A prophecy is fulfilled and a future secured 

The nation is in high spirits following the birth of His Royal Highness The Gyalsey on February 5.

Prayers and congratulatory messages for Their Majesties continue to be expressed across the country and abroad. Social media is flooded with expressions of happiness for Their Majesties and The Gyalsey. Many initiatives and activities in Their honour are being conducted. The nation is in various ways celebrating.

The occasion is not only an opportunity to rejoice and celebrate new life but also the continuity of the Wangchuck Dynasty, under which Bhutan has enjoyed independence, peace, and much social and economic progress. With the birth of The Gyalsey, the blessings Bhutan has enjoyed in the past century can be expected to continue.

“The birth of the Gyalsey is an unequivocal assurance of  continuity of the Wangchuck Dynasty as enshrined in the inviolable and historic genja of 1907 and the Constitution of Bhutan,” the Chief Justice, Tshering Wangchuk, said.

“It is very rare in the life of a nation and people to have the most gracious and benevolent presence of the past, present and future Druk Gyalpos,” Lyonpo said. “Therefore, the Bhutanese people can rest assured, that the prince of destiny, our beloved Gyalsey will have the guidance of our visionary Kings in imbibing the excellence of statesmanship, our invaluable Buddhist values, culture and traditions,” Lyonpo added. “Therefore, the birth of our Gyalsey is an assurance of the continued fulfillment of our national objectives and national interest and our survival as a nation and people guided by another generation from our beloved institution of Monarchy.”

The chief justice also said that the people of Bhutan could not have received a better losar gift than the news of the safe birth of The Gyalsey.

The Anti Corruption Commission Chairperson, Kinley Yangzom, said that the Monarchy is the bedrock of our nation that binds all Bhutanese together. “The birth of HRH The Gyalsey is an assurance that this legacy will continue and is portent of the glorious future ahead of Palden Drukpa,” she said.

Historian (Dr) Karma Phuntsho said that the birth of The Gyalsey heralds the fulfillment of Lam Jangchub Tsondrue’s prediction of Bhutan’s prosperity for yet another generation. “Rarely will Bhutan have an occasion to rejoice in a birth that is so significant and anticipated,” he said. “We should congratulate Their Majesties and wish the new scion of Palden Drukpa all the blessings in life.” Lam Jangchub Tsondrue was the spiritual guide of Jigme Namgyal.

“This is a sacred event for the Wangchuck Dynasty and therefore critically important for the survival of Bhutan in the future,” said information and communications secretary, Dasho Kinley Dorji.

Good wishes from abroad were also expressed and the significance of the birth of The Gyalsey recognized.

Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, congratulated Their Majesties on social media.

Indian ambassador, Jaideep Sarkar and his wife lit butter lamps at Tashichhodzong and prayed for the good health and well-being of The Gyalsey.

“We share the great joy and happiness of the people of Bhutan on this very special occasion,” ambassador Jaideep Sarkar said. “We know how much love and reverence the people have for the Royal Family,” he added. “The birth of The Gyalsey will renew and strengthen these popular feelings. Our thoughts are with the people of Bhutan and Their Majesties and we pray for the health and happiness of The Gyalsey.”

“As British Honorary Consul, it is my privilege and honour to convey to Their Majesties the congratulations and good wishes of the United Kingdom and of all Bhutan’s very many British friends, as well as my own warmest personal and heartfelt felicitations,” said British Honorary Consul to Bhutan, Michael Rutland.

“Bhutan is a constitutional hereditary Monarchy, and one of its many advantages is that it allows us simultaneously to reflect back on the living past through the person of His Majesty The Fourth Druk Gyalpo, to experience the present through His Majesty The King, and now to open a window into the future through the Royal Prince,” he said. “Our Monarchy in Bhutan thus embodies the past, the present and now the future of the Kingdom and its people.”

The British Honorary Consul said that The Gyalsey will grow up in an ever more challenging world but fortified by the legacy of the Wangchuck Dynasty. “We can be confident that the future of the Kingdom is assured for years to come,” he said, adding, “To paraphrase Shakespeare, we can enjoy ‘a glorious summer through this Son of Wangchuck’ and may every blessing fall like gentle summer rain on the nation’s new Son.”

Gyalsten K Dorji