When a Sustainable Nation Speaks Business

In an interaction with the current incharge of Gelephu Mindfulness City, Bhutan, LuxeBook decodes the country's move to establish how development and tourism can indeed go hand-in-hand

- By Payel Majumdar Upreti

Anyone who visits the serene country of Bhutan is bound to not remain untouched.

In an interaction with Carissa Nimah, the former Director of Tourism and the current incharge of Gelephu Mindfulness City, Bhutan's major push towards tourism in recent times, LuxeBook decodes how the country is moving forward to establish how development and tourism can indeed go hand-in-hand.

If you visit the divine temple of Kyichu Lakhang, historically one of the most important temples of Paro, you will be directed to the orange tree in the courtyard by your guide. The two orange trees in the courtyard are believed to have been planted by Guru Rinpoche himself, and remain a unique attraction, as they are known to bear fruit throughout the year, regardless of the season. The other curious fact about the tree, is that no soul is allowed to pluck its fruit, an act of violence according to Buddhism.

As a result, the trees bear fruit throughout the year, representing the ever continuous cycle of life and death, and sums up Bhutan's approach to life as a community of people. Bhutan's focus on Gross National Happiness, a measurable metric that they follow, as opposed to GDP as a nation has always drawn attention. The nation, till this date, remains committed to its goal of achieving the exacting standard of being a utopian state, a philosophical mandate as much as an economical one.