Early this month, the citizens of the kingdom of Bhutan celebrated the birth of their newborn prince by planting 108,000 trees.
Each tree had a Buddhist symbols sealed with a prayer for the future heir to the throne.
100,000 volunteers, including the Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, his ministers, and the leaders of the opposition were among the people who planted the trees across the country.
On February 5, Bhutan’s King Khesar and Queen Jetsun announced the birth of their first child.
Tenzin Lekphell, who coordinated the initiative said - “In Buddhism, a tree is the provider and nourisher of all life forms, symbolizing longevity, health, beauty and even compassion.”
The number of trees planted was exactly 108,000, as “108” is a sacred number in Buddhism, denoting the cleansing of 108 defilements that impede beings from attaining enlightenment.
Out of the 108,000 trees, 82,000 were planted by each households in the country and the remaining 26,000 were planted by volunteers in special plantations in 14 districts.
Bhutan, a democratic monarchy, has a unique policy of Gross National Happiness. This balances economic growth with environmental conservation and the wellbeing of its people.
To reflect this policy, the Ministry of Tourism also inaugurated a “Happiness Garden” in the national capital of Thimphu.
The 48,400-square-yard garden invites foreign tourists to plant “happiness trees,” with the aim of having trees representing every country in the world.
Damchoe Rinzin, a spokesperson for the Tourism Council of Bhutan, said - “Bhutan is known as a country of happiness. To have a happiness garden is therefore logical. With this garden, we hope to bring the peoples of the world closer.”
