tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77752331406166819392024-03-18T13:23:46.815+06:00Riku Dhan Subba's BlogWriting to remember...to be rememberedRikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.comBlogger359125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-182115284542274582023-01-11T18:20:00.001+06:002023-01-12T23:01:01.954+06:00A Must-visit Place in Damphu<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41iBe9HxwAAHpGUI7ss0kAvmYXGAXD7J3xhTKghXUEdJtTOqRo10A4DpfxkKRwWQq2QFX6Jvemabkwd3F2VLtTExa2strx6KXhyE-QTnWKZn7wS9hBrFOqogoi4pMu5J9UKBW8ib6eAzbbVy17DWyMp96x4RUTC7gXGvMl_mapUskc_togSp2S6aP/s6000/IMG_9580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41iBe9HxwAAHpGUI7ss0kAvmYXGAXD7J3xhTKghXUEdJtTOqRo10A4DpfxkKRwWQq2QFX6Jvemabkwd3F2VLtTExa2strx6KXhyE-QTnWKZn7wS9hBrFOqogoi4pMu5J9UKBW8ib6eAzbbVy17DWyMp96x4RUTC7gXGvMl_mapUskc_togSp2S6aP/w426-h640/IMG_9580.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">The footpath along the highway between Damphu town and Damphu High School is a must-visit place in Tsirang. It’s serene, surreal, and hypnotizing for me.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">A few weeks ago, when I was traveling back from Gelephu to Thimphu, I took a walk on the footpath, which meanders into deep woods and shimmers with sunlight—forgetting that I still had a half-a-day more to travel back to Thimphu. Quite wondrously, it gave me an ecstatic feeling mixed with an ounce of eerie, gothic elements as if like I was going to meet some sorcerers or dinosaurs. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6IF1PuFUHyDbV2qGKHXVriTVaRebdwkR1iglHFcgU8uWrErsxyrEjaCH8bXsrZOjyJI4JUsXRhD9k-_4Ml5ILQZ1iSZkG6rrwFqAz0k5B9ADhtVw_MYhDsv36ocADWh_90lMGr9H64pKbUXMl6CB_h6LXpdbrbsp_d9oAk4i9Tm8xOXWNaO2lUuq/s6000/IMG_9611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6IF1PuFUHyDbV2qGKHXVriTVaRebdwkR1iglHFcgU8uWrErsxyrEjaCH8bXsrZOjyJI4JUsXRhD9k-_4Ml5ILQZ1iSZkG6rrwFqAz0k5B9ADhtVw_MYhDsv36ocADWh_90lMGr9H64pKbUXMl6CB_h6LXpdbrbsp_d9oAk4i9Tm8xOXWNaO2lUuq/w640-h426/IMG_9611.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">Damphu footpath and highway</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Unfortunately, I didn't come across any of those beings; it was in my head only. But the feeling was just great. In a way, it's a lot magical, and I felt like staying there a little longer, appreciating everything about it, listening to chirping birds and writing some poems.</span></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ7kLGeLPqJYRUrhgEtZHPCwmgAJ-O_0tZEVICpd3pYyySuSM5E2kRcA5waPSlUCWIlLVaLJQWpPgqE_DZmNMCm5HYKg7cKRngX0dT2Zf4hUfxkDjwSbYxR04-mjhgEBcXSPATB8sU-g_2jhWDpZJA7bAeakbv9TG0RoqPT7Hy6uOJXjyIil8_XJl/s6000/IMG_9565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ7kLGeLPqJYRUrhgEtZHPCwmgAJ-O_0tZEVICpd3pYyySuSM5E2kRcA5waPSlUCWIlLVaLJQWpPgqE_DZmNMCm5HYKg7cKRngX0dT2Zf4hUfxkDjwSbYxR04-mjhgEBcXSPATB8sU-g_2jhWDpZJA7bAeakbv9TG0RoqPT7Hy6uOJXjyIil8_XJl/w426-h640/IMG_9565.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">People walking on the Damphu footpath</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"></div>Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-11203357277711860152022-05-08T23:55:00.011+06:002022-05-09T12:38:22.127+06:00Memory Corner, Miza Books<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHZrYKN2QT41lILhdJBmKDjYIBKzyJBM-WG4MuKjYhPXxFYN9kEnvZZMCncXmdeT2ig6YOqnHtVDh8qm1eal4_pYtD5nVvAxE-KOJIFtWmu4_jkyRsdRGPbeGwHWFFOEFvsQRnAkajVtG31fVuodNfjoZ_KdqDVFLx9fzTnJPiyhpEUNtKlT-yUfj/s537/279672061_325267779730191_7335713268271554812_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="528" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHZrYKN2QT41lILhdJBmKDjYIBKzyJBM-WG4MuKjYhPXxFYN9kEnvZZMCncXmdeT2ig6YOqnHtVDh8qm1eal4_pYtD5nVvAxE-KOJIFtWmu4_jkyRsdRGPbeGwHWFFOEFvsQRnAkajVtG31fVuodNfjoZ_KdqDVFLx9fzTnJPiyhpEUNtKlT-yUfj/w394-h400/279672061_325267779730191_7335713268271554812_n.jpg" width="394" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I was at the Memory Corner, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Miza-Books-419108921982574">Miza Books</a>—the first person to sit here and take a snapshot of the memory of my visit to this beautiful bookstore today</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">. Not an invited guest, but it's by coincidence. </span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">It's great meeting Chador Wangmo, </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">one of the most celebrated writers of Bhutan and the owner of the bookstore,</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> and her hubby and talking nonstop about books, reading, writing, book business, pursuing one's passion, our families, Bhutanese value system, the purpose of life, and the list goes on. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">"We writers are wired differently," that's what we have concluded at the end of our conversation. </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">That's why we do what we do. And we are what we are.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I first met Chador Wangmo in 2012, if I remember the year correctly, and she is one person who encouraged me to write and publish books then. That time she had already published several children's books and I was not ready to publish a book. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I am glad that people like Chador Wangmo exists; she makes me feel that there's one more people like me who is wired differently and that I am not alone in this world. And I missed <a href="http://www.ngawangphuntsho.com/">Ngawang Phuntsho</a>, <a href="https://www.passudiary.com/">PaSsu</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/monu.g.tamang">Monu Tamang</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/some1doesnt.want.me">Kinzang Tshering</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hugbfhghhhcdyjbcd">Ugyen Gyeltshen</a> in our conversation. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Over a cup of coffee, it's simply amazing to hear her</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> beautiful struggles, her literary endeavors, her imaginations, her aspirations, her exciting new projects, and her undying love for words. </span>I am so excited every time when I come across any individuals who pursue their passion so passionately. They appear to be courageous and genuine, simply doing what makes them happy and empowered everyday. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">We walked around bookshelves, browsing each classification, picking up the books that we read and familiar with, and talking about the books on the shelves. Both of us have read many of the authors on the shelves. </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I am impressed by the new arrival of books at the bookshop, and I must say that Miza Books has got the best collection of books in town now. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TiVF2kpc5mvC7xB438Zgqco6_1GYM6LXUFD5loSosYsSvVBQEebShCanQPizHWsGqL13MhhEPFbdxeM5bQ9B7-RUiEynPNmvqh5gnMZilHHBcAzI6uz5ctUkT04qdTwqJ5DBOIFbHER1ufEVgrRkQaZA_j2UfVzjaX5rV3xPFcHBsOQo2bBRj-PP/s536/279848953_691892895205412_8991308632875424474_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TiVF2kpc5mvC7xB438Zgqco6_1GYM6LXUFD5loSosYsSvVBQEebShCanQPizHWsGqL13MhhEPFbdxeM5bQ9B7-RUiEynPNmvqh5gnMZilHHBcAzI6uz5ctUkT04qdTwqJ5DBOIFbHER1ufEVgrRkQaZA_j2UfVzjaX5rV3xPFcHBsOQo2bBRj-PP/w400-h400/279848953_691892895205412_8991308632875424474_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I have bought two books: 'A Man Called Ove' and 'From Little Tokyo, With Love'. I wish I could buy more, but that's what I could afford now. </span><div><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Tahoma; text-align: justify;">Thank you for your time and tea la, madam Chador and Ghalley sir. </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Best wishes, Miza Books!</span></p></div>Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-21326679038429238292022-05-02T18:34:00.005+06:002022-05-02T18:42:15.208+06:00Remembering the First Teacher of My Life<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IysV60R-f60UNqI8QejRBjpxO3P5QlZNkV57BKY-8FdyN5YgR1yUXNzsqQRAK1VC7a791Op6TSLq2uUDF7Bne4Hpv22HA-1-0yQjkFCoDNbBIxA1NX_TKz5DU8W-_7xZwISiQ9WRzxGnYEefSNRYGku6C5h76jb8FKk1_cFYKUFYPrtTFKME6K3j/s740/16730459_687051364807215_5076564512766012865_n.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="496" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IysV60R-f60UNqI8QejRBjpxO3P5QlZNkV57BKY-8FdyN5YgR1yUXNzsqQRAK1VC7a791Op6TSLq2uUDF7Bne4Hpv22HA-1-0yQjkFCoDNbBIxA1NX_TKz5DU8W-_7xZwISiQ9WRzxGnYEefSNRYGku6C5h76jb8FKk1_cFYKUFYPrtTFKME6K3j/w268-h400/16730459_687051364807215_5076564512766012865_n.jpeg" width="268" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Tahoma;"><p style="text-align: justify;">Madam Krishna M Tiwari is the first teacher of my life. </p></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">It was in 1993 when I was enrolled at Tingtibi Primary School, a remote school located along the Gelephu-Trongsa highway in Zhemgang district. Madam Krishna, then, was a young lady, at the peak of her beauty, tall, slim, and fair, and just married to her husband. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I was nine years old then, too big, old to be admitted in class PP. Our family had just moved to Tingtibi after the upsurge of protests in southern Bhutan posed risks to us and our home in Gelephu was demolished. However, due to good fortune, my father got a caretaker’s job at an orange orchard in Tingtibi, and there we built a small hut and called it our ‘new home’. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">That year, with the support from Madam Krishna, my elder sister and I got admission to the school, which has changed my life forever (for the better). Madam Krishna taught me English in class PP. She was a brilliant teacher, with a great passion for impacting her students with knowledge and values. She would look stern but was always taking care of her students. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">More specifically, those days Madam Krishna gave me special attention and care. Maybe because I was an older student, or just maybe she discovered different qualities in me. Soon after, I was offered a double promotion by the school, which means I was promoted to class II directly. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Soon afterward poverty ensnared our family, as my father’s income was not enough to feed us. Unfortunately, my sister had to drop out of school to work on the farm and support the family. However, my parents continued to send me to school. During those trying times, Madam Krishna was very supportive of me and my family. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">It was in 2013, after 19 years, that I met Madam Krishna in Thimphu. Thanks to a journalist friend of mine who brought us together. I was working as a program officer at the Department of Youth and Sports after graduating from Sherubtse College and Madam Krishna was teaching at Etho Metho Primary School. In the beginning, I didn’t recognize her and she didn't either. One evening, after work, we were walking to our homes, talking about our work, hometowns, families, and education. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">“I studied at Tingtibi School,” I said after she told me that she had taught there. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">“What’s your name?” she asked curiously. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">“Riku Dhan Subba,” I replied. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">“Goodness, you, idiot,” she cried and punched me in the ribs with great force. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">That punch shook off my balance on walking. I felt that I deserved more than that, for not recognizing my teacher. I felt ashamed. After that, she took me to her home. And I was more surprised to discover that she lived in a building just 20 meters away from my apartment. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Today I am a proud citizen of Bhutan, contributing to my society with my best abilities and knowledge. But without a teacher like Madam Krishna, I would not be where I am now. So there is no other better way to show my gratitude and appreciation to the first teacher of my life—someone who had shown me the better direction of life—than to wish for her today. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">A Happy Teachers’ Day, Madam Krishna. Thank you for being such a great teacher and thank you for everything! </span></em></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></em></p>Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-882417900339534772022-04-30T23:56:00.009+06:002022-05-01T12:16:14.260+06:00'Gift of God'<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCGCG3kEYVKgheY5CWikn-gWDbh46Dm_skEWxmivcVdTLbD03H53hinRgsq9zMMvrU5m5JTLxsa8L8JK1jsPLIVxzXRQsg-7H1lG74qIm4JdjPEc56yV2UY2BfyTBI5KNlTDNvhbs4C4ffW4zXbDOZt0Mf6uitVmYV5SbzmZVBQWXCDexIUVlJihK/s1246/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-01%20at%2012.01.51%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="1094" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCGCG3kEYVKgheY5CWikn-gWDbh46Dm_skEWxmivcVdTLbD03H53hinRgsq9zMMvrU5m5JTLxsa8L8JK1jsPLIVxzXRQsg-7H1lG74qIm4JdjPEc56yV2UY2BfyTBI5KNlTDNvhbs4C4ffW4zXbDOZt0Mf6uitVmYV5SbzmZVBQWXCDexIUVlJihK/w351-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-01%20at%2012.01.51%20AM.png" width="351" /></a></span></div><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Today is her birthday. My daughter is three. She has celebrated her day, the first half day in the hospital and the other half at home.