India is a big country in terms of geographical area. If you observe Mahabharat, you will understand this very clearly. However, if you believe in movies and serial Mahabharata, you will never know the true story itself. So forget about the geographical area. India was divided into several parts due to so many reasons. Today we are left with only some place which we see that in the world map. Bhutan was a part of India during the reign of Indian King Ashoka. Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty from 322 to 185 BCE.
King’s rule is always the best rule. Its India’s misfortune that we got democratic rule due to the British invasion. Well, keeping that old history apart, today people are much interested in technology and earning money more than history. If you are ready to go through a lot of formalities and has enough money, then you can visit Bhutan.
Here are some interesting facts about Bhutan that will make you fall in love with it.
1. Ministry Of Happiness
The country has a Ministry of Happiness similar to the term Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which they measure Gross National Happiness. The population census questionnaire has a column where you can indicate whether you’re satisfied with your life or not. And the quality of life is determined by the balance between their financial and mental values.
2. No Person On Street
You won’t see anyone living on the streets. If a person loses their home, they just need to go to the King. He will give them a piece of land where they can build a house and plant vegetables.
3. Last Country That Started Using Television
Until 1999, TV and the internet were officially banned. As it is not possible to isolate the whole country from modern technologies, King decided to cancel this rule. In this regard, Bhutan was the last country in the world that started using television.
4. National Dress Code Which Everyone Follows
This is the one I personally liked it very much. Bhutanese people wear traditional clothes. Men wear heavy, knee-length robes and women wear long dresses. Based on the color of a scarf draped over their left shoulder, a person’s status and social level are identified. Whereas ordinary people wear white scarfs, and noble people and monks wear yellow ones. Hope this is followed in India too one day. But I am pretty sure that this kind of implementation is not possible in democratic countries.
5. Offers Free Medical Care
Both traditional and classical medicine is common in Bhutan, and a person can decide on the method of treatment on their own. Each Bhutanese resident has a right to get free medical care.
6. Special Attention To Animals And Nature
The country is concerned about growing trees. In 2015, Bhutan set a world record when people planted 50,000 trees in just one hour.
7. Banned Smoking
The King of Bhutan enacted a law prohibiting the cultivation, harvest, and sale of tobacco in the country. You can not buy tobacco there. As a tourist, if you want to bring cigarettes with you, then you need to collect all the documents necessary for crossing the border and have to pay a big fee for it. In India, even if the government wants to ban smoking and alcohol, people won’t allow. Yes, the power of democracy.
8. Tourism Is Restricted
Even though the King has opened the country of Bhutan to tourist visits, he doesn’t allow them access to the whole country. You can visit Bhutan only with a group of other tourists. All documents and visas are issued by one state-appointed company. You have to pay all expenses in advance (flight tickets, hotel, fees, tour operator and guide services, visa, and insurance) to get permission.
You must travel with a guide which means you would never have a chance to go for a walk on your own.
There is only one airline that operates all flights into and out of the country, and prices at the hotels (whether they are cheap or luxury) are set by the government.
