Dangbo Dingbo: Bhutan’s Postage Stamps: The Early Days

'Please come now to Bhutan. Jigmie leaves May 21 for Ha Dzong. We have received permission for you to join him.'

The above telegram message enabled the young American Burt Kerr Todd to make his maiden trip to Bhutan in 1951 when he attended the royal wedding of the XXVth Paro Poenlop and Crown Prince HRH Gyalsey Jigme Dorji Wangchuck to Ashi Kesang Choden Dorji, which took place in Paro on 5th October, 1951. Upon his return to the US after spending nearly a year in Bhutan, Burt Todd wrote a detailed account of his trip, which the National Geographic magazine published in their December 1952 issue.

I was intrigued – how in the name of God did Burt Kerr Todd manage to gain entry into the forbidden land of Bhutan – in 1951? I finally found my answer in an article authored by one Alex Klein:

The youthful Burt was thoroughly smitten by Bhutan - so much so that he was once again back in Bhutan in 1954 – this time with his newly wed wife Susie for their honeymoon. It was either during this trip or the subsequent trip in 1959, that plans began to take shape that would go on to establish his association with Bhutan – on a more permanent footing. Later events that came to light make me believe that it would have to have been before 1959.

Burt Kerr Todd graduated from Oxford University in the UK, in 1949. As reported in the above article, it was during his time in London that he was introduced to the future queen of Bhutan who was then simply known as Ashi Kesang-La Dorji. She was then studying at London’s House of Citizenship.

The casual acquaintance endured - finally culminating into a dream opportunity that few dared hoped for – a visit to the elusive Last Shangri-La – the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan about which few would have heard. It is said that Burt Kerr Todd was the first American ever to enter Bhutan.

The daring and adventurous nature of Burt seems to have endeared himself to the King. Over time, it is said that he began to play the role of Bhutan’s unofficial Advisor. No record of his appointment exists in the annals of history – but later events prove that his services were most definitely sought for by Bhutan and, in all fairness, to great benefit.

Burt Kerr Todd was the trailblazer who helped put Bhutan on the world philately map. He helped Bhutan design, print and market our postage stamps beginning 1962:

Burt Kerr Todd set into motion Bhutan's postal journey with the release in 1962 of these earliest set of seven postage stamps

There are two versions as to how it all began.

One version says that it was His Majesty King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck who called upon him to suggest ideas as to how Bhutan might expand its economic base. Burt suggested postage stamps.

Another version says that it was as a result of the World Bank refusing to grant Bhutan the asking loan of dollars ten million. Supposedly an American who attended the World Bank meeting as an observer to the proceedings felt sorry for Bhutan and suggested to Burt who presented the loan proposal to the World Bank, that Bhutan could try selling postage stamps to raise finance. I truly do not believe that we would have sought a loan of dollars ten million. What would we have done with that kind of money in the mid 1950s? In fact, I do not believe that we would have applied to the World Bank for loan at all. We became a member of the World Bank only in 1981.

Whatever the truth – what remains a historical record is that Burt Kerr Todd helped Bhutan to release our first set of seven postage stamps in Phuentsholing, on 10th October, 1962. Although initially the world collectors were not impressed, over time Burt’s unique and unusual stamp designs drew attention and admiration. History is witness to the fact that for a number of years philately accounted for the highest earning of foreign exchange for Bhutan.

PS:

The telegraph message quoted at the very start of this post would have been transmitted from Bhutan House, Kalimgpong because we did not have the service in Bhutan those early days. In 1951, we did not even have wireless – we used the station based at Yatung.

Burt would have had to arrive Bhutan following the reverse route of the postal runner: Kalimpong-Sikkim-Nathu-La Pass-Yatung-Haa – even Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru did so when he made his first official visit to Bhutan, in 1958.

Burt Kerr Todd knew nothing about postage stamps or the business of marketing them – this is an indication of how adventurous and daring the man was. Thus, contrary to what the Bible says, it was the daring and the courageous who inherited the Earth, not the meek!