BHUTAN ROYAL WEDDING IN OCTOBER 2011

Royal wedding announced
Friday, May 20, 2011

The 7th session of the parliament today will be remembered for a long time by the Bhutanese people. It was on this auspicious occasion that His Majesty the King announced that he would be getting married to Jetsun Pema in October this year.

Jetsun Pema was born on the 4th of June 1990 to Dhondup Gyaltshen and Sonam Chuki. Her father is the grandson of Tashigang Dzongpon Dopola. Her mother is comes from the family of Bumthang Pangtey. Jetsun has two brothers and two sisters. She is the second eldest.

She began her schooling at Changangkha Lower Secondary School and the St. Joseph’s Convent in Kalimpong, India, and continued her studies at Lungtenzampa Middle Secondary School, the Lawrence School, and the Regents College in London, UK.

Her hobbies include the fine arts, painting, and basketball. In recent times, she accompanied His Majesty on royal tours around the country.

Speaking about the would-be-queen, His Majesty said many people will have their own expectations –that “she should be uniquely beautiful, intelligent and graceful.”

“What is most important is that at all times, as an individual she must be a good human being, and as queen, she must be unwavering in her commitment to serve the people and the country.”

His Majesty said while she is young, she is warm and kind in heart and character. “These qualities together with the wisdom that will come with age and experience will make her a great servant to the nation.”

His Majesty said the wedding will be in accordance with age-old tradition and asked the government not to make any plans for a grand celebration saying “the happiness of my beloved father and the blessings of our people will give me the greatest joy and happiness.”

SOURCES : BBS (Bhutan Broadcasting Servise)

Bhutan Brief History

Bhutan’s early history remains rather sketchy for want of proper records. Whatever was recorded was done in scriptures and was destroyed by fire and other natural disasters. Thus, much of Bhutan’s history draws from reports and personal diaries of British explorers and political officers, and legends and myths and folklore.

Many early inhabitants of Bhutan were followers of Bon, the animistic tradition prevalent throughout the Himalayan region before the arrival of Buddhism. Buddhism was first introduced to Bhutan in the 7th century AD by Guru Padmasambhava aka Guru Rinpoche, a tantric master. He is supposed to have come to Taktsang in Paro riding a tigress. In fact, that’s how the most spectacular Taktsang Monastery came to be called the Tiger’s Nest. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Most Bhutanese historians, however, give Lama Phajo Drukgom Shigpo (1184–1251) the credit of establishing the Bhutanese form of Buddhism – the Drukpa Kagyu School. Lama Drukpa Kunley, the Divine Madman, visited Bhutan in the 15th century and established Chimme Lhakhang in Punakha.

Between the 11th and 16th centuries, numerous terma (sacred texts) hidden by Guru Rinpoche were discovered by tantric lamas called tertons. Terton Pema Lingpa discovered his first terma from the lake of Membartsho near Bumthang in 1475. While Bumthang is today considered the cultural heartland of Bhutan, Terton Pema Lingpa is considered a major figure in Bhutanese history.