Bhutan (Eastern) : public and bank holidays, closure of banks, stock exchanges, school vacations

cards/flowers :

Secular holiday : The Shabdrung (also Zhabdrung) is the most important tulku lineage in Bhutan, equivalent in many ways to the Dalai Lama lineage of Tibet. The lineage traces through the founder of the country, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (b. 1594 -d 1651), a high Drukpa Kagyu lama who was the first to unify the warring valley kingdoms under a single rule. In Bhutan the Shabdrung is revered as the third most important personality behind Guru Rimpoche and the Buddha.

Secular holiday : Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (1929 - 1972) was the third king of Bhutan. He ended his country's isolation, introduced modernity, and took the first steps toward democratization. Upon succeeding his father, Jigme Wangchuck, on October 27, 1952, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck put an end to feudalism in the country and released all of the remaining serfs. He encouraged certain modern inventions to assist the local peasantry and introduced wheeled vehicles, where previously the transportation of crops and people was done manually. http://pedia.nodeworks.com/J/JI/JIG/Jigme_Dorji_Wangchuk

Buddhism (Theravada) : Padmasambhava (in Sanskrit meaning lotus-born ) founded the Tibetan or Tantric school of Buddhism in the 8th century. In Bhutan and Tibet he is better known as Guru Rinpoche ( Precious Master ) where followers of the Nyingma school regard him as the second Buddha.

School holidays :

Buddhism (Vajrayana) : Marks the first sermon Buddha gave to his five disciples, introducing the middle way, the noble eight-fold path and the Four Noble Truths. It is celebrated with candlelight processions.

School holidays :

Secular holiday : Natural water sources are blessed. Bathing in the morning is a good omen. Beginning of the harvesting season.