|
|
The religious affairs (chö*) were looked after by the Je Khenpo, the head abbot of the country. He supervised the purity of the teachings and their interpretation, looked after the monks and ensured discipline.
Political affairs (si) were handed over to the Desi, who also administered the wealth and property of the monk-body. This form of government, with two heads who were responsible for different areas, was called chösi* or chösi nyiden* (dual system of government).
All of the powerful positions of the religious and secular fields were filled either with monks or with lay-people who took monastic vows during their times of office. With great diplomatic skill the Shabdrung chose members of those groups for important positions, whose support he needed for the consolidation of his power.
|
|
|
The structure of the administration
Amongst the most important posts in the country was that of the chief of protocol (drönyer), who was also the chief justice, and of minister (kalön), who passed on the orders of the Shabdrung to the other civil servants.
The country was divided into three large regions - Tongsa, Paro and Dagana -, each of which was headed by a head lama* (pchila) or governor (pönlop). When the jurisdiction of a pönlop was too big, drungpas served as deputies in some areas. Another post of importance was that of chief of the dzong (dzongpön). The first dzongpöns were those of Punakha, Thimphu and Wangdi Phodrang. At a lower level there were the »elders« (gup), who looked after several villages and transmitted orders from the dzong to the people.
This structure of government and administration remained intact until the foundation of the monarchy in 1907. With only slight changes and additions, the posts, as set in by the Shabdrung, have been retained in the present structure of government.
|
|