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Last weekend was all about her, we went to town for her shopping. She has got all the things she wanted and desired: a white satin dress with pink floral spots, a polka dotted hairband, pink princess shoes, and colorful balloons.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">She was excited about her big day, often watching YouTube videos of birthday celebrations and clapping her hands, uttering joyously, “Yay!” </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">We had planned to celebrate her birthday this time in Gelephu with her grandparents. She has not seen them for more than two years now due to the pandemic. Moreover, after the lifting of the mandatory quarantine, we felt it was a good time for us to visit village and meet her grandparents as well.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">So to speak, my daughter came late into our lives. When she came, we got so happy and the feeling of being a parent was simply out of this world. We felt blessed. That’s why I named my daughter Prisa, which means 'Gift of God' and 'Beloved' in Sanskrit. She has been a healthy, intelligent, super active child, who loves her dad more than anyone else. She always looks forward to me returning home after office—I have to spend an hour with her playing, and only after that she lets me do other chores at home. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">So, everything was arranged for Prisa’s birthday. But unfortunately, she fell sick last Monday evening. We had to rush her to the emergency department of JDWNRH, my wife and I panicking, fretting, and sweating. At 12:30 a.m. she was admitted to the hospital. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Regrets started engulfing me. Relentlessly. Undeniably. Brutally.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Didn’t we as parents do enough for her? Didn’t we give her adequate love and attention? Have we failed in parenting? Why does she have to feel sick so suddenly? Why God was unfair to us? One question after another ran into my head.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">When the nurse started performing the intravenous therapy, my daughter cried in great pain. I just looked outside the window, staring at nothing, and I could feel warm tears flowing down my cheeks and my throat burning, choking. It was as if I was going through the pain.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">That’s the time I told myself: </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">My Princess, I will protect you from all circumstances, and you will never have to go through such pain ever again. </em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">This could be a father’s natural protective instinct.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Thankfully, after five days of treatment at the hospital, Prisa got better. She regained her health, she started playing, she started laughing, and she started eating again. We were so happy. She was discharged from the hospital with advice from the doctor and some medications to undergo at home.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">No sooner did we reach home from the hospital this evening than we arranged a birthday celebration in a small way. Just three of us. She appeared excited wearing her new dress and sitting in front of her cake, candles, and colorful balloons. She touched her new dress repeatedly, looked at the cake and candles for a long moment, smiled, and then she blew out the candles clapping as we sang the b</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">irthday</span><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> song for her.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">And folding my hands, that moment, I wished her:</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Wish you many many happy returns of the day to the loveliest girl in the entire world! Hugs and sweet kisses. May you live a long, blessed life. And keep brightening our every day with your sweet smile. We feel blessed just because of you. Love you so much!</span></em></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></em></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Thank you, God!</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></em></p>Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-23601757647420859732022-02-02T22:10:00.004+06:002022-02-02T22:25:47.764+06:00Beyond the Sky and the Earth: Book Review <p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhb0Fallr8evvOr4QPbGBsXPU6w_rmYf8WcxrRAem3TMCbgp7YW_9rB4oWphOsiluS2sRr8st_kxbD-HvaYini0-d-mXVfNjWlPAC4uErqh0ou9eu_jKbD-9f2ru30vmblOSAW1FymDXVOR4_utn2O0b37sjPr6_I5rFC5lBcndZOGFbaim29IbdWrI=s673" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Beyond the Sky and the Earth" border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="481" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhb0Fallr8evvOr4QPbGBsXPU6w_rmYf8WcxrRAem3TMCbgp7YW_9rB4oWphOsiluS2sRr8st_kxbD-HvaYini0-d-mXVfNjWlPAC4uErqh0ou9eu_jKbD-9f2ru30vmblOSAW1FymDXVOR4_utn2O0b37sjPr6_I5rFC5lBcndZOGFbaim29IbdWrI=w286-h400" title="Beyond the Sky and the Earth" width="286" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I first read </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Beyond the Sky and the Earth: A Journey into Bhutan</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> in 2008 soon after I had graduated from Sherubtse College. I faintly remember some fascinating moments of the book: Jamie riding on the ‘Vomit Comet’, Jamie teaching English in a remote school in Pema Gatshel, night hunting experience in Kanglung, and how Tshewang forgets his underwear in a bush where they have just made love. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I read the book again, this time particularly to know how a foreigner sees and understands Bhutan and the way of life here and what made her write this beautiful memoir. Moreover, just sometimes back, I met Mr Tshewang, the lover of Jamie, at the automobile workshop in Thimphu where I had a quick conversation with him. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Tshewang appears to me exactly what the author has described in the book: “He has a handsome face: high cheekbones, a luscious mouth” (pg. 244), “worldly and extremely well-read” (pg. 245), and “has a quicksilver smile and very mischievous eyes” (Pg. 245). The only difference, even after thirty years, is that he now has long grey hair and a wrinkled face. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">“I came here to fix my </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">alto</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> car,” he told me in a jovial tone. “Tomorrow I </span></span><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Tahoma; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">will be traveling to eastern Bhutan to drop off a </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Tahoma; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">lama</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Tahoma; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">.” </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Then we talked about his works and my writings. It’s quite a strange feeling to talk to someone that I read a great part of his life in a book. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Jamie Zeppa came to Bhutan in 1989 to teach through the World University Service of Canada, where she spent three and half years teaching English at Pema Gatshel Middle Secondary School and Sherubtse College. After that, she married Tshewang, with whom they have a son, Pema Dorji, and lived in Thimphu until 1998. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Jamie initially perceives Bhutan as a “remote”, secluded, “small Tantric Buddhist Kingdom in the Eastern Himalayas”, and mountainous with too difficult terrain. When she arrives in Bhutan, at the age of twenty-four, she seems lonely, certainly unhappy, regretful of her decision, and thoroughly tired and bitter. She has to go through endless difficulties living alone within an alien culture far from the security of her so-called ‘home’ in Canada (which she later starts calling Bhutan ‘home’ too).</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">However, this feeling gradually evaporates as she delves deeper into Bhutanese society, exploring the overwhelming beauty of Bhutan’s landscape, interacting with innocent crude people, knowing the warmth of Bhutanese culture, embracing faith and falling in love. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">When Jamie reaches Sherubtse College, she has already fallen in love with Bhutan. </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">She tells: “I have fallen into this world the way you fall into sleep, tumbling through layers of darkness into full dream. The way you fall in love.” </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Over time, she finds solace and deep refuge in Buddhism, and she eventually converts to Buddhism and feels “Blessed to be here.”</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">She states that love with Tshewang is ‘a big reason’ why she has extended her stay in Bhutan. Had there been no entry of Tshewang into her life, this book would not be this exciting and enthralling. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">This memoir is more than a usual travel book; it’s a love story. And her romance with Tshewang, which is supposed to be forbidden, is told in a brutally honest manner. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">“He is a warm and ardent lover, completely uninhabited. It is as if we have been lovers for years…I am safe here, with him; in the middle of the biggest risk I have ever taken in my life, I am safe,” she says happily.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">The book also provides astute assessments of outdated methods of teaching in schools, gender mainstreaming, the political situation of Bhutan, and the Bhutanese nature of just following directives and not being critical and vocal. But she says all this in an honest and humorous tone, which makes her observations very interesting and sensible. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Her book also takes me to many beautiful places in Bhutan that I have not been to yet: Jomolhari, a holy lake above Khaling, and Yurung in Pema Gatshel. I must say—among the books written on Bhutan that I read—</span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Beyond the Sky and the Earth </em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">is the best. But I am a little disappointed with Jamie Zeppa because she has written only two </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">books. </span></p>Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-68936985340027382392021-12-28T16:41:00.013+06:002021-12-28T17:00:16.845+06:00A Forgotten Essay <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: medium;">I found this essay in my email inbox today while cleaning up my Gmail account. I wrote it in 2015 for an essay competition titled, “Complementarities between Buddhism and Hinduism practised in Bhutan”. And I didn't win it, not even the consolation prizes. This is what every aspiring writer goes through, I knew it then. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: medium;">But still, this particular story gives me some meaning of life and it portrays my belief, my journey, my inner voice, and my identity. So to say, I feel a lot of pain just to discard it forever and this piece of my heart will remain here, on my blog. Here it is:</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIdAZ_bmuAtnswIIBS3esXjD1uKAwGK7cEWgJFmYp4j-KQNU4LPjOQPV_Vj3vBs0_LcCL6WyVaYszku-rOmQzKq8a4Gct3Zryghe4ocCmDmuAHx9T9X0hIoo5z4SpzeFJNX3KDGO7V7jcWMmPkIsT1lsPfsL8XXkUaMmCff4eTnoxYraa1j0AMpm4y=s700" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIdAZ_bmuAtnswIIBS3esXjD1uKAwGK7cEWgJFmYp4j-KQNU4LPjOQPV_Vj3vBs0_LcCL6WyVaYszku-rOmQzKq8a4Gct3Zryghe4ocCmDmuAHx9T9X0hIoo5z4SpzeFJNX3KDGO7V7jcWMmPkIsT1lsPfsL8XXkUaMmCff4eTnoxYraa1j0AMpm4y=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h1 class="post-title single-topic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> His Majesty The King grants Dashain Tika. PC <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/his-majesty-the-king-grants-dashain-tika/">Kuensel</a></span></h1></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was born Hindu in Southern Bhutan. Ever since my birth, I was brought up as a typical Hindu child worshipping Hindu gods and goddesses, practising the rites and rituals, and ardently following Hindu customs. In fact, I have practised and enjoyed my faith independently and freely. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bhutan, however, is deeply a Buddhist kingdom where the majority of the people practise the Drukpa Kagyudpa tradition of Mahayana Buddhism. Since my school days, I was often introduced to the teachings of Buddha and Buddhist spiritual practices. I have visited and prayed in many Buddhist monasteries and also actively attended the rituals and ceremonies. