Why Bhutan is the happiest and the most peaceful country

Have you ever visited a country that measures its progress with National Happiness? Travel to Bhutan, also known as the “Switzerland of Asia”, to discover its secrets of happiness. This small Himalayan country, which opened its doors to foreigners only in the 1970s, is known by the world over for its long history of isolation and the reputation of being the happiest country in the world. Aside from its glorious spirituality and strong Buddhist beliefs, Bhutan is home to high places, ancient monasteries, and ancient dzongs.

Here’s why Bhutan is the happiest and the most peaceful country

Conservation is a philosophy of life

Conservation is not part of the law, but Bhutanese just believe that conservation is a way of life. Also, conservation is one of the pillars of happiness. In addition to mathematics and science, children are taught to protect the environment, basic agricultural techniques, and teaching children to be good with people is as important as getting good grades. The ‘clean and green’ pictures of Bhutan adds to their beauty.

Love to keep their culture

On your trip to Bhutan, you will never fail to realize that the local people have a unique disdain for their culture. Although Bhutan is now open to new ideas and philosophies, the preservation of culture is at the heart of its social policy. They like to wear their kind and traditional attire all the time. Be it a manager or a clerk, all Bhutanese wear their traditional clothing at all times.

Another example of they keep their culture alive is their art and crafts – made from antiquity. Despite being one of the poorest countries in the world, their government opened the Choki Traditional Arts School, one of the best places to visit in Thimphu, to teach their children about traditional arts; children are more excited to learn the unique art of Bhutan.

Happiness model

When Bhutan opened itself up, the king at the time said that the country would follow a new philosophy of development for greater national happiness. The king believed that the happiness of the people did not depend on the economic assets of the nation. Buddhist ideals encourage people to focus more on what they have than on what they don’t. Perhaps that is why the people are so kind, gentle, and hospitable.

People are less materialistic

People are fond of little things in Bhutan. Bhutanese are peace-loving and morally upright people. Their spiritual beliefs make them the epitome of a simpler life and higher thinking. Although the monarchy is no longer in Bhutan, the country’s king and queen still rule in the hearts of the people. The current king has left the royal palace to promote tourism in the country, and he lives in a small house near the palace. They shunned the New age materialism and decided to follow and adhere to the old tradition.

It is important to understand that Bhutan is not a sleepy country that does not want to wake up to the harsh reality of the problems of the new age. But it is a world of simple people for whom happiness is essential. This beautiful country has continued to promote its diverse culture since tourism in Bhutan began in 1972, making it one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations

Islam in bhutan

Islam has no recognition in Bhutan and is practiced by just 2,000 people, where the constitution establishes the “Chhoe-sid-nyi” (dual system of religion and politics) of Bhutan as unified in the person of the King who, as a Buddhist, is the upholder of the Chhoe-sid.

Relationship with government

It is always good when the government lends aid to each other but when was the last time one of us believed that our government wanted us to be happy? In Bhutan, this is not something people should wonder about. Their government is actually measuring their countries’ happiness using a metric called Gross National Happy or GNH.

They are not perfect in giving pleasure to their citizens but the fact that they acknowledge and measure happiness probably makes them better at keeping their people happier than other governments.

People rest well

According to a national survey, about 2/3 of all Bhutanese people get at least eight hours of sleep a night. That is much better than most countries and is especially true in developed countries. The benefits of sleeping on happiness, productivity, and overall health are well documented.

Having a lot of lands to get plenty of sleep is definitely a factor and having a culture that makes people get the right amount of sleep every night is something they do differently.

Crime rate

In 2013, the rape rate for Bhutan was 7.7 cases per 100,000 population, which is very low compared to other developed countries. Incidents of petty crime occur periodically in the country. Violent crime is commonplace. Other cases of drug abuse are reported; alcohol abuse is a problem. But in general, drug trafficking is low.

Summary

Concluding that happiness prevails where there is no existence of materialism, avarice, and heterodoxy.