Remembering Primary school days

A Facebook friend from where I come from  shared the latest pictures of the primary school that I attended in late nineties. Just seeing it brought me back all the good (and bad memories) that I had during seven years of my early and initial school life. Though it has changed and evolved with new structures over the time, I still feel it the same, the memories suddenly pops in. It was at this school that has all the beginnings of my life- education and life as a whole.

I was put into boarder life from class II, aged 7 and was beginning of the start of real experiences and characters that often stays with you; you get to pick up a lot of habits most of which are to do with the survival instincts for having to deal everything with your self, decide for yourself starting from as simple as wearing ghos yourself and lacing your shoes to managing money for yourself. I don't remember all the details of boarder life, but memories of good and some real bad and tough ones still stays with you or are triggered and rings the bell when you see or something related to it occurs. It sometimes make me sad to rewind those times; but it also gives me that extra cushion of hope and the strength to get on with the life. I never thought I would one day put these into words but, it actually feels good writing this which is being experienced by people like me, people of my generation specially from remote parts of the country. We all had this similar kinda of experience in schools. I consider the people of my generation the luckiest and one of the last standing ones as we got to experience not only that older and typical rural culture and traditions before the modern amenities came and extinct it all; but also the latest and modern amenities after  road and electricity came and these technological advances in the form of modern gadgets and so on.

My parents were (are) simple farmers sustaining through subsistence farming but they never let me feel it was something of a disadvantage or an obstruction that would block me from getting the modern education; as the first child to be enrolled to modern school from the family, I had their full support and perhaps because if it, out of sheer love they put me to boarder life to be able to learn to stand on yourself. Also the distance between my house and school was bit long ( took more than hour to reach by foot). Everyday I had to walk more than two hours (to and fro) which is hard for the young kids.

Boarder life was a tough, it is tough for every one. The most vivid memory is about always being hungry. The food served at the school was never sufficient, I would always go hungry. I don't know why? Despite the second shares and bonus beaten maize and the puffed soya beans that my mom sent to supplement; I was always yearning for more and would go hungry most of the time. That's not to say that the school didn't provide enough. I thank and am really grateful for the school mess system - school feeding program arranged and provided by the government, the World Food Programme (WFP). Were it not the FREE systems I wonder where I would be right now? I wonder where anyone from those remote village such as ours would be? The school feeding programme included tinned fish from Japan and Norway amongst many other items. It's silly and even embarrassing to remember incidents where by some of the fellow friends would fall into those big empty pots of the school while rushing in to get second share during meal times. 

Boarder life also taught us to live through and survive through thick and thin. Sleeping on the plastic Indian carpet which was a centimeter thick and blanket woven from the wool by my mother and using lamp made from half Bottle Rum filled with kerosene to study ( afterwards lantern came) and revise at night was the real highlight. Also often getting lashed up by the so-called captains if one was late even by a second on their call. Captains of the primary school were really powerful those days. I don't know if the situation is same in today's boarder school? And we had so many captains I remember. Apart from usual school, respective house and class captains, we had prayer captain to conduct and organise evening prayers and coordinate annual school rimdos; then we had firewood captain who would measure the amount of firewood class II and above were required to collect every Saturday. If you are short of the mark set between two poles, you had to go back and get the remaining. Then we had the Games captain who had his own power specially during the morning Physical Training (PT). The captain would stay with the belt on the door(the hostel was a large common room with just one door) and If you were late even by second at the ground for physical exercises, you would get lashes there as well. 

I wasn't mischievous like others and not too bad in studies as well; but still, I remember getting lot of lashes from the captains in that six years of boarder life. That was the longest duration and period that I have of the memories that had somehow shaped my life. The above  narrations are but the facts and not in any way criticism to the system that were in place those times. In fact I am proud to have been able to experience such a thing in my life; some of the valuable lessons of life has been learnt and picked up from the these experiences in that school. 

How was your primary school days like?

Lockdown for how long and how effective is it?

Bhutan went under lockdown  yet again due to Omicron on the 16th January 2022. First 72 hours were announced as the blackout whereby the government was said to be assessing the spread of the virus; of the community transmission at low risk area wangduephodrang, Riruchu.

Since then the 72 hours blackout was turned to lockdown for a week and which again got extended to the two weeks( till 31st January). I don't know how effective the lockdown is and for how long it will go on as the strange thing is that despite complete lockdown, we continue to get increasing number of affected ones in each places and also in places like thimphu where the community spread was detected only after a week of lockdown. What does this indicate? Now Paro dzongkhag which is yellow zone as designated by the government is also on high alert after a driver, the primary contact of the affected one at chukka has been detected positive. I am sure the lockdown is here to stay; but for how long? Is it the only solution? There are more questions than answers! Usually with the lockdown in effect, should the number of positive cases be not decreasing? 

However on our parts, as a law abiding citizen, it's not important to answer those questions, what we must do is abide by the government directives for we fully trust in the wisdom of the government. We ought to follow the protocols put in place by the government and think what we can do to help the government so we can all get through this havoc. But then again the question is for how long? Hard times like this okie for those getting salary at the end of each month, but what about those who depend upon the daily wages? What about those laid off by the companies? Is the lockdown only solution? Perhaps it's time to live with it, the new normal? The questions go on...

