Dorji family

The Dorji family (Dzongkha: རྡོ་རྗེ་; Wylie: Rdo-rje) of Bhutan has been a prominent and powerful political family in the kingdom since the 19th century. The family has produced Chief Ministers, Prime Ministers, governors, and even monarchs. All Kings of Bhutan since the Third Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, as well as his other descendants, are also members of the Dorji family and descendants of the royal family of Sikkim.^[1] The Dorji family is also the holder of the Bhutan House estate in Kalimpong, India.

History

Third Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck

The powerful Dorji family does not have independent roots in legendary monks or historical figures. In fact, the Dorji family was not among the elite families, but became prominent through their ties to the Wangchuck family and to the British Empire.^[2] Kazi Dorji had advised the future First King to mediate between the British and Tibet,^[3]:35 and it was Kazi Dorji who was later responsible for the large-scale induction of Nepalis into Bhutan.^[2] During the early years of the Dorji family's prominence, members of the family served as gongzim (chief chamberlain, the top government post),^[4] and their official residence was at the palatial Bhutan House at Kalimpong.

From Bhutan House, Raja Sonam Topgay Dorji ("Topgay Raja") held the post of Trade Agent to the Government of Bhtan, however he functioned to a large extent as prime minister, foreign minister, and ambassador to India. Through this position as a trade intermediary, the Dorji family amassed wealth reputedly greater than that of the royal family.^[5] Topgay Raja himself married a Sikkimese princess.^[5][6]

In 1904, Trongsa Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck, firmly in power and advised by Gongzim Kazi Ugyen Dorji of the Dorji family, accompanied the British expedition to Tibet as an invaluable intermediary, earning the Penlop his first British knighthood. The same year, a power vacuum formed within the already dysfunctional Bhutanese dual system of government. Civil administration had fallen to the hands of Wangchuck, and in November 1907 he was unanimously elected hereditary monarch by an assembly of the leading members of the clergy, officials, and aristocratic families. His ascendency to the throne ended the traditional in place for nearly 300 years and the beginning of the Royal House of Wangchuck.^[7][8] Instrumental in the influence of the Dorji family during this period was their fluency in English.^[9]

After two generations of growing influence, the sister of Prime Minister Jigme Dorji – the daughter of Topgay Raja – married the Third King, creating a new bond so prominent as to cause discontent among other Bhutanese families.^[10][5] The public was divided between pro-modernist and pro-monarchist camps.^[4]

Assassination of Jigme Dorji

In the early 1960s, the Third King fell ill and went to Switzerland for treatment. As the king was unavailable, Prime Minister Jigme Dorji sought to fill a leadership role, however this led to tensions with the military and monarchist factions.^[3]:85 Namely, Dorji conflicted with the Royal Bhutan Army over the use of military vehicles, forced the retirement of some 50 military officers, and sought to limit the power of state-supported religious institutions such as the Dratshang Lhentshog and Je Khenpo.^[4] On April 5, 1964, reformist Prime Minister Jigme Dorji was assassinated in Phuentsholing by monarchist cadres as the king lay ill in Switzerland. The Dorji family was subsequently put under close watch.^[11]

The King's Tibetan mistress Yangki and her father, who had been implicated in the assassination, suspected that Jigme Dorji's younger brother Lhendup would use the king's absence to exact revenge.^[3]:36 They attempted to flee into India, but were detained at Gelephu. They eventually fled the country.^[10] The King's own uncle and head of the Royal Bhutan Army, Namgyal Bahadur, was among those executed for their role in the attempted coup.^[12]

The post of Prime Minister (Lonchen) was vacant, and the King identified Jigme Dorji's brother Lhendup as the successor. Lhendup's mother, then head of the Dorji family, advised the King against giving any title to Lhendup because it would have made the situation more explosive. In 1964, however, the King announced his intention to appoint Lhendup as Lonchen. Lhendup fled to Nepal in 1965 due to political pressure, and was effectively exiled by the National Assembly.^[3]:118 Today, remaining members of the Dorji family remain prominent in Bhutanese politics.^[2]

List of prominent Dorjis

• Raja Ugyen Dorji, Gongzim (Chief Minister) 1907–1917
• Raja Sonam Topgay Dorji, Gongzim (Chief Minister) 1917–1952
  • Ugyen Rimpoche, lama and son of Topgay Dorji^[13]
• Jigme Palden Dorji Lyonchen (Prime Minister) 1952–1964^[14]
• Lhendup Dorji Acting Lyonchen (Prime Minister) July–November 1964^[15][16]
• Kinzang Dorji Lyonchen (Prime Minister) 2002–2003; Caretaker Prime Minister 2007–2008^[17][18]

