Category: Uncategorized

I am apprehensive writing on this topic but i couldn’t look away. I think I am the right person to talk about this topic. Or I may be the wrong person too. I visited a site yesterday! There stood a stupa (Chorten as we term in our language). The clear sky above, the river rushing just below the standing stupa dragged me to capture the beauty of that scene. I did capture a beautiful scene from a single angle. Then I visited another angle only to sway away my captured scene. I think you get what I will be talking about. Yes I am talking about exactly what you were thinking: Chorten Vandalism.

This word “VANDALISM” didn’t have effect on me until few years back. I was casual when people discussed on such issues. Four years back and whenever someone started talking about it my inner voice started crying and pleading “please please… let this topic end soon. Let this topic not mention my father’s name. At least not in front of me and my siblings”. A lump would form in my heart and my body would start getting Goosebumps. There were times when people unaware of the family that I came from would talk so harsh about my family. Just as anyone has family they were my family too though they convicted a crime. Words did sometime cut me so deep and maybe same was the case with my siblings. Every time I pass by a chorten I pray for my father to be forgiven for whatever sins he accrued. I believe that god answers to sincere prayers. Yes, my father is imprisoned to 13 years for buying and selling of “zee: cats eye” of a vandalized chorten knowingly. The family background I am associated with either makes me the right person to talk about or the wrong one too. For now I am taking the earlier one: that I am one of the right people who can talk about this.

The case of chorten vandalism remains a prominent issue despite many after-measures taken by concerned agencies. Imprisoning the convicted are few of the after measures taken for this issue. What are the prevention measures? There are care takers recruited to take care of important lhakhangs and few chortens. But what is done to our chortens that lie in nook and corner of the country? Do we make our public aware of the importance and significance of chortens? Do we educate our youths, parents and the public enough? Or are our measures not centered to after-effects? What are the prevention measures taken for this VANDALISM issue?

Can we not make our “people aiming to vandalize” educate on the after-effects of vandalism as a prevention measure? Can we not tell them that a family member of theirs suffers depression, shame, and isolation in the community? Can we not tell them that a child pleads, begs and bleed mentally? Can we not tell them that a child seeks forgiveness for their parents’ deeds? Can we not educate our public which consist of old, young, parents, children and those willing to be criminals? This is a humble submission from a woman of background of criminal family. But I pledge to pray and continue seeking forgiveness for my father. Because he is my FATHER. Because we are FAMILY! Because I wasn’t there to educate him.

P.S: I hope that anyone reading this post will educate your family on this issue too. Because you are a FAMILY!

Under the starry starry night

While the moon was hidingly watching us over

We sat under the hiding moon and bright stars

I told you we could be best friends

While you told me we can be more than friends

I told you friendship last

You told me relationship withstand

I told you we were best here

While you told me we will be best there

I told you we will try

While you told me we will do

I told you I may lose you

While you said to hold on

I told you tears are bitter

While you told me laughters are cheerful

I told you trials leave footprints

While you said moments leave memories

Now here I am

Neither here nor there

I wasn’t right nor were you not wrong

The starry starry night visits

The moon still watches hidingly

But we do not sit under the starry starry night

Not anymore together

It did leave me with memories

Just me watching up to the starry starry sky

Random thoughts in this rainy night

The rainy night is taking me to starry starry night.

I am talking about our Children. Yes the Children of this Nation: Bhutan. You start writing and you start observing. This article in no way is intended to hurt the sentiments of any reader. I was travelling and I guess travelers are actually the observers and writers. Our kids have already started complaining that Dzongkha is too hard to learn and Dzongkha cannot be their favorite/best subject. Some parents in the fear of failing in the subject have started taking Dzongkha self tutor for their children. Self tutor is only possible for our high income parents, not for commoners!
Being born and brought up in a remote village I used to envy our cousins and relatives who used to speak English so perfectly while me on the other hand had tough time blurting a single line. I am not claiming that I speak and write perfect Dzongkha. I am no good either but I think we will be failing as citizen if I do not write it here. I am writing my observation.
“Aie, afi gachi mo (ཨའི་ཨ་ཕི་ག་ཅིག་མོ?)” meaning “Mom, What is that?” To that question the mother replied “horse and cow” I think the child that was questioning was no older than two years. Yes! To the other side of the road there were horses and cows. Then there is another incident that took place in book store at Thimphu. The child was no older than three years and doing some mischief when the mother came out of corner shouting “Baby, don’t do that. Go outside”. I was merely an observer but I was like since when did Thimphus’ language change. Then later I was cursing the unknown mom to my friend that she should have at least acted like she was in Bhutan. Good thing, we discussed that we will teach our children our language.

