Nobonita Chowdhury
Bhutan has gained popularity among tourists in an unconventional way. Of course, its picturesque sceneries have earned it points, but what really intrigues tourists is its policy of Gross National Happiness. But what’s really interesting is how that Gross National Happiness is achieved. Its happiness is achieved by the acceptance of death. In Bhutanese culture, it is customary to think about death five times a day. Death is perceived as a phenomenon that is a natural part of life and is, in some ways, almost glorified. Grotesque images of death, especially in Buddhist iconography, are a common sight. Traditional ritual dances also portray death and all references to death, gruesome or otherwise, are left uncensored for everyone regardless of how gruesome it may be.
In a country that glorifies death, it is only natural that the death rituals would also be extravagant. The Bhutanese have a 49 day mourning period to say goodbye to their dead, consisting of a variety of rituals. The country’s attitude towards death is also backed up by present-day research which concludes that “death is a psychologically threatening fact, but when people contemplate it, apparently the automatic system begins to search for happy thoughts.”
However, the key reason behind Bhutan’s positivity towards death lies in the fact that nature lays out several death traps for its inhabitants. The source of this can also be the strong Buddhist values of the Bhutanese people and the Buddhist belief of reincarnation.
Compared to Westerners, the Bhutanese are a lot better at accepting the reality. They accept their unpleasant emotions, and therefore have an easier time overcoming them and projecting their happiness. In the end, the answer to happiness lies in facing the unpleasant things rather than running away from them.