Youth unemployment at 7.2 percent

It wasn't surprising at all to know that the Youth unemployment in Bhutan is 7.2 percent as of November 27 (by BBS), which I believe has been stagnant or even increasing for sometime. I am rather concerned like what if it continues to beat at this rate? Every one talks of Youth being the future flag bearers, that future of the state lies in the hands of the youths, but I really doubt of a good future of the state, if the future of youths themselves are at stake at the first hand and their problems are not addressed in the second.

I was watching BBS program, the interview by Namgay Zam with the Director of Labor Ministry and the Executive Director of ABTO. It was a refreshing one, although with that same old slogans of a blame game. Our Labor Ministry seems to have so many plans at hand; only challenge being unable to meet the gap of an understanding to change the mind set of youth towards Jobs irrespective of the colors.Tourism Industry seems to be a good resort; where they talk more of the attitude and the skills against the academic knowledge. However at the end my basic questions weren't answered.

Externally every Bhutanese talk of Bhutan being a country of equity and Justice, that everyone enjoys the equal right to express, that everyone is entitled to equal opportunities, but if we take a closer look, I am sorry to say that it is far from truth in reality. Any survey in Bhutan would reveal that rich are always rich and the poor the poorest, that upper ones are always flying while the lower ones on the verge  losing visibility(ས་ཁར་འཛུལ་སག་ས) because things like nepotism and favoritism still exist although these things might be out of any Bhutanese laws.
It was in the year 2011 summer, I was to do do my month long internship(as required by college), I was interested to do at Druk Air, I also had my cousin brother at paro where I would accommodate during my stay, I finished all my proceedings from the Scholarship Division and approached Druk Air. There I was very much surprised that the HR section didn't even look at my documents. Straight away I was said that I can't do my intern there for the simple reason that the organization is busy.  I just wanted to learn something that is all. I could have been a little help to them while learning myself in the mean time, but that was just the waste, I finally did my intern at Bhutan Telecom.

Well, I am yet to join that pack (in fact very soon enough) of so-called 'job seekers' and walk those streets of capital, hear the people say like "He is still jobless and useless" etc, I don't know how much pairs of shoe will be gone, or how much time I would have to starve or walk hiding my face, before I get one.
It is encouraging to know that the concerned Ministries are doing their best to match the mismatched gap. The number of graduates are increasing every year and the competition is becoming tough. As a youth I think it is high time for the government to stop whining and start barking, see where the real problems lies and ask basic questions apart from education systems like:

• Is Rural Urban Migration Problem still addressed?
• Are the Industries and other job creating sources evenly scattered around the country?
• Are things like Nepotism and discrimination completely vanished in the country?

Sometimes it might turn out that it is not always the youth who is at fault.

The Social Network..

Today's world is sophisticated and advanced with all kinds of developments and accessories in front of us. We have the fastest mode of communication on our desk and in our Pocket, the fastest mode of transportation in the door step, least strength requirement gadgets and super computers that performs mega times better and faster. The humans have managed to conquer the apex of everything and may be this is the very beauty of this human era- the privilege to be the part of this whole evolution.

How ever with all this sophistication and merits,if we are unable to use it wisely and intelligently, it is nuisance too. As good as we enjoy the fruits of all the developments, the world is equally into the state of turmoil and chaos, into constant threat with constant fear of terrors; the world has the dangerous nuclear weapon that will destroy everything in seconds. Physically this world seems to be so peaceful and calm; yet a deeper look makes us think if we are safe at all?

Source: Google

The communication field has gone into dramatic evolution within short span of time. The social networks in particular has grown and expanded so rapidly that we are aware of anything that is happening around the world, just in one click. For no doubts, the social networks have done tremendous good things to mankind. Thanks to the ordinary men with extraordinary minds.. The common social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace and twitter has attracted so many users and it is only on the verge of advancement. On the other hand, the sad thing though is that good has not left the bad and the darker sides behind. It has invited along with it so many chaos and cries, law suits, divorces(The paper in England reported that 75% of the divorce case of 2012 was related to social network!), confrontations and bad repercussions

The most obvious changes that has brought to the modern people can be described in a word 'CONFINEMENT'. Yes we do interact with so many people through such platforms, but from the four confined corners of  our room. It has therefore depreciated the very beauty and charm of the real interaction and socialization. We seem to have lost that energizing handshakes, the mesmerizing laughs in the midst of funny conversations. The more we get closer with such facilities, the more we seemed to be deviated and distanced from the real world.

