Wedding of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Jetsun Pema

Last updated
Wedding of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Jetsun Pema
Wedding of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Jetsun Pema.PNG
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Jetsun Pema on their wedding day.
Date13 October 2011
Venue Punakha Dzong
Location Punakha, Bhutan
Participants Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
Jetsun Pema

The wedding of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, King of Bhutan, and Jetsun Pema took place on 13 October 2011 at the Punakha Dzong in Punakha, Bhutan. [1] [2] [3] The current King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, married Jetsun Pema, who became Queen Ashi Jetsun Pema Wangchuck. Both are descendants of the 48th Druk Desi of Bhutan and 10th Penlop of Trongsa, Jigme Namgyal.

Contents

Engagement

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck announced his engagement to 20-year-old Jetsun Pema at the gopaly's[ what language is this? ] marriage opening of the Parliament of Bhutan on 20 May 2011. [4]

Ceremony

The royal wedding ceremony (Dzongkha: Gyal Tsuen Tashi Ngasoel) combined coronation and nuptials. Ahead of the ceremony, the betrothed received the blessings of the machhen (holy relic) of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The traditional Buddhist ceremony began around 8:20 am, the time set by royal astrologers - when the king, wearing the royal yellow sash, walked into the courtyard of the 17th-century monastery in the old capital of Punakha and proceeded up the high staircase inside. A few minutes later, his 21-year-old bride arrived at the end of a procession of red-robed monks and flag bearers across a wooden footbridge over the wide, blue river beside the fort. [1] The ceremony was held in two locations, one was presided over by the Je Khenpo for the Shabdrung Dag Nangma prayer, the other was attended by Dorji Lopon and 100 monks reciting Tshepa Mey prayers.

Raven Crown. Raven Crown.svg
Raven Crown.

The King then received the Dar Na Nga, five silk scarves in the five auspicious colors, as well as the Raven Crown of the Wangchuck Dynasty. He then received another Dar Na Nga for his bride and bestowed it on her, along with the Phoenix Crown of the Druk Gyaltsuen.

Phoenix Crown. Crown of the Queen of Bhutan 2.png
Phoenix Crown.

This was followed by a formal proclamation of Ashi Jetsun Pema Wangchuck as the Queen of Bhutan. [5] [6]

The proclamation was followed by the Tashi Ngasoel ceremony at the Grand Kuenra, again presided by the Je Khenpo. During this ceremony, the Je Khenpo chanted the Ngoedrup Langwa prayers for the accumulation of spiritual and worldly virtues. Following this ceremony, representatives of civil and religious authority presented the King and Queen symbolic gifts. At the conclusion of the ceremony, a traditional presentation of felicitations (Dzongkha: tashi lekdar) was followed by a public celebration in Punakha. [5] [6]

Venue

The Punakha Dzong in Punakha, where the wedding ceremony took place. PunakhaDzongInSpring.jpg
The Punakha Dzong in Punakha, where the wedding ceremony took place.

The main ceremony took place at the Punakha Dzong, meaning Palace of Bliss, the second largest dzong structure in Bhutan. The Punakha Dzong has served as a fortress and Buddhist monastery. [3] The building, which can be accessed by a footbridge, has been renovated and repainted for the ceremony. [3] The Punakha Dzong's gardens have also been replanted. [3]

Wedding attire

The wedding featured traditional Bhutanese attire. The bride, Jetsun Pema, had ordered several elaborate kiras, the national dress for Bhutanese women, from among prominent weavers in the country. [3] Jetsun Pema chose one of these kiras, which are woven from raw silk and can take months to complete, as her wedding kira. [3] She wore a light yellow tego and a kira colored red, yellow, green and white, along with red earrings to match her red wonju, the colours are also symbolic of astrology. [6]

The King wore a rose patterned yellow silk gho, the very same gho his father and grandfather had worn at their weddings. [6]

Guests

The guests were predominantly members of Bhutan's royal family, the House of Wangchuck, [7] government officials, friends of the royal family, and the press. [6] There were no foreign royals or heads of state in attendance, [7] however Indian dignitaries and ordinary Westerners were among the guests of the royal family. [6] During the ceremony, family guests sat on one side of the hall, while tulkus and other high level officials sat on the opposite side. [8] To prevent chaos, the dzong and its entrances were closed to the public. [6]