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Surprisingly, my parents and the Hindu community never objected to me from doing so; neither did it affect my faith. Moreover, I didn’t feel any indications of discrimination or imposition of Drukpa Kagyudpa beliefs on me. Instead, it provided me an opportunity to enhance my worldview and knowledge on spirituality and respect for religion. Similarly, my Buddhist friends attended my family rituals and ceremonies and they always enjoyed and appreciated being involved. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">In our society, the way these two religions are practised uniquely complements each other by sharing a sacred relationship and respect. They show a great deal of kindness and respect to each other’s faith and culture by exhibiting religious tolerance and a non-judgmental attitude. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">This is attributed to numerous complementarities between these two Dharmic traditions are practised in Bhutan. Firstly, it’s the ideologies and religious practices of the two religions; secondly, our country’s policies and development; thirdly, our beloved Fourth and Fifth Druk Gyalpo’s unwavering support; and lastly, the social harmony and respect. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">From a very early age, Buddhist and Hindu traditions peacefully co-existed for each other sharing parallel beliefs and ideologies and Bhutan is one particular nation where these two Dharmas have continued to flourish complementing and extending favors to one another. In their teachings, both religions retain the centrality of dharma and it forms a basis for beliefs and practices. Also, both emphasize righteousness and compassion to all sentient beings and it is the virtue on which the religions are based upon. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Furthermore, they share several common practices of rites such as the purification, consecration and baby showering rites, and prayers for ancestors and deceased. Interestingly, in Bhutan, it is common to see Buddhist monks performing some of these rites in Hindu families and vice versa. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Both Buddhists and Hindus living in Bhutan believe in astrology. On a regular basis, they follow the practice of calculating auspicious dates for important events like marriages, starting a new business, agricultural activities, etc. Being Hindu myself, I have referred to Buddhist Zakar on several occasions and it helped me a lot. I have seen many Buddhists seeking help from Hindu astrologers too. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">The practitioners of these two religions see karma as the main causative factor behind rebirth in the world and they share similar views on Samsara and reincarnation. Therefore, we see the Buddhist and Hindu practitioners undergoing the spiritual practices of mediation, yoga, and concentration to attain enlightenment. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A series of government policies aiming at systematic harmonization of the religions and cultural cohesion are being enacted and enforced in Bhutan. The </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7775233140616681939/6893698534002738239#" style="text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #4a6ee0; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hindu Dharma Samudaya of Bhutan</span></a><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (HDSB) legally represents the Bhutanese Hindus, which constitute a quarter of Bhutan’s population and is registered with the Chhoedey Lhentshog (as provisioned in Religious Organizations Act of Bhutan 2007). Moreover, the Commission is represented by an eminent Hindu Pundit. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">This clearly indicates the policies and law enforcement of our government are not only designed toward freedom and protection of religious identity for Hindus in Bhutan, but the Royal Government of Bhutan is already recognizing the complementarities between these two religions and the importance of Hinduism and its religious practices for the growth of spiritual heritage of Bhutan. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Even in the democratic setting of our government, at least two elected Hindu representatives have been appointed every time as the Ministers who represent Lhotshams in the cabinet. This particular practice truly demonstrates that the followers of Buddhism and Hinduism can work together even in the country’s highest political setting without disapproval and discredit. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Several worshipping establishments were developed for the Hindus. In Thimphu, a permanent </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7775233140616681939/6893698534002738239#" style="text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #4a6ee0; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hindu Temple</span></a><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was constructed recently. The consecration of the temple was conducted in the presence of Je Khenpo, the Chief Abbot of the </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7775233140616681939/6893698534002738239#" style="text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #4a6ee0; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Central Monastic Body of Bhutan</span></a><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and both Buddhist and Hindu ceremonies were held. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Instead of feeling threatened by the existence of Hinduism in Bhutan, the Buddhists have extended many favors to the development of Hinduism and one can understand it when the Je Khenpo consecrated the Hindu Temple. Also, the Sivalaya Mandir in Samtse was constructed under the command of His Majesty the King. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Hindus celebrate different festivals and most importantly, Dashain has been declared a national holiday in Bhutan since 1980. Every year, His Majesty the King of Bhutan, the Buddhist King, celebrates the Dashain with the Hindu community by receiving </span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tikka</span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from Hindu Pundit. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">In 2011, the Druk Gyalpo and Gyaltsuen came to the Durga Mandir in Thimphu after the marriage proceedings in Punakha and the royal couple underwent the Hindu marriage ceremony. This shows that there is a great level of complementary between Buddhism and Hinduism practices and the Druk Gyalpo himself continues to revere Hinduism by being the real patron of religious tolerance. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lastly, the </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7775233140616681939/6893698534002738239#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #4a6ee0; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan</span></a><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> states, “Buddhism is the spiritual heritage of Bhutan…” However, a book titled, ‘The Constitution of Bhutan-Principles and philosophies’ by Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye explains that, “It doesn’t compel people of other faith towards conversion to a monolith faith…Rather, our spiritual heritage is simply based on our history, traditions and beliefs.” Truly said, in Bhutan, Hinduism shares many significant complementarities with Buddhism and it only supplements our cultural diversity, enhances the growth of social harmony among the people, and enriches our spiritual heritage.</span></span></p>Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-34998893334240952532020-04-29T00:12:00.002+06:002021-11-23T10:57:48.850+06:00Of My Longingness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">There's a deep longingness in me. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Oh, sometimes I feel it aloud in my heart, reverberating like I just felt it now. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">That I should leave behind everything and go with my family to a faraway place. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">There, I would own a small house and lead a simple, quiet life. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">There, I would raise cattle and grow my own foods. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">There, I would read a lot of books and write my own stories. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">There, my wife and I would nurture my daughter well, so that she would become a good human. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">There, I would volunteer in a community school and impart my knowledge to the village children. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">This is my longingness, and ah, it's so simple!</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com7Trongsa, Bhutan27.5002269 90.5080634-51.45648743660125 -50.1169366 90 -128.86693660000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-86258585004975059292020-04-22T15:56:00.002+06:002021-01-22T12:05:25.838+06:00Travel to Trongsa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Last winter, I had traveled to Trongsa—to the land of the longest Dzong in Bhutan. So to say, all along my way, I was simply awestruck by the stunning landscapes, villages, the sky, people, and community schools. After every turning, or mountain, I was screaming and running to take pictures. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">The supposed to be five-hour-long drive took me almost seven hours to reach my destination. And you know why. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">That day, I was passing by a paradise!</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com5Trongsa, Bhutan27.5002269 90.5080634-29.0987449551306 20.195563400000012 84.0991987551306 160.82056339999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-60256710592886747422020-01-23T23:26:00.002+06:002021-06-09T11:22:22.662+06:00Let’s Fall In Love with Writing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">So much of the time I had spent at <a href="about://"><span style="color: blue;">Bhutan Children’s Writeshop</span></a> on January 22, 2020, at Changangkha MSS in Thimphu, this group of aspiring young writers was brimming with enthusiasm and desire . . . to learn from me. All about writing. </span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">And after quite a long time, oh goodness, I realized and felt it deep that I was in my rightful place, a little haven of the lovers of words, and where I was simply doing the right thing.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">They, many of them, nudged me and said, “Sir, I read your book, ‘In Love with Butterflies and Other Stories’. And I loved it.” </span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">A handful of others added, “I have your book at home. It’s nice.” And their “parents”, “brother”, and “sister” also loved the stories. So my co-writer, Sonam Tashi will also be happy to hear this. Some of them have also read my blog stories, Instagram and Facebook updates. </span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Such a blissful moment! At least for me!</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">As I interacted with them, I understood that there are bubbling writers in each of them, wanting to tell their own stories to the world. And while doing a writing activity, I was almost shrieking with excitement on my discovery. Their choice of words, their expression, their thoughts, and their aspirations that they have penned were surprising, astonishing. </span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">So, what this team of Bhutan Children’s Writeshop—fourteen team members and seven volunteers, mostly teachers on vacation—doing is remarkable, something to be admired and applauded. It’s a non-profit initiative that brings together children during the winter vacations to inspire budding writers. Volume 1, with the theme ‘Let’s fall in love with writing’, held from Jan 20-23, 2020 had hosted 83 children from 40 different schools. </span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">And as I walked out of the hall, after my session, I couldn't help myself from dreaming . . . I was holding beautiful books by these children in my hands!</span></p></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-63006627385798792732019-11-21T15:58:00.002+06:002019-11-21T15:58:16.953+06:00Sporadic Sojourn<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It was all because of one thing. One special thing though. My friend, Sonam’s wedding. And it was last week. In Phuentsholing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We called it “Sporadic Sojourn”. For it truly was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We were five. Chencho Thinley, Karma T Samdrup, Pema, Sonam Tashi and I. The two days were breathtaking, enriching voyage. We put in the best hotel in town, dined together, drank leisurely, swam in the pool, walked around the streets, and drank chai and ate momo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We have been friends since our college days at Sherubtse—to put it more accurately, since the year 2005. It has been fourteen years now. Oh goodness, I can’t believe it; time flies. However, this sojourn was long pending; we wanted to go vacationing in Bangkok.