Omair Ahmad’s new book The Kingdom at the Centre of the World offers an ambitious and fascinating insight into the history, culture and mythology of Bhutan.
Because it has, for centuries, remained closed to the rest of the world, so very little is known about Bhutan. With an area of just over 38,000 square kilometres and a population of less than 750,000, Bhutan tends to get dwarfed by its larger neighbours, China and India. Omair Ahmad’s book, The Kingdom at the Centre of the World: Journeys into Bhutan, is a welcome and ambitious addition to the slim volume of literature on the region. Part history, part mythology, part travel writing, and part contemporary politics, Ahmad’s book comes at a time when Bhutan is at the crossroads of change.
Of all the places you could have written about, why did you choose Bhutan?
The geographic region between India and China is incredibly rich in history and politics, but we know very little about it despite the fact that the India-China relationship of compulsive misunderstandings is making it one of the most important regions in the world. There were a lot of attractions.
What were the challenges you faced while writing about this relatively inaccessible country?
The challenges were primarily based on language and trust. The country is fairly accessible, for Indians, but it’s much harder to gain the trust of the people and get their stories.
How did you actually conduct your research?
The Centre for Bhutan Studies, headed by Dasho Karma Ura, has done exemplary work recording and translating old documents, as well as research on the country. I am only one of the people that have benefited from this. Also, the Kuensel (which was Bhutan’s first and, for a long time, only) newspaper has its entire archives online.
With regards to the ‘Nepali issue’, you’ve tried to remain neutral. Can a writer remain neutral about something as complex and as tragic as a refugee problem?
The southern Bhutanese refugee issue is one of the most important issues that Bhutan has to come to terms with, which is why I have devoted so much of my book to it. But it is not my place to lecture Bhutan on it, and I have tried instead to present as much of the original documentation from that period that I can for people to make up their own minds.
You mention Bhutan’s transition to democracy, to a modern economy, and to the change that is sweeping through the country but it’s not the main focus of the book.
The transition to democracy is still very new, and in real terms the true test of democracy happens in the second and third elections, and we are only just seeing the second elections, whose results will be announced in mid-July. The transition to democracy may be the greatest achievement of the Fourth King.
Do you have any plans to write a sequel and how long did it take to write this book?
It took me years to write this one! And throughout the time I was writing it I was very conscious that, as a foreigner, there was so much I just wasn’t aware of [which] is really, really hard on the ego. I don’t know if I have the courage to repeat that, at least, not right now. If I go and live in Bhutan for a little while sometime, I would like to look at the incredible changes in its society, but maybe the Bhutanese writers will beat me to it.
The Kingdom at the Centre of the World: Journeys into Bhutan is available at www.amazon.com