Yet we can't resist from using the very facility and take advantage when it comes to us. For a week (the past week), I have been away from these social interactions (I mean from internet) I can't believe my self how much such facilities have impact on me in this information world. I really missed and I don't know how people of this age will ever survive without such facilities.

Last Saturday, I took my Laptop for some maintenance and since then for a week, I was cut off from the internet world. The college LAN connection was also very slow, which was lucky for me in a way...:). Random thoughts like; what would be notifications in the Facebook and tweets in twitter? Who would have drop me message? Who would have written new post in my blogger dashboard? what would be the news in BBS or kuensel?... etc started to bother me. Every time I opened a Book to study, such thoughts came and disturbed me. It was all the more torture so to say.

Any way my point is we (Me in particular) seemed to be governed by such facilities and  motives in this present world. Such platforms are inevitable and indispensable in this modern information age. Walk one step backward and it seems like you are ages Behind!  Such is the importance of Social networks; provided we use it wisely.

Witnessing the Week

Life is a big mystery and full of paradoxes. Life unfolds both beautiful and ugly, both good and bad, but the nature of human is such that we are too much blinded by that mere darkness, the ugly and negative parts; we often fail to see the better and brighter part; we tend to forget to see the other side of the coin.

This is backed by the fact that for me, most of the time I am clouded by the miseries and sadness and hardly do I remember the wonderful and good things that have happened and are happening in my life. Maybe I am too shortsighted, but I feel the good things have very short life and that most of the time, such good incidents and memories, better and brighter ones are clouded and hidden deep inside somewhere.

Have you ever tired looking back, even for a day? Well, I normally write my diary every evening but the past week, I couldn't and today I was trying to go a week back! The following are the immediate series of events that clicked my mind:

• When the people of middle east countries were struggling and striving in civil wars with bloodshed and  bomb blasts, Millions of Hindus around the world were rejoicing the Diwali with families and loved ones, with crackers and lights, which was rather disturbing and irritating to me, (by the sudden crackers)

• When the United States of America in the west elected President Barack Obama for the second term and was preparing for his foreign Trip to Asia, the Republic of china in the east saw transition of the power, a new leadership under strict and tight security. 

• The media and the government of India was busy with the visit of Aung Suu Kyi, the pro-Democracy Leader of Myanmar(Burma) and Nobel laureate  who inspired millions around the globe for her non-violence fights and sacrifices towards changing the Myanmar into Democracy. 

• The week saw the decision of the government of Bhutan to do away with the observance of the pedestrian day weekly to every first Sunday of a month with the inclusion of world environment day i.e, 6th June as the Pedestrian day, which came as a good news for most Bhutanese. 

• The week also saw Indians celebrating the 123rd birth day of their first prime Minister (on 14th November), Jawaharlal Nehru, who has a special connection with Bhutan.  The day which is also observed as a Children's day in India as a celebration for Nehru's love for the children.

With all these around me, there I was idly; wondering and regretting if the past week wasn't a total waste. I couldn't update my blog, though I never missed to read the blogs I follow.I didn't open a page of my books for the semester exam which is nearing. I didn't attend even one class as well, so for whole week it was a kind of complete break for me. However, then I was reminded that I was witnessing all these earnestly and that the week wasn't waste after all...:)

What does Tear means to You?

To a biochemist, Tear is but composition of mineral salts, antibodies and lysozymes (bactericidal enzyme). It is the secretion of eyes that helps to moisten the eyes from drying or when ever the foreign matter enters the eye. It is the exocrine process in which a substances come out just like exhaling, urinating, defecating and sweating.

To an athlete, who has just won a medal, tear is but a joy, an intense happiness and  a sense of satisfaction and a reward for his passion and constant endeavor. It is but an enjoyment of his success, nothing more than that.

