhag in the country. This tiny region is one of the most beautiful and isolated areas in the kingdom, adorned with pristine alpine forests and tranquil mountain peaks and many iconic sites.
We feature here today the stunning Lhakhang Karpo or the White Temple. Check the post below to find out more about this Iconic temple in Haa valley.
HAA Dzongkhag Administration Tourism Council of Bhutan







09/07/2020

JULY-AUGUST COVER STORY
Bhutan is known for its unspoiled natural environment, lush forests, glacial lakes and rivers, virgin mountain peaks, and centuries-old living culture unscathed by the denudation of time and forces of modernization.
But there is more to Bhutan than what meets the eye. From magnificent palaces, fortresses, monasteries, natural sanctuaries and parks to pristine valleys.
Our latest edition features 20 iconic sites in the Kingdom.
We present to you today an Iconic site in Bumthang.
Tourism Council of Bhutan Bumthang Dzongkhag Administration

01/07/2020

OUR JULY-AUGUST EDITION IS OUT NOW
In this edition, we take you on an epic journey of 20 Iconic sites in the kingdom through our COVER STORY.
In the OFFBEAT segment, we join trekking guide Passang on a challenging yet rewarding five-day Nub Tshona Pata trek as he takes us through a surreal paradise of verdant rhododendron and mesmerising lakes in high mountain passes.
In our EXPLORE segment, we discover Zhemgang: The sacred realm of three hills.
On the mindfulness side, Gyalwa Dokhampa tells us how to make the best of the COVID-19 situation.
All this and more in our latest edition.
Get the FREE DIGITAL COPY in your inbox. If you haven't registered yet, you can do it right now by inboxing us your email address or leaving it in the comment section below.
Happy reading. Stay safe. We will travel again.

📷 Cover Picture: Drone shot of the majestic Punakha Dzong by Choling, Zoom Out Productions.
Cover Story featured in collaboration with the Tourism Council of Bhutan and oDzongkhags.








27/06/2020

A caravan of horses approaches the remote highland valley of Sakteng. For many generations, the brokpas of Sakteng have used horses and mules to transport goods from lower valleys of Radhi, Rangjung, and Trashigang. This may change soon with the completion of the road to Sakteng.

18/06/2020

📷 The picturesque Phobjikha village is a burst of pink in Autumn. With buckwheat flowers in full bloom and clear blue skies, the beautiful village is a sight to behold.
The best way to experience Phobjikha is by staying in one of the farmhouses and homestays in the valley.








18/06/2020

📷 A Homestay host in Sakteng preparing delicious organic lunch for her guests. Sakteng is one of the highlands in Eastern Bhutan.
Saktengpa women are beautiful in their traditional attire and most of what they wear is woven by them.
A journey to the east is incomplete without visiting the highlands.






15/06/2020
11/06/2020

📷 Chorten Kora in Trashiyangtse, Eastern Bhutan is an epitome of serenity, grace and beauty. Standing majestically as the sun unravels its brilliance and its gaze finds the depths in your soul, Chorten Kora moves you through its spiritual poetry and, its white and gold simplicity.







09/06/2020

The Zangtopelri Lhakhang atop the ridge overlooking Taktshang Monastery with a scenic view of Paro valley stands still like a sentinel on guard. This heavenly abode of Guru Rinpoche was built in 1853.

31/05/2020
14/05/2020

Our life is like a river

By Gyalwa Dokhampa

Several things in our lives seem constant, especially when we do the same things every day over a long period of time. For example, living in the same house for many years, following the same routine for decades like going to the office every morning and coming home in the evening. Unless a big change happens such as a death, a marriage, or divorce, most of us remain unaware of the continuous and minute changes happening every second that lead to these major changes in our lives.

Our life is like a river - in one way, we can say that it’s the same river that we have been seeing since we remember but, in another way, if you observe it carefully, every second the river is flowing, and new water is taking its place. Because there is continuous flow, it looks the same but actually, it is not the same.

