I have seen many a museum in my travails and sojourns across the world. Some of them have been very vast, boring, lengthy, cluttered and complicated that it has put me to sleep. But a set of barns, farm fields, cooking pots and mud huts in a traditional house and that too in a capital city for showcasing the rural and cultural history of a young nation, triggered my interest.
As it is in the happy nation of Bhutan, one can hardly see people either in the city or on the roads, what with the Himalayan kingdom having just a population of six lakh people. There seem to be more tourists than the local populace and for managing such a huge tourist fall, it is a nightmare for the local officials. It’s very difficult to get tourist entry passes for some places and despite standing in the queue for half a day, we could not get passes for Punakha. So as an end result – I was fortunate to see the Folk Heritage Museum of Bhutan located in Thimpu.
A mountainous and land locked nation, Bhutan traces its rural folk history in a unique setting and manner. The museum in fact, takes you back in times how people lived on these high mountains and what kind of tools and implements they used in their day to day life. There are some live demonstrations on many aspects of rural life – albeit a century ago.
As one enters the Museum, one feels there is nothing. But as you go around the place with your eyes and ears open, one can get a clear picture of the old village life of Bhutan. Unfolding step by step, there are quite a few displays that show how life was led in the past. Definitely, it was rather harsher than it is now!
The museum is housed in a 3-4-storied, 19th century traditional rammed mud and timber house of more than 150 years. The open area encompasses small plots of paddy, wheat and millet fields, a watermill, kitchen gardens, hot stone bath etc. Each floor has been designed differently - ground floor resembles a barn while the first, second floors resembles safe store and the fourth floor, a living and dining area.
Going round the complex, I felt so happy as it gave me a firsthand insight into a traditional Bhutanese home. The four storied structure showed the layout of a traditional home in Bhutan – how people cooked, worked, prayed, slept and lived. You can even see places to store food grains, clothing, utensils and much more. Some of these include - horse stables, stone oil grinder, crop store, dresses of king and queen, weapons etc.
It was a great learning experience with the museum displaying various materials related to the Bhutanese culture and way of life. Despite being located in an old house, it is well maintained and helps understand Bhutanese thought process on nurturing a self-sustaining unit.
If you are enthusiastic, one can try their prowess at archery or even don the local traditional dress. Another thing, one can see young artists painting, carving and sculpting and all the creations that comes out of their hands is ready for the customer, but no bargain please.
This is a very well kept historical home albeit now a museum depicting how people lived in this mountainous country and telling the story in an interesting way. Our guide told us even his own home in the village was very much the same even today and life has not changed much in the rural areas for many Bhutanese and maybe, that is the reason for their happiness.
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