The turbulent life story of Bhutan's happiness guru

[livingdead]

In the 1970s, the king of Bhutan announced that the happiness of the population was more important than Gross Domestic Product. Saamdu Chetri has been charged with overseeing Bhutan's happiness - but his own life has had its share of suffering.

On the banks of a river in the remote Bumthang valley in the foothills of the Himalayas, Bhutan's first happiness centre is under construction. Among the workers breaking stones is Saamdu Chetri, dressed in monks' robes, wielding a pickaxe.

At first the workers were puzzled at his hands-on involvement, he says. "Then they realised it's not just for them, I'm helping myself by being physically fit."

Chetri chose this remote location because of its spiritual history and its beauty. "It's one of the most beautiful valleys in the country," he says. "This is a place of happiness for me where I find so much relation with nature - the place itself is so serene."

For a man charged with bringing happiness to a nation, Chetri has suffered much in his life and comes from the most humble beginnings.

"I was born in a cowshed," he says. "I was so attached to animals, plants - anything to do with nature.

"My parents never thought about schooling. We had seven brothers and four sisters, they were all working and I thought I would also be one of the working persons."

To his surprise, when he was nine years old his brother took him to school - something that worried his father a great deal.

"I was the most loved child and they didn't want me to leave the house," Chetri says.

"My father was very worried that I would become weak, so he sent a cow with me to school." He laughs at the memory.

"Of course the cow couldn't stay long because it had to be fed and looked after, so he took back the cow and he started visiting me with a lot of butter, cheese and milk."

He left school at the age of 14 because his brothers and sisters had left home and he felt a duty to help his parents. His day on the farm began at 04:00 when he would walk a kilometre to fetch water, after which he would feed the ox and begin to plough.

rest here.
The turbulent life story of Bhutan's happiness guru - BBC News