Not realizing that everything is changing every moment, is the very reason for grasping onto what we have and fueling our desire all the time. Therefore, contemplating on the constant changes happening to ourselves, our surroundings and people around us; understanding that there is nothing that can be stopped; will reduce our grasping, and shift our focus to utilizing our life, wealth, health, fame, power and whatever we have, in ways that will give happiness to ourselves and others. This is the very essence of why we need to contemplate on the continuous and minute changes happening every second.

A change is not only happening when we see a cremation ground; change is happening when we see a newborn baby as well; the process has already started at birth, nearing towards death. The moment someone becomes the President or Prime Minister of a country, the person’s term clock is already ticking towards its end. Similarly, a building, our body, influence, power, this very life, everything in this world is constantly going through changes, and with every second passing by, the clock is ticking towards ceasing.

Talking about changes, even if you are together with your spouse your entire life, it does not mean that the relationship is permanent. Relationships are built on emotions, and emotions are constantly changing. In good moments, we say - our relationship has become deeper, richer, and during bad times, we say - oh you’ve changed, now you are no more romantic, etc. Changing either positively or negatively is up to you but fundamentally, emotions and relationships are also subject to change.

Do we have to get sad or depressed understanding that there is nothing that remains unchanging and permanent? Not at all! The understanding that everything is going through constant change, helps us to reduce our grasping and gives us the reason to reflect on how to utilize this life and whatever we have to benefit ourselves and others. This is the essence of meditation on change. Grasping brings about insecurity and fear in ourselves and takes away the charm of our happiness. For example, in a relationship, I feel that sometimes, it is 90% insecurity and only 10% happiness; insecure about what if I do this, what will my husband or wife think; insecure about does he/she still love me; all kinds of insecurities, which compromise the happiness in a relationship. Therefore, rather than grasping on to a relationship which if not in this life, by death we have to part ways, it is most important to spend quality time in a relationship, truly caring about each other. What is important is not the number of years you stay in a relationship but how truly were you in it, which determines the quality of a relationship. Similarly, it does not matter how long we are in power but what matters is how did we utilize the power when we had it.

I normally describe the experience of going to a five-star hotel, how we appreciate and enjoy the comfort and luxury of that hotel during our stay there, and then check out without any attachment because we have always known that nothing in that hotel belongs to us. No one cries at the time of checkout from a hotel because, at the back of your mind, you already knew that you will have to check out when you are checking in. Similarly, we should always remember that whatever we have in life will inevitably change. Therefore, we should appreciate whatever we have and make the best use of it.

However, for many of us, what we are doing right now is the opposite of this. When we have our close relatives with us, we hardly appreciate the fact that we are having the opportunity to spend time together and when they are gone, we cry saying: “Oh! we miss him/her; I should have done this and that”. There is really no use regretting but rather do the best we can because there is nothing that you can keep constant.

There is no use or benefit in having a fanatic attitude towards anything. Things change, and that is why life is so precious. We should utilize what we have to benefit all beings without clinging.

GYALWA DOKHAMPA
Gyalwa Dokhampa Jigme Pema Nyinjadh, also known as Khamtrul Rinpoche is a master of Drukpa Lineage and a writer. In addition to his efforts in carrying forward the Drukpa lineage, his teachings bring the perspective of Buddha dharma on our day-to-day life experiences, with the aim to integrate Buddhist principles in everyday lives of people. He is also an advocate of environmental conservation, gender equality, and vegetarianism.

08/05/2020

Love and laughter in the time of Corona

By Kinley Tshering

Obviously, this is not the best of times. It is a dark period in the history of humankind. An extraordinary time when physical and social distancing and staying home are the new normal. The last time the world has gone through such a depressing experience was 100 years back when the deadly Spanish flu wiped out some 50 million people from the face of the earth. The novel Coronavirus does seem to have the potential of causing such far-reaching harm to humanity.

Yes, the news is gloomy. The news is morbid. Tens and thousands of lives have been lost, the tally soaring every day. It is a war. We can’t help but feel helpless and terrified and lost and shocked. Our collective mental health is taking a serious beating. The more we think of the apocalyptic consequences of the pandemic, the more we lose our sleep and peace of mind. Coronavirus has upended our lives like never before. And it doesn’t appear like it is going away any time soon.