I know these incidents are minor and have no logic for me to be complaining but I believe that our future citizens and leaders are going to be the children who are two and three right now. What if they grow up not knowing “Ba” as cow and “Ta” as horse? What if they continue teaching another generation the same as we did to our two and three year old? The language, culture and traditions that bind us as Bhutanese would be lost forever. A nation without identity is no nation. For Bhutanese Language “DZONGKHA” is one of our unique identities. What are we teaching our children? Where are we taking our nation as a citizen? What are we doing as a parent?

I am not one of the travelers in this journey but I am an observer in this particular journey. It was announced that the 1st leg refresher course for the Eastern Desuup will start from 4th of July to 7th of July, 2018 at Deothang, Samdrup Jongkhar. I was eager and I did register to attend the course. The number of Desuups who registered for this event was few and I did not give a second thought. Volunteerism, selfless service and sense of desuup duty have almost become passion for the DEESUPS! Especially for those desuups who did the registration for this event. At the last moment I decided not to attend the first leg but I made sure that I will attend the 2nd leg which happens in the month of December every year.
As I did the registration the only concern I had was the heat of Deothang! I could already imagine myself turning reddish with apple like face. I think the same was the case for those desuups who did the registration that day. Often times we fail to imagine the journey while only focusing on the end. My end was the four days refreshing refresher course and so were the end of my nyamros who did the registration. Who actually took a little time to think that the one day journey was going to determine all the four days? Ahh… I think it was our other nyamros who did not register for this event. Did they study the situation? Or was it a coincidence?
I asked my nyamro Sonam Tshering on when was he and the mates starting their journey. He said as early as six in the morning. The next day started, it is 3rd July 2018! I get a message that they have started their journey and they crossed Rolong (junction from where you can start to Narang). Few hours later I get a message that they are stuck in the block. Ahh… I forgot to mention you the rain! It was raining since yesterday evening and it hasn’t stopped yet.
I get another call and there I see my phone beeping with the contact name “Desuup Shacha Tenzin”. The first thing I get to hear from him is “Come to Rolong with packed lunch”. And as I listen to him they (he and the three other mates) started their journey early taking the Gyelposhing-Nanglam Highway route. Thirty one kilometers into driving and they find that the way is completely blocked. Blocked beyond human clearance! If it was in their reach they would have cleared it. Cleared it for them and for all because they are the desuups. For the service of the desuups comes from the heart!
They had to turn to take the Mongar-Tashigang highway. Sadly I could not go to reach them packed lunch but was later glad to find out that they had their lunch from Desuup Tenzin Tshomo at Yadhi. Then the evening came and I get a message from Desuup Sonam Tshering that he and his mates have reached the destination safely. I was sure Shacha and his mates made to the destination that evening.
It was seven in the morning as I woke up and I get a message from Shacha “Good morning, Stuck here at Wamrong”. Do you know when do fat (sorry nyamros… indeed you are all strong and bold) people participate in 100 meter dash running competition? It is when they are involved in clearing the block and you look up to see another mountain like obstacles fall. They were literally running as fast as they could. Luckily they escaped from the falling boulders. This is the story I hear from him. With another news that few desuups from Lhuntse lead by Dasho Dzongdag of Lhuntse is stuck in between Kurigongri (highest waterfall of Gyelposhing-Nanglam Highway) neither able to move forward nor able to turn backward.
The first day of the refresher course is almost coming to the end and I see my enthusiastic nyamros ready in the uniform to join the other nyamros at whatever time they may reach Deothang. Here I am but I wish that the weather gets clearer, the blocks unblocked and may my Nyamros reach safe and sound to the destination.
I hope that their journey of earned leave and whole heartedness reach them to destination one and back to destination two (home). Summer surely is not a travel time for travelers but Desuups have no travel time. They just own a whole hearted heart and through sun and rain they travel for a greater cause.

