KATHMANDU, Dec 7: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan arrived in Kathmandu on Friday while returning to his country from an official visit to India. He spent about four and a half hours in Kathmandu after passing through a "transit visit" from New Delhi.
The Bhutanese King Wangchuck, along with the Queen, came to Kathmandu on a special flight from New Delhi. The Bhutanese King landed at Tribhuvan International Airport at around 10 am, where he was welcomed by Foreign Minister Dr Arju Rana Deuba. Queen Jetsun Pema remained at the airport.
From the airport, King Wangchuck went to Swayambhunath. He traveled from the airport through Tinkune, New Baneshwor, Maitighar, Thapathali, Tripureshwor, and Chhauni before reaching Swayambhu. There he was welcomed by the officials of the Swayambhu Management and Conservation Committee. Afterward, the king offered prayers at Swayambhu, clicked photographs, and then enjoyed a panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley from there.
After spending almost an hour at Swayambhu, King Wangchuck then went to Baudhanath. They traveled from Swayambhu via Bhagwan Pau, Shobha Bhagwati, Sorakhutte, Jay Nepal Hall, Lhotse Chowk, Gyaneshwor, Gaushala, and Chabahil, reaching Baudhanath around 1 pm.
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At Baudhanath, Wangchuck also performed prayers. After spending almost an hour there, the Bhutanese King, along with the Queen left for Bhutan from Tribhuvan International Airport around 2:30 pm. Foreign Minister Deuba, who had welcomed the royal couple at the airport, accompanied them to the airport to bid them farewell.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described the Bhutanese king's visit as private. "During this visit, he did not engage in any political or diplomatic meetings or discussions," said Ministry Spokesperson Shubhang Parajuli. "A Buddhist came to Nepal carrying his religious faith, visited Buddhist religious sites, offered prayers, and then returned."
Wangchuck's connection to Nepal
The 44-year-old Bhutanese King Wangchuck was born in Nepal. He was born on February 21, 1980, at the Paropkar Maternity Home in Thapathali, Kathmandu. It is said that he was born before his father, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, had an official marriage, making Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck his name. Thus, his birth is connected to Nepal. According to sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this is his first visit to Nepal after becoming king. He has been the king of Bhutan since 2006 and was crowned in 2008.
He is the fifth ruler of the Bhutanese royal family. The Bhutanese royal family is believed to have connections with the former Nepali royal family. When Jigme was born, palace insiders claim that former King Gyanendra Shah ensured a conducive environment for his birth at the Paropkar Maternity Home.
During last Dashain, there were various political speculations when former King Gyanendra went on a private visit to Bhutan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, believes that the Bhutanese king may have come to visit his birthplace and the sacred Buddhist site.
In Nepal and the Nepali-speaking community, the Bhutanese royal family has faced criticism. The criticism stems from the fact that millions of Nepali-speaking people, who had been living in Bhutan for years, were expelled and forced to become refugees in Nepal. This has led to strong criticism of the Bhutanese monarchy.
The Bhutanese monarchy is also considered to be a "puppet" ruler under India's control. There have been comments that when millions of Nepali-speaking Hindus were expelled from Bhutan, India sided with the Bhutanese monarchy.
India has been criticized for helping Bhutanese refugees enter Nepal instead of assisting in their repatriation and resettlement in Bhutan. India has never shown interest in resolving this issue. After the Bhutanese monarchy failed to create an environment for the refugees' return, Western countries, including the United States, helped by taking them to their countries with the support of the United Nations Refugee Agency. Even today, Bhutanese refugees remain in the eastern part of Nepal. They wish to return to their homeland if possible, or resettle in a third country if not.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had tightened security arrangements after receiving news of Bhutanese King Wangchuck's visit to Nepal. Last Wednesday, the Nepali Army conducted a rehearsal at Tribhuvan International Airport for security arrangements.