Come to think of it, the modern world that has achieved remarkable feats in the field of science and technology, a world that is planning to send humans to Mars, is desperately trying to rein in the virus, with little success thus far. And we continue living on tenterhooks.

In Bhutan, a tiny speck of a dot in the world map, we have been dealing with the virus in our own little ways. Our patient zero was an American tourist. And mind you, we didn’t inject him with disinfectant but with love and care.

Right after the first positive case was detected, our government jumped into action. And the people, like in any other country, went into panic mode and started frenzied buying. Our pharmacy shops ran out of masks and hand sanitizers. Not toilet papers though. The government intervened by distributing free-for-all locally made sanitizers. On the first day, the Prime Minister even climbed atop a Bolero pick-up truck and distributed the hand sanitizer from huge tanks to long queues of people who came with empty bottles and containers to get their fill. It was a powerful photo-op. And why not? If you are doing it right, you might as well flaunt it.

The sanitizer was distributed at several points. But not all Bhutanese are literate or sophisticated enough to understand what the sanitizer is for. Normally, if there is a long queue of Bhutanese, it has to be for some spiritual purpose – waiting to receive blessings from a precious Buddhist lama. We are a spiritual lot.

An old man, blissfully ignorant, happened to be in the queue, perhaps out of curiosity or he thought some sort of a magic potion or holy water was being distributed to keep the virus at bay. So, he waited patiently and when his turn came, he took a palm full of sanitizer and quickly gulped it down to the utter shock of those distributing the freebie.

The next day, the health ministry had to send out a public service announcement, advising people not to consume sanitizer and to strictly use it to clean hands. The pandemic has come as a great teacher. Suddenly, we have started to contemplate on life and its meaning, the pointlessness of this endless consumption driven by greed and desire at the expense of the natural environment, and impermanence and interdependence – how we are intrinsically connected to each other, to the universe and the cosmos.

We have also gone through some sort of a collective reawakening as we realize that we need to grow our own food. Although we are largely an agrarian economy, with some statistics suggesting that over 70 percent of Bhutan’s population is engaged in agriculture, we still import a large quantity of our food from India. Rice and chilies included.

Speaking of chilies, after the borders were closed, there was an acute shortage of chilies in the market. And as usual, people panicked. Bhutan’s vegetable capital – Tsirang – also ran out of chilies. Even Punakha, another chili hotspot. Something was certainly not right. Up till that point, vegetable vendors at the farmer’s market in Thimphu would say that the chilies on sale were from Tsirang. We were of the notion that we were eating organic, grown-in-Bhutan chilies while all this time it was imported. And that was a huge revelation, one that hurt. We were being conned. We felt betrayed. Bhutanese are delicate and sensitive when it comes to chilies!

This crisis has been an eye-opener. A silent yet powerful green revolution is underway. Urban dwellers have started farming, like mad. Seriously! They are digging up every inch of land available, not even leaving the fallow land by the roadside. Many have left for their ancestral homes in the villages to take up farming, to revive fallow land, back to their roots. It is as if the pandemic has woken up the sleeping farmer in all of us. Eureka! The fact is, all we need is food, clothes, and shelter. That is all that matters. And a little bit of love and laughter, of course.

A nationwide lockdown hasn’t been imposed in Bhutan. Hopefully, it remains that way. However, as a precaution, schools have been closed for almost two months now and many are working from home. The government is also advising people to stay at home and limit their movement.

At a recent press briefing, a reporter asked the health minister what people should do to stay physically active and healthy while staying home. Now, Bhutan’s national language Dzongkha can be quite tricky at times. The health minister, the country’s second female minister, is smart and able. She knows the answers to this simple and obvious question; after all she is the health minister. But she mixes up the Dzongkha word for exercise, which is “Lue-jong” and instead says people should engage in “Lue-del” which means s*x. For at least thirty minutes every day. Ever since, the video of this unwitting faux pax has been going viral in social media. All in good humor though. The times are bad but a little, harmless joke won’t kill you.

*** Kinley Tshering is the Editor of Tashi Delek magazine and Creative Director at Zoom Out Productions

28/04/2020

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