Salute to all the Desuup comrades and especially to nyamros who registered and actually made for the event.

P.S I requested my nyamros (strong and bold) to send me a picture for this post. Thank you so much.

Bhu khay ru pha mai lab bja go: How intelligent a children may be he/she still needs the advice/guidance from his/her parents. It is not just the holding hands you require while you start to take your first walk but it is the encouragement you require when you take your first step to education, it is the scolding you require for being the bad boy/girl, it is the pampers you require for being their children, it is the discipline you require for the chaos you create, it is the strength you require when you fail, it is the guidance you require for the paths you want to venture into. Because they are our parents and they want the best for us.

Often times all the children are not as lucky as most of the children. Few get away from their children by fate and in few cases parents choose to be away from the children. Only one among thousand a child succeeds without a parent for child. The school character certificate may reflect “good” but how good is good? There are children who hold highest education certificates but is literacy enough to be a good human being?

We are a child who needs to be natured with love and care. We are the children who need to be taught the value of love, friendships, relationships, forgiveness, acceptance, truthfulness, memories, and we are the children who require a parent.

Dear parents be there for your child but dear children let us be THE CHILD that requires a parent. Let us be the children that succeed one among thousand if our parents are taken away or if they chose to stay away from us. Let us be the CHILD of HUMANITY. Anyone can be human but not all are HUMANE!

I am not going to review this book but I want to share the journeys I took along with this book. I completed this book in two days. I was travelling while I was reading. This journey has been readling (read+travel). The curiosity and pleasantness of every turning page did not let me stop. As I neared the last page of the book it almost left me with sadness. I wished it did not end, I expected the pages to extend with my every flipping!

I never imagined that the author and other ashis would have experienced ordinary life. Forget about living an ordinary life. I always believed that they were born with the wish fulfilling golden spoon for the merit accumulated in many past lives. My beliefs took a turn as I started reading the first chapter of this book! Now I can imagine a little beautiful girl of Nobgang helping her mom with everyday household chores like washing, cleaning, cooking etc… I can imagine the little girl all excited wearing the best attire to attend the festivals. I am getting back to those old days when she rode horses to attend her education. I am getting back to those old days and my imagination can’t stop but imagine a pretty beautiful lady in her twenties. I am getting back to the old days of the author.

As I flipped through the second chapter I realize there are thousand and one places to go for Nye-Khor (pilgrimages) in Bhutan at cheaper cost while receiving towering blessings. Bhod-Gaya and Nepal are popular pilgrimage spots for Bhutanese while many sacred places are left unexplored and unnoticed in Bhutan. The belief system of reincarnation and rebirth and the story of author left me with Goosebumps in my whole body. I was not shocked but I was overwhelmed to be hearing the story. It left me with awe, reverence and a lasting impression. The best part of this chapter is this statement “We saw water trickling down the rock as we circumambulated it saying our prayers. We could scarcely believe our good fortune, when we spotted a man hiding inside the crack in the rock with a bucket of water- Our King…..” this left me with smiles and I continue to smile on remembering this part of the chapter.

Then as I reached the end of the third chapter it leaves me with Goosebumps all over my body, tears in my eyes, pain in my heart and gratefulness in my soul. I can see the Great fourth and Dasho Jigyel marching for the war to protect the subjects of this country.  I see the warrior, I see the leader, I see the server and I see the King! I can feel the gratefulness of every Bhutanese for our leader. I can feel the lump in my heart and tears start streaming down my cheeks.  The weight of this leadership is too heavy for a weak heart. I am learning to grow a stronger heart. As i pass through Dochula Pass i see its beauty and meaning.

