I always wanted to take the
pictures of Buddha Dordemna statue at Kuensel Phodrang in Thimphu. From
different angles though. However, I am not yet successful photographing the exact image that I have in my mind. Perhaps that is the mystery of the world’s largest
and tallest Buddha statue. No matter what, I have brought here some pictures of it I took
in recent time.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Monday, March 23, 2015
Writing a new chapter of my life
If a husband had to treat his wife a lavish wedding and honeymoon,
then I’m failing already. If he had to gift his bride rich jewelry, then I’ve stumbled.
For neither had I treated my wife wedding and honeymoon, nor any jewelry.
The traditions of the family I was raised have it though. However, it
was largely my wife’s effort to shun it. She had reiterated in a firm tone, “They
are not necessary. How we take on this marriage and life matters.”
So one fine afternoon, I offered her this proposition - if we could
visit my village to celebrate our union with family members. She agreed
instantly.
In a couple of weeks, after that, we rode to Gelephu. It’s a full day
journey from Thimphu; plus my village is two more hours walk from Gelephu town.
This visit was my wife’s first time to Chuzagang. All along the
journey, she wondered about my village and family members.
She appeared delighted when I told her that my parents still live in
the village and practise traditional farming. But it amusingly shocked her when
she heard from me that my father married two wives and has 11 children.
Some of my family members |
“Oh goodness! Two wives. 11 children,” she reacted intensely in a
can’t-believe gesture. For hers a small family of three.
Then she made her statement clear, rather laughingly, “I hope you
wouldn’t follow your father and marry another woman.”
Well, that time Chuzagang was blessed with a soft and gentle weather. During
the noon, the hot sun fairly pricked us; however, other time it was pleasant. Only
my family members gathered for the occasion. We are 47 and four generations
living together.
My wife was literally blown away, and she asked me again and again for
sureness, “Are you sure these are all your family members?”
Meanwhile, as was customary, I took around my wife and introduced my
parents, siblings, in-laws, nephews and nieces to her. To the end, I saw her
struggling as she tried recollecting the person and their names.
Then, she whispered in my ear, “I can only remember your parents. Rest…I
am confused. Too many. All alike. He-he.”
Towards the evening, I took my wife out to see our farmland, cattle
and crops. Anyone visiting my village would be awed by its vast plane, stunning
patterns of rice fields and magnificent sunset.
As we walked around, I explained to her that this is the place where I
had spent my entire childhood. I grew up playing with other village kids, working
in the fields and looking after cows and sheep.
My childhood was hard, she knew it. Every morning, before I would go
to school, I helped my father plough the field. After the school, too, I would
work in the farm.
By the way, the village’s children had a strange attitude. All of them
wanted to get married and settle down at young age, or to study up to sixth
grade and join either police or driving. But I think I was different. I had a
dream of acquiring degree certificate, to work as a civil servant, travel and
know the world’s wisdoms. Ultimately, I soared away from the village.
Here I was again, in my 31, back in my own village. I have fulfilled
all of my childhood dreams – attended college, joined civil service, and
travelled several countries. Moreover, I got married.
And here, I was not only reminiscing about my childhood memories, but
walking with my wife and creating memories too. Of course, I was writing a fresh
chapter of my life, this time my wife along.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
One step closer to Russia
The dragon boys gave a spectacular performance in the second leg
match (World Cup Qualifying) against Sri Lanka at Changlimithang Stadium this
afternoon. We won with final score 2:1 (aggregate 3:1). What a treat have had
watched the game! What a happiness to know that Bhutan finally progresses to
next round!
To put it straight, drukpa boys completely dominated the game and
had many open chances. However, the end result justified everything. Above all,
Chencho Gyeltshen, the forward, scored both goals. It’s Chencho’s day; it’s
Bhutan’s day.
On the other hand, the spectators were simply amazing – forty
thousand plus. I believe this is the largest, craziest crowd ever gathered by
Changlimithang. The crowd supported the national team hard and really behaved
well, treated the players of both teams with respect and honour. Truly Drukpa.
Impressed everyone.
So here, I brought you some pictures of the match. Sorry for the picture quality; it’s shot in my 16 megapixel digital camera.
So here, I brought you some pictures of the match. Sorry for the picture quality; it’s shot in my 16 megapixel digital camera.
The Dragon bonding |
Spectators flagged off yellows and oranges |
First Druk 11 |
Sri Lanka 11 |
Dragons press forward |
Unlikely a dragon rider |
Good luck dragon boys in your next game!
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Finally, the dragon roars
Like you, I was also awestricken with the way
the Bhutanese football team performed and won from our first World Cup
qualifying match against Sri Lanka. In fact, hardly anyone had expected a
victory. To be honest, I was simply praying that the team ranked rock bottom
with FIFA, 209/209, would not concede as much goals as we lost 20-0 to Kuwait
in 2000.
But now, this particular moment, I am more
awestruck with the way Bhutanese started showing respect, wishes and support
for the national squad, football in Bhutan. This particular win brought the
entire nation together; I can feel a sense of true patriotism and unity all
over. On social media sites, streets, restaurants, discotheques and offices.
