His Majesty The King, His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen and members of the Royal Family graced the opening of the 4th Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition at Thangzona in Punakha yesterday.
The exhibition this year celebrates Bhutan-India friendship as the two countries mark 50 years of diplomatic relations.
The Ambassador of India to Bhutan attended the inauguration ceremony of the exhibition.
The 4th Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition is spread over 9.75 acres of the Thangzona ground adjacent to Punakha Dzong. The installations and theme gardens have been prepared by government agencies, entrepreneurs, and international participants from India and Thailand.
The Indian Garden at the exhibition was developed by the Indian Embassy in Thimphu.
“We are very lucky that we have been invited in this year by the palace to have an exhibition by the embassy, so we have collected plants and flowers of locals as well as from India,” Nidhi Dhiman, Second Secretary of the Embassy of India to Bhutan said.
The Central Monastic Body, which resides in Punakha during winter months, participated in the exhibition this year for the first time along with Punakha Central School and Ugyen Academy.
The theme gardens developed for the exhibition include some that will remain a permanent feature of the Thangzona following the exhibition to add to the beauty of the historic place. “The main objective is to fulfill His Majesty The King’s expectations on the importance of keeping our place clean and beautiful,” Rinzin Dorji, the Secretary of Ministry of Forests and Agriculture said.
“After the exhibition, we will hand over the place to the dzongkhag administration.”
A long-term plan to develop the landscape around Punakha Dzong has been developed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests ministry in consultation with the Department of Culture and Punakha Dzongkhag Administration.
The Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition was initiated upon the Royal Command of His Majesty The King, and is aimed towards fostering an appreciation for beautiful public spaces, bringing together communities through public events, and providing a platform for entrepreneurship in florticulture and horticulture in Bhutan.
The first Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition was held at Paro Ugyen Pelri Palace in April 2015. Her Majesty Gyalyum Tshering Yandoen Wangchuck, as the Royal Patron for the exhibition, works closely with the event each year.
The opening of the Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition also attended by the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, senior government officials, and foreign dignitaries.
The Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition remains open till 29th of this month.
