Bhutan Project

Original conversation about doing an episode in Bhutan came from meeting a Bhutanese Musician at Rubin Museum of Art during a visit by the newly elected Prime Minister of Bhutan [wikipedia article] last year.
Right after an extremely enlightening talk I approached one of the members of the delegation and we struck a conversation about a possibility for a project in Bhutan. Short two weeks later he brought back several ideas - as told by Tshering Goen. Background information is from Wikipedia and The CIA World Factbook. [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bt.html]

The Story of the Gaza Dzong

26 January, 2008 - The ka-gye (eight pillars) lhakhang, the koenyer's (caretaker) room, and an engineering cell of the Gasa dzong were reduced to rubble and the main statues inside the lhakhang were charred.
17th century Dzong (fortress) was gutted by fire on 22nd of January and damaged many spiritual treasures. (continue...)

Background

The Kingdom of Bhutan, situated on the southern slopes of the Himalayan Range, is a little known country despite its full membership of the UN since 1971. The Royal Government of Bhutan and now a first democratically elected government is implementing a unique, long-term political strategy called "GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS" (GNH). This policy is based on the belief that the primary purpose of development is to bring happiness to the population of Bhutan, rather than aiming solely for an increase in Gross Domestic Product.
The idea of GNH are based on four pillars:
1. Sustainable and equitable socio-economic development
2. Conservation of the fragile Himalayan ecology
3. Preservation and promotion of the traditional culture
4. Enhancement of good governance
These four principles for a modern government policy are in tune with the Buddhist traditions prevailing in Bhutan from the time this philosophy spread from India northwards in the 9th century.

  
Now, Imagine This!
The Imagine This Team arrives to help the local community to not only restored the damaged fortress but also to ensure that a similar event would never do as much damage as this last fire.

• Set up low voltage lighting - LED's, solar panels, wind and water power - as would be appropriate to the community
• Fire prevention measures - hand pump, water tank - all that was needed to prevent much of the damage was an effective way to bring water a 100 meters away from the lake. A hand pump would be operated by the monks that live permanently at the fortress.
• Music room, choir - ? teleconferencing equipment - to add a cultural dimension to this project - Tshering is a local lute player who is studying music in Montana now, aspiring to bring western musical notation - "here we learn by imitation, not notation - so much of the music is lost..."
• Sculpture by JoyForce - and local artists. Thangka is a traditional art form that would commemorate the founder of Bhutan in the seventeenth century who has stayed at the fortress.

Challenges: As per Tshering Goen, goentshering@yahoo.com, "there is no immediate access road.  People have to walk 5 hours from the road point.  The materials for the fortress were stones and timber.  In order to build the fortress people have to bring the timber on their back from very far away.  From the road point we have to walk and put the stuff on the horseback and also local people will help to bring the stuff. There is no helicopter service. Since the Head of the Monks is in charge of the Fortress I spoke with about the renovation of the fortress.  He said that they have done a rough estimation and the cost would be around $150,000.00, which is 80 lakhs in Bhutanese currency. The head of monks was very glad and he said that they are ready to start the renovation if they get the funding and any help from the outside. Local people have decided to perform 5 days festival in that fortress." The most popular times to travel to Bhutan are the spring months of March, April and May or September, October  and November.  The most dramatic festivals take place during these months.