Flag of Bhutan

The Himalayan Kingdom ofBhutanis one of the most sacred places in Asia. Known to be spiritual in nature, theBhutanesebelieved in deities and spiritual connections as evidenced by a significant number of monasteries. Found way up in the mountains in the Himalayan ranges, the small country has been experiencing rapid growth and development in the past few years. Their beliefs in the divine assistance towards man are rather evident of the culture and way of life in the country.

The Bhutanese flag shows of how ingrained the culture is in the country. Resized to match the dimensions of the flag of India for better fluttering as compared to its original proportions, the flag is a two-toned simple banner. Divided diagonally from the lower left-hand-side corner, the upper triangle touching the hoist side is colored with yellow while the other triangle which is farther from the hoist side is colored orange. Dead on the middle of both triangles is the Bhutanese Druk or the thunder dragon. The dragon can be attributed to its neighbor China’s reverence towards the dragon as a symbol of royalty and power. However, the Druk, as what the Bhutanese would also call the country itself, would come from the late 1100s where there was an account of an auspicious sign found in the Namgyiphu valley of a glowing rainbow and light. Since then, the lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, a predominant religion in the country would regard the Druk or dragon to be a symbol of prosperity and power.

According to legal documents, the yellow upper triangle depicts the civil traditions and human leaders of the kingdom as personified by the Dragon King who wears a traditionally yellow garb. The orange half of the flag represents the Buddhist traditions of the people. As the Thunder Dragon spreads equally over the line dividing the flag, its white color signifies the purity of intent while the jewels in its claws represent the bounty of the Bhutanese province. Also, facing away from the hoist side, the dragon’s snarl shows the gods’ commitment to take care of the country against external harm.