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">All along this sojourn, we laughed and made another memorable memory. We teased each other, poking at our weaknesses, silly deeds, and unusual behaviors. We justified that we can have fun in mid-thirties too. The fourteen years has changed nothing in us. Being employed and started earning, now married and fathers, and traveling abroad haven’t transformed us. Not even an inch. We are still the same old bunch of silly boys (Sorry, I should have said, ‘men’), except for our round healthy physiques and thinning hairlines. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Meanwhile, we rode to Amochhu Bridge through the dusty road just to see and walk across that long suspension bridge beside the new, modern one. In the end, it was all worth it. It was tizzy, a simply fascinating experience being in the air, high up, just marching on the long iron bridge that swings as the afternoon wind blows. We were kids, running and frightening one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We rode further up, towards a hill, Ngawang Ramtey, where tall green trees and cardamom plants surround it. Smiling school children and village folks along the road greeted us. Monkeys were jumping around, and goats grazing graciously. On the hill, next to a small stream, we sat and breathed fresh air. And we were all relaxed, reenergized. It inspired some of us to start spiritual, philosophical conversations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The sky was clear, deep blue. That’s what we valued the most about the day. And right there, right then I discovered that all of us have still changed; in fact, the last fourteen years have metamorphosed us. A lot. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We have become rooted, sober, soft, little wise, and hugely responsible. We like less about noise, crowds, dramas, phonies, and vanities. So to say, we appreciate more about love, spiritualism, literature, the Mother Nature, family, and friendship. And for the remaining sojourn, these were the heartbeats of our conversations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And if you still wonder what has kept this friendship for the last fourteen years and is still going strong, it's all this!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-5698579641813672012018-11-30T16:15:00.000+06:002018-12-03T12:36:20.164+06:00Between Thimphu and Paro<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">I hadn’t explored much of the places along the
highway between Thimphu and Paro. Usually, it was like… travelling straight to
Paro, or back to the capital. However, last weekend, on my way to Paro, I
stopped at several locations along the road, and I must tell you, I was
pleasantly surprised. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">There are so many beautiful hills, villages filled
with gorgeous chortens, prayer flags, human settlements, and cattle feeding
around freely. And I couldn't stop myself from climbing the hills, up and down,
and taking random pictures. Some of the pictures are here. </span></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-16835292862388594752018-11-20T15:15:00.002+06:002018-11-20T15:25:48.039+06:00Rays of Hope<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;">There's so much in the winter lights. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I see beauty; </span></div>
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indefinitely, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Infinite thin rays of hope</span>. <span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-49647038728204454602018-08-25T20:01:00.000+06:002018-08-25T20:18:38.502+06:00Resurrection of the Wangdue Dzong<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Picture: Wangduephodrang Dzong</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">December of 2004 was the first time that I saw the Wangdue Phodrang Dzong in my life. Indeed, that winter was my first ever travel to the western Bhutan from Bumthang with my school friend, Thochu. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">As we entered Wangdue valley, my eyes so automatically, naturally feasted on the giant Dzong, as if my eyes and the fortress were like a piece of metal and magnet. And so to say, I was completely awestricken; my heart skipped a few beats. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Then, I craned my neck from the window of bus to look attentively, carefully at the majestic Dzong built in 1638 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel. The fortress sat on the commanding view of the valleys below, on top of a high ridge and between two rivers - one small fast flowing river and another big gentle river. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Surrounded by green trees and mud walls, it was a massive stunning structure with impressive elaborated paintings. The Dzong had illuminated the entire valley of Wangdue Phodrang with its position, power, symbolism and glory. It was like the moon in the sky. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">How could the people of the fifteenth century build such structure?</span></i><span style="font-family: "tahoma";"> I wondered, as the bus ran down the hill from the Wangdue town and then on the bridge over Punatshangchhu. It was so majestic; it was so beautiful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Then, unfortunately, in June 2012, a disaster rocked the Dzong. A deadly fire virtually razed it to the ground. My heart broke watching the news on the television; in fact, the entire nation grieved. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">After that, every time I travelled to Wangdue or other places via Wangdue, I felt hollowness deep inside me. On a few occasions, I just took its pictures and looked at them feeling more aggrieved, agony. It seemed like, to me, something was missing, something was not right. The valley looked bruised, feeble. It just shed darkness in my heart…like a moonless night. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">And last weekend, I visited Wangduephodrang. I was surprised - a pleasant surprise though. The Dzong has been rebuilt, substantially. I could see most of structure its being erected. And the good news is that it is targeted to be complete by 2021. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Out there, on the hill, I saw a handful of birds flying. It could be the ravens. And it could be perhaps sent by Zhabdrung to again bless the valley. Camera in my hand, as I looked at the Dzong, I could see its treasure being reinstated, its former glory being restored and its history being lived on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Ah, my heart again was filled with joy and I could feel something auspicious about everything. Because there is the moon again. </span></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-75378225346794906602018-08-15T14:28:00.000+06:002018-09-10T15:11:23.268+06:00We Talk About Blogging at Motithang School<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It was a couple of weeks ago. It was at my home. And it was late night. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jambay.dorji.39" target="_blank">Jambay Dorji</a>, my next-door neighbor and also my fellow-village-folk, and I were talking about social media and how the Bhutanese behaved online. Indeed, online etiquette was a worrying, growing concern. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“The moment I log in on my Facebook account and scroll through the newsfeed, I see only negative stuff,” Jambay stated matter-of-factly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I agreed with him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Many of us spent hours on social media everyday but quite unfortunately we often misused social networking sites like Facebook and WeChat causing harms and disharmony in our society. Then we went on talking about how we can make use of social media and also make a living out of it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“That’s what. Why can’t we focus our energy into making good use of social media rather than posting foul things?” I said. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The clock struck one in the morning and both of were feeling woozy, heavy sleep surfacing in our eyes. Then Jambay, a mathematic teacher at <a href="http://www.motithanghss.edu.bt/" target="_blank">Motithang Higher Secondary School </a>(MHSS), suddenly asked me, “Let’s do a programme at my school. I want you talk to the students and teachers on good use of social media.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I didn't hesitate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In a week’s time, Jambay arranged the programme at his school. <a href="https://www.druktrails.com/" target="_blank">Sherab Tenzin</a>, a popular Bhutanese blogger, and <a href="https://denkarsgetaway.com/" target="_blank">Tshering Denkar,</a> a solo travel blogger, have joined us. It was a successful programme. Over 400 students attended it and their response was awesome. We felt satisfied, happy. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Picture: Bloggers with the students</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Less than a week later, last Saturday, Jambay again arranged another session. This time, a group of thirty four students wanted to learn about blogging and content writing, specifically. We couldn't deny.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sherab.tenxin?fref=search" target="_blank">Sherab Tenzin</a> presented on blogging practices around the world and in Bhutan and how to start a blog and factors to consider in starting a blog. His was a very humble, honest and very insightful presentation. But what caught the attention of the young learners was when he said that they could earn blogging and make a living out of it. In fact, Sherab himself earns quite a good amount of money from his blog. His blogging experience is hugely inspiring, as the students kept on nodding and taking notes. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pic: Sherab Tenzin</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">His final message was, “It is better to monetize your blog and earn money rather than doing a job that pays you hardly anything.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">After that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dorphone" target="_blank">Tshering Denkar </a>spoke on her experience as a full-time Bhutanese female solo travel blogger. Denkar blogs about her travel experience, local foods, hotels and photography. It was a lively presentation with amazing travel pictures, videos and intriguing personal stories. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Denkar said that travelling has helped her when she was going through difficult times in the past. “I love road and travelling to different places within Bhutan and meeting new people. That’s why the name of my blog is Denkars Getaway,” she stated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Picture: Tshering Denkar</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I am a solo traveller. I travel by passenger bus and also encourage budget travelling. I use my phone to take pictures and my tripod is my boyfriend,” Denkar said, her face brimming with enthusiasm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And lastly I talked about my own blogging experience and photography. Most specifically, I taught the students how to write content on their blogs and also talked about the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Community-of-Bhutanese-Bloggers-1722986264636653/" target="_blank">Community of Bhutanese Bloggers</a> (CBB).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwwg4lRaEL1bWPOs0U0YQMy3khn_x5N7uvL2Ah2ul7FLHSjzOS7KzEDIhcTK_v47-fkE4VVCixkJTFaQOrHZiTSc3VA8akls_rVG0q3BcZTBA8a4mGMDKzeKmFVFZaoAulmYj5t_h9hM/s1600/DSC_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwwg4lRaEL1bWPOs0U0YQMy3khn_x5N7uvL2Ah2ul7FLHSjzOS7KzEDIhcTK_v47-fkE4VVCixkJTFaQOrHZiTSc3VA8akls_rVG0q3BcZTBA8a4mGMDKzeKmFVFZaoAulmYj5t_h9hM/s640/DSC_0144.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pic: Me talking on CBB</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Today, it’s heartening to see some of our students have created their own blogs and they are here: 1) <a href="https://tashinams.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tashi's Photography</a> 2) <a href="https://unfoldbhutan.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Unfold Bhutan</a> and 3) <a href="https://awriterwithasoul.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Druk Writer</a>. Similarly, I have received messages from some other students who are in the process of creating their own blogs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">That being said, our special acknowledgement to Mr. Jambay Dorji for going the extra mile by initiating this first of its kind programme at MHSS and </span><span class="uficommentbody"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">creating a platform for us to impart our skills and knowledge to his students.</span></span><span class="uficommentbody"></span></div>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">He stated, feeling delighted, “I only hope that we are preparing our children for opportunities and challenges of tomorrow. I advocate our children to participate in the digital-driven economy. Textbooks and classroom learning are not enough to address the real world problems.”