Nestled within the Eastern Himalayas, Bhutan presents a landscape of unparalleled natural beauty and rugged terrain. Its vast expanse encompasses towering peaks, dense forests, and cascading rivers, all contributing to its mystical charm. Dominated by the imposing presence of the Himalayan mountain range, Bhutan boasts a diverse ecosystem that supports a rich variety of flora and fauna.
The land is punctuated by ancient fortresses, known as dzongs, which stand as architectural marvels and symbols of Bhutanese heritage and sovereignty.
Villages, characterized by intricately designed traditional Bhutanese houses, are scattered throughout the valleys, maintaining a harmonious coexistence with the surrounding environnt. Bhutan’s cultural fabric is woven with the threads of Buddhism, evident in the nurous monasteries and stupas that dot the landscape, emanating a sense of tranquillity and spirituality.
As Bhutan embraces its isolation, it preserves its unique identity and way of life, untouched by the rapid changes sweeping across other parts of the world.
20th September 1655.
The citizens of Bhutan went about their tranquil lives they lived with peace and harmony but unbeknownst to them there was an enemy plotting their demise.
21st September 1655, the city of Patna, Bihar constituency, Mughal Empire.
In a grand and imposing fortress of Patna, three n were seated in a chamber, engrossed in discussion, their faces reflecting intense concentration as they looked at the map in front of them. Clad in elaborate military armour adorned with nurous embellishnts, their attire bespoke their high rank and status. Iqbal, who was the minister of war of the Mughal Empire, is one among these three n.
He was currently finalizing the Battle plan and attack strategy for the Mughal Empire’s northward conquest.
"Zulfikar, are the troops ready?" Iqbal inquired.
"Yes, Your Excellency the Minister of War. Forty thousand troops are ready to go at any ti, Being that they are veterans, victory this ti is all but guaranteed," replied Zulfikar Khan Nazrat Jung, the man sitting opposite Iqbal. He was one of the generals chosen for the military operation, aged 38, and had experienced many battles.
His current objective was to conquer the Kingdom of Bhutan, which he thought was not much trouble because the population of Bhutan was not even 100,000 people.
"Good. What about you, Feroze Jung?" Iqbal asked the second man sitting opposite to him.
"Your Excellency," Feroze Jung, the seasoned general, began, his voice steady and resolute. "While many of my troops are newly recruited, they are far from inexperienced, having undergone rigorous training in the harsh conditions of Kashmir.
I assure you, they are more than capable of serving as effective soldiers in this campaign." With a confident gaze, Feroze continued, "I am fully committed to achieving our objectives. My mission is clear: to subjugate the tribal factions and integrate their land into the Mughal Empire’s dominion." Despite his age, Feroze exuded an aura of unwavering confidence and keen intelligence.
"Yes, Your Excellency," Zulfikar Khan replied promptly. "The assembly of the troops has been completed as per your instructions. We have organized the sixty thousand troops into three distinct units, each poised for action. They are currently stationed in Kashmir, awaiting your orders to comnce the operation."
Looking at their confident faces, Iqbal couldn’t help but remind them of their greatest enemy.
"That is good. But be cautious; the biggest enemy in these expeditions is not the soldiers of the enemy kingdom or even its citizens; it is the harsh climate and hilly terrain of the Great Himalayas."
22nd September 1655
On that day, two things happened: Zulfikar, along with his army, marched towards Bhutan, while on the other hand, Feroze took a carriage and quickly left for Kashmir, the place where his army was located.
The invasion of Bhutan and Nepal by the Mughal Empire comnced.
The army of 40,000 Mughal soldiers marched towards the town of Jaigaon, the closest town to the border of Bhutan. This was the designated starting point of the invasion. It was strategically chosen due to its position as the natural trade route between Bengal and the Chinese dynasty, with Bhutan and Tibet serving as crucial transit stations.
This route aligned perfectly with the plans laid out by His Excellency Iqbal. Taking this road, the army could pass through the major trading posts and cities of Bhutan.
24th September 1655
Chhukha, a small town nestled in the province of Chukha, bustled with its usual activity. Ho to just a few thousand residents, the town’s size reflected its tranquil pace of life. Within Chukha province, only three major towns existed, with Chhukha being one of them, contributing to a provincial population of fewer than 10,000 residents.