Confirmed guests included:

Public celebration

The Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs declared 13–15 October 2011 a national holiday as part of wedding celebrations. [12] [13] Festivities on the wedding day featured traditional offerings song and dance, [14] archery, [8] a public luncheon of rice with scrambled eggs and potato (kewa datse), and congratulatory salutations (tashi lekdar) from public officials and ordinary onlookers who met the King and Queen face to face. [6] [15]

On 14 October, the King and Queen made their way from Punakha to Thimphu, [6] where streets and buildings had undergone thorough repair and decoration with five-colored scarves, portraits of the royal couple, and lights to illuminate the city at night. [16] Schoolchildren and townsfolk lined the main street of Thimphu as the King and Queen passed into town. [17]

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel and Queen Jetsun Pema appeared at a public celebration held at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu on 15 October 2011, three days after their wedding. [3]

Media coverage

The royal wedding and related celebrations is an unprecedented event in Bhutan. Dasho Kinley Dorji, Bhutan's Secretary of Information and Communications, told journalists that the royal wedding was Bhutan's largest media event in history, "We've not really done this before ... In fact, this is the biggest international media event we've ever had in Bhutan – ever." [18] Approximately 160 foreign journalists and other members of the media arrived in the country to cover the wedding. [18] The largest groups of journalists came from India and Thailand. [18] The government bussed the foreign media in eleven mini-buses from their headquarters in Thimpu to Punakha, where the wedding took place. [18]

Television only became available in Bhutan in 1999. Bhutan's state television broadcaster, Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS), launched its most extensive coverage ever conducted for an event. [18]

Hindu ceremony

On 17 October, the royal couple celebrated a Hindu marriage and was received by the head of the Hindu community (Hindu Samudaya), Dasho Meg Raj Gurung, and hundreds of Bhutanese Hindus. After exchanging garlands, lighting butter lamps, and offering prayers, the King and Queen received statues of Vishnu and Lakshmi, associated with royalty. In return, they donated money for a new Hindu temple near Kuenselphodrang and for the Hindu community of Bhutan. [19]

Honeymoon

The king and queen visited India soon after the royal wedding. [20] The couple travelled through Rajasthan aboard a train chartered by the government of India. [20] The King had previously visited Ranthambore, Rajasthan, in October 2010. [20] The King and Queen followed this visit with a six-day state visit to Japan on November 15, 2011, where they were received enthusiastically by the Japanese people. [21] The presence and conduct of the royals greatly impressed the Japanese people, especially the sight of the King offering prayers at the disaster areas following the March 11, 2011 earthquake in Japan. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jigme Singye Wangchuck</span> Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan from 1972 to 2006

Jigme Singye Wangchuck is a member of the House of Wangchuck who was the king of Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in 2006. During his reign, he advocated the use of a Gross National Happiness index to measure the well-being of citizens rather than Gross domestic product.

Articles related to Bhutan include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck</span> Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan since 2006

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is the Druk Gyalpo, the monarch of the Kingdom of Bhutan. After his father Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicated the throne, he became the monarch on 9 December 2006. A public coronation ceremony was held on 6 November 2008, a year that marked 100 years of monarchy in Bhutan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Changlimithang Stadium</span> Football stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan

Changlimithang Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan, which serves as the national stadium. It is predominantly used for football matches and is the home of the Bhutan national football team, other national selections and a number of Thimphu-based football clubs. The stadium also regularly plays host to women's football, archery tournaments, minifootball and some volleyball matches. The stadium was initially constructed in 1974 for the coronation of the fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, but was completely refurbished in 2007 in advance of the coronation of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Floodlights were added to the football pitch in 2009 and an evergreen turf laid in 2012, to coincide with the start of the first season of the National League. Located 2,300 meters (7,500 ft) above sea level, the stadium is one of the highest in the world. It has raised numerous controversies in footballing circles, as its significant altitude affects the absorption of oxygen in the human body, offering considerable advantage to the home teams who are more accustomed to such conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wangchuck dynasty</span> Royal family of Bhutan