P.S I recommend all our Bhutanese friends, young and old to read this book.

I have memories of my parents believing not to start long travel journeys on the 2^nd, 8^th, 14^th, 20^th and 26^th of every Bhutanese calendar month. The vivid memory I have is on 2^nd date of the month. It was considered to be bad day for travelling. The day is said to be “TA-SHI-GA-CHA”

I grew up with this belief and always avoided travelling on that particular day. My parents had stories to narrate that on TA-SHI-GA-CHA a revered lam wanted to travel far but his followers protested him not to. Without agreeing to his followers he started his journey, the only possession the lam had was one earthen pot which also broke on that day. “Za chi cha na za nyi jung, di ya lamai kadrin en” meaning a single pot when broken becomes two and that is also the blessing of my master. For that matter my parents said that “lam dro me wong” which means your journey won’t be pleasant.

Recently I had an urgent reason to travel to Thimphu. I asked one of our local businessmen who was at Tashigang to book one bus ticket for me on 16^th (3^rd date of Bhutanese month). He said all the tickets for that date were booked and the tickets available were on 15^th (2^nd date) or 17^th (4^th date). If I took the latter date I was going to get late so with no option left I asked him to book the ticket for 15^th.

Later in the evening he handed me my ticket and the seat number I got was No.3! After all this years of travel in public transport this is the first time I have got seat in the front seats. I was hesitant but started the journey anyway. The numbers of passenger in that 32 seat capacity bus were just eight travelers including the driver. We reached Bumthang safely on that day. Thank you gracious! I breathed a sigh of relief for that TA-SHI-GA-CHA day was over.

The next day journey continued with shower of drizzle we crossed Yotongla. Few kilometers down the lane the road was blocked with large falling boulders. “Dho chim zum chi”: “Boulder like house” Is it the post TA-SHI-GA-CHA effect? Two excavators came to our rescue while we had to wait around ten hours. Ten hours into travel and waiting my stomach started with its loudest growl! May be same was the case with my travelling mates. A stranger was kind enough to share his gayza sips (beaten maize) which were supposed to be taken as gift to his relatives in Thimphu while I also started unpacking my gayza sip (beaten maize) and sharing with traveler mattes. The sympathy in Bhutanese!

As my neck turned to and fro from our bus there were at least 60 vehicles stuck on that block. Did they start their journey on TA-SHI-GA-CHA just as we did or was it the monsoon that was doing the trick to my hesitant mind?  My lame translation of TA-SHI-GA-CHA is TA-SHI: horse dies (horses were used for travel in olden days) and GA-CHA: saddle breaks.

I cannot advice you not to travel on TA-SHI-GA-CHA but I can assure you that we Bhutanese do believe in this day. TA-SHI-GA-CHA is not a good day to start long journey for Bhutanese. I take the blocked road as broken saddle taking bus as the horse.

The two days journey is extended to three days journey!!!

P.S I seek forgiveness from my readers if my lame translation comes no close to its original meaning.

We feel their absence and we long for their presence but do we even take slightest effort to let them know that they are being missed and we are waiting for them? I am one of those individuals who feel but won’t show often. I was reading “Passu Diary” wherein he has penned down every moment and the message clearly reached to the person intended. You might feel it today and your message may never reach unless you let them know at the earliest. We never know if tomorrow or the next life will visit us first. I best express my thoughts in writing than verbal. Let that lump in your heart burst out in your words. So I decided to write for her. To the friend whose month’s absence I feel. This is to you NIM DEM.

I remember the first time we put up job applications for this particular job the interview times and later the selected times. Unsure of if we were to take this job but we decided we take it and take it TOGETHER. So here we are in this journey. It has been one year and three months since we took this decision. We chose to come in the same Dzongkhag. The distances between our stations are almost 132 kilometers away but we at least met once or twice in a month. For an official purpose we get our private time too. But this month feels too long. I know how busy you are with the Desuup training and now how I wish we should have attended the training together! I should not have left earlier than you or I should have asked you to come with me.