Whatsoever, let's be patient and cooperate with the government; for together we can and I am sure there is light at the end of this tunnel. Although there are more questions than answers, what we definitely require for now is to fight against this invisible virus together.

With this I would also like to thank the frontliners who are working day in and day out to keep others like is safe and sound, while they beat the sleepless  chilly winter nights. Thank you health professionals for your tireless effort in combating this virus and. Thank you everyone!  May this pandemic end soon! 

Reflecting on the 114th Royal Speech and New Year

 I hope everyone is reflecting over the very strong and poignant speech of his majesty the king on 114th national day and are ready to implement it now that the brand new year 2022 is almost up on the horizon. The personal message I took from his majesty's speech was about reflecting on our own conscience. we ought to keep always in our mind the sacred duty that we all have an individual, as a humble citizen and as common service provider being the public servants. I remembered instantly what my boss used to say the first time I joined the world of world - RAA (not Royal Audit Authority by the way). RAA stands for Responsibility, Accountability and Authority. As a law abiding citizen, we ought to keep this three in mind, but the sad thing is that most of us want and vie only for  the last A- Authority. 

The highlight of his majesty the king's speech was about the accountability and to reinvigorate the 'Nga' in one's daily discharge of the duties. If we have the accountability, the other two are surely taken care of and as his majesty pointed out, that's what is lacking in the Bhutanese conscience. The so-called "Nga" is so much needed in our conscience. It's high time that each one of us give a thought about it and take appropriate action. One doesn't have to do anything great; but we can surely do our OWN thing in great ways and that's what matters after all. 

On the individual level, what one can do is to mind our own business, do the work diligently and smartly; being mindful about ourselves. We have to put in extra effort and develop a "Nga" for if one does on the individual level, all can be done. The sad thing about the royal speeches is that we tend to forget with time until the next one comes without any concrete results. If that is so,  for how many times his majesty has to remind? For how long will this go on?

Most of the systems are too stagnant, too rigid and sometimes even chokes us which is why we are still struggling to get to the end of tunnel. We are still inside that maze of a system that act as a stumbling blocks rather than the stepping stones. The question is how to and who will take one out of that maze that's being created by ourselves? The answer is each one of us, every individual. If each one of us can clean our own door steps, the world will be  clean as mother Teresa said and that's what exactly will happen in the world of work too. If each one of us put in little extra effort without having one to remind or make/force us do it. We ought be consciously clear and clean with what ever we do.

So for me His majesty's speech was a fervent call for all to act, to act fast and get the results for which each one of us has that sacred duty to fulfill. There are no rooms and excuses for the failure, for the complacency and for the corruption.  As I welcome the new year, I also resolve my self to do and give my best both in the world of work and on the personal level too; to become a better and productive individual so as to fulfill his majesty's wish.

Happy New Year !!

The ugly side of so-called Donation

 

Bhutan is the last Himalayan kingdom, perhaps the last Shangri-La so to say where the Buddha dharma is flourishing like never before. Of course it is an individual’s choice to which religion you opt to practice and get acquainted with; Buddha dharma is progressing in the small country and have become a kinda safe haven.

Recently the Kuensel, the national newspaper of Bhutan covered an article titled “what makes little boys become monks?’ which showcased the unseen and unheard but obvious reality of the institutions catering to Buddhist education. All in all, the story is same for all the institutions. “Many young monks are from the broken families or economically disadvantaged groups, who feels becoming monk is the best choice” states the article. This is the basis from which the word “Donation” comes from.

Bhutanese in general are all generous and kind by nature, they are willing to lend helping hand of any-cash and kind. They are willing to donate so to say and it’s really nice to see people doing anything they can with the genuine hope to gain good merits as a result. . Bhutanese believe in the law of karma, the cause and effect and perhaps that’s why year by year  people are reaping the benefits of it all and country prospering well as a whole.

Anyway the flipped side of this is that, somehow, these are unevenly distributed and like the old adage, there are rains where there is already water and this creates inequality where by the institutions that are genuinely in need of the basic amenities, genuine care and support aren’t reached particularly in remote areas.

I happened to be part of this thing and I am actually proud to say that we, a group of friends are able to be of some help (even if it is a meagre one) to dozens of young and budding monks who are studying at a secluded place. We intend to do more to help and uplift the lives of these young kids who were once on the verge of getting spoiled and wasted but got something to look up to; something to hang by. It’s such a joy to watch these innocent kids mostly from the broken and disadvantaged families finding a purpose to live. We are starting by providing food and clothing (dresses) for the year 2022.  The shelter for them is being sponsored by other generous group and we are grateful to them.

Despite our best and pure intentions, we do face criticisms and struggles on the way. We want the good merits gained, the sense of purpose and satisfaction, joy that comes from such noble works to be shared with others too and on the way seek the help from others, the donations from people alike ( friends and colleagues) which sometimes doesn’t end as intended. There is reluctance and arrogance which is actually fine as we take it positively.  Despite all the hardships and hiccups we are strong; we value and respect other’s perspective and their freedom of choice; we keep aside the reddened  face and we live with the positive attitude that we will strive harder instead if need be to fulfil not just the dreams and wishes of those innocent souls but also ours. Believe me the joy we derive from doing such work is too sacred to give away and far too exceeds the small setbacks and glitches that come on the way

If your intention is pure, there is nothing you can’t do and nothing wrong in doing what you love. But harder one must try.