To a desperate Lover, tear is but Love; it is his expression of how much love means to him/her. The quantity of tears is exactly the intensity of the love, the care and what it means to be in love.

To a beggar at the street, tear is but an easy excuse, an excuse that drives the passerby to pity and lends them a coin or two. Tears lends them food, clothing and shelter, the basic necessities of life.

To a criminal in a court, tear is but an alibi, although it hardly serves its purpose at the court of law. But still it is a good alibi, it is a kind of redemption and  a regret that teaches them lessons.

To a mother who has just lost her child, tear is nothing but a Loss. Her love for the child, it is her deprivation, desperation and catastrophe.

To a little kid, tear says it all; the need, the hunger, the pain (although it is hardly tells the joy!). When ever something is wrong, the child cries and that tells us all.

With all these comes to me now; a big question for myself in fact. I am a young adult, and not a kid any more (by age definitely), which often gets shadowed, because some where I still feel like I am child! I am still searching and trying to understand what is the real meaning of Love. I am definitely not a criminal, neither am I biochemist by profession nor am I a medal winning athlete. I ain't beggar as well, although some times  I do doubt if I am but a beggar, trying to beg my own dock, my own priorities and aims in life, because life isn't perfect yet and at one point or the other we all seems to become a beggar.

Yesterday evening I couldn't sleep as usual ,Everything was fine, the day was busy and hectic though, until when I felt my cold cheeks, and soon after that I knew my eyes were shedding tears! I did not believe I was crying!  Ahhh!!..... feeling embarrassed now!..:P

And the mystery is I never knew what does a tear means to me?  Ask yourself what does a tear means to you?

The marijuana Factor

Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) on 12th November 2012 reported the arrest of six men possessing ten sacks of dried  Marijuana weighing more than three hundred kilograms in Jomotsangkha, Samdrup Jongkhar. Well, I am not really surprised by that very news, rather I am saddened and I feel pity that the six innocent  men had to become the culprit or rather a criminal. Most of the people will see this as a crime, but I don't and I have a different feeling, not because such act isn't a crime but because there are reasons, loads of reasons towards resorting to such crimes. Because I am from the same place! I pretty much know what it takes and what it feels to become such culprit? Why and how all these happens?

Who would ever think as to why and how this happened in such remote part of the country? Why from an innocent people? Seriously who would like to carry about sixty to seventy kilograms of load on our back at night and get apprehended or be kept under detention the next morning? Who would actually like to commit crime after all? Nobody!

However, what choices do people like six of them (or we) have? When the people of other part of the country is being waken up by the expensive modern alarm clocks (or who at all cares about waking up so early?), we have the early cocks that cracks the dawn that awaits with so much burden and hardships. When children of other parts of the country studies under the bright tube-lights, ours have that old, almost ruptured  and smoked Lamp that lights the room. When people of other parts have cars to travel and trucks to carry loads, we have our own feet and our backs which has become so hard and sense less owing to constant use and of course the horses. For us the thick and cozy tulip beds and blankets are replaced by thin skins of dead animals; as thin as the blade. When other parts have the black topped roads that connects and avails all the modern facilities, we too have a road that began its construction since 2004 but the difference is keep aside the black tops, the road hasn't spanned more than 10 km in about eight years now! Besides, what do we have as a source of income? Even if we have how do we reach to the sale points with such road?The only source of income is but porter and that too through rugged and steep cliffs, mountains and valleys.

But, yes people have survived throughout the centuries despite all these! And as a part of it I have only been proud. We have now doctors, engineers, Doctors and even Parliamentarians. What does this mean? It only means we aren't that backward, we have the capability to arise. Even with little developments, even from such harsh environments. It only means we can do.

I do know about the Tobacco and tobacco product prohibitions in our country. I also know that consuming Tobacco and its product is injurious to health. The section 11, chapter three of the Tobacco Control Act of Bhutan 2010 says;No person in the country shall:

• Cultivate or harvest Tobacco
•  manufacture, supply or distribute tobacco and tobacco products
• Sell and buy tobacco and Tobacco products.

