A festival never to miss

I know most of you have celebrated Diwali with your lhotsham friends. This year, as Diwali will spark every Hindu house early next week, I also know what you love most about this festival. Isn’t cel roti the one? He-he! Others are "Deusi and Bhailo", “Bhai Tika” and the lights. I have this apprehension (but I may be wrong) that most Bhutanese love cel roti. Perhaps you already reserved it from your lhotsham friends, colleagues or neighbours.  And if you’re young, supposedly a student, you would gang up with your friends, run away from your house or bunk hostel and all night play "Deusi and Bhailo". The stimulating josh is that you’re paid with money and certainly get plentiful of cel roti. Ha-ha!   

                                                              Pic: Deusi & Bhailo

If you really crave for the roti, I bring here for you the cel roti recipe. But before that, let me tell you briefly the significance of the festival. I will try making it short and yeah, very interesting. Mind you, I will not chant like pundits. 

Forget about the history. Ram, Ravana, etc. etc. Myth will take its toll and it's going to deadly bore you. Diwali falls on one new moon night between mid-October and mid-November and is celebrated for five days. On the first day (Kaag tihar), crows are given offerings, considering them to be divine messengers. On the second day (Kukur tihar), dogs are given food for their honesty. Don't worry, all animals won't come. On the third day, Laxmi puja is performed; the day businessmen clear their accounts and worship Laxmi, the goddess of wealth. The fourth day is celebrated as New Year where Deusi and other cultural processions are observed. On the fifth and final day called "Bhai Tika", when brothers and sisters meet and exchange gifts. Interesting, na? 

                                     Pic: Bhai Tika (Brothers & sisters exchange gifts)

During Diwali, lights illuminate every corner of Hindu lands and the scent of incense sticks hangs in the air, mingled with the sounds of fire-crackers, joy, togetherness and hope. People in the community play "Deusi and Bhailo" which is a kind of singing and dancing forming a group. The groups go to all the houses in the community and play songs and dance, and give blessing to the visited houses, whereas the house owners offer foods like rice grains, cel roti, fruits and money. After the festival, they donate some amount of the collected money and food for charity and with rest of the money and food, they go for picnic. 

                                           Dan (Money, roti, drinks, fruits) after Deusi & Bhailo

Remind me, if I have bored you. Ok, I have a trick here to trigger you active. Recollect those days you went out with your lhotsham friends playing “Deusi and Bhailo” or imagine that you’re young and had already formed a group and going around playing Deusi snacking on cel roti non-stop.

With each Diwali and the lights that illuminate homes and hearts, its significance is "the awareness of the inner light". The light empowers us to commit ourselves to good deeds which bring us closer to divinity. Hindu philosophy asserts that there’s something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal. It refers to the light of higher knowledge that dispels all ignorance. With this awakening comes compassion and the awareness of the oneness of all things.

                                                                    Pic: Cel roti 

Now I will get your hands into the cooking of cel roti. Trust me, I asked this recipe from my sister who makes best cel roti among my family members.

Ingredients: 

25 gm suji, ½ kg besan (optional), ½ kg maida, ½ kg rice flour, 200 g sugar, 5 pieces of crushed elaichi, ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, and 1 liter refined vegetable oil.

Recipe:

Step 1: Mix all the ingredients in a bowel, except refined veg. oil.

Step 2: Add half liter of warm water in the bowl and stir it with your hands for 20 minutes until it becomes smooth and thick liquid.

Step 3: Heat the vegetable oil at 100 degree Celsius in a pan.

Step 4: With the help of your one hand, grasp a half handful of the liquid ingredients and pour it in the pan clockwise or anti-clockwise until one end touches other end.

Step 5: Take it out immediately with the help of a two feet long bamboo stick when it turns dark red.

Cel roti is eaten with chutney, aludam and even with non-veg. curries.

Symbolism: Since this roti is prepared during Diwali, a time when all family members come together, the round-shaped cel roti symbolizes that wherever the members of a family go or settle down (though very far away), they would be never forgotten and ultimately come together back to their village, their root, during the festivals or in times of need or adversity.  

Photo courtesy: www.anqc.org; Phalono.com

Bhutan is not the 'Shangri-la on earth'

The measure of happiness has been a topic of debate in the Sinagporean Parliament over the last few days, and constant references to Bhutan have been made as well.

However, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in the debate that he visited Bhutan a few years ago and he saw that the over-romanticised version of GNH did not fit the reality in Bhutan.

He confronted that Bhutan is not the "Shangri-la on earth".