In my next and following posts, I will share in details the realities of the monks, their life styles and about the monastery. If anyone wishes to donate, even a cent, it would be such an honor to be receive. No amount is small. Like we have the saying: “if your intention is pure, your path is clear and good”

COVID-19 Vaccination

 Bhutanese are so lucky to have a king, people's king at the helm, who serves its citizens with all the love , compassion and care. As the world is been hit by COVID-19 pandemic, Bhutanese has been least affected. As a citizen being the recipient of all these, I have no words to thank. How fortunate and lucky are we to have such a boddisatva dharma king. Perhaps the best and only way is to do our own part of responsibilities and duties deligently. We have our own part to play and we must do that with utmost dedication and integrity.

As the whole world now are racing with emergency vaccination jabs, Bhutan also began its drive on 27the March 2021. It will continue till April 2. The uniqueness is that the government has chosen to do all the eligible people at the same time in one week's time. The monastic community did thier part of blessings and chosed the particular day, time and a candidate to be given the first shot. Today is the fourth day and so far, no serious complications have been reported. I did my jab on the third day. Seeing the number of people turning up to get the vaccine, I am overwhelmed that the public has understood it's importance, the government has done excellent work on awareness and importance. So Thank you my king and the government of day. Thank you doctors and the health professionals for your tireless work. Thank you Dessups for your excellent service. 

Regarding the side effects of the jab, it has been reported that some people had minor symptoms like mild fever, nausea, headache and pain and swell at the site. Some have even reported of their faces being swelled. I personally didn't experience all. I took my jab at around 4pm and by 1am midnight, I started to have a mild fever and as I write this, I am still having the symptoms. I hope it goes was soon. So as per my witness and experience, the real effect of the vaccine seem to come seven to eight hours after you took Jab. But not to worry, it's bearable. For the larger good, for the safety of yourself and others please get vaccine yourself.

Lots of gratitude  also to the government of India for providing us the vaccine despite sharp shoot up in the number of positive cases. May the whole world be normalised soon.  

Cooking and Remembering

Today is the 18th day of the nation wide lockdown  of Bhutan. Nothing special but today I decided to be the chef at home to prepare the native meal of my village, the native meal of sharchops, the Bokpi (flour) curry along with curd and butter as we have back in my village. It wasn't the best, but it was worth trying. It brought back all the memories from my life in the village with family and friends as a small kid. It brought back memories with my parents and memories about them. How I wish we could be together specially at this hours of time. The lunch that I prepared made me homesick and emotional actually. I gave a long thought about them. Life is always simple yet beautiful back at home!

Back at home as a small kid, this Bokpi from maize was never my thing, I never liked it though it is the main meal. I only craved for and liked kharang (rice was the top priority though, but wasn't easily available as we don't cultivate rice). I would just frown at my mom for always feeding us with this Bokpi. Most of the time I would just skip meals if it was Bokpi. But now, urban life has changed me completely. I like to have Bokpi more often than usual rice. How strange this life is, right? 

Back in village, everything seems to be normal. People are having their usual life. They are hale and hearty in their own way. They may not have much in terms of wealth, but they are contented and they have big heart. They are not well off like others but they have enough to sustain. They may not have all the luxuries yet they are always happy and they have this peculiar smile in their face which says it all. Thinking about all these, I miss my parents more, I miss their care and love, I miss their meals even if it was but a simple Bokpi and radish curry; I miss their genuine effort and care.

Anyways going back to those days when I was a little school going kid. I don't belong to a family with well-off parents nor do I have that able relatives. We are a middle class family. We had just enough to sustain, enough to go about with this so-called life. I had little financial problems during my school days, not because I had plenty, but because my parents worked so hard to arrange it for me and on my part, I was extra cautious to spend. The money that my parents gave in the beginning of year could be enough for the whole year.  Sometimes I just wonder how did I manage? They worked day and night, in sun and in rain to give me all that was necessary. In summer they used to work hard in the farm to collect crops for the family's sustenance and during winter when there was no farm work (when crops were all harvested), they used to do all kinds of temporary jobs mostly 'woolah' in return for some cash so they could send their eldest child to schooling which was me. I can't imagine my parents carrying heavy loads to earn some cash just so I could have that pocket money.  Where I come from is a remote place with no or little source of income, the only way to get some cash was to do physical work like carry load for the shopkeepers, ration for the boarding school and so on. I still remember me and my dad collecting and counting stones from nearby river,  a decent and good shape, which would fetch us one ngultrum per stone for a contractor who was constructing the Gup's office of the Geog that time. In a day we would earn about 1500/-. Fortunately, lots of construction came up those days (sign of development?) And it was a good opportunity to earn something out of it. 

That's why it wasn't surprising when I used to get good results at the end of each year, because I knew just well how much my parents were struggling to gather a decent money so they could send me school to get education which made me to work even harder. I put in extra effort to make them smile at the least at the end of year; to prove that their hard work hasn't gone to waste. If you look at the heads of my parents, you will still see the hair fall on the area exposed most to carry load and its most visible on my mother's head. 

