SSC
The official (state) religion of Bhutan is:
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Answer: Option A — Buddhism
Detailed Solution
Buddhism, specifically the Drukpa Kagyu school of Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism, is the state religion of Bhutan.
About Buddhism in Bhutan:
Buddhism was introduced to Bhutan in the 7th century CE, when the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo built the Kyichu Lhakhang and Jambay Lhakhang temples.
Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) visited Bhutan in the 8th century and spread Buddhism widely. He is regarded as the second Buddha in Bhutan.
The famous "Taktsang" (Tiger's Nest Monastery) is built on a cliff where Guru Rinpoche is believed to have meditated.
Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, a Tibetan lama of the Drukpa Kagyu school, unified Bhutan in the 17th century and built many "dzongs" (fortress-monasteries).
The Constitution of Bhutan (2008) states that "Buddhism is the spiritual heritage of Bhutan". The Je Khenpo is the chief abbot of the Central Monastic Body.
About 75 per cent of Bhutanese are Buddhists, and most of the rest are Hindus (mainly Lhotshampas, people of Nepali origin in the south).
About Bhutan:
Its name in the local language is "Druk Yul", meaning "Land of the Thunder Dragon".
It became a constitutional monarchy in 2008. The current king is Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the fifth king (since 2006).
It is famous for measuring "Gross National Happiness" (GNH) instead of only GDP, an idea of the fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck (1970s).
It is the world's first "carbon-negative" country; its Constitution requires that at least 60 per cent of its land remain under forest.
Gelephu Mindfulness City is a new special administrative region announced in 2023.
India and Bhutan:
- The Treaty of Friendship was signed in 1949 and updated in 2007.
- India helped build hydropower projects such as Chukha, Tala, Mangdechhu and Punatsangchhu, and buys electricity from Bhutan.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Hinduism is followed by a minority in southern Bhutan.
- ✗Islam is not a major religion in Bhutan.
- ✗Bon is an ancient pre-Buddhist religion of Tibet and Bhutan, but it is not the state religion.
Quick tip
Remember: Bhutan = state religion Buddhism (Drukpa Kagyu; Guru Rinpoche; Tiger's Nest); "Land of the Thunder Dragon"; Gross National Happiness; carbon-negative.
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World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers world GK: countries with their capitals, currencies and parliaments, national symbols, famous landmarks, the longest, largest and highest features of the world, and international boundary lines such as the Radcliffe, McMahon and Durand Lines. The most common questions match a country with its capital or currency, or a parliament with its name (such as the Knesset of Israel or the Diet of Japan). Revise countries continent by continent, giving extra attention to India's neighbours. Questions on boundary lines usually ask which two countries a line separates. Practise the world GK questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.