Astad and the King

Initially seated at the royal box, then breaking convention and joining his subjects for the rest of dancer Astad Deboo’s performance in Thimpu on November 7, 2008, was Bhutan’s newly coronated King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk. To celebrate the 29-year-old monarch’s ascension to the throne, Deboo was commissioned by the Government of India to perform at the weeklong celebrations which included the India-Bhutan Friendship Concert on November 8. Accompanied by 32 Pungcho­lam drummers from Mani­pur, Deboo held captive an audience of 10,000 comprising Bhutanese royalty, Indian statesmen, President Pratibha Patil, United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee.

On his brief return to Bombay (heavy traveling schedules keep him away most of the year) the Padma Shri awardee noted that his performance received "special personal mentions of appreciation from His Majesty the young King, his father, ministers, our Indian officials. Also we were recognized where-ever we went thanks to the live TV coverage.”

Astad Deboo (right foreground) dancing at the coronation celebrations of the new King of Bhutan in Thimpu

Deboo was amazed at how much the Bhutanese revere their king. He noted that most homes, shops and offices in the Himalayan country display photographs of His Majesty. "There was an uproar when the former King decided to abdicate in favor of his son, though the young King is already making a mark.” He continues his father, Jigme Singye Wangchuk, the fourth King of Bhutan’s efforts at introducing and guiding a democratic system of governance in Bhutan. The tiny nation huddled between superpowers China and India was a hereditary monarchy till March 2008. To commemorate the young King’s coronation in November 2008, Deboo informs that a series of new currency notes, that are difficult to counterfeit, were issued. Asked if there are any Parsis in Bhutan, Deboo mentions that his nephew Xerxes Antia, who provided technical support for the performances, and he seemed to be the only two community members present at the coronation festivities.

Simin Patel