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The officially adopted state religion in Bhutan is
the Drukpa Kagyu sect of Tantric Mahayana Buddhism.
The Nyingmapa sect is also popular in some pockets.
To the uninitiated eye, these sects appear no
different from each other, but they espouse varying
beliefs and practices although they share a common
essence. The state religion notwithstanding, there
is no restriction on what faith a Bhutanese citizen
may choose to follow. In fact, Hinduism is widely
practiced by the Nepali speaking people of southern
Bhutan, and some important Hindu days are celebrated
as national holidays. It is not an
exaggeration to say that religion permeates all
aspects of Bhutanese life. For most travelers to
Bhutan, it takes a while to realize their guides
aren’t joking when talking, in very matter-of-fact
manner, about mantras, protectors, saints and
deities. The common Bhutanese man will have monks
around him in birth, sickness, celebration and
death. Not to worry, the Bhutanese are neither
extremists nor fanatics, no Buddhists are. |