Part III: The Account of George Bogle’s Mission to Bhutan and Tibet (1774-1775)

On the 13^th of May 1774, at the age of twenty-eight, George Bogle and his party set off from Calcutta. George Bogle was to deliver Panchen Lama the letter and presents, at the same time to open and negotiate trade and commerce with Bhutan. George Bogle was accompanied by his attendant surgeon, Alexander Hamilton, thirty-five servants, and twenty-two porters. The period of the mission was left to Bogle’s discretion and Hastings urges Bogle to spend sufficient time in Bhutan and Tibet to obtain complete knowledge of the country. Warren Hastings desired Bogle to keep a detailed journal of everything he saw and encountered. Bogle is required to update Hastings on regular basis through letters. According to the appointment letter, governor Warren Hastings instructed George Bogle to focus and inquire on the following areas:

1.    To open a mutual and equal communication of trade between Bengal and Bhutan.

2.     Study and inquire about the commodities which can be employed in the trade with Bhutan.

3.    Investigate the nature of the road between the borders of Bengal and Lhasa, Tibet.

4.  Study the communication between Lhasa and the neighbouring countries; the government structure and revenue.

5.     The possibility of establishing an agent (embassy) at Lhasa

 

From Cooch Bihar to Tassisudon (Trashichodzong)

After leaving Calcutta in May 1774, Bogle passed through Murshidabad, Rangpur and Dabar. After halting a few days at Dabar for preparation, Bogle and his party left and crossed Cooch Bihar and Chichakotta. After a few days, Bogle and the party reached Buxa Duar. Bogle spent days at Buxa Duar for wants of coolies. As he described, “The only way of transporting goods in this hilly country is by coolies.” Bogle left Buxa Duar on 9 June 1774 and entered the hills. The roads leading up the hills towards Bhutan were too narrow, steep, and rugged. Bogle observed that there was no such class of people who become coolies. Bogle was astonished by the strengths and will of the people of hilly areas. He described even a girl of eighteen travelling 15 to 18 miles (up to 28 km) in a day carrying a load weight of 30 to 35 kilograms. The party was provided only with two Tangun horses, whom Bogle had prejudiced of a mean appearance. Later, Bogle was proved wrong when two horses turned out sure-footed and climbed the mountains ardently.

After days of climbing hills, Bogle reached Jaigugu (present day?). He observed only three houses and he planted ten potatoes as desired by Warren Hastings who wanted Bogle to plant some potatoes every halting place. Below Jaigugu gallops Pachhu-Chinchhu (Pachu-Thimchhu), Bogle wrote. From Jaigugu, Bogle travelled to Murijong (present-day Meritsemo?) on a road of steep descent and ascents the whole way.  Bogle noticed there were twenty houses, good arable land and cattle. There, Bogle planted fifteenth potatoes.

From Meritsemo, Bogle and the party left for Chukha. The road he described was rocky and difficult. As the party nears Chukha, he observed an increase in the number of villages and the iron bridge at Chukha. From Chukha to Tassisudon (Trashichodzong), he observed that country gradually opens with more population, arable land, a valley, and houses two or three stories high. On the way, he observed people have cultivated turnips, leeks, shallots, watermelons, muskmelons, cucumbers, and brinjals. Interestingly, unlike the fewer usages of bamboo in Bengal, George noticed that Bhutanese people have been using bamboo as a container and also as a cooking pot.  He observed that all the bridges built are entirely of wood or iron.  Probably, Bogle witnessed the traditional wooden, ‘cantilever bridges’ and ‘iron-chain suspension bridges’ which can be still seen in some of the places in the country. After the adventurous and dreary journey, Bogle and the team finally reached TrashiChhodzong on 28 June 1774.

