Bhutan King takes jeep safari in Assam's Kaziranga National Park

Guwahati, Nov 4 (IANS) On the second day of his three-day visit to Assam, Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk on Saturday enjoyed an evening jeep safari in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.

According to a Kaziranga National Park official, the King and his entourage boarded the jeep at the Mihimukh Gate in the central Kohora range. 

The King was escorted in separate cars by top representatives from the governments of Bhutan and Assam as well as Assam Ministers Chandramohan Patowary, Ranoj Pegu, and Atul Bora. 

Before heading back to Mihimuk, the Royal party made stops at the Daflang Tower and the Kathpora Watchtower. The King was seen using his mobile phone to take pictures and using binoculars to try to find the animals while donning the customary Bhutanese 'gho' and khaki-coloured hat. 

The King also saw elephants being bathed at a riding spot in the Kohora River as melodies were being sung by the mahouts. 

From there, he also watched the sunset, with the Karbi Hills (Mikir Hills) in the distance. 

A coffee table book about Kaziranga, an artwork of the park, a handcrafted wooden one-horned rhino, an organic Assam tea, and Muga-silk traditional Assamese 'gamosa', were among the gifts given to the monarch and officials from Bhutan, according to the official. 

The King was also shown in front of three statues of rhinos, one of which was a calf fashioned from the ash of rhino horns that were set ablaze in September 2021 to prove that rhino horns are useless for medicine and to send a clear warning to those engaged in the illicit wildlife trade. 

At the Kaziranga convention hall, Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, threw a dinner for the King. A cultural event was also organised which was attended by the King. 

Sarma later wrote on X: "I am glad to learn that His Majesty the King of Bhutan enjoyed the rich biodiversity of Assam's Kaziranga National Park. We are eager to host His Majesty along with his family, who will definitely be mesmerised by the beauty of Kaziranga!"