</span></span> </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pic: Jambay Dorji, the man behind the initiative</td></tr>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Indeed, undeniably, we should have more teachers like you, Sir!</span></span>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We would also like to thank Madam Principal of MHSS for supporting this kind of initiative at the school and for her kind words for us. </span></span></div>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And finally, we thank the enthusiastic students for your time and willingness to learn blogging. Best of luck in your future endeavours!</span></span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-253534168355437822018-06-08T12:07:00.000+06:002018-09-10T15:12:28.744+06:00My Three Friends in Trashiyangtse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I saw them. I found them awfully cute. I took out my camera and took a shot. These little three cute boys and I became friends. Instantaneously. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">So to introduce here…. my new friends are Karma, Sangay and Tenzin. And all of them were studying at Trashiyangtse Middle Secondary School. It was in May 2016. That evening, I was walking around Yangtse town exploring the place on my own. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Uncle, where are you from?” Karma, who was the most talkative among the group, asked me eagerly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I walked close to them and responded, “I am from Gelephu but I live in Thimphu.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“What are you doing here?” Tenzin enquired me in a cute tone, looking at my camera. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I am here on an official tour and now just walking around your town and taking pictures?” I said. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Then, they cheerfully circled me and touched my camera swiftly one by one. And they giggled joyfully. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Uncle, can I take a picture with your camera?” Karma asked me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I couldn't deny him. Karma took a few random shots and then he passed the camera to Sangay and then to Tenzin. After that, I showed the images on the camera screen. Seeing their shots, they giggled more cheerfully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In the meantime, we had become very close and familiar to one another. They suggested me to visit their playground just nearby in the town. It’s an open ground where there’s an old road roller. They animatedly climbed over the dead machine and started their usual act - playing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">They became my guide in the new town of the far eastern dzongkhag. Inhibited by a little more than three thousand people, Trashiyantse town is a secluded commercial centre surrounded by beautiful green alpine trees. The unique feature of the town is that all the buildings have traditional architectural designs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“What’s so special about Trashiyangtse?” I asked the boys, as we strolled the street. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Black-necked cranes!” shouted Sangay. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary,” added Karma.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I knew that. On the north of the newest dzongkhag of Bhutan, Bumdeling is home to wintering black-necked cranes. It’s a beautiful place and many tourists visit the place, they explained me. I also learned that it’s home to Ludlow’s Bhutan Glory, the national butterfly of Bhutan and the Yangtsepas have unique skills at woodworking, wooden cups and bowls and papermaking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Uncle! Uncle! Chorten Kora,” said Tenzin, running ahead of me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Uncle, we will take you there,” offered Karma. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The legendary Stupa is situated on the riverbank right below the town. It stood very tall and looked simply magnificent. There were monks and devotees circumambulating the Chorten. And with my three little friends, I walked the way round Chorten three times and said my prayers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As the dusk was falling over the valley, we walked back to the town. As a gesture of gratitude, I bought them a bottle of mango juice each. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Thank you, uncle! See you again!” they screamed and ran to their homes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">See them again… one fine day… hopefully. The truth is that I may not remember them and they may not remember this time together. But I’m writing this story of us - Karma, Sangay, Tenzin and Riku - to remember our beautiful memory together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Maybe, just maybe these friends of mine would come looking for me one day after reading our story here. And then that fine day, in the far future, we’d sit down in a good restaurant over a cup of tea, or whiskey and talk about our memory, our life and our aspirations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-2191352079480536152018-05-04T14:52:00.000+06:002018-09-10T15:13:41.207+06:00Winter in the Summer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As always, this noon we have snuggled down in our favourite place. It’s a small wooden shelter with an open balcony for people to sit and just relax. We are just done with our work and then lunch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This particular moment, right now, the rain starts beating down on us. Heavily. As a ritual, extremely chilly wind gushes in. I rub my hands and then my knees furiously to keep myself warm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We are experiencing a strange weather this year and I can’t believe what’s happening with our universe. It’s already May - you know - it’s already summer, but hey look the cold winter is never leaving us. In fact, quite surprisingly, the days are getting colder. For that matter, we are still using the room heater and not able to shove off our jackets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“It seems like there will be snowfall this summer,” my friend sitting next to me speaks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Looks like that,” I respond him and after a brief moment I add, “Actually I’d be rather glad if it does. Snowfall in summer…cool!” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">After that, I reflect on what I just said and ask many more questions one after another: Will it snow this summer? What would be like it does? Ever in the past did Thimphu receive snowfall in summer? Is it all right to get snow when it’s supposed to be monsoon? What if the cold never leaves us and entire cycle of weather goes awry? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><i>Courtesy: The title of this blog post is inspired by Tashi Yangden's Facebook post. </i></span></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-33680020402909013572018-04-27T16:16:00.000+06:002018-09-10T15:16:22.882+06:00Bhutan is known as “Happy Country” in Korea<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Early April this year, I landed at the <a href="https://www.seoul-airport.com/" target="_blank">Incheon International Airport</a>, Republic of Korea which is extremely clean and organized. At the arrival, an immigration officer asked me looking at my passport, “Which country you from?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I am from Bhutan,” I responded. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Bhu….” she said completely unsure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">My colleague, behind me, reaffirmed her, “It’s Bhutan.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">She shook her head and instead went on doing her work of verifying my passport and visa. She stamped in my passport and smiled at me, as she gave it back to me. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnRCQhWChxHtTyVJ8PJoDjeEK7Y_A7sPKLKXP7GQi8_eLvcAOs0hdN0ZuFMcQaV5-9wTTDdEOqyPaVgTjLeH2YkXaPun5Tuo3Ujazf2OZeVnnpauN-5LZ9YMcyD2mds0PFchoGC2YF_Q/s1600/IMG_5634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnRCQhWChxHtTyVJ8PJoDjeEK7Y_A7sPKLKXP7GQi8_eLvcAOs0hdN0ZuFMcQaV5-9wTTDdEOqyPaVgTjLeH2YkXaPun5Tuo3Ujazf2OZeVnnpauN-5LZ9YMcyD2mds0PFchoGC2YF_Q/s640/IMG_5634.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture: South Korea during spring</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">South Korea, particularly Seoul and Gangnam, was very cold then with dark clouds hovering in the sky and intermittent rains. As we drove to our hotel at Gangnam, I found this country is a technologically advanced with glittering tall buildings and sophisticated hotels, expensive vehicles on the excellent roads, good-looking people in trendy clothes, and beautiful parks and footpaths. There were infinite large size digital billboards on the roadsides displaying commercials. </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Wow</span></i><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">, was my reaction. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Our Korean friend told us, “Korea is beautiful because of maples in autumn and Shakura in spring.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As it’s spring in the country, I excitedly looked around and felt a little fortunate - the cherries were just starting to bloom. “After a week or two, we will have cherry blooms all over the city,” he added further. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I felt privileged to step in this country for second time. We all know that Korea is very popular in Bhutan and a lot of our young people are insanely crazy about K-Pop and television dramas. </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhT81xByQCw" target="_blank">K-Pop and Korean film festivals </a>held in Thimphu last year to mark the 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary of diplomatic relations between Bhutan and South Korea have further popularized Korea. </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">You can see the influence of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Wave" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Korean Wave</i></a> on our youth by the way of their dressing, hairstyle, and makeup. </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Quite surprisingly, today, many Bhutanese youth can speak and read Korean texts – that too by just watching Korean dramas, K-Pop music and <a href="http://www.arirang.com/">Arirang</a> television.</span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture: Gyeonbokgung Royal Palace</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Technically speaking, South Korea is more than double the size of Bhutan with over 50 million people - of which, over half the total population live in the trendy Seoul city. The South Korean economy soared at an annual average of 10 percent for three decades</span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">, which is </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">called the Miracle on the Han River. Today, it’s a global technological powerhouse that produces and exports electronics and motor vehicles such as Samsung, Hyundai, and Kia motors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Once at the hotel, one staff asked me, “Where are you from?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Bhutan,” I said trying to sound myself clear this time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">She grimaced at me and said, “Never heard it.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">After that, I thought that Koreans do not know about Bhutan. After all, Korea is such a developed country and why Bhutan, a small developing country, matters to them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The next day onwards, we attended meetings one after another at different institutes and agencies. In every meeting and conversation, the Koreans always mentioned about “Happy Country” when they referred to Bhutan and they seemed extremely impressed. And they called Bhutan differently, “Butan” or “Butane”.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">One day, my colleagues and I went out in Seoul wearing gho and kira. I was surprised. The Koreans recognized us; they recognized our King and Queen. “Your King is handsome, but your Queen is so beautiful,” they exclaimed every time we talked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Then, I discovered that Bhutan is quite popular in South Korea. Most Koreans know about our country and they think that Bhutan is the happiest country in the world with generally happy people. In fact, they love Bhutan. And there are reasons why.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Firstly, the President of South Korea, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/moonbyun1/" target="_blank">Moon Jae-in</a>, has a special connection to Bhutan. President </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Moon visited Bhutan in July 2016 and spent two weeks when he met the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tsheringtobgay/" target="_blank">Prime Minister of Bhutan </a>and Dasho Karma Ura, the Chairperson of <a href="http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/" target="_blank">Centre for Bhutan Studies and Gross National Happiness</a>. This visit has left a huge impact on Moon and it’s reported that he might implement the GNH policy in Korea.