Indo-Bhutan ties got a shot in the arm during the eight day visit of the Bhutanese King His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk to Assam, New Delhi and Maharashtra respectively. The Government of the two countries later issued a joint declaration in New Delhi with a lot of focus on Assam.
The Bhutanese King arrived in Guwahati at the LGBI Airport on November 3 where he was received by Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and members of his Cabinet. His first visit was to the Kamakhya Temple.
“He was charmed by the Temple and told me that he will come here again with his family,” Bor-Doloi of the temple Kabindra Sarma told the media. Later, the Assam Chief Minister also called on the Oxford-educated King in his hotel.
“Under the guidance of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, we look forward to strengthening the special relationship between the two countries. This visit is a testament to the ancient bonding between our nations, which is exemplified by academic linkages, infrastructure partnerships, cooperation in healthcare, shared spiritual heritage and people to people ties,” Dr .Sarma tweeted about his assessment of the King’s visit.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra also called on His Majesty in the evening. The Druk Gyalpo, as His Majesty is known in Bhutan, later met the Bhutanese diaspora in Guwahati and attended a dinner hosted by Governor Gulab Chand Kataria. The Assam Governor presented a Xanchipat (Agaru Tree Bark) manuscript painting based on Hastividyarnava to the King.
He also interacted with representatives of six educational institutions — IIT (Guwahati), AIIMS, Gauhati University, GMCH, National Institute of Design and TISS, on November 4 and later left for Kaziranga wherein he enjoyed a jeep safari in the central Kohora range from the Mihimukh Gate of the Park. The royal entourage stopped at Kathpora Watchtower and Daflang Tower where many saw the King taking photographs with his mobile phone and spotting animals with his binoculars. He also went to the Elephant Riding Point 1 in the same range and witnessed elephant bathing in Kohora River while the mahouts sang songs in the background. He enjoyed the sunset from the Riding Point with Forest Department elephants in the foreground and Karbi-Anglong hills in the background. Three State Ministers and senior officials accompanied the monarch in separate vehicles.
Later that evening, the visiting King attended a dinner hosted by the Chief Minister.
He left for Delhi from the Rowriah airport in Jorhat on November 5.
Sharing his experience, the Assam Chief Minister tweeted: “His Majesty, the King of Bhutan’s visit to our State is truly historic. The State of Assam and the Kingdom of Bhutan share a common border and this is the first time in recorded history that we have had the privilege to host the Druk Gyalpo”.