This month feels little longer and tiring too. The days become longest when I visit Dzongkhag. The people I meet on my way ask me about my partner. I miss our days when we get twinned with dresses without discussion, our walking days, talking days, eating days and our together time. I wish your training gets over soon. I feel your absence and I miss you my friend. Come soon and here I will be waiting for you patiently. Complete you training soon and let us volunteer together.

Candle light dinner and it sounds romantic, doesn’t it? Did you just imagine your better half sitting face to face with you? Few candles lit in between two of you while you stare at one another with burning love and passion. Waiting for the dinner you ordered to reach to the table. Or do you have wine of your taste and flavor you are enjoying at the moment? Did you just create this romantic scene with my lines? Ah…ha… I have to drag you back to reality. This wasn’t the candle light dinner I am talking about.
The power went off since 9: AM today. I don’t know where did the power went off too though (smiles). My mobile battery has started giving me red signal and only 24% of battery is left in my laptop. It was already 7:30 PM and the dawn started getting darker. I started with my dinner preparation and then in a while I was done cooking my dinner feast. I live with a neighbor who is a door step away from my home. I and his family decided to eat together. By the time we got together to eat together it was already dusk. Time to light the candle!
In that candle dim lightened room I noticed that today there were pressure cookers instead of electric rice cookers and hot water in a pot than in a boiler. Today I noticed the dark! Tonight’s dark is taking me back to my childhood memories. I have wake memories of growing in home lit with candles and kerosene lamps and my parents waking at the first call of roosters. The memories have become more unclear with almost decades of rural electrification. I have almost forgotten the dark. In that instance I start worrying about my mobile and laptop battery percentage. Then this idea of writing popped into my head. Ohh… I am already done with dinner and back to room.
I started scribbling in my book with three candles lit. Wheew…. The power is back. Now I understand what it meant when my mom told me “In a click of mouse you see the world, in a flip of button you hear voices and on a single snap of switch the night turns to day” The day of the night is back!
Candle light dinners are only romantic if the person you are having dinner is your other half and IF YOUR MOBILE BATTERY does not show red signal!
The electricity generated though our fast flowing rivers has brightened our lives, extended our working time, and brought day into night. The responsibility of taking care of this source falls upon us. Environmentalism and Responsibility. A day without power is a day more in darkness.

Narang is a small community with area of 49.91sqkm and household of 227 out of which 15 households are Gungtongs and a census population of 2274. More than half of the population are out of Narang few settled in urban areas and others either studying or working in other places. I live in this small community!

Bhutan is known all over the world for its pristine nature and carbon negative principles. But the question now is, how long can we hold this image upright? To whom does the responsibility fall on to? Do our parents living in a small community like the community I live in even have a slightest idea of what it means to conserve and protect our environment?

Once I asked a crowd of this community a question “Where do you get chips covers, plastics and pet bottles from?” The answer came in union “From the shop” to their answer I replied “In this community, you get the above mentioned from the footpath we walk, on the ground we play, near the tree we rest, near the water source we drink and finally in the shops.” There are just three shops here.

The sight of red, blue, white, orange and grey on the lush green ground does not bother our crowd yet. At least not in this small community. They see it as colors and do not know that it will take thousands of years for these plastics to degrade. These sights have been disturbing my sight for quite some time. Then I started this individual project of picking up plastics on the footpath I walk – home to office.

This individual project seemed to work somehow. At the very least the road that I walked got cleaned up every day. On the way to and fro to my office and my home. I could literally feel the joy of my individual project. A month later I have another few friends who pick up the garbage and place in the dust bins. My friends picking up garbage may not have been the ripple effect of my individual project, but I am glad that we are doing this in group now. At least we pick up little garbage to wherever we visit.

With this small initiative of picking up plastics from our environment to the right place, we want to educate our small community through examples than orders. May be if we continue with our small initiative one day may be the people of this small community will be bothered by the different colors on the lush green environment.

The responsibility finally falls upon us those who are bothered by these unhealthy sights!

P.S. With the help of local government, the health sector of Narang gewog has now taken initiative to construct dust bins to all the households of Narang.