Today I miss my parent a lot. Although I call them and talk with them every day, I feel sad thinking about all these. They seem to be happy knowing that their son has been able to stand up on his own; that their son has now a job and a family of his own; that their son is in so-called town enjoying the urban life. They don't expect much from you, because they know that life is much harder in town. They know it's all about money in town. I wish I can do more and be  better sometime. I wish I could tell its not just that.  I wish they stay and live with me some day (for now they just don't like the life in town). Even if they visit me, after a month, they are like 'i wanna go back to village'. I hope it changes soon. 

Here are some pictures of my cooking, and how a Bokpi looks like...:)

The Soothing Jaling Sound

Hearing that beautiful but sad and soothing sound of Jalings from neighborhood suddenly brought a pang of sadness running down my nerves. I felt and felt it hard. It's been whole day since that emotional music (should I say) caught my ear and thinking. Perhaps the neighbor is performing a grand ritual or rimdo. That continuous sound made me both sad and emotional. Life is good, only when all things run smoothly and bad (worse) when things doesn't go so well. Life is but a fallacy which we all cling to and which we treat just like everything is under our control, as if we are here forever; as if the wealth we collect will keep us alive, when in reality we can't take even a small pin. 

I wonder why is it so hard to leave that Fantasyland that we live in and realize the ultimate truth? Why is it so hard to bring the mind home even for the blink of a second? How sad that despite all these realities, despite all the truths in front of us, we still deny it and we still continue living the fantasy life of ours. Why is it that we can go on to watching hours of sitcoms and series while it's just so hard to concentrate on the things like doing even a minute of short prayer? 

The beautiful and sad sound of the Jalings made me realize all these. I could ponder upon this life even if it was for that brief moment. I realized that I have Nothing to show to the lord of death. What if I have to leave this world the very next moment? Fear engulfed me then and for a moment I felt like leaving everything. Was it a dream? Perhaps! But I am certain I felt it so vividly, even though it was but a dream. I realized that the only thing that will help us beyond this life is how we prepare ourselves doing so-called choe (ཆོས) . And knowing that it's never late than never, the best day to start is right now- this very moment, and I  was like why am I still waiting for the best day?

However we all wait right? Like the great Patrul Rimpoche said, we prepare and prepare whole life only to leave this world unprepared. We all know the facts and we still keep it at bay. We hardly put what we know into practice or follow it. We work our ass off and sometimes stoop so low that you don't even realize that will help you at the end or not.

But then it's life and that's it. It's from experiencing such brief moments where you are being reminded that you don't have all it takes, that life is ephemeral and so are those connected to it that keeps us on track, that gives us some rays of hope to correct if you are on the wrong lane or to start afresh. Life is not about the destination but milestones one covers at a time.  

 

mRSTA App

These days the news feed on Facebook are all about the people blaming  RSTA for not being able to avail the renewal of their vehicle documents. With RSTA limiting the number of people to 100 before lunch and 50 after lunch, most drivers are frustrated over the poor service delivery from RSTA. But an alternative to this has fairly been addressed by RSTA with the development of an App called mRSTA.

I personally feel it's a good initiative. Specifically when the whole world is transitioning to the digitised world, it's very timely. I have installed and even used once to show to the traffic police when I was asked to show my lisence on their regular high way check. It's a convenient App. We can apply for the renewal of the registration certificate. It also shows the history of fines and offences  your lisence and the registered car on your name has taken place since it's been on the road beside your copy of lisence with authorized drive types.

If you aren't aware of it yet, it's available both for the Android and the iOS. The obvious advantage of this app is when you forget your lisence in purse/wallet at home. Since when do you forget your Mobile phone right? 

Through hard and Strange Times

It's rough and strange times indeed. From COVID-19 to floods to cyclones to crunching economies,  the past three months had been a tough one and continues to be one. The year 2020 saw many mishaps and misfortunes unroll to the human race. But on the lighter note, inspite of all these it's a miracle that we are still alive to be part of this strange times when millions of precious lifes are taken by this straange times.

And not surprisingly, Bhutan has stood afloat, has been doing pretty well in the midst of all these and we are even more fortunate to be Bhutanese. Life as a  Bhutanese has had a very little change, thanks to our tireless and selfless efforts of  Bodhisattva king. Bhutan still hasn't seen any local transmission yet of COVID-19 and we are still in the orange zone. And for that we are forever grateful. The tourism industry being one of the main pillars of economy was the worst affected, but because of visionary king, even it is being taken care of in the form of Royal Kidu. Where in the world is a leader who travels across the country overseeing how his people are coping with such strange times? Where in the world is a leader who waives off the interests of loans for Months? Who walks through rough terrains and through floods to ensure his subjects are safe and sound? When most of the leaders are inside the comfy shelters, our king, despite becoming a father himself just recently had been on the constant move to monitor as to what can be done to keep this pandemic at bay. Therefore if we have king, we have everything. Thank you your majesty.

This pandemic has taught us many lessons. It knows no boundary between the powerful, big or weak and small country and it doesn't differentiate between the rich and poor. Even the healthiest economies saw them getting stretched to the ends. It has forever changed the normalness of our life, our approaches to everyday life. Perhaps this is the biggest wake up call for us collectively as a human being to co-exist as one big family of this mother earth. This pandemic gave life to many beautiful things; it has healed the overloaded mother earth. For the first time the Himalayan mountains were visible from somewhere in the Indian plains of Delhi; for the first time the oceans and waters became clear and lively with the fishes and for the first time Beijing's air quality rose up record high. So this pandemic although has taken lifes of many, it has in a way balanced the very co-existance of all on this earth. 