Supporters welcome the winners |
Goodness, it’s alarmingly heartening!
So as to add, some enterprises and business
companies are already showering unbelievable accompaniments. Free live match
screening, increase bandwidth of internet, free refreshment, and so on.
The supposedly Bhutanese way of cheering on |
The local volunteers, athletes and individuals
are working hard towards making the second leg an extraordinary experience this
Tuesday at Changlimithang.
“Face paintings”, filling the stadium with “yellow
and orange colour” shirts, banners, cheering on the home team players with drums, and
most importantly, respecting the visiting team.
Even the mainstream media like TV and
newspapers, which were almost silent, have now revved up their interest and the
BBS2 will be broadcasting the game live. This is unbelievable!
If the dragon would ever make a noise, then
this is it. If the dragon would ever show its true colour and blood, then this
is it.
Readying up for the big match |
The tiny dragon nation has roared, finally; it
made a thunderous noise never heard before. The dragon is just awake. And
considering the noise, power, support and prayers, there is no denying that the
Drukpa team would gulp its opponents and emerge victorious again in our own
land. Moreover, there is no denying that our country would be playing in the
World Cup sooner.
I pray, rather earnestly, that this already
awoken thirsty dragon would not march back to sleep again. Instead, it would
keep on roaring, gliding and overcome as much bigger opponents as it can on its
long road to playing the World Cup.
And let the dragon roar even louder, quake the
world.
Palden Drukpa Gyalo!
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
KFC in Bhutan
So far, I’ve visited almost all the restaurants that
sell fried chicken in Thimphu City. Quite surprisingly, I discovered four – two
in the core town, one each in Changangkha and Motithang. But I am sure there
are many more.
We know that Kentucky Fried
Chicken (KFC) hasn’t yet made into Bhutan, but we can
see it emerging in different forms and names. Shyam Fried Chicken (SFC). Karma
Fried Chicken (KFC). Changangkha Fried Chicken (CFC). Motithang Fried Chicken
(MFC).
These restaurants are already hugely popular among the KFC lovers. Besides
fried chicken, they too serve you other KFC products like chicken burgers, French fries, soft drinks and breakfast (fried rice). They
got almost everything that of KFC; its flavourings and taste remotely similar.
Above all, it is becoming
increasingly popular even in other dzongkhags.
A Happy Losar, dear reader!
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Politics in taxi
One afternoon, a week ago,
I was journeying back home from Paro. It was in a taxi; a 45-minute drive to
Thimphu. We were five altogether - four passengers, and the cabbie.
A passenger, staying in the
front seat, offered doma to the
cabbie. The young cabbie accepted it, took a khamto. The smell of doma
immediately gushed in the car giving me a feeling of nasty nausea.
She turned back and offered
it to me. Such an attractive woman to decline her offer, by the way; but I
shook my head. Two other passengers sitting on my left and right declined
too.
I never take doma, just to
let you know. And I still remember warning a girl, “I will never kiss you if
you take doma.”
A phone rang. Everybody
checked their phones - that’s the thing when we keep common ringtone. The
cabbie received it, it’s his. The call got disconnected in the middle of conversation.
“Aw…this is the problem with
the B-mobile service,” he tsked his tongue and grumbled.
He dialed his call; the
service was unavailable. Frustrated, he added, “The government deducts five
percent tax. And see, this is what we get.”
The front seat woman supported
him, “The present government, PDP, is very fond of imposing tax on people. One
after another. As all else, the vehicle tax is unfair. I think they would never
let the poor to own cars. Moreover, we never see them improving public
transportation service.”
I agreed with her. Our
domestic air service was defunct. The bus service was poor. The taxis were
expensive. But I agreed more when she stated how “selfish” and “narrow-minded” our
politicians were. Indeed, they burdened people with more and more taxes.
Indeed, they walked tax-free.
The young man sitting my
right was a fresh teacher graduate. He too joined the discussion and he was unhappy
with the government’s recent decision to select new teacher graduates in the
schools.
On my left was a teenage girl
who stood bored throughout the journey. Nothing really concerned her - neither
the fellow-passengers nor the conversation. She remained indifferent, earpiece
inserted into her ears.
Today’s youth are what they
are - apathetic, a quick thought crossed my mind, and very soon she would face
the consequence like this young teacher graduate.
We rode on and our
conversation bounced from one topic to another. We discussed a great deal about
the power tillers and Boleros when we spotted these machines on the road.
Then, almost automatically,
our topic became lighthearted and fascinating as we suddenly jumped into talking
about PDP’s helicopters and the case between Dasho Benji and DPT.
The cabbie asked, “Where is
Jigme Y Thinley, our former Prime Minister? He is unheard after his fall?”
A vague response came from
my fellow-passengers that JYT has been kept under home confinement at his
resident called Jigmeling near the Royal Thimphu College. It could be a rumour,
I thought. But long time back, I heard him offered the UN’s one of the top jobs.
About 15 minutes’ ride down
Paro brought us to the Chunzom. The road to Haa from the confluence reminded us
about the corruption case of Lhakhang Karpo construction.