I also respect the fact that Bhutan is a religious country and that tobacco is a product of the evil, and that it does more harm than good not only during this life to our health but in the next as well. However I have never understood as to why knowingly people have to resort to such activities? And perhaps this is also a question that the ones who apprehended or largely the policy makers of the country, has to ask themselves. May be then both parties can have answers.

Of course we never cultivate or harvest Tobacco in our place. May be out of mercy, God has been kind enough to bless the Land with such plants in plentiful, that has been sole source of income so that every parents can send their children to Schools, so that every people will have new modern clothes and foods, so that everyone can have the taste of so called development as other parts of the country.

This doesn't mean the Royal government hasn't done anything to that community. Yes we have schools  for our children, we have NFEs spread throughout the villages and people have only been embracing with dedication and interest, but the question is if it has done enough? If the government has been fair enough? Or are we, the people are foolish enough to  have failed to embrace?

It is good that people are refrained from doing such crimes, that we are enforcing the laws of country, but as good as we try to implement such enforcement,  more important is to analyze the ground realities as why people, the innocents, resort into such crimes? How did the Engineers, Doctors, Drangpons, Teachers and Parliamentarians become? Ask any one of them, how was their journey towards becoming the one? As long as there are no modern facilities and modern developments  I fear there will only be more criminals like the recent case, because what choice do we have?

What makes you not a Buddhist?

What makes you not a Buddhist is a very provocative question especially to us people who claim ourselves to be Buddhist. A book by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, What makes you not a Buddhist is very lucid with simple language and interestingly a very influential guide for common people like me. But frankly speaking, even after reading it for second time, I have had very little insight of it and I can hardly make myself clear if I am really a Buddhist. May be that is because of the 'Jinlaab' the book and the Dharma at large have and my merits being unable to grasp. But all the more I enjoyed reading and I would love to read it again.

"You may not not have been born in Buddhist country or to a Buddhist family, you may not wear robes or shave your head, you may eat meat and idolize Eminem and Paris Hilton. That doesn't mean you can't be a Buddhist." is very inspiring and stimulating lines in the introduction of the book by Rinpoche.

Rinpoche illustrates with the life of Buddha and the modern practical approach towards relating the concepts like emptiness,Enlightenment, heaven and hell. With unusual force and originality,  Rinpoche explains and expresses the essence of Buddhism in four main parts, the four truths, which if we accept makes us Buddhists: Rinpoche challenges us with the following four main questions:

• Can you accept that all things are impermanent and that there is no essential substance or concept that is permanent?
• Can you accept that all emotions bring pain and suffering and there is no emotion that is purely pleasurable?
• Can you accept that all phenomena are illusory and empty?
• Can you accept that enlightenment is beyond concepts; that it's not a perfect blissful heaven, but instead a release from delusion?

Only if we are able to answer the above questions with unequivocal "yes" can we be truly consider our self a Buddhist according to Rinpoche. That was when I asked myself, if I was really a Buddhist? I feel everyone should read the book and see our self we are really Buddhist.

PS: I would like to Thank a friend of mine, Mr. Phuntsho Tashi, a monk at Mindrolling College, Dehradun, India for lending me this Book.

I ain't a good liar!

Lying is a sin from Buddhist point of view. It may be rewarded with all the praise and good image at the first instance until the other is aware of the reality, but once it is known and revealed, it disintegrates the social harmony and peaceful existence. It lessons the tight bond of trust, which is the very heart of any peaceful coexistence. It depreciates self authenticity and credibility.

Well, even after knowing all the bad qualities of lying, sometimes we can't refrain from lying! There are situations and circumstances in life where a LIE is necessary and inevitable. White lie, as it is commonly known does exist  in the society. Sometimes we lie to safe another's face from embarrassment, we lie out of ignorance, we say everything is good and fine, despite the fact that all isn't well. These are but the simple and basic situations where we lie which seems perfectly normal.

