The excitement among Bhutanese is fever pitch

Perth-After a few days of rain, the sky is clear and bright. It is 2:30pm. Saturday. Usually, the traffic on weekends around this time in Perth suburbs would be light.

Today, the 70 Dalkeith Road at Nedlands is jammed. Hundreds of Bhutanese people have gathered in and around the Dalkeith Road Church. Cars are parked on both sides of the road, making it narrower for commuters.

All dressed in gho and kira, they are here for an audition. And while the audition continues inside the church, those waiting for their turns practise on the lawn outside.

This audition is special.

Those who make it through will secure a place to perform during His Majesty the King’s visit to Perth on October 16-17.

Total of 45 different groups, including children’s groups, auditioned, and 25 were selected

Among the many at the audition is a group of young girls. Nine-year-old Tashi Khewden is one of them. She is wearing a white t-shirt with an ‘I Love Bhutan’ print.

“I feel really blessed. Our King is like our father,” she says. “But we don’t know yet if our dance will get selected.”

Her friend, Sonam Pelkhen Lhamo, says she is absolutely thrilled about the King’s visit. “I have never had such an audience with the King in Bhutan,” she says. “We are so fortunate to get this opportunity here.”

Due to the overwhelming interest from Bhutanese living in Perth in performing on the big day, the Association of Bhutanese in Perth Incorporated (ABPI) had to organise an audition on October 5, 2024. A total of 45 different groups, including children’s groups, auditioned, and 25 were selected.

ABPI President Chimmi Dorji was not surprised with the number of groups interested in auditioning. “We anticipated such a level of enthusiasm and participation,” he says.  “I have also received calls from as many people who wanted to volunteer and help. The preparation is going in full swing.”

“His Majesty’s visit, the first-ever major event in the history of Bhutan-Australia relations, is a blessing for all of us. We have utmost respect for our King, and there aren’t enough words to express and define our joy and happiness,” he adds.

Since the 1960s, Australia has been instrumental in Bhutan’s international engagements, including its membership in the Colombo Plan and the United Nations.

The Royal visit is also perceived as a gesture of appreciation for Australia’s longstanding support to Bhutan.

Today, Australia hosts the largest Bhutanese community living abroad. In 2023, around 12,622 Bhutanese students were enrolled in Australian universities, making Bhutan the 14th largest source country for international students in Australia. This figure excludes family members or other companions.

The news of His Majesty the King’s visit to Australia has created a whirlwind of excitement for Bhutanese community. For several days now, it  has been the talk of the town—from homes to social media.

The HBF Park stadium in Perth, where the event will be held, according to Chimmi Dorji, has a seating capacity of 19,282 people. This capacity has been surpassed. The stadium has never had this big crowd in its entire history.

Damcho Tshering, from Chapcha, who has been in Perth for two years, says that there are countless reasons to be jubilant about His Majesty’s visit. He underscored three most important reasons.

“His Majesty visiting us in person means that he has the same love and care for his subjects, whether outside the country or within,” he said. “Secondly, so many developments are happening in Bhutan right now, the most important being the Gelephu Mindfulness City. We might have a firsthand update from the King himself.”

Damcho Tshering says that the King’s visit would bring great relief to many Bhutanese in Australia, cheering up the hardworking Bhutanese people. “So many of us are away from home and loved ones, families, and children. Many are doing odd jobs. The King’s visit will erase all the pain and worries and give us courage.”

Damcho Tshering says that his daughter wants to paint her face with the national flag.

Pema Choden and her friends are rehearsing their dance at the King’s Park, dressed in kira, drawing much attention from passersby.

“People stop to ask us what we are doing, and each of us eagerly rush to explain, with great pride, that we are performing during our King’s visit,” she says. “The news of His Majesty’s visit to Perth has taken us to a different dimension!”

Pema Choden’s nine-year-old Tshewang Choki Dolma, who has been in Perth for two years now, says that she has never had the opportunity to meet the King. “The news has made me extremely happy. I am planning and preparing my clothes for the big day. I can’t wait!”

Pabitra Mongar, who came to Perth last year, says that the news of the King’s visit has evoked pride and excitement, while also giving her hope. “The Royal visit will reinforce a sense of community and connection, as well as the collective identity we share. It will strengthen the profound relationship between the People’s King and his people.”

And she adds: “It eases my anxieties of being away from home. It is a pure celebration. It is a Pelden Drukpa Gyalo moment!”

Suraj Pradhan, who has been to Perth since 2023, said His Majesty had gone out of his comfort zone during the Covid-19, walked endlessly on foot, putting his life at risk for the safety of his citizens.

“He is doing the same thing now. He is coming to see the welfare of his subjects living abroad like loving parents visiting their beloved children,” he said. “What a blessed time we are under such a Bodhisattva King.”

As per the latest records of the Department of Education of Australian Government, 9,829 Bhutanese are registered as studying in Western Australia for the January-July 2024.

Before visiting Perth on October 16, His Majesty will visit Sydney on October 12, and Canberra on October 13. The Royal Bhutanese Embassy in Canberra has announced that His Majesty the King will grant a second audience to the Bhutanese diaspora in Perth on October 17 because the hall’s seating capacity was surpassed for October 16.

For 35-year-old Sonam Gyelden, who has been in Perth since 2018 and works in a supermarket, this news has come as a relief. “Everyone will be able to meet the King,” he says.

When asked what makes Bhutan different from Perth, Tashi Khewden, the girl with the ‘I Love Bhutan’ shirt, and her friends—Sonam Pelkhen Lhamo, Sonam Mendel Lhamo, and Chimi Zeden Namgyel—are all quick to answer:

“Free healthcare”

“No traffic lights.”

“Snow.”

“Mountains.”

“Our beloved King!”

Later, ABPI confirms that Tashi Khewden and her friends have made it through the audition. They will be performing a dance on Mewang Gyalpo before the King.

Contributed by Rajesh Rai, Australia