  And he cited reasons why: 

"Most of the time, I saw unhappy people [in Bhutan], toiling in the field, worried about the next harvest and whether there would be buyers for their products. They have studied us because Singapore is also a tiny nation, living next to big neighbours.

"We have successfully transited from third world to first, and managed to create a functioning and harmonious society for our people. In their minds, Singapore could well be the Shangri-la and they want Bhutan to emulate Singapore."

Read the link here:

Bhutan is not the 'Shangri-la on earth', says Khaw - Channel NewsAsia

Let’s support TMEV

The REVA electric car which has been introduced in Bhutan since 2009 didn’t attract us. Though eco-friendly and enables zero emission driving, there are many challenges associated with EVs. This car can run only 80 km for a battery, a normal charge takes 8 hours, and its maximum speed is 80 km/h. That’s why people still prefer conventional combustion-engine vehicles. 

  

A new Hope: A new hope is born as the Thunder Motors Electric Vehicles (TMEV), a Bhutanese based company will be launching its first batch of electric cars (half and full body cars, SUVs) by the end of this October. Price will range from Nu 400,000 to Nu 1.4 million. Interestingly, the company will also manufacture larger vehicles.

According to the Managing Director with the TMEV, the vehicles have been designed to suit Bhutanese conditions and are eco-friendly. The components of the vehicles are imported from other countries: controllers are purchased from the USA, batteries from China, and body parts from Japan and the motors from Germany. This time the vehicle is finally assembled in china; however, from next year the company is hopeful to start assembling in Bhutan. 

Battery and its durability: The fully charged vehicle will run between 200-500 KMs. It will take about six hours to charge batteries at home, while at charging stations it will take only 10 minutes. 

Reduce the country’s dependency on Indian Rupees: The introduction of eclectic cars would drastically decrease fuel dependency in the country and cut down the fuel imports by 50 %. Today the RGOB spends about Nu 5 billions on fuel import every year. 

Cost effective: An individual have to spend only Nu 35 to Nu 70 every month charging the battery. Around 40 to 80 units of electricity will be enough to last a month. 

Conversion: Interestingly the cars with combustion engines can be converted as electric cars by replacing the engines with electric motors. The conversion cost for larger vehicles range from Nu 400,000 to Nu 500,000, while smaller vehicles can get it done for Nu 100,000 to Nu 200,000. Two wheelers will cost Nu 40,000. It will take between five to 20 days for the conversion process to complete depending on the size. 

Charging stations: TMEV will build charging stations at certain locations, as the plans have already mapped out as to how the station would function. 

Challenges: Lack of awareness among the public and also at the policy making level. Bhutanese businessmen are very skeptic to invest in electric vehicles. Support from the government is very imperative in the initial three years as people are reluctant to pay for conversion.

With the availability of cheap electricity and the national policy that emphasizes on environmental conservation and the country’s dependency on Indian oil, this eco-friendly project initiated by TMEV should be supported by the people and our government. The government have to provide unwavering supports by providing financial helps and exempting it from import duties and other taxes.

References: Bhutan Times, ThimphuTech.com

To My King and Queen

All my fellow bloggers have composed poems, lyrics, appreciations and sonnets to the royal couple and they have beautifully posted on their blogs. I felt that I wouldn't be doing justice until I compose a poem of praises to our majesties. And I tried really hard to compose, but all in vain. I realized then I can never compose poem. But I have for you a beautifully crafted poem by Tshering Tashi, a class XI student of Punakha HSS (which I have taken it out from Nobu's blog, teacher). Read it below: 

The moment I heard the news,

I emptied my heart, and filled it with happiness,

For I could not help but feel overwhelmed,

For I could not help but feel sheer joy.

Your Highness Ashi Jetsun Pema,
Thank you for making my King happy.
Thank you for holding His hand,
And thank you for being kind to us.

You are that new light,
That will further brighten my King’s World.
The World that two of you will nurture together,
In happiness, in love, with compassion, and with maturity.

My King has always made His people happy.
But by deciding to give us a Queen,
He has made us even happier,
And by choosing Ashi Jetsun Pema.

On this joyous auspicious occasion,
The gods and goddesses will come to Earth,
For Heaven then will be on Earth.
When our King will take his bride.

I wish I could express all the joy that’s in my heart.
Join my hands and smile a contented smile.
A smile like a smile at the end of reading a fairy tale,
  For I see and know the pair will live, ‘Happily Ever after’.