My situation is bit different here though. On 8th November evening, along with few of my friends, I went for blood test, particularly to do Dengue test. I had in my earlier pots written about the dengue case in Allahabad  which claimed a life one of the students of my college, but unfortunately the post is deleted by accident.
Any way, a friend of mine recently told me that even if we don't have the obvious symptoms of Dengue, the test results were sometimes positive. So thinking that it is always better safe than sorry, I decided to check myself, even though I have had no symptoms of dengue. Also the checking was done in the college premises free of cost, which came into existence as result of one day protest by the students on 31st October. Besides, I also wanted to know my blood pressure, the RBC and WBC counts.

"What are your signs and symptoms? What are you suffering from?" asked the man who was going to take the sample of my blood. "I had fever since today morning; I am also feeling uneasy and..............." I was stammered then! I also felt the change in my appearance in front of him. May be he knew that I was lying. He told me to take medicine for the fever and that there was no need for blood test. But, I insisted again, "I will take medicine and I want to have my blood test too, because I am afraid that I might have caught dengue"After a moment of my insistence, he agreed to take my sample for the blood test and I am yet to get the results.
That was when I realized how poor Liar I am, (for white lie as well!) I prepared before hand what to say, yet at that very moment, all the words vanished and I was stammering like an idiot! May be that was a lesson I needed to assure that it is always good to tell truth.

I am afraid, I ain't a good Liar. ...:P..:)

"Four more years": Barack Obama

Yesterday as Bhutanese walked to various temples and monasteries coinciding the Lhabab Duchen and the Pedestrian day, (perhaps the holiest pedestrian day!) a few million Americans walked to exercise their voting franchise for the 45th president.
Mr. Obama, the current president and the democratic candidate was challenged by the Republican counterpart Mr. Mitt Romney- a Millionaire and the former Governor of Massachusetts.

"Four more years" (Facebook)

Both candidates were almost at tie, from various online polls, and the most 'hard to predict results' ever in presidential election history of America. But ultimately that was just an online, when the electoral results were out, Barack Obama had an easy won over his counterpart.

I watched all the three presidential debates held before the elections and for reasons I don't know, I silently liked only to hear what Mr. Obama was saying. May be that was because I am fan of him.  Mr. Mitt Romney, through out the debates seemed to have only one Point- The Economy of America. Everything he said all converged to Economy and Unemployment, which to me seemed unbalanced, and one sighted.

Well, I am nothing to judge, I am just the ardent fan of Obama, not just because he is the most powerful man on earth (as president) but, as an intellect, as a great orator and as a human being. The way he tackles every disasters, the way he accepts his responsibilities, the way he discharges his duties and follows his instinct, the the way he celebrates his victory and happiness, the way he vanished Osama Bin Laden in 2011....etc..

 "Four more years" on twitter was his immediate response to his victory and I personally feel there is so much meaning in there. Four more years should be enough time to finish his unfinished business both at home and outside the home, and I think it is not only the America that is in safe hands, but the rest of the world as well.

Congratulations Mr. Obama!...:)

Buddha walked as Bhutanese walks.

Today is a big day for all Buddhists around the earth, it is the descending day of Lord Buddha, Lhabab Duchen, one of the four major holiday on Buddhist calender. The day is celebrated on 22nd of the ninth lunar month of Bhutanese calender, and the day marks the Buddha's descent from the heaven of Thirty-Three Trayastrimsa (སུམ་བཅ་རྩ་སུམ) where he went to give teachings, to repay the kindness of his mother in particular who died a week after he was born in Lumbini, modern day Nepal and was reborn there. His descent from the Heaven takes place at Sankashya in modern Uttar Pradesh, India. Get more details from http://bhutanjournals.com/history-culture-tradition/buddhism/lhabab-duchen-the-day-buddha-descended-from-tushita-heavens/

Today is also the pedestrian day in Bhutan, a move that received a mixed response from public individuals. Bhutan government  passed a order declaring all Tuesdays as pedestrian day throughout the country, starting June 5- The World Environmental Day.
Perhaps today is the only Pedestrian day liked  and received with a sense of smile by the mass Bhutanese unlike the other pedestrian days.(Tuesdays) as they walk from home to temples and monasteries to offer prayers. Or perhaps only Lhabab Duchen day, when the temples and monasteries receive less number of  devotees than usual, by the mere fact that people have to walk.