On the individual level, this pandemic has also provided unintended gifts like, time for oneself to reflect and ponder, time with family and friends. Otherwise we are too carried away by so-called work that we often forget what is and who's back at home; we forget the fact that it's only the family who stands thorough thick and thin with you. We are too busy with deadlines and schedules of the work. This pandemic has seen families coming together; it has brought back the smiles and laughter within the family.

So as being the fortunate, the least one could do is to abide by the government's directive. If one can't help, at least don't harm, don't betray his majesty's trust. We can never let down the hard work put in by our king and the government. Otherwise one's small carelessness could cause huge to the country which we can't afford. Always safe than sorry! 

The Never Ending Thing

So the year 2019 is ended and I am like what did I did I do good for myself and for others? Well, it could have been better for sure. This Is but a life, a reality with never ending wishes, never ending desires and never ending routes of mazes. Yet again we never stop wishing for better, hoping for the best and for all the good things which often comes with hard luck and most time comes with price tag. Life iss but a plethora of never ending business; we have so many things at stake, so many unfinished business, so many to achieve and so many to do. We hardly realise that the time is but like a flowing stream under the bridge, never to return. And when the year ends, when a brand new year comes, when you regret over those things which could have been better for your own self, then do we realise the very value of those missed and wasted things. By then it’s often too late if not a complete waste. We are too engrossed with our own job firstly because that’s our bread and butter. Then with our family for family is the only thing that matters in times of unfortunate  and waning times. We hardly have time for our self, up until serious symptoms begins to show. Perhaps it’s time to pamper our self and be selfish, perhaps life’s yourself first and then other? I don’t know but I feel it’s worth a try! Because we tend to live in other’s life.

Looking back to the year 2019 and the decade back, so much has happened and so many things could have happened some differently and some definitely above the mark. From timid young enthusiast to now almost stagnant and boring adult. There are some moments which I don’t want to forget and there are some which I don’t want to remember at all and I feel that’s completely fine for an ordinary human like me. There are some areas which never materialized as a matter of fact and one obvious thing is the habit of reading. I had the resolution at the beginning of year to read and then try to write as often as I could but, that was a failure and I take it back. I have learnt some incredible lessons and values over the years. Maturity is not an age, but a habit that needs to be cultivated. Maturity is something you learn from the mistakes and try correct it; it’s something you inculcate over the time. 

I am grateful for all the good things happened and for all the blessings I have been endowed with. I am sorry for all the bad things, for all the wrongs doings that might have hurt others or myself. I pledge to become a better person, a better father to my kid, a better husband to my wife and a better son to my parents. Hopefully the new year 2020 will treat me well. I wish all a very happy, prosperous, good health and a wonderful year 2020.

Mirroring Life

Life isn’t always bad and disappointing. Obviously it’s short, but we have enough to bounce back and get along. It doesn’t always disappoint and discourage you. Despite the usual (as we perceive) hurdles and ugly circumstances, there are beauty behind that bars of belittles and betrayals, hope and redemption behind the losses, solace and symphathy behind that stress; smile behind the sadness. It’s from these little things that keeps our head and hopes high, that makes this short span of our life beautiful, that makes all the difference in how we take on life; that keeps us hooked and enagaged. Life isn’t bad after all.

It also doesn’t alsways fail to amuse and amaze you. Despite the constant falling down the dungeon of desperation and desolation, you still got that desire to dance back to the tunes of your favour. It’s a matter of choice that we make after all. Choice is though an illusion between those with power and those without. I often wonder if this life is fair at all and if it’s but blessing or a curse? And the answer is always vague. Perhaps that’s the fact. Time is a great healer. Despite all the odds and failures, there is something that drives us to strive harder, something that consoles us that it’s gonna be alright; that when one door closes another opens; and that we only need to be bit more patient and obidient. There is something that always give courage and inspires us and this is the very beauty of this life. We only need to mirror deep to see the other side of stories that defines our life. 

The Change

I have often wondered how people could easily change, how situation and circumstances change like the summer weather. Well, change is inevitable; Some changes because of the circumstances surrounding them, some changes owing to the demand of their profession, some changes because they wants to, out of sheer choice. Some changes after the marriage, after becoming parents. Change is part of our life. But this is interesting- People change with chair for sure; once you climb the ladder of success to a comfortable chairs change comes automatically. When people changes their color of kabney, changes happen. I remember one time attending a Choeshey Session where a Rinpoche was asking if there is any one with orange Kabney at the gathering. Obviously there wasn’t.

To the eyes of a parent, what they notice is a sea of change in their children’s behaviour once they get married. I wonder if it’s the psychic that often pays or if it for real. The blame goes mostly to the groom where they are often accused of having been manipulated by the bride; that he is undercomplete control of wife and that he hardly has a say. This is the general conception we often hear in the society. I don’t know how far this fetches truth for all but I certainly believe and I have seen this theory does carry a pinch of truth. I have seen parents being chased out of their children’s house because they are unable to find a common ground. It’s a sad but a bitter truth. I was just wondering why is it that it’s mostly between the bride and the mother-Inlaw that a common ground is difficult to find? Why is it difficult for we men to get in between to mediate?