“Gosh, how could the alleged
corrupt people get elected as the ministers? It happened in the past and now
too. It’s an insult to the Bhutanese democracy,” the young graduate remarked
seemingly concerned.
We came across huge trucks lumbering
carrying tons of hydropower project materials as soon as we stepped on the
Phuentsholing-Thimphu highway. We talked, almost instantly, about the alleged corrupt
practices in the hydropower business and subsequent surrendering of three
government secretaries by the PM Office.
A little beyond Chunzom, we
caught a sight of the new road to Education City, an unpopular unfinished
business of DPT.
“That’s the thing when we
change the government. Conflict of interest. Clash of egos. Millions of
ngultrums already spent there, and all of a sudden everything stopped. Complete
waste of public resources,” the woman grieved.
I didn’t realize that we
already almost reached Thimphu. For the last, we concluded our discussion stating
“the democracy is not good for a small nation like Bhutan”, “the politics is
often dirty and deceiving”, and “We prefer monarchy”.
Somehow, someway, I just
wonder now. We didn’t know each other, at all, in that taxi. We never met
before. But for the record, we gabbed about politics so wide open, free and fully
vibrant. It’s quite strange. Perhaps that is the taxi’s own way of
communication.
Happy V-DAY, dear reader!
Monday, February 2, 2015
The dark’s light
It wasn’t a perfect evening, if I say so. My
mood wasn’t perfect too. So I retreated to my room, shut the door and sat
looking out from the window. I wasn’t looking anywhere particularly; I wasn’t
thinking about anything.
Outside,
the rain was falling silently. Cold evening, it was. And the dark clouds
covered the entire valley of Thimphu. The January rain is pretty bizarre as I
could catch a glint of meanness and cruelty in it.
As
I stared outside, my mind started bouncing from one thought to another, one
problem to another. So automatically. Then my heart raced abnormally. I felt
it, I heard it. Too loud. Too much. I was left shaken, anxious.
Meanwhile,
in the room, I picked up my phone and logged in to my Instagram and Facebook account.
To calm down my racing heart, probably. I randomly liked and commented on some
of my friends’ pictures and statuses.
Simply
put, this year’s January has been the roughest ride of my life. Unending
hurdles encountered, both personal and career. It was never stopping and
clearing away exactly like the cruel dark rain and clouds outside. I got
muddled, I slogged, and I stumbled.
However,
I kept scrolling up and down my phone’s screen when my attention suddenly
stopped at a Facebook status. It reads,
I like the night. Without the dark,
we’d never see the stars.
I
scrolled up to see the writer; it’s Yeshey Lhamo. I hardly knew her; however,
she too studied at Sherubtse. Quite wondrously, her words
soothed my heart. The power of the words, the wisdoms expressed, the
inspiration inspired so instantly cleansed my cold dark thoughts.
Immediately,
I stood up and looked up as wide-eyed at the sky. I was, indeed, quite
surprised to see the clear sky; I wondered where the rain and clouds
disappeared so quickly. And deep in the sky, I caught a handful of stars
blinking mesmerizingly.
Then,
a realization struck me - all true and insightful - without the darkness I
could never see those stars. It’s meant to be like that - you like it or not.
Similarly, without experiencing hurdles and dark thoughts, I could never
understand and see the bright side of my mind. Joy. Happiness.
Today,
right now, as I write this post the vast saying buzzes so beautifully in my
head, my heart. I can see that I feel better and peaceful. As the adverse
weather does, the difficult period of my life has just passed.
Of darkness, of light |
People
touch our lives; a few words impact the way we take on our life. Sometimes they
don’t know just how much they do, or why.
Monday, January 12, 2015
How safe is our transport service?
Last
Wednesday, I travelled to Gelephu and as always, I did in a public transport service.
Passenger bus, Bumpa Transport Service.
The
moment I entered the bus, I was very surprised, nervous too. The door almost
collapsing. A few windowpanes about to come out. Holes appeared on the bus’s
floor and the cold air and smoke gushed in as the bus sped up.
Each
time the driver changed the gear, it produced horrible sound that of a true
symptom of rokho gari. That morning,
before the departure, the RSTA official was there but I assume they inspected
only whether the buses were departing on time.
I
must say that this was a terrible journey. I was like riding a death race,
literally. But I was lucky, there wasn’t any mishap.
However, those 17 people
traveling in a passenger bus, Bumpa Transport Service, from Phuentsholing to
Tsirang weren’t lucky. They met with an accident on January 10, fell off the
highway at Taksha more than 17 feet and got injured.
I
arrived at the accident scene at around 5:00 pm that day and the injured
passengers were still being taken out in DCM truck and ambulances. The people
at the scene and passengers had many explanations about the cause of accident. “Deadly
speed”. Driver chhang dim nam mey”. And the Kuensel reported, “the bus stopped
twice for maintenance- once at Semtokha and again at Hesothangkha”.
Now
it boils down to one concern – how safe is our transport service? And this
concern hits hard person like me who travels in a public transport service. I
pray that soon the concerned authorities would remove all those rokho buses from operation, or at least
change the road safety regulations, or strengthen enforcing the rules.
I earnestly pray!
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