As a student away from the motherland, although it is holiday (due to some college functions) today, neither did I walk nor is there temple around to visit and pray. As usual, I woke up at 7:00 PM (IST) offered Choeopa (water offering) and recited some prayers. I am also into the end of the book by Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche titled "What makes you not Buddhist"

Money Factor

Sometimes I like to argue if money isn't everything after all? If it is not the Money that rules everything in this monetary era? Of course money can't bring back the dead to life again, but who on this very earth realizes the fact that he/she will die at any time soon? Who doesn't strive hard to acquiring wealth during this so-called living? Hardly few!
There are Politicians in the name of serving the people at the grass root,whose actual motives are making lump-sum  because everyone knows what politics is. There are so many religious personalities who in the name of their religion or the guru cheats and loots the commoners. Why is everyone hungry for promotions and higher qualification? Because of the status, standard of living, and ultimately wealth (money) again.

I often ask my self: Why do I spent whole night reading and revising again and again those shit theories of some one I never even saw or know? Why do I try hard to pass the exams? Why do I struggle so hard to obtain that sheet of paper called certificate? The answer is simple: That white sheet called certificate will help me make living, it will help me earn and get employed. It will bring in exchange all the necessary credentials of life. Ultimately it all boils down to making money! Making a money is after all making a living.

Last week I went to town in Auto (three wheeler taxi). The fare was twelve rupees and I had no change of one rupee; for that I had to go to near by shop, get change and pay. Those Indians does not spare even a cent you know, and that explains the very value of money and its importance!
And yesterday I was watching Kaun Banega Croepati season six of first November episode, hosted by Indian Mega-star Amitabh Bachchan and I was both sad and happy at the end of show. All the contestants were commoners, from disadvantaged family. I was particularly saddened by the story of a guy named Manish from Rajasthan who got married but his wife left him, because he just had one compartment living room  and that too along with his parents. He tried hard for KBC so that he can make a good home and bring his love back. That was his spirit. Likewise every other's stories were heart breaking. And at last when they were able to take home a good amount  which they can't make even with  a life long savings, in just fifteen to twenty minutes, I felt a sense of satisfaction too.

May be that is why money is called "Kuenga Doendrup" ..:P.:P

Money is also a necessary evil; it drives people to madness. As good as it heals the worst wound of deprivation and unsatisfactory  it also create another row of wanting and desires. As fast as it compensates one debts, it also makes another fresh one! For want of money people to resort to so many kinds of gambling, crimes and professions! And that is the sad part and that is when  money becomes the master. It really is good servant but a bad master!

I was surfing the internet after the dinner yesterday, when I suddenly heard the loud conversation of my adjacent room mate friend with his father: "Dad, send me some cash, I have to buy this, that, and those........." went on with reasons. For a moment, I wasn't feeling good. May be I was feeling alone that when they have, why don't I? May be I was feeling unfortunate. Maybe I was feeling small and inferior.

But instantly I was angry and felt sorry at my self. I was wrong! Why on earth do I need to think of all these? Am I mad?  Why do I need to get swayed by these?  When in reality I have everything I need. I may not have a wealthy parents, but I have parents who loves me more than anything, I have parents who sacrificed everything and struggled so much for me and my education, despite the deprivation, making the man I am right now. And then a broad smile came to my face!...:)..:)
That is when I went with " Money isn't everything".

When you have to impatiently Wait

When you have to impatiently wait
Time seems to stand still
And  life ceases its usual flow
Thats when you are exhausted and ill
That is when you are betrayed by own brow
Days are dreadfully long and irregular
All the silly thoughts throngs your mind
All sort of musics do more harm to ear
Blurred visions often make you blind
Storms of nightmares often haunts your sleep
As if controlled by invisible sets of hand
As if the world is waiting to turn over a slip
A little hope is but a strong breath
A little Love, an antidote for worst wound
An unwelcome smile is gesture of warmth

But still I am here waiting impatiently!.:(