However one’s Priority in life is one main driving force to a change. We may have set of principles that remains with us throughout but this life, howsoever it maybe short, have a plenty of time to fiddle with that demands change and we all get carried away somehow. Also when one can not adjust, changes occur. 

Eventually I still believe that change is very much part of the human evolution process; a natural process we must get along well; that change for something good and bright is a thing to be embraced heartily; that change is something one can’t avoid. 

Life must go on

Hello! 

A very happy new year 2019 first of all. It’s so good to be back on the stage of blogging. To read the fellow bloggers, to know whereabouts . It has been longtime since I visited my blog and it looks sad. I really want to re-start again and revive as one my friend says. I don’t know how far but I wanna try. The following is some weird thoughts that just crammed my mind a few times lately.

I am from humble family, my parents are both uneducated and simple farmers. They may not know how to read and write, but from them I have got the best of values and lessons that are important in one’s life. From them I have learnt the weight of honesty, the value of friendship, the power of humility and humanity, the perks of being true to yourself.

But the sad thing is as you grow up, as you become a part of so-called corporate world; as you join the  bandwagon of competition and complexities you often wonder like what has the world become? Most importantly what have you become? Where are those values gone?  Just like the simplest are  more complex, it seems like the more we tend you make our life more simpler, the more complex it becomes; the more we tend to ease our burden, the more we tend to feel it’s weight and make us toil; the more something tends to make sense, the more confusing it becomes; and the more we try to find answers, the more questions we tend to get that clouds our judgment. I am afraid if the list is even complete. I am afraid of losing strength to these waves of  these conjurings. I am afraid of losing my dignity as a human being for not being able to use for the good and better. I am scared of becoming monster in human form.

But the consolation is this is very much a life in nutshell and it must go on.....! 

The Saga of Life Part II: Career

Career in one’s life is an important milestone and specially in Bhutanese context, we hardly choose a career that we love or are passionate about. That’s because even after choosing a subject and course that we like and are interested, we often end up doing another work completely off the course. That’s why I often say that in Bhutan often an opportunity dictates what kind of career one chooses. But that’s just one sided story. What is more relevant and important is how we choose to be contented with  the grabbed opportunity as your career, how we adjust, how we find ways to like and love for it’s gonna stay with us for sometime, until at least some thirty years down the line.

In Bhutan most of our young people choose career based on what kind of opportunity and scope a course has in store, not necessarily based on what interests them and perhaps that’s why we have business students taking administration works while engineers end up taking human  resource works. There is huge mismatch of knowledge and skills with the actual job. I did B- Tech electronics and communication engineering and ended up pursuing an aviation engineering. As young class XII graduate deciding what course to take was the hardest. And I have had no one who would give me some tips about what course is better at least in Bhutanese context. I actually liked some course in hotel management but that had hardly a place in government job which is everybody’s top priority. So After  vigorous thinking I decided to take Electronics and Communication engineering with the hope that I would land up in the government job. Also to me the course was new in Bhutan (no course was started at CST) which means less competition. But you know what after four years, it was devastating when the Royal Civil Service announced just one slot. Frankly speaking I almost ended up getting depression. Being from humble and hand-to-mouth family and being the eldest sibling, I really needed to get job so that I have something in return after about seventeen years of study. My parents have suffered and sacrificed so much for the sake of my education although the royal government of Bhutan is  gracious enough to provide free education. . So that’s when I decided to apply which ever the company floated vacancy announcements that fulfilled my qualification. It didn’t matter if I was interested or not. And that’s how Drukair Corporation Ltd came into rescue. People discouraged me saying like Drukair corporation is full of corruption and commoners have little or no chance. Fortunately of unfortunately, I got selected five years ago and here I am. Thank you Drukair corporation. 

Having to learn all new, almost a complete deviation from what you learnt is an interesting and challenging one. But knowing the basics is all that is required. Aviation is a vast but beautiful and interesting subject. Every time a plane takes off and lands, see different people admiring our beautiful landscapes, you have that special feeling of pride and satisfaction for you are part of it as well. You feel motivated to work even harder. 

However just like all that glitters aren’t gold, not all of your choices are satisfying. Despite being part of an organization that values safety, security and service the top notch priority, there are also circumstances where you are being drag down, moments that often pose questions to yourself like if the choice you made isn’t wrong? When the path you have taken suddenly gets obstructed and become stagnant, you have no other option but to tread back and ask yourself if the decision you made was wise enough? How do you mend? How do you revive all that zeal and urges you had on the very first day? It’s hard when the source of motivation becomes instead a hurdle, when the clear judgment of yours suddenly gets clouded by doubt and suspicions; when destination once you saw near suddenly gets distanced and much further to reach; when the persons you have had so much respect suddenly changes and you have little or no faith; when the conducive environment suddenly changes to one with chaos and disruptions. Right it’s hard!

While life may not be  about how fast you reach the destination but how you journey in between, but then we just have one aim right? To get to that destination and it ought to be reasonable enough, otherwise the very purpose of race and competition is defeated I guess. So please don’t ever tell me about the journey. Life is both about the journey and destination.  

So guys make wise choices when it comes to your career. A monthly credit to your account is important, but more than this how you live this life- a happy and satisfying one full of zeal, a contended one is all you gotta consider and your career plays almost 90% of the part I tell you. 