Bogle’s days at Trashichodzong, the Capital

Although Bogle arrived at Trashichodzong at the onset of summer, he described the weather as too cold. He was accommodated in a good house near TrashiChhodzong and from his window, he could see and hear the galloping Chincchu (Thimphu). As per his observation, Trashichodzong was located in a valley about five miles long, and surrounded by mountains on one end.  On the mountains, he observes a few cottages for hermits. Rice and wheat were plentifully grown. On his arrival at Trashichodzong, Deb Raja (Desi) was absent. Then, the reigning 17^th Druk Desi was Kuenga Rinchen. A few days later, he witnessed a grand ceremonial procession of cavalcade where Desi was being entreated to Trashichodzong. Bogle observes about 400 people in the whole cavalcade and people prostrating before the Desi in procession. From his description, it could be either the moment when Desi was being welcomed to Trashichodzong, the summer residence of Desi or some other important occasions of great significance. The Desi formally welcomed Bogle on 5 July 1774 inside Trashichodzong. He was led through the three courts and witnessed by 300 spectators. After making a dark entry, he was led to the presence chamber of the Desi.

Before him, the Desi was seated on the throne, raised about two feet above the floor. He observed that Desi wore the priest robes and he was attended by 12 officers. After making bows instead of prostration, he laid the presents before the Desi. As a guest, Bogle got a seat on the cushion in the middle of the room. Before him, he observes several copper platters with rice, butter, and types of fruits. After a moment of silence, he was served buttered tea (suja). While all others were served in their wooden cup, Bogle was served in a Chinese cup. After the tea, interestingly, Bogle described a flowered satin gown (silk gho) being brought in and he was dressed in it. Then he was led before the throne and blessed by the Desi with the statue of Buddha. His first formal meeting with the Desi ended with rounds of tea, whisky, and betel nut. Later the days, Bogle had numerous informal meetings with Desi mainly to discuss the permit to visit Lhasa.

He observed that Trashichodzong sheltered about 3000 men, and no women were found. Of the total men, Bogle estimated that monks comprised about 1000 men. In the middle tower (Utse), he observed it was the seat of Dharma Raja, Je Khenpo, probably the reigning hierarch Jigme Sengye. He noticed the Dharma Raja receives the same treatment as the Desi.  Bogle found that Dharma Raja was the most curious man he had ever seen in the country.  He described the Dharam Raja as a man of thirty-five years of age with a thin sickly-looking appearance. Bogle spent much of his stays with the Dharma Raja interacting on various topics, of course, the interpreter played a vital role.  Bogle observes that the palace gates of Trashichodzong are shut in the dusk and no movement was allowed after. However, once every eight or ten days, a group of 500 or 600 visits Thimchhu to bathe.

Bogle, out of curiosity also witnessed the funeral ceremony of the dead person. Like current systems of the sending off of the deceased, Bogle saw the dead person cremated at the bank of a river with all sorts of prayers and offerings. His detailed description of the funeral ceremony accurately confirmed the current system. He noted that unlike the Sati (the tradition of burning the wife along with the deceased husband) system and women being considered inferior in Bengal, there was no hereditary distinction and superiority in Bhutan. On almost all roads, he came across temples and stupas where the Buddhist syllables are inscribed and, in every household, he observed the altar. The principal Bhutanese food he noticed was rice with pork, and dried fish imported from Bengal. In addition, Bhutanese uses plentiful butter in dishes and Bogle himself got loads of butter as presents.

Bogle observed that a soldier in Bhutan has no distinct profession. He noticed that every man is armed with a sword and trained to use the bow. In the hall of every public service office, he observed the matchlocks, swords and shields. He described in times of war, people assemble from different places and march against the enemy. When they go to war, he observed that soldiers whoop and howl to encourage one another and intimidate the enemy. During his stay, he witnesses some skirmishes.  

A few days before arrival to Trashichodzong, Bogle received a letter from Panchen Lama requesting him to return to Calcutta and cancel the visit to Lhasa. The main reason for the objection to Bogle’s visits was cited as to avoid annoying the Chinese emperor as Tibet was the subject of the emperor. However, Bogle did not give up. After much persistence and support from Bhutan, Bogle finally was permitted to enter Tibet. A day before Bogle’s departure to Tibet, an insurrection broke out between the reigning Desi (government) and a former Desi Zhidar’s faction in October 1774. The dissidents made a fruitless attempt on the palace of TrashiCchodzong. After failure seized Simtokha Dzong. After ten days of siege, they left Simtokha for Tibet in the moonlight.