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture: Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay and President Moon</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Secondly, I learned that it’s Lyonchhen Dasho Tshering Tobgay who is the first foreign leader to call and speak with Moon after the confirmation of his election as the President. </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Thirdly</span>, the Korea-Bhutan Friendship Association serves as a liaison between the two countries and President Moon is also a member of the Association. Mr. William Lee, the Chairman of the Association has been working towards promoting Bhutan and GNH in Korea and fostering the friendship between the two countries. Watch his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUoFAou5Fzw" target="_blank">interview about Bhutan here</a> by Arirang.</span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Fourthly, the <a href="http://www.mofa.go.kr/eng/index.do" target="_blank">Ministry of Foreign Affairs,</a> Korea recently published a book on Bhutan and it is distributed widely.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68oMGcl3cTbk4OXD11ubTgQvIc9iXOJj5tyEqmMwiwyCohMj0aJHaGA-cJuzyn5b68_NA-Z0DTrv6RqDDL72RO1tF0GfmNcOWzI2mZlEruIhT35XFCn5NmhhE4tgfbp0_L_OOQjIABHU/s1600/30850025_2223204407697577_1905576530_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1155" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68oMGcl3cTbk4OXD11ubTgQvIc9iXOJj5tyEqmMwiwyCohMj0aJHaGA-cJuzyn5b68_NA-Z0DTrv6RqDDL72RO1tF0GfmNcOWzI2mZlEruIhT35XFCn5NmhhE4tgfbp0_L_OOQjIABHU/s400/30850025_2223204407697577_1905576530_o.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Picture: "Kingdom of Bhutan", a publication by Foreign Ministry, Korea</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Lastly, Park Jin-do, a professor emeritus at <a href="http://plus.cnu.ac.kr/html/en/" target="_blank">Chungnam National University</a>, published a book, “The Secret of Bhutan’s Happiness”. He visited Bhutan and studied GNH in 2015. The book encourages South Korea “to adopt national happiness as a basic principle for state policy.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Information courtesy: </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Mr. Choi, Ms. Miakaw, and <a href="http://www.hani.co.kr/">www.hani.co.kr</a></span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-39379951639028993572018-04-19T16:10:00.000+06:002018-09-10T15:17:41.156+06:00Coffee and talking heart to heart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture: Peach blossom in Bhutan</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We are having coffee in a cozy restaurant. Me and my two friends. On the mountaintops around Thimphu, there’s fresh snow falling gently. The air is prickly itchy cold and it’s quite strange to feel cold at this time of the year. But the hot coffee helps to keep me warm. And I keep sipping it more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“It’s still cold, isn’t it?” I say, as I sip my coffee. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“It’s because we didn't have snowfall this winter,” Sonam explains.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We have already stepped into the spring season and summer is just about a month away…. yet the cold is never leaving us. Outside, it’s dark and gloomy with stinking clouds enveloping the sky. Yesterday, a kind of bizarre, heavy rain and hailstone showered on us. In fact, the Almighty above unleashed almost everything in its might, disposition – except snow. Sometimes, God is unfair! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Think about your parents, your children, your relatives…” Sonam consoles, looking at Tashi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“And friends too,” I chimed in happily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I’m glad that I’ve friends like you two,” Tashi talks, finally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Yeah, we’re always there for you!” Sonam and I affirm him together and Sonam goes on, “Remember that we’re always concern about you! Remember that we care for you!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Life is a long journey - the journey that will take us to different uneventful passage - highs and lows, triumphs and troughs, love and hatred, and storms and sunny. More tellingly, the path that we walk is often fragile, tender, and vulnerable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Sometimes we are hit by the unfortunate storms of life. And we stumble, we fall down, alas, we get bruised and broken. Some can pick themselves up, but not all. Thus, we need friends around you, no matter what. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And even spending quiet time with your friends like this over a cup of coffee and talking it out heart to heart makes you feel a little happier, less hard. </span></div>
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-->Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-31798671160500342252018-02-10T15:14:00.000+06:002018-09-10T15:20:16.272+06:00Photographs of Dorokha<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Just over a month ago, I visited Dorokha town in Samtse. It’s a very peaceful tiny commercial centre with about 25 shops and bars. As it was winter, the weather was dry and cold. At the moment, the people of Dorokha are the happiest and luckiest, as His Majesty the King visited them twice this winter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The most popular spot of the town is Lepcha Restaurant, which sells delicious momo. In the plan, this existing town, which is more than </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">more than six decades,</span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> will be replaced with </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">a new town planning. And with construction of Haa-Samtse highway, I hope this place would prosper in the future. Here are some pictures of Dorokha. Have a lovely weekend!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Dorokha Dungkhag Administrative Office</span></td></tr>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-38756782493958924892018-02-02T16:53:00.000+06:002018-02-02T16:58:50.343+06:00Thank you, Bhutan Telecom Ltd.!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-520082689 -1073717157 41 0 66047 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} span.uficommentbody {mso-style-name:uficommentbody; mso-style-unhide:no;} span.3oh- {mso-style-name:_3oh-; mso-style-unhide:no;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} </style> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9APE0DmlkTaBgoON2aUSt_z9G38IAT3G3zDd1j0wAPxP29l8KmOJH3scpKCscYznNKGAFf-OEysFpxQ8TOzGNGlHodtpvdDS_D3CeNl98LYmbWnLUvrIr7_2meEgXQoL5vjUAJ_yH3x8/s1600/BT-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1448" data-original-width="1600" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9APE0DmlkTaBgoON2aUSt_z9G38IAT3G3zDd1j0wAPxP29l8KmOJH3scpKCscYznNKGAFf-OEysFpxQ8TOzGNGlHodtpvdDS_D3CeNl98LYmbWnLUvrIr7_2meEgXQoL5vjUAJ_yH3x8/s320/BT-logo.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Picture: www.bt.bt</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">On January 27 this year, I wrote a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/riku.subba" target="_blank">post on Facebook</a> regarding poor <a href="https://www.bt.bt/#" target="_blank">B-Mobile</a> service in my village, Chuzagang, Gelephu. This winter alone, I’ve already visited my village more than three times and during these visits, I discovered that <a href="https://www.bt.bt/" target="_blank">Bhutan Telecom</a>’s (BT) cellular service was bad in the community. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The connection for phone call was inconsistent, and I couldn't use social media on my phone. And like me, there were many other locals who still want to stick to the B-Mobile and were frustrated with its service. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The number of people owning smart phones in the gewog is increasing and they need good mobile reception for accessing information and news, maintaining social relationships, civic engagement, seeking employment, and doing business. I’m not assuming this. I saw it, my fellow-villagers told me. And I read their posts on social networking sites expressing how difficult it’s to live without proper mobile service in this day and age. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-d6u7elUkSA2NwnTmSZjrcfS7KzKQWkLk2oCcia7XDKsVo9GYShKoKRQ7QUrxgnco_lttO0TQ_Amq77Xz9pHBCyIwWE4bmGRCCu89m84pK-nS4FFSecz4qB5gHKUa_ErhXFGiS-hJS8c/s1600/14859683_10211426418522639_777671297007795896_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-d6u7elUkSA2NwnTmSZjrcfS7KzKQWkLk2oCcia7XDKsVo9GYShKoKRQ7QUrxgnco_lttO0TQ_Amq77Xz9pHBCyIwWE4bmGRCCu89m84pK-nS4FFSecz4qB5gHKUa_ErhXFGiS-hJS8c/s400/14859683_10211426418522639_777671297007795896_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chuzagang gewog office</td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Like any parts of the country, the phone and Internet have become an integral part of many Chuzagangpas’ lives and it has become difficult to function without it. Even the Prime Minister Office has initiated G2C, by which they introduced many mobile apps that are extremely useful for the people. All the government and non-government agencies also use social media platform to disseminate their information. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Today Internet has become an important tool in our society not only for enabling good governance and economic functions but also for empowering people, especially those underprivileged ones. In this context, I felt that my village was denied proper access to ICTs and also excluded from the digital facilities, which can be (arguably) demanded as our basic rights from the government in this modern world. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Back to my Facebook’s post, the BT has responded to my post very immediately stating that they<span class="uficommentbody"> “will surely take up and address this issue la. Kindly bear with us.”</span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I was surprised. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In the morning of January 30, 2018, I received a message from the Marketing Communications Manager of the BT asking for my phone number. She informed me that <span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"></span></span><span class="3oh-">their technical and marketing officials have already reached Chuzagang for network test. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I was more surprised.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Actually, I didn't expect that the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/btelecom/" target="_blank">Bhutan Telecom</a> would take my issue very seriously, and moreover, I didn't believe that they would act so fast. Because our system is such that many issues or concerns are just ignored or buried. But the reality of this case is that the BT was in my village and has conducted network test. They informed me that they would update me regarding restoration of the network. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It so happened because of the person like the Marketing Communications Manager of the Bhutan Telecom, I assume, who is extremely efficient at what she does. I informed some of my fellow-villagers and they are very happy about it. The BT Marketing Communications Manager has earned my respect, my villagers’. Thus, the BT has earned too. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I appreciate the efforts from the BT management. Thank you so much la! </span></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-67488341720731370472018-01-23T16:24:00.000+06:002018-01-23T16:24:45.846+06:00A special hotel for Bhutanese in Assam<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In September 2008, I asked Mr. C Brahma, the owner of Hotel Himalaya at Chapaiguri in Assam how much his hotel would earn a day from the Bhutanese travellers. Then, I was working as a news reporter with the Bhutan Observer. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hotel Himalaya in Assam</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">He responded to me gracefully, “It ranges from season to season. In the peak season - winter and spring - my hotel earns over one lakh rupees and in the off season it’s about seventy thousand rupees.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">For your information, that was the income of his hotel in just one day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">He stated that over 700 to 1,000 Bhutanese travelers stop at his hotel to have food every day. The hotel was then a temporary makeshift house made of bamboo walls, plastic roof, and mud floor with some basic furniture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">A couple of weeks ago, after 10 years, when I was travelling from Samdrupjongkhar to Gelephu, I stopped at the hotel for lunch. Oh goodness, I couldn't believe my eyes! Now, the hotel has been transformed into an eight-storey tall modern building with glassy windows, enormous restaurant with beautiful furniture, and many more staff. I observed that thousands of commuters from Phuentsholing, Gelephu, Panbang, Nanglam, Samdrup jongkhar, and Daipham stop at the hotel, which he has been running for the last 22 years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This time I didn't ask Mr. C Brahma how much he earns a day or how much he has earned so far. The travellers eating at his place speak. The growth of his hotel speaks. The improvement in his service speaks. