| His
Majesty's birth anniversary |
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Bhutan Royal Family |
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Bhutan
celebrates His Majesty's birth anniversary
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November
11th 2003
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The
nation came together in festivity as people all across the country celebrated
the 48th anniversary of His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo.
In
Thimphu, thousands of students, the dratshang, civil servants and members
of the armed forces flocked to the Changlimithang national stadium to take
part in the celebrations.
Addressing
the thousands gathered at the Changlimithang stadium, the minister of labour
and human resources, Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering, said that the peace and prosperity
the Bhutanese people enjoyed today was because of His Majesty's leadership
and vision.
As
is the tradition the students did a march past and performed skits and
dances for the public. A highlight of the activities performed by the school
children was the traditional wrestling competition that had the spectators
roaring. |
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The Changzamtog school beat Yangchenphu in the finals to win the
top prize. In the evening, the IMTRAT band performed Hindi and English
at the clock tower centre.
In
Southern Bhutan, Gelephu dungkhag had the honour of celebrating the occasion
with His Holiness the Je Khenpo as the chief guest under a blue November
sky. Thousands of people from all corners of the dzongkhag gathered at
the Gelephu sport association ground to welcome His Holiness to the celebration,
which was organised in traditional splendour. His Holiness was escorted
to the festival ground in a chipdrel procession where he was presented
a Guard of Honour by the Royal Bhutan Army and the Royal Bhutan Police.
The students of Sarpang's nine schools presented a march past followed
by a variety of cultural programmes. His Holiness spoke to the gathering
on the significance of the happy occasion and paid homage to the Druk Gyalpo.
Samtse
dzongkhag celebrated the occasion with home minister Lyonpo Jigmi Thinley.
Apart from traditional mask dances and modern Bhutanese songs, the people
also performed the Lhop dance the Tamang dance and the Adivasi dance to
mark the occasion.
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| Photos: KUENSEL, Bhutan's National Newspaper |
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