 

We cooperate with you if you deal us humanely

Last Sunday I was travelling back from Gelephu. I was shell-shocked, and more than that angry. At various checkpoints on the Gelephu-Thimphu highway, there were frequent inspections by regional immigration and police officials. I understand that the checking is for national security, but, we want the immigration and police officials to deal us humanely.

I dare say that the inspectors are giving brutal harassment to the travelers. Firstly, they didn’t announce the public extensively to carry the identity cards with them while traveling.  This is the reason many travelers are denied entry from the check points and harassed unnecessarily.

Secondly, there’s a need to knock down some manners in the police officials who are on inspections. They act and speak so rude to the passengers. They treat the travelers as criminals. We understand they’re doing all this for the security of our country. But ours is a civilized society. We cooperate with them if they deal us humanely.

Perhaps they think that only policemen are serving the Tsa-wa-sum. The truth is that we as citizens of this country also serve the Tsa-wa-sum. The reality is that we’re on different leagues of arm forces, civil servants, corporate employees, businessmen or framers.

Next time when we have such great event in our country, I suggest the MoHCA to inform the public in general extensively about the inspections. This kind of sudden inspection only arouses rues over public and mistreatments from the inspectors. And yeah, to the head of the RBP-better knock down civil attitude in your police officials and make them public-friendly.

Apolitical teachers only produce apolitical students

Teachers in Bhutan are civil servants. As civil servants, teachers (to uphold the higher moral integrity and as law abiding citizens) are obliged to remain apolitical. But how this contributes to the learning of school children to be well-educated and democratic youth citizens? 

Today, many teachers shy off when their students ask questions pertaining to politics (Tobacco Control Act, CDG, political funding, Gyelposhing land and lottery scam). Students, our children want to know all this, develop critical thinking. Well, this is embarrassing when teachers would respond to their students, “Shhh! We, as civil servants, are not allowed to talk on this.”

Similarly, I am a civil servant, not a teacher though. If my kids or my young nieces and nephews ask me about the political issues, should I run away from them or shout at them to keep shut. But, it is undeniably very unhealthy trend being taking root in our young democracy.

I understand and respect that the BCSR 2007 has for the civil servants to be neutral on politics. But by tightening shut the teachers and civil servants’ mouths, aren’t we blocking our young people from learning and more importantly depriving them from becoming effective and democratic citizens? Or are we just blatantly neglecting the voices of youth (considering inexperience), their right to information? Or are we just demolishing the youth’s bridge to be productive and responsible citizens in democratic Bhutan?

A delicious disgusting word

I am never at ease each time I utter this word. A Dzongkha word, unfortunately. Don’t be surprised! Je khenpo is the word I am talking about. In short, supposedly, we called it Je. Don’t laugh! I can anticipate your predictable reaction. For I know you would be giggling there. 

Je Khenpo or Je is the Head Abbot in Bhutan. But an unavoidable shame clinches me, uncomfortably though, because the thing (dirty) of men is explicitly reminded to me each time I utter or hear this word. Say you Je. Once more, say it out loud. Ermmm! Didn’t it remind you about that thing? Now you trust me I’m not a bluff. 

Am I blaspheming here? However, as our belief would have it, now I’d be dragged into an unpardonable sin for ridiculing this spiritual word. If you’re a staunch Buddhist, you can throw a swift punch on my face…spoil the geography and bring me back to consciousness. Enough said, right?

But you’re wrong if you’re thinking that I am an atheist or anti-Buddhist. I believe in an ideology of “impermanence”, “life after death”, “compassionate and responsible living”. But this word, Je, is the sexiest Dzongkha term for me and today nothing is stopping me from sharing this post with you. 

Suffice it to say, these two words have different spellings in the Dzongkha Dictionary, but both sound no different and they carry the same intonation to me. Guess what? When I have to say or talk about Je khenpo, I am always stuck in a dilemmatic situation. But listen here; I have a trick to fool my listeners. I always utter Je very swiftly, so that Khenpo can overtake it immediately. Like this, J’ Khenpo. Ha-ha!   

I blame myself for not taking genuine interest in learning Dzongkha language, but I can reason out that the language also do the justice to attract us. Much as I hated to admit it that Dzongkha lacks vocabulary, and we’re worrying the slow demise of our national language. Perhaps more tellingly, another word would duly assist my argument here. Again I have to sacrifice my principles. As you’d be anticipating, Jedha is the word that would justify your apprehensions. And I will tell you how Dzongkha lacks vocabulary through this word.