The townsfolk primarily earned their livelihood through farming, leveraging the region’s fertile land, and engaged in trade, benefitting from their town’s strategic location along the trade route between Tibet and Bengal.
In the upper-class residential area of the town, a house with a courtyard could be seen. This house was quite spacious; there was even a small chicken farm in the backyard, . The chickens were making their usual noises in the early morning as a girl tended to them. This girl is called Dohan.
"Hum hmm hum," Dohan humd a tune she learned from the monastery as she began to help her mother by tending to the chickens. Although she was only 9 years old, she would do small tasks like washing vegetables or making paste from herbs. Currently, Dohan was outside the house, Picking up the eggs after feeding the hens.
Her father was a guard and lookout captain on the path between Gedu Town and their ho in Chhukha. Hence, they could be considered relatively well-off among the residents of their town.
"Dohan!"
Dohan heard her mother call her na, so she quickly ran inside the house to see what her mom was calling for.
"Here, the lunch for your father is ready. Go give it to him," her mother instructed, handing her a packed lunch made of leaves.
"Okay, Mother," Dohan replied, picked up the packed lunch, and ran away quickly as if afraid of sothing.
"Hey, Dohan, co back soon! Do not go to play with your friends after giving the lunch to your father. There is still a whole lot of work to do at ho!" her mother yelled, just as Dohan disappeared by the compound.
"This girl," the mother sighed in exasperation and went back inside the house, shaking her head.
"Hahaha!" Dohan, still running at full speed near her neighbourhood, couldn’t help but laugh out loud as she managed to escape from the house. She could go play with her friends now, as they were waiting for her. As for what her mother said, who knows? She did not hear anything.
Dohan quickly reached the outskirts of the town, but unlike how she left the house, her smile turned into a serious grimace.
"Hey, little Dohan, are you going to see your father?"
The uncle, who was guarding the town, asked with a smile on his face. Dohan was quite familiar with everyone in the town as her father was one of the main security forces. Her father usually guards the town and scouts regularly at the watchtower. But in normal tis, when His Excellency the Noble Lord calls for military training, it is usually her father who stands out.
That is the exact reason why he is respected in the town.
"Yes, uncle, I am going to et my father. My mother packed lunch for him," Dohan quickly changed her expression and said with a smile on her face.
"Okay, good. When you et your father, tell him that the arrows in the barracks have run out. The Noble Lord has forgotten to replenish the supplies again. Could you please ask your father to talk with the lord? If by any ergency, wild animals enter the town, there is no way to protect ourselves," the guard said with so worry.
The Lord is good at everything, but unfortunately, he did not know what happened since a few years ago; the lord tends to forget a lot of things. Sadly, sotis the Lord even forgets that he has a son.
Dohan, having heard the uncle’s ssage, quickly nodded and dashed off along the path with her leather boots. "Okay, uncle, I’ll pass on the ssage to my father," she called out as she hurried along the path.
Dohan was in a hurry because when coming to the outskirts of the town, she had seen her friends playing without her. "How dare they play without ," she thought to herself, angry that her friends betrayed her. She would quickly deliver the lunch to her father and go back to beat them up.
"Yes, that’s what I’ll do," she murmured to herself, determination shining in her eyes. "Hahaha!" With her course of action set, Dohan clenched her small fist and let out a mischievous laugh, reminiscent of an evil villain. However, this "villain" was only nine years old, sprinting along the forested path in her leather boots.
In a matter of forty minutes, Doha travelled a distance of 5 kilotres. Doha was out of breath as she ran most of the way. But she noticed sothing peculiar; for the past few minutes, she had been hearing so rustling sounds coming from the jungle.
She thought it might have been wild animals, but that would not be possible because the hunter-uncles in the town usually clear the path so that it would be easier for rchants to travel. However, since no wild animal ca out of the foliage of the forest, she ignored the sound and ran forward.
"Ah!"
But as Doha ran forward, she heard a shrill scream of a man, which made her stop suddenly in her tracks.
TO BE CONTINUED...
P.S. Sorry in advance Bhutan Brother, it is required for the Story.
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