| Description |
The Bhutanese custom of greeting and farewell, known as Pheb-so, is a significant culture in Bhutan. Although this custom has disappeared over time, there are some places and regions where the custom of greeting and farewell is still pronounced. Suwa, which means greeting, welcome or arrival, is practiced when a guest or someone new visits the place or region. The receiving of guests at a distance before they reach their destination is an age-old tradition in Bhutan.
Sumptuous meals are prepared along with tea or alcoholic drinks. Both the guest and the reception party enjoy the meal together and continue on their way. This tradition called suwa before arriving at home has now all but disappeared in most parts of the country due to motor road connections, which take the guest right up to the village. Nonetheless, the custom continues at the national level for the receiving of dignitaries, and elaborate preparations are made in the case of His Majesty the King and members of the Royal Family, and His Holiness the Je Khenpo. People from the village normally make a point of offering tshokchang especially to the Royal Visitors, and the ministers of the entourage. Separately visiting officials are also welcomed in this way but with less elaboration. Likewise, guests are also accompanied some distance along the way when they depart. In the family or the village, seeing off the guest takes place at the point where the transport service is available. However, the official seeing off is as elaborate as the reception, at about the same distance from the place of residence.
Apart from His Majesty the King and members of the Royal Family and His Holiness the Je Khenpo, alcohol is an important item to serve both at the reception and
see-off points. Chawang char is to unfold the kabney and bow down to receive the VIPs as the main host offers khadar (auspicious silk scarf ). The reception party should be formally dressed for the occasion. At the time of seeing off, the hosts unfold the kabney and bow down as a sign of respect, but do not present khadar. In traditional Bhutanese custom, the oral greeting of ‘kuzu zangpo la’ is used among people of equal rank and not to dignitaries higher than oneself. Similarly, no words of farewell are used while seeing off, except that the departing dignitary may say a few words of appreciation.
Some soelre (gift, usually in the form of cash) is left in appreciation for the tshokchang or hospitality offered by the people or a household. Formerly, people waved to each other with khadar until the departing guests were no longer in sight. However, this custom has also disappeared because of travel in motor cars. Nonetheless, at the point of departure, a friendly well-wishing song is exchanged between the two parties. |
