Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk: Indian ties

Thimphu, Nov. 5: Bhutan’s fifth king will be formally crowned tomorrow, but today the most visible “royalty” came from beyond the Himalayas.

Sonia Gandhi and her family arrived in Bhutan, twice blocking the country’s lifeline to the world. Far from complaining, those held up cheered them on.

Around noon at Delhi airport, a breathless Bhutanese attendant with Druk Air — Bhutan’s national airline — walked up to passengers who were wondering about the delay and blurted out: “Rahul Gandhi is on the plane; I’m sure you understand.”

Rahul was accompanied by sister Priyanka, her husband Robert Vadra and their daughter Meira. The flight took off an hour behind schedule, Rahul’s security having scoured the plane by then.

A red carpet was laid out, literally, at Paro airport. The new 60km highway to capital Thimphu was blocked to allow hassle-free VIP travel, just as it had been when Sonia arrived.

Boys in the gho and girls in the kira — Bhutan’s traditional dresses for men and women — lined the route, screaming and waving the Bhutanese flag in one hand and the Tricolour in the other. Drivers of cars lined up on the roadside joined in the waving, not just for the VIP cavalcade but the cars following behind.

“It’s only fair,” an aide of the new Dragon King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk, told this reporter later at a banquet organised by Prime Minister Jigme Thinley for all guests to the coronation.

In 1958, Jawaharlal Nehru had travelled five days — by plane, pony and yak — to reach this kingdom in the upper Himalayas and cement India’s relations with the Wangchuk dynasty. Since then, India has helped Bhutan build roads, bridges, schools, colleges and hydel power plants, and to set up telecommunication links.

The deep ties between the first family of Indian politics and the Wangchuks can possibly be gauged by the accommodation the Bhutanese have offered their various top guests, the aide suggested. President Pratibha Patil, the chief guest, has been put up at Thimphu’s best hotel after being personally received by Khesar Namgyel and his father, the fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuk. Sonia, though, is the personal guest of the Queen Mother and is staying at the palace, officials said.