Gearing up for Bhutan's royal wedding

Thimphu (Kuensel/ANN) - Kunzang Wangmo started weaving at 19.

Like most Bhutanese, Kelzang Choden, 29, is looking forward to the October 13 royal wedding, which has generated a great deal of excitement all across Bhutan.

But Kelzang is excited for other reasons as well. A weaver of Pesar kiras and ghos, she has already sold about 16 weaves, which buyers will wear on the day of the royal wedding.

While the kiras were sold for 40,000-75,000 ngultrum (US$858-$1,600), the ghos went for 100,000 ngultrum ($2,100) each.

She had even sold one intricately patterned and multi-coloured silk Pesar kira, which is for the royal bride. "I don't know whether the royal bride will choose the kira I wove for the great day, but it's a privilege for me to contribute to the wedding in my own way," the mother of one said.

Kelzang's mother, Kunzang Wangmo, 53, said she started weaving for the royal family at 19, when her grandmother, who is a royal weaver, asked her to help. "I first wove a belt for Ashi Choki," Kunzang recalled. "Since then I earned my livelihood from weaving and designing."

She claimed that she also wove a namza for the fourth Druk Gyalpo. "I still get excited when I see portraits of His Majesty wearing that namza."

The mother and daughter had many other kiras they wove, which they expect to be sold soon. "Almost a month is left for the wedding, and people might come and buy from us," Kunzang said.

Kinzang Dorji, 56, who owns a traditional shoe making shop in Chubachu said the number of people ordering for tshoglham and dralham had increased in the past few months. "Both officials and public have placed orders," he said.

Kinzang Dorji said that his 10 employees are working overtime to meet the demand of making 50 to 100 products a day. "I work with them equally as the occasion is important," he said.

Meanwhile, Thimphu thrompon, Kinlay Dorji, said work on cleaning and beautifying the town is in full swing. "We're also putting up two gates, at Chubachu and near the BOD," he said.

Kinlay Dorji said that walls are being whitewashed, toilets are renovated and potholes being repaired. "We're also making flower beds near Lungtenzampa," he said.