Bhutanese Banknotes and their Images

 

Now that I have returned from Bhutan, I also have left some Bhutanese banknotes. I took a closer look and I like the symbols on the front better than the kings on the front. On the back, however, are various dzongs and the tiger's nest. I will now try to find similar depictions in my own photographs  to contrast with those on the banknotes.

The ngultrum (Bhutanese དངུལ་ཀྲམ, dngul kram - "silver coin", abbreviation BTN) is the currency of Bhutan [1]. Banknotes are in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50, 100, 500 and 1000 ngultrum, but I only retained notes of the smaller values. The ngultrum is pegged 1:1 to the Indian rupee, which is also legal tender in Bhutan – to a certain level. No one will accept 500 Rs. notes as there are forged ones in circulation. The rupees can be changed into ngultrum at the border. 1 Ngutrum has the value of 0.011 Euro.


Simtokha Dzong

Simtokha Dzong was built in 1629 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal [2], who unified Bhutan. It isa n important historical monument as it was the first dzong built in Bhutan [3]. Simtokha Dzong is located about 5 kilometres south of Thimphu, where the road to Punakha across the Dochula Pass (Dochu La) at about 3100 m.


Paro Dzong

Paro Dzong, Wikipedia uses Rinpung Dzong ("Rinpung Dzong, sometimes referred to as Paro Dzong"), but the banknote, the official banknote of Bhutan, has Paro Dzong [4]. I don't want to go into detail, maybe that's an own topic. One interesting fact however is the movie "Little Buddha" with Keanu Reeves, as some scenes were shot in the dzong.
Two pictures of the Paro Dzong on different banknotes 5 and 10 Ngultrum, which refer to different printing/series.

Punakha Dzong

Also Punakha Dzonghas been constructed by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and it is the second oldest and second-largest dzong in Bhutan. I has been  the administrative center and the seat of the Government of Bhutan until 1955, when the capital was moved to Thimphu. "Fun Fact" -:
The wedding of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, now King of Bhutan, and his fiancée, Jetsun Pema, was held at the Punakha Dzong on 13 October 2011 [5].


Taktsang or Tiger's Nest

Paro Taktsang is better known as Tiger's Nest in the west. Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) meditated and practiced in one of the caves (Taktsang Senge Samdup cave) , later monastery complex was built  around this cave in 1692 [6]. On April 19, 1998 (2 1/2 years before I visited Taktsang for the first time [7]) a fire broke out in the main building of the monastery complex. The cause of the fire is unclear, but an electrical short-circuiting or flickering butter lamps were discussed. But everything has been reconstructed. And I'll talk about Taktsang in more detail soon.


Links and Annotations:
[1] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngultrum
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhabdrung_Rinpoche
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simtokha_Dzong  
[4] Paro Dzong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rinpung_Dzong
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punakha_Dzong  
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paro_Taktsang
[7] Glimpses into Bhutan in the Year 2000 – A Travel Diary Part 7 / 15th of October
We are on the way to the Tiger's Nest / Thaktsang Lhakhang. The path is easy [7a], but difficult due to the altitude (2600-2900 m). We pass the lookout point just before the cafeteria. There I meet a young Australian woman from Perth who has a permit for Tiger's Nest. We go on with two pilgrims from Thimphu. The path comes close to a waterfall. Women carry stones for the new building. I stop for a moment at the ceremony in the new walls and don't go in straight away, listen to the drums and the music. Then I go on with the three women to whom an old monk opened the old Lhakhang, which is shown in J.C. White's book [7b]. I look at everything in peace, while the Australian completely freaks out and throws herself down. Later she has a white ribbon for the sanctuary and asks to be allowed to do her Tibetan prostration exercises there. Everything is certainly very meritorious. At least it got me to the heart of the Tiger's Nest. On the way down I am stopped by the clerk of the monastery (“I'm also a policeman”). He had previously had a dispute with C., which I didn't know at the time. Of course I didn't have a permit. I followed the Australian. I was able to reassure him because I assured him that I didn't want to cause him any trouble. I remember one argument: stones could fall down the mountain. Well, nothing can happen to you with a permit.
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2020/09/glimpses-into-bhutan-in-year-2000_10.html
[7a] The new path is strenuous and not easy! I'll write on this year's experience at a later time.
[7b] J(ohn). Claude White: Sikhim & Bhutan: Twenty-One Years On The North-East Frontier, 1887-1908. Edward Arnold (Publ.). London 1909. Reprinted New Delhi 1999. Again available as Paperback, 2012:  ASIN: ‎ B00AWKMGQY.

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