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppvQLCJmMteu08DSbU3KlsrDLZ4BSfvou8J6SInf9m8rg0Bl8DbFXKj92kTZtdFd3lKEK8d29019vikO-Idg_tHdiFqH5NfLi7uMXoNAvsnqBoqMoEotVJo0PiC-0cHhXCcxzZ1mxlKc/s1600/DSC_0414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1600" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppvQLCJmMteu08DSbU3KlsrDLZ4BSfvou8J6SInf9m8rg0Bl8DbFXKj92kTZtdFd3lKEK8d29019vikO-Idg_tHdiFqH5NfLi7uMXoNAvsnqBoqMoEotVJo0PiC-0cHhXCcxzZ1mxlKc/s400/DSC_0414.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hotel packed with Bhutanese travellers</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">However, the secret to his success that I’ve discovered is not food provided at the hotel but it’s something else. Driving along the National Highway 31C of Assam is always risky, life-threatening. Often the Bhutanese travellers are harassed, cheated, and beaten by the natives on the highway for different reasons. Some had even lost their vehicles and other belongings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">But once the commuters arrive at the hotel, they feel comfortable, protected. Fluent in Dzongkha, Sharchopkha and Lhotsham, I found the hotel staff are hospitable and helpful. When any troubled Bhutanese travellers come to Mr. Brahma for help, he always renders his service to them. He sorts out their problem and also guides them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In fact, that’s how Mr. Brahma has become so special amongst the Bhutanese commuters. And that’s how he has won the hearts of the Bhutanese travellers. He is the savior, protector! </span></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-43795255933422021502017-10-30T17:04:00.001+06:002018-09-10T15:22:57.396+06:00Except Samtse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;">You ask a friend of yours. And the question is, “How many dzongkhags have you visited?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">He or she says, “All the dzongkhags, except Lhuentse, Gasa and …”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And Samtse. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3avlJOROSTxrRJzoz39roYN4nOfxgyv-hKki2dEL4morPrTwYMZrkDDegY6yJ8NKekUSifAns_u1sS6pKjIiqrXWHuzTpTkZKxD5CFwzTbeu5_0wAalm1jwgFeYyUKPgzZ76NWU-rDk/s1600/13615222_10210255718015858_8307037054437270919_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="960" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3avlJOROSTxrRJzoz39roYN4nOfxgyv-hKki2dEL4morPrTwYMZrkDDegY6yJ8NKekUSifAns_u1sS6pKjIiqrXWHuzTpTkZKxD5CFwzTbeu5_0wAalm1jwgFeYyUKPgzZ76NWU-rDk/s640/13615222_10210255718015858_8307037054437270919_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Bird's-eye view of Samtse</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Not many Bhutanese have travelled to this low-lying land, hot and humid in the summer and pleasant and dry in the winter. It’s because of its geographical location. An area of approximately 1309.1 square kilometers and located at the extreme southwestern foothill of Bhutan, people hardly have to travel to this isolated dzongkhag. Only those who belong to the place or they do for business or official purpose travel here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In the last two years, I’ve visited Samtse several times. And I must tell you that I’m in love with this humble place. I’ve found this sparsely populated place simply humble, kind, and enchanting. It’s considered as a poor, remote, and backward dzongkhag. Yet, to me, Samtse is absolutely vibrant, rich, and affectionate. It’s the land of different cultures, different ethnic groups such as Lhotshampas, Doyap, Adibashi, and Drukpas, and different languages. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VixO65pm6_iglZcAZL6fyQDfuDNRbUN7vMYMtg5zNDt92WQEQarIP-I1_5XA4sRLf4Pvak3mW-hkm7Tj1hkqoMOhg0Jx5p9zl-LhNemb-S7JmplsgqQjRNB_3oJLihzjNuvyuISh9jI/s1600/_DSC0102+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1600" height="433" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VixO65pm6_iglZcAZL6fyQDfuDNRbUN7vMYMtg5zNDt92WQEQarIP-I1_5XA4sRLf4Pvak3mW-hkm7Tj1hkqoMOhg0Jx5p9zl-LhNemb-S7JmplsgqQjRNB_3oJLihzjNuvyuISh9jI/s640/_DSC0102+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">What fascinates me the most is its history of </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Dewan and Kazi (Landlords) and Mandals, and how they used to rule the place.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In actuality, it's the land of diversity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Now Samtse is growing - bigger, larger, and richer. The Samtse town, otherwise a shanty and deserted throm, is now getting a new facelift. Today many new concrete buildings are being constructed, as more and more businessmen see some possible prospects. There’s already a new shopping complex and some good hotels and restaurants. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The Samtse College of Education and other schools in the dzongkhag have undergone a major uplift in terms of their infrastructure and education development. The dzongkhag has got its own economic real estate at Dam Dum and a hydropower substation. And I’ve seen all this growth within the last two years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Finally, Samtse could dispel itself from its curse of being “poor, remote, and backward.” Education and income level of its people is improving annually, as mobility of its people is more and the people are working harder and growing cash crops.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I have visited many pockets of this dzongkhag and I am going to show you why I fell in love with it. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Diana Bridge: </span></b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It is undoubtedly the longest motorable bridge in the country spanning over the Diana River between the Samtse town and Chengmari. Such a pleasant site to visit and interesting thing about this </span><span class="st"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">325m long </span></span><i><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">bridge is that you can also walk across it.</span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Diana Bridge</span></td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Sunsets:</span></b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Samtse offers you with splendid sunset in the evening. It’s always awe-inspiring to sit and watch the sun turning into a marmalade glow, pink and ember, and then slowing disappearing behind the infinite landscape. In fact, it's my favourite thing to do in Samtse.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTbTxWFOVHJ_nawWUzR1VPxKgvqYsrtf_nZUjm9PWyGN-7R5ldI8FK87lFscuNeGVdt45vwSX8HhYeDaJf45Pfj-wJMN_0Ig7lDlDFsBQLCDu90yfnLwFEyhyswRI8_1bgsar73QHdUk/s1600/_DSC0153+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTbTxWFOVHJ_nawWUzR1VPxKgvqYsrtf_nZUjm9PWyGN-7R5ldI8FK87lFscuNeGVdt45vwSX8HhYeDaJf45Pfj-wJMN_0Ig7lDlDFsBQLCDu90yfnLwFEyhyswRI8_1bgsar73QHdUk/s640/_DSC0153+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Budhuney bridge</span></td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Chengmari cakes:</span></b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Mr. Binod, a young man, runs a good bakery at Chengmari in Samtse. He told me that he got training in baking from Thimphu and after that he opened the shop at his own hometown. I liked his cakes and cookies so much. They are delicious. It’s a must visit place for me when I travel to Samtse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbSB6oWzcIA-DDmTFGeOsoTbUQBHj9eUjMoeXTDA_RjitAmOfAO9HkjsF2SfbWLdu5XHaVB6C2BE2AJyYthfofSs_KUkvKZtazsxsKzg-1hoeyf9Weld8NR_HYWtKi8H6pSYUFUEgPdbY/s1600/IMG_4421+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbSB6oWzcIA-DDmTFGeOsoTbUQBHj9eUjMoeXTDA_RjitAmOfAO9HkjsF2SfbWLdu5XHaVB6C2BE2AJyYthfofSs_KUkvKZtazsxsKzg-1hoeyf9Weld8NR_HYWtKi8H6pSYUFUEgPdbY/s640/IMG_4421+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Chengmari bakery</span></td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Shivalya Mandir:</span></b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> This Mandir was rebuilt upon the command of His Majesty the King as a gift to the people of Samtse to commemorate the Royal Wedding and the 60th Birth Anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo. It is such a beautiful religious site, as the mandir houses one of the finest and expensive statues of Lord Shiva imported from Rajasthan.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4_06nhQFTy4dY76zFGqycxQoZ4y2DYgQPBH5k3Ub-Mjvuum_y8bpfoJk7V5kvF1hG0pYwm3cpB5ukXmKKnLVUvJamAWfiqvLfTAop7mATPoXNwv4Di7A5ponhyphenhyphenRLx9S6n5eVVGSpTqA/s1600/17671096_10212903456647669_566239212_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="929" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4_06nhQFTy4dY76zFGqycxQoZ4y2DYgQPBH5k3Ub-Mjvuum_y8bpfoJk7V5kvF1hG0pYwm3cpB5ukXmKKnLVUvJamAWfiqvLfTAop7mATPoXNwv4Di7A5ponhyphenhyphenRLx9S6n5eVVGSpTqA/s640/17671096_10212903456647669_566239212_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Shivalaya Mandir</span></td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Lhop:</span></b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Samtse is also home to about 2,500 Lhops (Doya). They are a little-studied ethnic group that resides at Lotokochu in Dorokha, about 50 km away from Samtse town. We believe them to be the aboriginals and they are known for their unique culture and tradition practices such as marrying cross cousins, burial customs, and animistic religious rites.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4U3hD7Mcp_7X04cvQXgMVsD5D99iU_jxxTaNdyAvb4btb7HRwD7-xVqd7lfaq8K22Zagw_qs9AUlaqgsx8u6-hoi6xy9j0i0IlMUXWbKKDFC3sJJfrYhqfq59q9-2QkjRibVWq7tQQQs/s1600/_DSC2199+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1063" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4U3hD7Mcp_7X04cvQXgMVsD5D99iU_jxxTaNdyAvb4btb7HRwD7-xVqd7lfaq8K22Zagw_qs9AUlaqgsx8u6-hoi6xy9j0i0IlMUXWbKKDFC3sJJfrYhqfq59q9-2QkjRibVWq7tQQQs/s640/_DSC2199+copy.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A Doyap with his radio</span></td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Volleyball:</span></b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> One sport that the people of Samtse love is volleyball. Whenever I visit the place, I always come across men of all ages playing the game and I noticed they are really good at it. So when I have time I always join them. It’s so much of fun. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Swimming:</span></b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> There are a couple of rivers - Budhuney and Diana - I’ve discovered that we can go throw ourselves to beat the monsoon heat. With an average temperature of 26.6 °C, the people definitely have to find a place for swimming. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65UQv-ONDGmrle6szeEF18BPoQLUBcIPq7g13-29O6gZZ3pnx8i451Tnm1ZaxtWqnZo4qL0pAbQlficDykQqef6eFG726pRU68eMxQ-V7jJLwzul2UceIMoI0moKtZRttLiysI5RBCto/s1600/_DSC0249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1600" height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65UQv-ONDGmrle6szeEF18BPoQLUBcIPq7g13-29O6gZZ3pnx8i451Tnm1ZaxtWqnZo4qL0pAbQlficDykQqef6eFG726pRU68eMxQ-V7jJLwzul2UceIMoI0moKtZRttLiysI5RBCto/s640/_DSC0249.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swimming place at Budhuney River</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
</div>
Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-46051769143302886572017-09-26T00:39:00.001+06:002017-09-26T00:40:05.317+06:00A paradise: the valley of Punakha <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We often called Bhutan a paradise.
In fact, the outsiders find it absolutely fascinating, serene, and beautiful. I
mustn’t talk much here, as no words can paint its beauty, splendor. So here are
some pictures of Punakha valley, which I had taken during my visit to the place
