Bhutan, in all its beauty and sacred grandeur, is being introduced to the world, beginning in the United States this week. “The Dragon’s Gift”, the largest exhibition of rare Bhutanese artifacts put together so far, is expected to give viewers an insight into Bhutanese culture and spiritual heritage, as well as an idea of the history that the kingdom has preserved.
Interestingly, it comes at a time when the lhakhangs in Bhutan have just been closed to visitors. The Department of Culture’s policy is, apparently, aimed at protecting our living institutions and making them safer against the growing number of thefts. Ironically, this also comes when the 10th Plan has just been released, a plan that envisages the tourism industry contributing a quarter of the GDP by 2017 with a revenue increase of 150 percent from 2000. Tourism is expected to earn revenue and provide jobs. And tour operators say that, without the lhakhangs, the goal is not possible because a majority of tourists come to savour Bhutanese culture as represented by the religious monuments.
This situation represents the dilemma and ongoing debate within Bhutanese society about the balance between preserving traditions and economic development. Bhutan’s spiritual legacies must be preserved at all cost, but this legacy is also the main attraction of the tourist dollar.
On the eve of historic political change, we know that this debate will get more complex and the decisions more difficult. If we are to go by the 10th Plan and the two party manifestos, we have airports and institutions to build, many jobs to be created, and much else to do after March 24, 2008. The projected GDP growth will require massive investments. But allowing hotels and factories to overshadow our dzongs and lhakangs will not work.
The tourism debate is important because our tourism policy represents the caution that has kept Bhutan on the right path and decided the pace of change. We do not want to lose that wisdom but want to take the next step.
The answer must lie somewhere in the realm of Gross National Happiness. That means discourse. That means reasoned compromises, the intuitive era of GNH being long gone. So it is good that we are agonizing over these important issues.
As far as Bhutan’s spiritual treasures are concerned, can we learn from this international exhibition which has a collection that most Bhutanese have not, and will not, see? Can we coordinate our own tours and exhibitions in Bhutan that do not open up sacred spaces to casual observers but allow genuine pilgrims to pay their respects?
It appears that we need some small plans within the big plan.
The short-term use of resources at the cost of long-term heritage is not a policy to pursue
Source: Kuenselonline