The Wangchuck dynasty have held the hereditary position of Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan since 1907. Prior to reunification, the Wangchuck family had governed the district of Trongsa as descendants of Dungkar Choji. They eventually overpowered other regional lords and earned the favour of the British Empire. After consolidating power, the 12th Penlop of Trongsa Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck was elected Druk Gyalpo, thus founding the dynasty. The position of Druk Gyalpo – who heads the royal family of Bhutan – is more commonly known in English as the King of Bhutan, however "Druk Gyalpo" would be translated literally as "Dragon King"

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tshering Yangdon</span> Queen consort of Bhutan

Tshering Yangdon is the third wife of the former Bhutanese king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. She is the current Queen Mother of Bhutan, as she is the mother of the current Bhutanese king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. She is also the mother of King Jigme Khesar's two younger full siblings, Princess Ashi Dechen Yangzom and Prince Gyaltshab Jigme Dorji.

Princess AshiKesang Choden Wangchuck, is a member of the royal family of Bhutan. She is a daughter of the fourth King of Bhutan Jigme Singye Wangchuck and Queen Mother Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck, one of the former king's four wives, all of whom are sisters and held the title 'queen consort'. She is a half-sister of the current Druk Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who became king following the abdication of his father Jigme Singye Wangchuck on 9 December 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penlop of Trongsa</span> Bhutanese royal title

The Penlop of Trongsa, also called Chhoetse Penlop, is a Dzongkha title meaning "Governor of the Province of Trongsa (Chhoetse)". It is now generally given to the heir apparent of the Kingdom of Bhutan, but historically was an important title, for the governor of Trongsa and the surrounding area, and was the route by which the House of Wangchuck came to the throne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sangay Choden</span> Queen consort of Bhutan

Sangay Choden is one of the four wives and queens of Bhutanese king Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who ruled in Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in 2006. She is the Queen Mother of Bhutan.

Wangchuk or Wangchuck is a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punakha Dzong</span> Administrative centre in Punakha, Bhutan

The Punakha Dzong, also known as Pungthang Dewa chhenbi Phodrang, is the administrative centre of Punakha District in Punakha, Bhutan. Constructed by Ngawang Namgyal, 1st Zhabdrung Rinpoche, in 1637–38, it is the second oldest and second-largest dzong in Bhutan and one of its most majestic structures. The dzong houses the sacred relics of the southern Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, including the Rangjung Kharsapani and the sacred remains of Ngawang Namgyal and the tertön Pema Lingpa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhutan–Thailand relations</span> Bilateral relations

The bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Bhutan and the Kingdom of Thailand were established in 1989. Thailand is one of the only 54 nations with formal diplomatic relations with Bhutan.

Prince GyaltshabJigme Dorji Wangchuck is the third eldest Prince of Bhutan. His brother Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck became the king following the abdication of his father on 14 December 2006.

Public holidays in Bhutan consist of both national holidays and local festivals or tshechus. While national holidays are observed throughout Bhutan, tsechus are only observed in their areas. Bhutan uses its own calendar, a variant of the lunisolar Tibetan calendar. Because it is a lunisolar calendar, dates of some national holidays and most tshechus change from year to year. For example, the new year, Losar, generally falls between February and March.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jigme Namgyal (Bhutan)</span> Bhutanese ruler; Founder of the Wangchuck dynasty

Desi Jigme Namgyal of Bhutan is a forefather of the Wangchuck Dynasty. He served as 51st Druk Desi of Bhutan (1870–1873), and held the hereditary post of 10th Penlop of Trongsa. He was called the Black Ruler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jetsun Pema</span> Druk Gyaltsuen of Bhutan since 2011

Jetsun Pema is the Druk Gyaltsuen of Bhutan, as the wife of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. She is currently the youngest queen consort in the world. She and the King have three children: Jigme Namgyel, the heir apparent to the Bhutanese throne, Jigme Ugyen, and Sonam Yangden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhutan–Japan relations</span> Bilateral relations

The Bhutan–Japan relations refers to the diplomatic relations between Bhutan and Japan. Diplomatic relations were established on March 28, 1986.