See also

• Politics of Bhutan
• House of Wangchuck
• Bhutan House

References

1. ^ Buyers, Christopher (2010-03-20). "BHUTAN – The Wangchuck Dynasty". The Royal Ark – Royal and Ruling Houses of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. http://www.royalark.net/Bhutan/bhutan2.htm. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Dhakal, D. N. S.; Strawn, Christopher (1994). Bhutan: a movement in exile. Nirala. 42. Nirala Publications. pp. 316–18. ISBN 8185693412. http://books.google.com/books?id=dg9uAAAAMAA. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d} Leo E. Rose (1977). The politics of Bhutan. Cornell University Press. pp. 35–36, 85, 118. ISBN 0801409098. http://books.google.com/books?id=ICNuAAAAMAA. Retrieved 2011-08-08. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} Global Investment and Business Center, Inc. (2000). Bhutan Foreign Policy and Government Guide. World Foreign Policy and Government Library. 20. Int'l Business Publications. pp. 59–61. ISBN 0739737198. http://books.google.com/books?id=_EWuvGysPSIC. Retrieved 2011-08-09. 
5. ^ ^{a b c} Sangharakshita; Sangharakshita (Bhikshu) (1996). "In the sign of the golden wheel: Indian memoirs of an English buddhist". Windhorse Publications. pp. 26–28. ISBN 1899579141. http://books.google.com/books?id=3D9fwU2ZHsIC. Retrieved 2011-08-09. 
6. ^ Lingwood, D. P. E. (Sangharakshita) (1991). Facing Mount Kanchenjunga: an English Buddhist in the Eastern Himalayas. Windhorse Publications. pp. 152–4. ISBN 0904766527. http://books.google.com/books?id=_3oGSr6AlGcC. Retrieved 2011-08-09. 
7. ^ Worden, Robert L.. "British Intrusion, 1772–1907". Bhutan: A country study (Savada, Andrea Matles, ed.). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (September 1991).  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
8. ^ Europa Publications (2002). Far East and Australasia. Regional surveys of the world: Far East & Australasia (34 ed.). Psychology Press. pp. 180–81. ISBN 1857431332. http://books.google.com/books?id=e5Az1lGCJwQC. Retrieved 2011-08-08. 
9. ^ Dorji, Khandu-Om (2002). "A Brief History of Bhutan House in Kalimpong" (PDF). http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/pubFiles/v19_2.pdf. Retrieved 2011-08-12. 
10. ^ ^{a b} University of Rajasthan (1978). South Asian studies, Volume 13. South Asian Studies Centre, Dept. of Political Science, University of Rajasthan. pp. 110–12. http://books.google.com/books?id=bHBCAAAAYAA. Retrieved 2011-08-08. 
11. ^ Ram Rahul (1997). Royal Bhutan: a political history. Vikas. pp. 94–95. ISBN 8125902325. http://books.google.com/books?id=oiJuAAAAMAA. 
12. ^ "Timeline: Bhutan". BBC News online. 2010-05-05. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1171693.stm. Retrieved 2010-10-01. 
13. ^ Rustomji, Nari (1971). Enchanted frontiers: Sikkim, Bhutan, and India's northeastern borderlands. 1. Oxford University Press. p. 161. http://books.google.com/books?id=v_pHAAAAMAA. Retrieved 2011-08-12. 
14. ^ Worden, Robert L.. "Modernization under Jigme Dorji, 1952–72". Bhutan: A country study (Savada, Andrea Matles, ed.). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (September 1991).  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
15. ^ "Bhutan - Prime ministers". World Statesmen. http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Bhutan.html. Retrieved 2011-08-11. 
16. ^ Tshering, Palden (2007-05-02). "Dasho Lhendup Dorji laid to rest". Kuensel online. http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8392. Retrieved 2011-08-11. 
17. ^ "Caretaker prime minister appointed in Bhutan". Hindustan Times online / Indo-Asian News Service. 2007-08-03. http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/bhutan/Caretaker-PM-appointed-in-Bhutan/Article1-240258.aspx. Retrieved 2011-08-12. 
18. ^ "Thinley takes over as Premier". The Hindu online. 2008-04-11. http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/11/stories/2008041154161800.htm. Retrieved 2011-08-12.