The Druk: Thunder Dragon

In Bhutanese and Tibetan mythology, the Druk is the " Thunder Dragon ," and it is also a Bhutanese national symbol. The Druk appears on the Bhutanese flag, holding jewels that represent the wealth and security of Bhutan. 🐉

• In Dzongkha, Bhutan is called Druk Yul, "Land of Druk" or "Land of the Thunder Dragon".
• The Bhutanese rulers are called Druk Gyalpo , "Dragon Kings".
• The people of Bhutan are known as Drukpa , or "Dragon People".

During the 2008 elections in Bhutan, the names of all four parties included the name Druk. Bhutan's national anthem, Druk Tsendhen , translates to "Kingdom of Druk." The Druk (also known as "duk" or "dug") was adopted as an emblem by the Drukpa lineage, which originated in Tibet and later spread to Bhutan.

The Story of the Druk in Bhutanese Mythology

The Drukpa school is deeply rooted in Bhutanese mythology . According to traditional accounts and legends, when the sect's founder, Tsangpa Gyare , the first Gyalwang Drukpa, began building Ralung Monastery , he witnessed a violent clap of thunder. He looked up to see nine dragons flying across the sky. Traditionally, thunder and lightning were associated with dragons, so he concluded that the thunder was the voice of a dragon. This experience inspired him to found the Drukpa Kagyu school (Tibetan Buddhism).

From the 1900s onward, the Grand Lama of Bhutan wore a hat adorned with thunder dragons to symbolize the sect's origins. As the sect grew in popularity, monasteries were established throughout Bhutan . The region became known as Dug Yul, or Land of the Thunder Dragon, to both Tibetans and Bhutanese. " Dzongkha " (a Tibetan dialect) is the national language of Bhutan. The word "dzongkha" refers to the language (kha) spoken in the dzong "fortresses." It characterizes the monasteries established throughout Bhutan by its unifier, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the first Zhabdrung Rinpoche, in the 17th century.

The Druk is a Bhutanese National Symbol

The Bhutanese flag (ཧྥ་རན་ས་ཀྱི་དར་ཆ་) is one of the national symbols of Bhutan. The yellow symbolizes civil tradition and the temporal authority embodied by the Druk Gyalpo, the Dragon King of Bhutan, whose royal attire traditionally includes a yellow kabney (silk scarf). The orange half represents the Buddhist spiritual tradition. The flag is based on the Drukpa lineage tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and depicts Druk , the thunder dragon of Bhutanese mythology. Historically, Bhutan has been known by many names, but Bhutanese people refer to the country as Druk, after the Bhutanese thunder dragon.

You too can become a Dragon

We've just seen the meanings and symbolism of the Druk in Bhutan . We now know that the Bhutanese people are proud to display the thunder dragon as a symbol of their country. With origins dating back centuries, they have preserved the traditions of their ancestors. Add a touch of whimsy to your style with our superb Dragon Sweatshirts . Our selection offers a wide choice of embroidered or printed hoodies featuring Asian dragons. 🐉