The Day We Met A King

The long, rolled-out carpet was parallel to the ancient stone wall; it was bright red in color and we were asked to never step foot upon it. The Community Police swept it sporadically with bunches of straw, wiping loose grass and dirt away, diligently keeping the royal carpet spotless for the King’s arrival. No one knew exactly when he would show up, but there was a faint rumor in the air that he had finally appeared and was crossing the bridge that lead to the flag-lined, uphill path to the monastery.

My family and I were attending the last day of the Paro Tshechu Festival, which is one of the biggest Buddhist festivals in Bhutan. Every Bhutanese wore their traditional attire; brilliant colors stitched, woven, and embroidered on the fabrics that elegantly wrapped across their bodies. Children waited patiently, standing tall and proud and exceptionally well-behaved, peeking towards the entrance to see if he had set foot upon the carpet yet. The air felt like winter. We were dressed in our puffy jackets and scarves, and I was chilled, but I enjoyed it. My nose went numb from the cold and so did my fingers, and there was a stilled excitement throughout the crowd. We were told to put our cameras away. No one was allowed to take any pictures of the King.

Finally… Music. It was far-off in the distance, but it was the official signal that The King of Bhutan was here and that we’d have the rare opportunity to see him. I knew I’d recognize his face instantly. My family and I have been traveling throughout Bhutan for over a week and we have seen his picture everywhere. Bhutan truly celebrates their King, they adore and admire him, and even nicknamed him the People’s King. In 2008, at his coronation, he told his people that he would “not rule over them as a king.” Instead, he promised he would protect them as a father, care for them as a brother, and serve them as a son.* I could tell from his picture hanging in every temple, restaurant, shop, and hotel that his eyes seemed kind and humble. I felt my heart quicken in suspense.

Then, he appeared. He wore a yellow sash and took his time, greeting his people along the way. We were told to bow our heads in his presence. I began to lower my head as he approached, but I kept my eyes raised upon him. He glanced in our direction and then he suddenly stopped right before us. The King greeted us warmly, graciously welcomed us to his country, and asked us if this was our first time in Bhutan. He was soft spoken and unpretentious; his demeanor courteous and modest. My Dad spoke of how beautiful his country is and my Mom told him we had been visiting for ten days. I vaguely remember continuing to bow my head and uttering the words, “Thank you.” He expressed gratitude to all of us for visiting his country and then continued down the carpet as the outline of his figure became swallowed up in the crowd.

We all looked at each other in awe; my parents, brother, husband, and I. Our mouths wide in disbelief. Beaming, we all knew that something like this doesn’t happen everyday.

Cheers,

Tera

Photo Credit: Bhutan News Network

*The People’s King: http://royalcentral.co.uk/international/king-of-bhutan-hailed-as-peoples-king-74316