KINLEY KHANDU CHODEN | Thimphu
Rural Bhutan is witnessing a steady outflow of young people to urban centres, leaving behind ageing populations and gradually reduced agricultural activity across districts such as Trashigang, Mongar, and Trongsa.
“My sons are in Thimphu. My daughter is in Paro. Only my husband and I remain,” said 58-year-old Kinzang Choden from Khangma in Trashigang. “The house feels empty most of the time now,” she added.
She said the shift has changed daily life in the household. “It is different when children are not around,” she said.
A 25-year-old migrant worker in Thimphu said leaving the village was necessary for survival. “Farming alone cannot support everything,” he said. “That is why I had to come here. In the village, it depends on land and weather. In the city, there is monthly income.”
He said the economic gap between rural and urban areas continues to widen. “There is no steady income in the village,” he said.
In Mongar, 67-year-old Sangay Dema from Chali village said traditional weaving has changed as younger generations move away.
“Before, we used to sit together and weave,” she said. “Now I do it by myself.”
She said the social environment has also shifted. “Everything is quiet now,” she said. “Even work feels different.”
Phurpa 65 from Phongmey in Trashigang said staying connected to rural life becomes harder over time. “When you stay away long enough, home feels far,” he said.
From Khorphu in Trongsa, an elderly resident Phub Dorji said family relationships are increasingly maintained from a distance.
“My grandchildren know my voice, not my daily life,” he said. “We talk, but it is not the same. They are there; we are here.”
He added that communication has replaced physical presence. “We call on the phone now. Before, we met every day,” he said.
Paydon from Depong in Mongar said village rituals and gatherings have become smaller. “Earlier, everyone came,” she said. “Now many are away. We still hold the rituals, but fewer people attend.”
She said organizing community events has become more difficult. “We wait for them to come during holidays,” he said. “Without them, it is hard to manage everything.”
Gyembo another farmer from the same gewog said traditional practices rely on participation. “Tradition survives when people keep doing it together,” he said. “When participation drops, it becomes fragile.”
In Thimphu, young migrants described both opportunity and difficulty in urban life.
A 22-year-old Karma Cheki from Khomsar in Zhemgang said expectations did not match reality. “I thought it would be easier,” she said. “But rent and expenses are high. Going back is not really an option.”
She said she remains in the city despite challenges. “There is work here, even if life is hard,” she said.
Leki Wangmo 22, a young worker in the same gewog said many migrants share similar experiences. “We all came looking for work,” he said. “Life is not easy, but there is no work in the village.”
Dorji Tshering from Wangdue said living conditions are often shared. “We share rooms because rent is expensive,” he said.
He added that returning home is rarely considered. “Even if it is difficult here, there is nothing waiting in the village,” he said.
In rural areas, the absence of younger labour is increasingly visible in agriculture. A 55-year elder Pemba Dorji, farmer from Chaskhar in Mongar said farming has become more difficult due to fewer workers.
“There are fewer hands now,” he said. “Some fields are left because there is no one to work on them.”
He said the change has been gradual rather than sudden. “It did not happen at once,” he said. “Slowly, people started leaving.”
He added that families continue to maintain ties despite distance. “We don’t stop them from leaving,” he said. “We just wait for them to come back. They come for a few days, then leave again.”
He also describes shrinking households and changing routines. “We used to be many in one house,” he said. “Now it is just a few of us.”
Another farmer in Trongsa Phub Dorji also said emotional connection has changed with migration. “You hear their voice, but you don’t see their life,”.
He said this distance has become normal. “We live like this now,” he said.
Despite ongoing migration, villages remain inhabited, though with fewer young people and reduced daily activity. Homes are occupied intermittently, and farming is increasingly managed by older residents.
“We still live here,” one villager said. “But it is not like before.”
Across eastern Bhutan, the movement continues quietly, reflected less in departure than in what is no longer present.
