Not
much is known about Bhutan's past prior to the 8th century, because
historical documents have been destroyed in various fires and earthquakes.
It was in the 8th century that Guru Rinpoche (the second Buddha) arrived in
Bhutan from Tibet. He is the father of Nyingma Buddhism, which is currently
practiced in Eastern Bhutan, and he is credited with bringing Buddhism to
Bhutan.
There is some disagreement on the origin of the name "Bhutan,"
but many people believe it is derived from the Sanskrit term "Bhotanta,"
which means "the end of the land of the Bhots." "Bhots"
is the Sanskrit term for "Tibetans." The Bhutanese themselves
refer to their country as "Druk Yul"--"the land of the
Peaceful Dragon"--and to themselves as "Drukpa." They refer
to their religion as "Drukpa Kagyupa," which is currently
practiced in Western Bhutan. "Druk" means "dragon." The
name was given to a Tibetan monastery by a Tibetan lama (Tsangpa Gyare)
after he heard the thunder dragons in the sky when he was searching for a
place to build his monastery. The Drukpa Kagyu lineage of Buddhism is named
after that monastery and the term was brought to Bhutan by the Drukpa lamas
who left the Tibetan monastery and settled in Western Bhutan in the 11th and
12th centuries.
Until the beginning of the 16th century, Bhutan was a fragmented country
with many local chiefs controlling their own areas. In 1616, a lama by the
name of Ngawang Namgyal, a descendent of Tsangpa Gyare, came to Bhutan from
Tibet, after being instructed to do so by the deity Mahakala. As he wandered
Western Bhutan, teaching Buddhism,
he became more politically powerful, and eventually became the religious and
political ruler of Bhutan, bearing the title "Shabdrung Rinpoche."
Over time and through many battles, he finally managed to unify Bhutan. He
remained the religious leader and appointed a governor to help him rule the
country. He is credited with introducing the present-day dual system of
religious and secular government. He was also the first person to begin
building the current system of dzongs in Bhutan, starting with the Simtokha
Dzong.
When the Shabdrung died, various governors ruled the country for the next
200 years, and during that time there were many civil wars and much internal
conflict. Ugyen Wangchuck, the son of the 50th governor, was a powerful
warrior, and after the country's last internal battle in Bhutan (in
Thimphu), he established himself as the ruler. He was the current king's
great-grandfather. Representatives of both the religious and secular bodies
of Bhutan supported him, and they unanimously elected him as the first king
of Bhutan in December 17, 1907. The current king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, is
the fourth king of Bhutan.
Bhutan
Tour Itineraries