a few weeks ago. Have a lovely day, dear reader!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXcN0mElyfLCFzgqDTPGTyPvQTbrSq7xPlQHWb6pJhgUFlMNi0GvMW0UL60Eqg_vrK6xo9S3BphFMUSqcfT1QrQD6nAGw-Vjpif1hrtWukRB-K6rZIKB_KoiWpnDiUIHi27KtOCdkvMk/s1600/_DSC0243.NEF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXcN0mElyfLCFzgqDTPGTyPvQTbrSq7xPlQHWb6pJhgUFlMNi0GvMW0UL60Eqg_vrK6xo9S3BphFMUSqcfT1QrQD6nAGw-Vjpif1hrtWukRB-K6rZIKB_KoiWpnDiUIHi27KtOCdkvMk/s400/_DSC0243.NEF.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVsVePhzXsVs5UBUBP1rhzfSm2Hif-gxMiUVAopu2IxbVurv2o64skmpQit3fA_OrnZQi3RJ5c6O4b2ufCY0MZogPKrmx-dNOll-pHMHCwMxnyhGvgOCe6Qv1ZJuoNVk0U8t3PqUhavI/s1600/_DSC0198+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVsVePhzXsVs5UBUBP1rhzfSm2Hif-gxMiUVAopu2IxbVurv2o64skmpQit3fA_OrnZQi3RJ5c6O4b2ufCY0MZogPKrmx-dNOll-pHMHCwMxnyhGvgOCe6Qv1ZJuoNVk0U8t3PqUhavI/s400/_DSC0198+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-25639438110685824542017-07-21T16:42:00.000+06:002017-07-21T16:44:49.287+06:00In India, tea making is an art<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It was an early May morning. Along with my two colleagues, I was at Bengali Market in New Delhi. There was a rustle on the street, as this small town was just beginning to resume its regular activities. Cleaners were brooming the streets, vendors were packaging goods and loading on their bicycles, and shopkeepers were just pulling up their shutters. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUj4BCkBy4t6UkGUWgzTBJ4vpFU6SZB232u2_bfczoDSoeQyViPcs-EaL9_VWTpbIfoJa_Ivq8r7DXHp1mToeyoL6waBtE5sv2ReFpuVWFi3iMdsXuT3qm7b43RLoMp7iHOozBBwKTRac/s1600/IMG_1321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="1600" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUj4BCkBy4t6UkGUWgzTBJ4vpFU6SZB232u2_bfczoDSoeQyViPcs-EaL9_VWTpbIfoJa_Ivq8r7DXHp1mToeyoL6waBtE5sv2ReFpuVWFi3iMdsXuT3qm7b43RLoMp7iHOozBBwKTRac/s400/IMG_1321.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">That fine morning, we were looking for chai wala, tea maker, to have a cup of tea and some good snacks. Being a Bhutanese, quite wondrously, it’s not alcohol but tea that has been very close to my heart since my childhood. Actually I got this habit from my mother. Every day, my day starts with a nice cup of tea, then I probably have a few cups during the daytime, and it ends with a cup of evening tea. And especially when I am in India, I am after chai. Indian tea is very different, special and indeed the best for me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">After making one round of the street, right behind the main lane, we spotted a tea stall. Before us, a few Indian men were sitting around drinking tea with some cookies. The tea maker<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>is a man in his early 30s. He wore a serious expression - maybe it was early morning and he couldn't really shake off his sleep. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNd8xPz-jl-gnGnGWUlgzAoz613PmRdEokL5ya7jtQfyRHCzgBhiCkni2Qv9c64MzlCi8BOCOo04vRyItvdcuKIwURCeGG24V2cAv7g4iYFSGxDVxHiU-kTA98tPBDVEl45ixiQLEQBs/s1600/IMG_1328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1600" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNd8xPz-jl-gnGnGWUlgzAoz613PmRdEokL5ya7jtQfyRHCzgBhiCkni2Qv9c64MzlCi8BOCOo04vRyItvdcuKIwURCeGG24V2cAv7g4iYFSGxDVxHiU-kTA98tPBDVEl45ixiQLEQBs/s400/IMG_1328.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It was a very small stall made of concrete bricks but he had everything required for his business. A gas cylinder and stove, several containers of tea ingredients, pots to keep local raw milk, saucepan and paper cups. He also had some cookies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We asked for three cups of tea. “Double cup.” It means double the size of the smallest teacup he had. Then he measured water into a saucepan, added one teaspoon of black tea leave into the water, and he waited for the water to a boil. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This was the time when we could talk to the tea maker. He told us that he was from Kolkata and he had migrated to Delhi for many years and life in the capital city has been better. Then I knew this guy would brew a good tea for us. </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Kolkata is the undisputed tea capital of India. I had visited it a few times in the past and you get the finest tea there on the streets. </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Consignments of Assam and Darjeeling are shipped to the international market from Kolkata. I have found from some of the officials in Delhi that tea has come a long journey in India. Tea plantations started in the country in 1830’s by the British; however, in the beginning tea was used as a medicine. Only in the early 1900’s, tea-drinking culture spread in in India and now it has an integral part of their life. As we see, tea is now grown widely in India and there are over 2000 producers of high quality tea in the country. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LnxSXU_p33AiIG3J2HBtqgE4hETvWnrvUXXSVE-v9HUChG_Djd798pMnQoveQsWHt6geQgNJmwnb1PasONvEoa6M4OOOj4f8VeI6-Gc9AQacp8omG21n4MpAtMeesMqV9tZf89wbLkI/s1600/IMG_1338.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="1600" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LnxSXU_p33AiIG3J2HBtqgE4hETvWnrvUXXSVE-v9HUChG_Djd798pMnQoveQsWHt6geQgNJmwnb1PasONvEoa6M4OOOj4f8VeI6-Gc9AQacp8omG21n4MpAtMeesMqV9tZf89wbLkI/s400/IMG_1338.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">After the Bengali tea maker could bring the water to a boil, he </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">added in a few teaspoons of sugar. He also poured in some milk </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">from ever-greater heights</span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> and then he crushed some cinnamon and cardamom and added in the pan. He did with sharp vividness and scale. I observed him very close. He continued it to boil for sometime, stirring so it doesn't boil over. He strained it and served us in paper cups. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Good heavens, this tea was very special, sweet and milky spiced with cardamom and cinnamon. I had yearned chai for a quite long time then. As I drank it, I savored every sip.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Tea making is definitely a skill; skill one acquires through many years of practice. But observing closely - the entire process of brewing tea - is more than a skill. In fact, it is an art as it entails expression of creative skill and a little bit of magic. That's why chai is absolutely special and delicious. That's why only the Indians can make it. </span></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775233140616681939.post-51065453560507896002017-06-12T17:27:00.000+06:002017-06-12T17:33:12.651+06:00Darla - an art on canvas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I am going to talk about Darla, a village under Chukha dzongkhag. This wide valley is about five miles south of Gedu. As we travel between Thimphu and Phuentsholing, we see Darla always being clouded with dark dense fog, or rather receiving rain. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“What a boring place to live?” the commuters say, almost contemptuously. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And they wonder, “I wonder this place ever receives sunlight!” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Three months ago, I had an official work at Gedu and my colleagues and I decided to visit Darla. Frankly speaking, I was not at all excited about the visit. For I thought this place was no fun. Moreover, I heard it was infected with deadly snakes and leeches. And in some strange ways, I was little nervous. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">However, office work is office work. You like it or not, you have to go and do it. Initially, I decided not to carry camera with me because I thought what would I shoot under those fog and rain. And I was not interested to take pictures of those snakes and leeches. Seriously. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In the end, I took it. And I didn’t regret my decision. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSP9Yu1jTnw4xYUJl2GJeABWTF-gT9V78xOyvbZveujQCXw4JvxU-VSY9hF8aDa4QXBTZ1fFDkX-1luW08tFiT50lHrO3Sw-Zt5_8UIi06j__jiCWdFi2F6DXVkDk8RNAAQ6ufd_4lhv4/s1600/_DSC0077.NEF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1600" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSP9Yu1jTnw4xYUJl2GJeABWTF-gT9V78xOyvbZveujQCXw4JvxU-VSY9hF8aDa4QXBTZ1fFDkX-1luW08tFiT50lHrO3Sw-Zt5_8UIi06j__jiCWdFi2F6DXVkDk8RNAAQ6ufd_4lhv4/s400/_DSC0077.NEF.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It was early evening when we arrived at Darla. The sky above, then, was just open and this was the first time I could see entire texture of the valley. It amazed me thoroughly, and I fell in love with her instantly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Putting on quite the expression of a joyful lover, I looked upon her, sincerely, with utmost admiration. Over the overcast of awfully gorgeous blue sky, a few lines of cumulous clouds spread like strokes of fine paintbrush. The sun was just setting and patterns of its rays shining through the clouds were making on the valley. It appeared to me like the Almighty above was just blessing it. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0u-XX4gyXz-0WQ6DQiNhKy172H8Z3zEgcis42nWHCtZiqHptK6J2cd4uGgUDMAeswid0tCzO6SQKHyZhbyHQCq8Jp__mSjlLND5iFbzHYyWAml8LgQbFYVIvJf432fJra0W8cOzwp6U/s1600/_DSC0102.NEF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0u-XX4gyXz-0WQ6DQiNhKy172H8Z3zEgcis42nWHCtZiqHptK6J2cd4uGgUDMAeswid0tCzO6SQKHyZhbyHQCq8Jp__mSjlLND5iFbzHYyWAml8LgQbFYVIvJf432fJra0W8cOzwp6U/s400/_DSC0102.NEF.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Darla was a vast stretch of country, which was inhibited by over 670 Ngalong and Lhotsham households. Different shapes and colours of houses were scattered all over with mountains on the opposite. Exceptionally tall and giant dark woods grew abundantly, and broadleaf grass and cardamom plants in deep green tenderly blanketed surface of the valley.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Right between it meandered the dwindling road, and this nice blacktop road was interestingly bendy, yes, exactly like the shape of a snake. And we rode down in snaking movement. This ride was strangely joyous; indeed it’s one of the most thrilling rides of my life. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMQDwRdhO45F35eqiYRB4eUC-S507b9osAHkk6_DzaDZGyQNeIVwxL1wHIXuurWEpnqn72jUtaIjYiAPd7sGZxA03C4xjSB8yLqTZNwzlaI73OvwbmxPK-kD5x1h1a6PD7VBJ9JwCvFA/s1600/18557029_1693678730648175_7061800706042361870_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMQDwRdhO45F35eqiYRB4eUC-S507b9osAHkk6_DzaDZGyQNeIVwxL1wHIXuurWEpnqn72jUtaIjYiAPd7sGZxA03C4xjSB8yLqTZNwzlaI73OvwbmxPK-kD5x1h1a6PD7VBJ9JwCvFA/s400/18557029_1693678730648175_7061800706042361870_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I dropped my luggage in my room at guesthouse and then I rushed out again because I didn't want to miss the beauty outside. I walked on the road keenly watching the wonderful landscape of Darla and the cumulous clouds that hung in the sky. And also feeling the pleasant odour of the trees that were just bursting into leaf. It felt like I was in the company of a beautiful woman.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzgtT8_yiFqfqEVajbKOujwe5EwAJhZyLMQpnPWeofFp3s_BB-xt770HoTbCThhZsLd4RbxQGI48WeFmsxmMLLGxDC_HY9TLXWSJcy5nn2wux_gi5HwnlbSIVsBp6kYSKAIonnuk0kFM/s1600/_DSC0117.NEF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="1600" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzgtT8_yiFqfqEVajbKOujwe5EwAJhZyLMQpnPWeofFp3s_BB-xt770HoTbCThhZsLd4RbxQGI48WeFmsxmMLLGxDC_HY9TLXWSJcy5nn2wux_gi5HwnlbSIVsBp6kYSKAIonnuk0kFM/s400/_DSC0117.NEF.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">On the road, I came across a group of countrywomen with spades in their hands. They were just returning from their farm, from their daylong hard labour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Kuzu Zangpo<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> la</i>!” I greeted them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">They responded me promptly, “Kuzu <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">la</i>.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I am scouting your village,” I said smiling and added matter-of-factly, “Your village is very beautiful. I am already loving it here very much.”</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zb7VKa2hGifg3ykJ9ZaIc2jlXvQ8MITUDs2fBEsgrdi-JLe1zfkzNzHDbkTg3e88eBirYGd8L52x6Zd4Ihil3EMm7WfjbmL6OplmbSZYoWbgOswPpf3bda12CP-79L1zamaKvu5mGzY/s1600/_DSC0180.NEF.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1600" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zb7VKa2hGifg3ykJ9ZaIc2jlXvQ8MITUDs2fBEsgrdi-JLe1zfkzNzHDbkTg3e88eBirYGd8L52x6Zd4Ihil3EMm7WfjbmL6OplmbSZYoWbgOswPpf3bda12CP-79L1zamaKvu5mGzY/s400/_DSC0180.NEF.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Las la. Lopoen</i>, where are you from?” the oldest woman, supposedly in her 40s, from the group asked me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I said I came from Thimphu. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Thank you for liking it here. Darla hardly opens up. But when it does, it’s beautiful.” she said. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">They left, and I resumed walking. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Gradually the evening grew deeper, and I grew more fascinated. To put it more accurately, I was bewitched. The sky had turned absolutely magnificent maroon, ember, and there was something so evocative about the myriad ways the clouds play in the sky. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tysdbRxIl_JjPW5L6GC4FeyGVDmBKbfw5W8yBAoWYDTmKERhHPCh4r-fl9WZ2J59mpyWq5H7R2Sabm1JIJrKAMGcbrFf-Wiz8xni11f6n1YzgICTlJcauObo-DmZRr5NMb51UGf2PDI/s1600/_DSC0187.NEF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1600" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tysdbRxIl_JjPW5L6GC4FeyGVDmBKbfw5W8yBAoWYDTmKERhHPCh4r-fl9WZ2J59mpyWq5H7R2Sabm1JIJrKAMGcbrFf-Wiz8xni11f6n1YzgICTlJcauObo-DmZRr5NMb51UGf2PDI/s400/_DSC0187.NEF.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“It can’t be real,” I said to myself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It's like I was looking at a brilliant art on canvas. And I fell in love more. </span></div>
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Rikuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14164533049512496321noreply@blogger.com7