The saga of life Part I - The struggles and Confusion

Life is hard to comprehend; even harder is when life treats and tears you in some mysterious ways. Even though this so-called life is but a short one, it’s full of complex thing to understand and fathom. Some treats this life seriously; some casually; some takes it with ease, some wastes it with all the ill and wrong doings; some takes it for granted but the crux and cusp of all these is that we all are part of it and we can’t avoid taking its toll.

At this juncture, when you almost cross twenties and embark into the 30’s zone, when you are just finding root for your career; when you are just beginning to start so-called family; when you are beginning to sort out what makes you happy and what is best for another half of your life; when you actually get the taste of everything; in short when everything happens at a time is but the most critical phase of life I think.  If you are not careful, you risk that exposure and the experiences to a chance of getting hay wired.

People that I know well and even remotely often ask me what am I up to, how my life is going and where friends of my caliber are and all. Well, as a matter of fact some have become business tycoon, some industrious engineers and doctors, some promising journalists, some aspiring politicians, most of them happy parents and most of us doing JUST fine and surviving. If we are doing just fine, then it’s all well and good because at the end this is what matters right? They are often shocked you know because to some, money and materialistic world is all they care. They eat, pray, live and shit with this mantra. That’s why we even see people trying so hard to stick to their job even at the cost of cheating their ages. Age and our body just can’t lie you know.

Five years of my career life has taught and opened my eyes to so many sad realities and bitter truths. The corporate world that we often say isn’t always as we thought or expects it to be.  Yes life is hard when you have to depend entirely on dry salary at the end of month and half of that goes to the house owner as rent. Yes it is hard when you have to bear the responsibilities of whole family including distant relatives; yes life is difficult and saddening when you can’t fulfil the dreams of not just yourself but your parents as well, yes it is frustrating when things don’t come along nice and smooth; yes we f**king like to commit some grave crimes when you feel cheated and the bosses around bothers you, but, but at the end of day you know what the beauty is? Satisfaction! The fact that you end up being sublime; bearing with few slanting rays of hope despite all the odds and you manage to overcome in it-self is but huge achievement and a satisfaction. Yes nobody is going to give shit about this entirety but it’s all worth for you; through these hurdles do we know the value of hard earned fruit. The fruit tasted out of much sweat and perspiration is way too sweeter!

But then of course the saga of so-called struggles and strivings continue for this is what life is after all.

Courage

When life pulls down yet you don’t give up

When life’s cruel and you don’t give shit

When love betrays to take  its toil 

But you fight back brave and not spoil 

When your boss is wrong and you give voice 

When the crowd scares and yet you face

When the doubts cloud your judgement

Yet you embrace until you are triumphant 

When the fire of rage inside goes savage

Yet you calms down with water of patience 

When the fear engulfs and you step back

Only to return stronger and composed 

Courage is not being rude or arrogant 

Courage is simplicity with persistence 

When is life fair anyway?

I was wandering and wondering along the woods

Suddenly My mind crosses through the days of childhood 

When each girls dreams one day of being princess

When her mom is the epitome of All she wishes 

And her dad the hero, the knight in shining armour

When each boy dreams of that charming prince 

When his mom portrays all qualities he would one day browse

When his dad is but a friend, a guide  by his side

When little siblings are but their goal 

And the reflection of their soul 

When every little hope is watered by all kinds of effort and bite 

And when all the tyrannies are overcame with triumph 

When finally a day comes to reckon 

When the princess meets his Prince Charming 

Life has cruel and disheartening plans 

The boat they boarded capsizes 

On their maiden journey through ups and down   

Through the rugged terrains of high and low 

Dreams shatters to nightmares and begins to haunt 

Hopes turn sour and belittles their hunt 

In anguish and agony they stare above 

And utters Why us, why us?

What’s in the name?

I often wonder how one would communicate with another if there wasn’t such thing as name and the so-called name doesn’t even exist at all? Luckily (or unluckily) we all have names, various ones. It becomes easy and convenient for us to communicate.  However not all names are different; most Bhutanese in particular have similar or same names. Just out of curiosity, I typed my name in the search box of Facebook and I was actually surprised to see pages full of names same as mine. As much as it eases us, sometimes having similar or same name can become ugly and unpleasant. It can become cumbersome with serious consequences like the recent incident of Bhutan Airline (Tashi air) at Kolkata. It was shocking to see people sharing the wrong news. Almost all of Indian News outlets wrote about the incident as the one that happened with Royal Bhutan Airlines (Drukair) instead of Bhutan airlines. This questions the very credibility of those papers. How can one trust if they spread the wrong information just because they were careless and least bothered to scrutinize. Is there not enough time to investigate such details which can have huge impact? Are all news reporters the same- so hungry to report and write half-baked stories? It raises more questions than answers. As a major means of communication, newspapers must stick with facts and figures supplemented by in-depth cover ups, investigations and confirmations. And especially for commercial companies like airlines, right information is very important and sensitive because it is dealing with the flow of people in and out and such wrong news and information (which people depends up on) can have devastating and irreparable consequences both immediate and in the long run.