Lingkana Palace is the residence of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan. The palace grounds are adjacent to the Tashichho Dzong in the capital city of Thimphu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck</span> Dragon Prince of Bhutan

Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck is the first child and heir apparent of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan and his wife, Queen Jetsun Pema. He has been the Crown Prince of Bhutan since his birth in 2016. His name was announced on 16 April 2016. Prior to the announcement, he was known only as The Gyalsey, which means "prince". Before his birth, his paternal uncle Prince Jigyel Ugyen of Bhutan was the heir presumptive to the throne. In honor of his birth, 108,000 trees were planted by thousands of volunteers in Bhutan. In 2017, in honor of his first birthday, a new damselfly species was named after the crown prince, Megalestes gyalsey. He is expected to become the sixth Druk Gyalpo. He has a younger brother, Prince Dasho Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck, and a younger sister, Princess Ashi Sonam Yangden Wangchuck. He is the youngest Crown Prince in the world.

Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck is the second child of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan and his wife, Queen Jetsun Pema. He is the second line to the throne after his brother Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck. On 17 December 2019, it was reported that the king and queen were expecting their second child, to be born in spring 2020. On 19 March 2020, the king and queen's official Instagram accounts reported that she had given birth to her second son in Lingkana Palace in Thimphu. On 30 June 2020, the Royal Family announced that the second baby had been named Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck, and would be known as His Royal Highness Gyalsey Ugyen Wangchuck.

References

  1. 1 2 "Royal Wedding: Bhutan King Weds Jetsun Pema". NDTV online. 2011-10-13. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
  2. ↑ "Bhutan's 'Prince Charming' King Marries Student Bride". The Daily Telegraph online. 2011-10-12. Retrieved 2011-10-13. Bhutan's 31-year-old king has married a student 10 years his junior in an isolated valley high in the Himalayas where thousands of nomads and villagers gathered to celebrate
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Plowright, Adam (2011-09-06). "Bhutan Gets Royal Wedding Fever". Google News. Agence France Presse. Archived from the original on January 3, 2013. Retrieved 2011-10-02.
  4. ↑ "Bhutanese Royal Wedding to be Held in October". BBC News online. 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2011-10-02.
  5. 1 2 Wangchuk, Rinzin (2011-10-10). "Gyal Tsuen Tashi Ngasoel (Sacred Nuptial Ceremony)". Kuensel online. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pem, Tandin; Wangchuk, Jigme (2011-10-14). "Bhutan's New Queen Is at Home". Bhutan Observer online. Retrieved 2011-10-15.
  7. 1 2 "Bhutan King Jigme Wangchuk Marries Commoner Jetsun Pema". BBC News online. 2011-10-13. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
  8. 1 2 Wangchuk, Jigme (2011-10-14). "Prelude to the Joyous Day". Bhutan Observer online. Retrieved 2011-10-15.
  9. ↑ "Bhutan Royal Couple Given Ceremonial Reception; Rahul Gandhi Attends". NDTV . Retrieved 2011-10-15.
  10. 1 2 Panicker, Lalita (2011-10-13). "Bhutan's King Weds Childhood Sweetheart". Hindustan Times online. Archived from the original on October 14, 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
  11. ↑ "Bhutan News" (PDF).
  12. ↑ "Declaration of National Holiday". Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs website. Government of Bhutan . Retrieved 2011-10-10.
  13. ↑ "National Holidays". Kuensel online. 2011-10-10. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
  14. ↑ "A Gift from the Sacred Past". Bhutan Observer online. 2011-10-11. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
  15. ↑ "Wedding Pictures". Kuensel online. 2011-10-13. Retrieved 2011-10-15.
  16. ↑ "Celebrations Continue". Bhutan Observer online. 2011-10-14. Retrieved 2011-10-15.
  17. ↑ "Thimphu Students Line along Norzin Lam to Welcome His Majesty and Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema". Bhutan Observer online. 2011-10-14. Retrieved 2011-10-15.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 Williams, Ian (2011-10-13). "With a Wedding, Television in Bhutan Comes of Age". World Blog. NBC News online. Archived from the original on 2011-10-15. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
  19. ↑ "Royal Couple Undergoes Hindu Marriage". Bhutan Broadcasting Service. 2011-10-17. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  20. 1 2 3 "Rajasthan Honeymoon for Bhutan's First Couple". India Today online. 2011-10-12. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
  21. ↑ "Inspiration from Bhutan".
  22. ↑ "Japanese Good For Nothings Heart Bhutan". Japan Times.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.