Journey to Tibet and Bogle’s return to Trashichodzong

A day later, on 13 October 1774, Bogle left Trashichodzong and proceeded to Tibet through Paro, Gasa and Phari. After three days journey, Bogle arrived at Paro Dzong. He wrote that Paro Penlop at the time was the cousin of the reigning Jekhenpo Jigme Sengye. Paro Penlop holds autonomous administrative power and he pays fixed one-time annual revenue to the Druk Desi. Penlop’s jurisdiction extended as far as Dalim-Kotta, Lukhi-Duar, and Chamurci-Duar in the South. One morning, Bogle was awakened by a loud gunshot and was alarmed but it only turned out to be the head of the rebel, which they were carrying into the palace in procession. From Paro Penlop, Bogle reinforcement blanket and left Paro on 19 October 1774. After crossing hills and mountains, Bogle and the party reached Gaisser (Gasa) on 22 October 1774. As per his record, there were no inhabitants and found only stable-like houses without doors. From Gasa, bogle climbed a hill and came across six heaps of stones with the banner which marks the boundary of Bhutan and Tibet. After crossing Bhutan’s boundary, Bogle embarked on the snow-laden path towards Tibet through Phari.

After spending more than five months in Tibet at the palace of Panchen Lama, Bogle left Tibet on 7 April 1775. Though surgeon Hamilton and his party left directly to Calcutta from Tibet, Bogle returned to Bhutan through Paro to negotiate a new trade route to Tibet via Bhutan as it was difficult to manage via Kathmandu under the new rule of Gurkhas. Back at Trashichodzong, a series of negotiations went on between the government and Bogle. Bhutan resisted Bogle’s proposition of a new trade route for Hindus and Muslims reasoning that the country is rugged and not safe. If anything happens to the merchants of India, it would jeopardize the cordial relationship between the EIC and Bhutan. On the other hand, George insisted and pointed out that only Hindus and Muslim merchants would travel the new trade route, not other European travellers. In turn, Bhutan requested free trade in Rangpur and Ghoraghat. On 28^th November 1774, upon the request made by Bhutanese, Warren Hastings happily granted permission for Bhutanese merchants to proceed to Rangpur and Ghoraghat. While exchanging correspondences between Desi and Warren Hastings in the course of the winter of 1774, Warren Hastings sent gifts such as clothes and shawls. After success in securing the agreement of a new trade route, George Bogle returned to Calcutta on 30 May 1775.

Reflecting on the visit of George bogle in 1774-1775, we can say that he was the first British political officer to open good intercourse between Bhutan and the East India Company (EIC). Though he was the first Britisher to visit Bhutan in medieval Bhutan, Bogle could successfully negotiate and maintain a good relationship with the government of Bhutan. Although Bogle had planted some potatoes on the way to Trashichodzong, where and how those planted potatoes gave rise to his legacy remains elusive. However, Bogle’s detailed travel journal to Bhutan and Tibet in 1774-1775 is an important source of history that gives us clear pictures of Medieval Bhutan.

Bogle’s desire to make a second visit to Bhutan and Tibet, however, remains a distant prospect and met his untimely death in 1781. His deep affection towards the people of Bhutan is known in his letter (report) to Warren Hastings, dated 11 October 1774 which reads:

“The more I see Bhutanese, the more I am pleased with them. The common people are good-humoured, downright, and I think thoroughly trusty. The statesmen have some of the art which belongs to their profession. They are the best-built race of men I have ever seen; many of them are very handsome, with complexions as fair as the French. I have sometimes been tempted to wish I could substitute their portrait in the place of friend Paima’s.”[1]

 

Bibliography

Markham, R. (1876). Narratives of the Mission of George Bogle to Tibet, and the Journey of Thomas Manning to Lhasa. London: Trubner and Company. Retrieved 15^th August 2022 from https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Z4WaPcW0JdUC&oi=fnd&pg=IA2&dq=Narrative+of+George+Bogle+mission+to+Tibet+and+Thomas+Manning+to+Lhasa&ots=o30pa1kiPn&sig=6V8QxMCboTA3ZZvIWGp8dV5e8Rw.

Phuntsho, K. (2013). The history of Bhutan. India: Random House Group Limited. 

 

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[1] One of the closest Tibetan friends of George Bogle.