Unfortunately one begins to feel that the Ramayana productions do not travel well for they seem to lack the same power when enacted in other venues.And while the ritualistic details of the process of anointing Rama as King seem to be too prolonged for many who are strangers to the kind of experience that Rukmini Devi wanted to evoke, and who wonder if all the reciting of mantras from the Sama Veda (difficult to procure two persons reciting this with sruti alignment) and all the other paraphernalia of ritual have place in a performance — for tempo sags, must remember that what the creator aimed at was to have a very intimate feeling of deep involvement with an auspicious event like the righteous Rama being crowned King. (This fine actor did the humble Guha’s role, and that of Vali with equal conviction).

Resolving boundary disputes with China too is on people’s mind.. But the DNT manifesto highlighted economic factors that have a close bearing on India-Bhutan relations.India was not an election issue, unlike in the 2013 poll when confusion over New Delhi disrupting kerosene subsidies had drawn attention. China’s annexation of Tibet in the ’50s had frightened Buddhist Bhutan and Sikkim (then under the Chogyal), but much has changed since. However, the election to the National Assembly (Parliament) late last month gave the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT), a relatively new party emphasising hitherto unspoken thoughts, 30 of the 47 seats, making its leader, Dr Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister. The India-China standoff last year at Doklam, disputed between China and Bhutan, is not really the talking point. India would overlook this at its own peril at a time when the China factor looms large.

Thimphu’s principal foreign friend has been India, which built its hydropower potential, became its main financier and export destination, the relationship cocooned by a special treaty.But the country’s young and educated new generation voters are not focused on security.Beijing has used its economic muscle to try and win over India’s friends. New Delhi must China Expander Bearings for sale take nothing for granted.Bhutan is deceptively languid. Discussion led by the new ruling party centres on expanding private sector investment to cut high unemployment, and diversifying the economy which currently depends principally on India-built hydropower with three-fourths of the GDP going to pay for debts owed to India.