Fortunately Drukair, the Royal Bhutan Airline chose immediately to release press righting the wrong. Newspapers in Bhutan should learn lesson from recent incident. Even the National newspaper Kuensel which wrote about another incident about Drukair flight KB205 in the earlier week having to land back at Delhi airport was also overstated. The aircraft wasn’t mid-way as stated in the paper. The aircraft just took off when a fault of the rear cargo door was shown on the ECAM and it had to land back to rectify. That’s what the crew did and I wonder what breaking news was there to report? Incidents such as these are common for aircraft is also combination of machines and machine does fail you know. Anyway that’s just the clarification.

So there are both advantage and disadvantage of having same or similar names. We are defined; shaped and known by the names. We get attracted by the unique and the striking nature of it. Today’s generation gives a lot of time and energy to the names. If you see the census, most of the older generations have their names given out of love and pamper but often short and funny. The shops have all sorts of name to attract customers, organizations does the same. You see there is also a pinch of politics in there; so there actually are a lot of things in the mere thing called name. 

Surviving in Thimphu

Thimphu is a beautiful city to live in, it is clean and peaceful. Foreigners called it a “very beautiful village” just because it is a small town despite being the capital city of tiny country. It has evolved from once a thick forest with lush forest into a so-called modern city with concrete buildings all over. The usual chirping of bird is replaced by noisy and busy honks of cars. The serene light of moon at night is replaced by various patterns of modern electric lights. All in all, Thimphu really has changed and it has rather become and expensive one to live.

And to dwell in it and make living isn’t an easy loaf of bread! It may be a small village to foreigners or big-wigs, yet to a common men surviving at Thimphu is hard and difficult. The so-called development has brought in with it so many challenges and hardships. As much as one would love to stay and work at here, for all the facilities, be it health, social or a sense of emotional comfort or business, there is an equal if not more burdens as to how one is able to survive and avail those services. Mind it every blessing comes at price which is often expensive. Perhaps that’s why there are all sorts of juvenile crimes on the rise like theft, robbery and murder. Because when the society and the circumstances demands beyond one’s ability, beyond one can afford, people resort into all kind of crazy acts. And the sad thing is that it’s only going to get worse. The only viable solution is to get used to it.

It hardly matters if you are but a graduate, having a decent job and earning a good income at the end of the month or not, because those services and the landlords doesn’t see if you are earning less or more. They don’t see if you have large number of siblings to look after and take care or not. They don’t see if you are from poor back ground or not.  When half of your pay goes to landlords as a rent; the other ten percent to bills which are countless; what are you gonna to do with the remaining? To feed yourself and family or support your siblings and parents who think you are an officer and that you are earning so much? That is why surviving in Thimphu is tough. That is why it is a make or break situation to live in Thimphu.

I wonder how people manages to smile at the end of day despite all the challenges and hardships they face every day and I realize that perhaps that’s what we Bhutanese really are in general in the core. Despite all the complains and criticisms we still remember the triple gem and pay homage, we still manage to pray and thank ; perhaps that’s the ultimate purpose of life to go on with the flow least bothered by the swaying winds of greed, agony and fear? I finally realize that you don’t need number of buildings and acres of land to thrive. Well then am I content? Have I enough? Perhaps! Because I am surviving!

Until next time, Thank you.

Becoming Parent

I am going to start with this: ‘It is NOT easy to be a parent’. It is not a piece of cake for girls to become a parent (it is at the least Ok for husband); you only know the fact and realize when you are walking here and there through the alleys of hospital.  Salute to all the mothers and girls, who have brought in beautiful souls to this beautiful world with so much pain and hardships.

On the other hand, it is always a bundle of joy to be parent, the amount of happiness it brings with far exceeds the petty burdens it comes with. Every new day, seeing your kid grow up makes you smile, it keeps you at bay from the stress of a day’s work. By the way kids today grow so fast! It is nice to learn a lot of new things; we do learn a lot after becoming parent. It is a transition period where you suddenly steps from a carefree land into the one full of responsibilities, duties and care. There is this sudden change of priorities and perception. You become lot more matured and know-everything, careful and alert. You get to check a lot of things for yourself, change for the good of yourself and that little soul if need be, because once you become parent, you are everything to that little soul who looks upon and it hardly matters if that soul is just a month old or so. It is beautiful and wonderful experience.

But it isn’t easy as I told; firstly to accept and adapt (for first timers) the fact that you are now a parent yourself. Just yesterday you were but a carefree and careless kid who never gave a thought about all those responsibilities like upbringing another soul, when you can’t even take care of yourself. Being mindful, showing love or being tender doesn’t come easily. The facts that you have to consider all these make you don’t wanna accept all. But the time heals all and in fact such awareness only makes you a better human if not a better parent.

To become parent, it isn’t enough to be ready just physically; you ought to be ready emotionally and be mentally prepared. Financial security is another you gotta think about.  Like a colleague of mine says, in today’s world, deciding to have child is like buying an expensive commodity. And I believe he isn’t wrong after all.

Being Bhutanese and living in Bhutan is another blessing. With free medical services, thanks to successive kings of our country and the government of the day, it’s so very easy for couples to get their babies born. The nurses at the hospital are very courteous, kind, dedicated and helpful.  So thank you. To the nurses, you really are the backbone of a hospital the society at large, so thank you.

To my wife, thank you so much for coming thus far. Thank you for all the sacrifices. You have been a wonderful mother and to our little wonderful soul, welcome to this beautiful world.