The Bhutanese Leading the way.
By Ambassador Harald N. Nestroy
At the occasion of the 70th Birthday of His Majesty the Fourth King of Bhutan and in the name of all members and donors of “Pro Bhutan Germany”, I, herewith express our deepest gratitude to His Majesty, the Fourth King for His Majety’s benevolence shown, from the start in 1992, for our philanthropic activities for the people of Bhutan, and for His Majesty’s inspirations for our projects mainly in the fields of Health (Punakha District Hospital), Education of Disadvantaged Children (NID/Muenselling Institute, Khaling, for blind, as well as Wangsel Institute, Paro, for hearing-impaired children), and of support for Central Schools, and also Support for Monasteries.
We thank His Majesty for the interest in, and inspirations for the development and execution of our most challenging project, in the context of Preservation of the Cultural Hertige of Bhutan, the reconstruction of the Pu Mo Chhu Bazam of the Druk Pungthang Dechenphodrang Dzong in traditional Bhutanese architecture and cantilever technology.
His Majesty has graced our project by receiving us in the process of the complex planning of the Bazam and by visiting the Punakha construction site. His Majesty’s inspirations and advices were most essential for the success of the project.
In particular, without His Majesty’s commands some administrative or similar hurdles we experienced would have endangered the project as such, or at least the timely completion of the construction for the coronation of His Majesty the Fifth King in the Punakha Dzong.
One experience shall forever remain cemented in our memory. His Majesty had most generously received my wife Angelika and me at the occasion of our marriage in Bhutan in 1999. To the dismay of the Royal protocol officer, the audience lasted longer than foreseen.
It was His Majesty’s weekly “open day” for Bhutanese citizens. His Majesty invited us to stay on. A number of petitioners was lead in. An elderly peasant woman (photo), bent by hard work in the fields, a desperate shopkeeper, a hopeful student, others. Once in front of His Majesty, they seemed petrified by their own audacity to approach their sovereign.
But His Majesty, slightly inclining His head to His Bhutanese subjects, radiated such natural friendliness, such benign and personal interest, that, seeing His caring smile, hearing His encouraging welcome, the shyness fell from the shoulders of the humble visitor like a heavy chain cloak. And they felt free to submit to His Majesty their grievances or wishes. HM listened attentively, asked some questions, gave His verdict or immediate orders to an ADC to follow up the case. Witnessing the happy smile, the shining eyes, the exuberant gratefulness of the Bhutanese citizens taking reluctant leave of their beloved King, we were utmost touched and shall never forget.
With deepest respect for His Majesty the Fourth King, we join our heartfelt wishes for His Majesty’s long life, health and bliss.
The writer is the former German Ambassador to India and also the head of PRO Bhutan.