This is the most commonly used word by the people of all walks of life in Bhutan. I don’t know exactly what it means literally as no teacher or syllabus taught us about this word in the schools, but undoubtedly it carries almost identical connotation of an English word “Fuck”. In Dzongkha, jedha is used to express negative emotions. It is the only word to show our anger, pain, disappointment and frustration. In good old days perhaps our ancestors were never frustrated, angry or disappointed. So there’s no need of discovering words to describe these feelings.
 Now, unfortunately, jedha has to supplement all frustration, anger, hatred and depression that modernity has produced. Thanks to Jedha! 

Interestingly, it can be abbreviated as dha.   

This word is also used to greet friends, “Jedha! Nam hongyi tshey.” Also, we use this word to express surprise. A good example is here: “Jedha! Bum jarim dhu mey,” my friend would exclaim if I were dating a pretty girl. 

It can be also used as a “pause” word. “Khatsha, dha, nga, dha, taxi mathoba lakha tangyi, dha,” a boy would say to his friend when he has to explain that yesterday he had tough time finding a taxi.  

Very recently, I counted how many times I utter this word a day. Not surprisingly, huh, I uttered it 60 times. Once in the morning when I got up late from the bed, three times in my washroom, six times when I wear my gho, ten times when crossing traffics, 20 times to the Bhutan Telecom Ltd (slow internet and mobile network congestion), ten times to my bosses and ten times to my friends.  

My final observation, though bizarrely weird, has been that if jedha was a chanting mantra then every Bhutanese would accumulate enough merits and ascend to heaven. 

Apology: Say jedha to me if this post had terribly disgusted you!

A beautiful heart

How many of you ever thought of donating your organs for other? Or have you ever come across any such person?

Let me introduce you here a 19-year old woman who is willing to donate one of her kidneys. That’s also for free! Suffice it to say, she’s doing something quite out of the extraordinary to bring difference in other’s life.

Believe it!

                                  Pic: Yewong with Executive Director of BKA

Yewong Lhasel Wangmo is her good name. A divorcee and single mother of three-year old kid, she runs her own handicraft shop in the Paro Town. She is a Bumthap.

Just a week ago, she impressed me and all the committed members of the Bhutan Kidney Association (BKA). The BKA is a public benefit non-governmental organization (will be certified very soon) founded by Mr. Tashi Namgay (Executive Director), a civil servant and kidney transplant recipient since 2005. The young single mother smsed the Executive Director (ED):

I am Yewong Lhasel Wangmo from Paro and I am 19 years old. I got your phone number from Tandin Bidha's facebook page [film actor, also committed member of BKA] and I read about the Bhutan Kidney Association. I am very proud of you guys taking such a noble initiative-a big responsibility and helping others. I am also very much interested to help others so I just want to tell you guys that if there’s any kidney failure patient with B+ve blood group, let me know. I am always ready to donate one of my kidneys.

Amongst the members of the association, a sense of awe and homage was born that contained so much to admire Yewong’s unshakable devotion to donate her organ to help other.

After a few days, all the way from Paro, Yewong arrived at Changjiji in Thimphu to meet the Executive Director to assure the association that she’s genuine and that‘d virtually guaranteed her breakthrough decision to donate her organ. After their meeting, on the BKA facebook page, the ED wrote:

Today I met a wonderful human, Yewong Lhasel Wangmo. We had tête-à-tête for an hour about the current situation of the kidney-related issues in Bhutan. She is very confident to donate one of her kidneys. She is the first Bhutanese who volunteered and came to me for organ donation. And she left a message, "If anyone needs my kidney (B+ve) then please call me".

This message of hers is heavily weighted with an inexhaustible treasure-house of compassion and divinity. Perhaps more tellingly, there hasn’t the faintest ounce of hesitation in giving away her organ. She has inherited what has been pure and noble-the hugest of sacrifice, the greatest of inspiration.

Yewong is the pioneer who has demystified a hoodoo spell of Bhutanese being very reluctant to donate our organs. Her act of bodhisattva has now undoubtedly injected in our otherwise vaingloriously obsessed minds a fair dose of helping other altruistically, even with our own body parts. Because she already knew there are many who need our excess organs.

When asked what the intent behind donating her organ is, she replies, “Till now I haven’t done anything good, so now I want to do something which makes me feel proud  and  I want to save other’s lives . I would donate my kidney for free. Peace!” Also, she always encourages other to help those underprivileged and needy. She believes she is undone and won’t be happy until she could bring difference in other’s lives.

Long live Yewong!