Nestling in the heart of Eastern Himalayas, the harmonious existence the Bhutanese people live with their beautiful surroundings is an eye opener to outsiders. A couple of days into this tiny country, you just can't get enough of its green mountains covered with pine, apple, oak, Cyprus and other lush green trees. It is feasting for the eyes in the true sense of the word. With the Bhutanese Government banning the cutting of a single tree, without special permission from the forest department, small wonder that the country's forest or green cover is slowly but surely going up… right now it is an impressive 72 per cent. The Bhutanese are also very proud of the medicinal value of their plants.
I catch the murmur of a conversation between our guide Karma and somebody else about a certain plant extract having anti-wrinkle properties. It shall be probed further for sure in the next two days, and reported too!
Though polygamy and polyandry are now banned – the previous King, known as King IV, who gave up his throne for his son King V in 2008, had four wives – there are instances of women having two husbands.
Damcho Rinzin, Media and Marketing Officer, Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB), explains that in those families where a woman has two husbands, one stays with her while the other goes away to the mountains to mind the livestock. After a certain period they swap roles.
As we dig into a traditional Bhutanese meal, Ravi Nischal, General Manager of Taj Tashi, which is hosting Indian journalists, asks him to tell me about the custom of “night hunting”. As I wonder about these gentle Bhutanese folk shooting wild animals in the dark, Ravi's teasing tone soon tells me that this “hunting” is different. With a slight blush, Rinzin explains to me the traditional Bhutanese culture of night courtship and romance that Bhutanese young lads practice, mainly in eastern and central parts of the country.
In essence the practice, which is now slowly fading away, has to do with the young man sneaking into the girl's room through the window, in the dark of the night. Most often this is predetermined by the two, so the access to her unlatched room is easy! “It was widely accepted by Bhutanese society, but believe me, it's not easy. It leaves many of the boys with minor injuries sustained from heads banged against pillars,” laughs Rinzin. If the boy is not too familiar with the architecture of the girl's house, a wrong footing can “wake up the father and get him a thrashing or a shouting from the granny”.
Sometimes the young men caught in the act get chased away by the entire family throwing hot water on them!
Wikipedia, however, describes night hunting as “the rural equivalent of an urban date.
If one has talked with the girl in advance then it can be a solo activity but usually it happens after a gathering when friends decide to go prowling for girls.
Most boys would have a girl in mind. Although they set out as a group, they disperse gradually as they find a partner.”
Sometimes of course, the man gets to the right girl's bed, but may be rejected. “Strict parents chase the intruder or threaten him with marriage or a stick while liberal ones pretend to be asleep even if they know the prowler is around. This is more likely if they know the prowler is a suitor they would like to have for their daughter,” adds the site.
But this practice, Rinzin explains, is fading away and being replaced by the modern concept of dating, exchange of love letters, gifts, etc.
Proper wooing takes place before marriage results, rather than the finding of the boy in the girl's bed in the morning, followed by a wedding!
As we drive to the Punakha valley, about three hours drive (75 km) through the mountains, where many a twist and turn on the road holds out a magnificent view of the majestic Himalayas, I wonder at the traditional customs to which this tiny country with a mere seven lakh population is holding on to. And this is not only related to customs such as night hunting or a society not frowning or being judgemental on practices such as night hunting or polyandry when circumstances warrant it.
It has to do with traditional dress, which takes a lot of effort (we tried it and can vouch for it!) which both men and women don in daily life, traditional food and religious customs.
As the country opens up more, these will face a certain danger. Small wonder then that the TCB is keen on promoting only high-end tourism. Backpackers are not going to be welcome here for a long, long time.
(To be continued)