THE GYELSAY LHADHAR

 On the auspicious occasion of the zhabdrung Kuchoe, we the family of Dorokha Central School join the nation in commemorating the naming ceremony of His Royal highness the Gyelsay. We offered our prayers for our Gyelsay’s long life and good Health by hoisting a 15 metre tall lhadhar dedicated to the royal birth, lighting of 108 butter lamp and reciting Jigten Wangchuk 100,000 (one hundred thousand) times.

A wonderful line found on facebook

The lhadhar During the consecration

Lhadhar represent victory over the forces of evil, and are commonly inscribed with the four powerful animals , the tiger, the snow lion , the dragon , and the Garuda (a celestial royal bird ). These four sacred animals represents the four virtues of Wisdom, Strength, Confidence and Joy that our royal highness represents.

As the wind Passes over the surface of the flag, the air is purified and the wind energized, just as the birth of His Royal Highness the Gyelsay ensures continuity and a brighter future for the Bhutanese people...

Here's the photo story of building the Gyelsay Lhadhar since the day i started the work till it commanded the valley as  noted by Mr. Tobgay  through his facebook "It now stands tall and strong, commanding the whole blue sky and overviewing the whole valley... THE GYELSAY LHADHAR"
here it goes  :-

Sight of the pole taken up to the way

cutting and welding done in the ground

 

Two and half Meters hole dug by TARAYANA Club Members coordinated by Mr. Tobgay

welding being done to join poles

Monetary Contribution received from Staff of DCS... Thank U everyone

   
Poles being painted with aluminium paint to protect against  the agent of rusting. paint Sponsor : Mr. Sonam Gyeltshen (Parob) painters : UNESCO club members

  
Lhadhar getting ready to be raised:

  





Lop Tshangpa ties the ZUNG and Gyeltshen at the astrologically right time and there after the Staff and students raised it, some started plastering the base part while some still holding the rope to keep balance and alignment. as can be seen below:
  
After plastering at the right alignment the pole was left with ropes still tied to keep its balance right unless the cement becomes strong enough to hold the pole on its own.

Finally on the morning of 10th day of 3rd month (Zhabdrung Kuchoe) on 16th April, 2016. all the staff and students gathered to hoist the flag with the prayer for the long life and good health of our GYELSAY...
  

 
  
A quote by Mr. Tobgay posted on Facebook sometimes after successfully hoisting the flag
"It now stands tall and strong, commanding the whole blue sky and overviewing the whole valley... THE GYELSAY LHADHAR" 

   

after the consecration of Gyalsay lhadhar everyone gathered in the school chosam (alter) and offered 108 butter lamp for the  wellbeing of all the sentient being

 finally the one hundred thousand (100,000) recitation of Jigten Wangchuk Begun for the day....

100,000 Jigten Wangchuk recitation by students and teachers of DCS begun for long life and good health of HHH the Gyelsay and in commemoration of 400 years of zhabdrung's arrival in Bhutan ...

NOTE:- it was written a week ago on Zhabdrung Kuchoe's day but due to recurrent power cut and slow net, i couldn't upload un-till today... Thank you everyone for your valuable supports without which my dream would not have been successful.

Astrology OR Perception…

My recent visit to the capital reminded me of an old story that I almost forgot.  The story telling was the best pass time we had as a rusty village boy herding the cattle and collecting firewood to keep ourselves warm through the harsh cold winter of Haa valley.

I have heard myriads of folktales imbedded with myth and mythology custom and tradition, religion and culture, divine and devil, and so on. An oracle or an astrologer predicting or foretelling fortune or calamity would always fascinate me as a young boy, and frankly had it not for my fate and modern education at doorstep I would have become an astrologer under Tsib jagar  of paro .

Thimphu main Traffic

As a student, we still have to herd the cattle during the weekends and once during our usual Sunday lunch time story telling session an elderly man who joined us narrated a story of an astrologer predicting the life of a newborn. He said the astrologer arrived as requested and did all the cleansing rituals and formalities and finally sat down to do all the calculations of the child’s birth signs, star and so on and after long silence in a meditative posture he finally spoke. “The child will have many vehicles around him and will deal with it almost all his life,” enunciated the astrologer. Happiness filled the house and it’s all smiles around, family and villagers were all happy and some said the birth brought YANG (riches of the world or bless by the god of wealth) some predicted the child to be a great builder/contractor while some thought the boy would be an mechanical engineer. Perception matters here for no one sees the future. Can you see the future he would question? Then he continues… the days pass into months, months in to year, years piles and finally came the judgment day. The boy finally turned man; He joined arm force and became a traffic police and remained surrounded by vehicles every day.

Thank you for Reading........

The COMMON Visions of my Kings

On this joyous National Day Celebration, I would like to pay my humble tribute to our kings who gave us so much and sacrificed their all in the service of their people. As we celebrate this joyous 108^th National Day, may the gods and goddesses, divines and angels, and lords and power above continue to bless our nation with peace, prosperity and happiness for all times to come.

 

MY BELOVED KINGS

The Buddha of all times and Realms blessed the Pelden Drukpa with the gifts of selfless kings. All our beloved kings had a common VISION and that is the HAPPINESS and WELL BEING of their people. All through the times and ages they kept on persuading their common vision in chronology, and they gave all theirs to see us smiling. Here are some instances of our kings persuading the well being of us all

His Majesty Ugyen Wangchuk, the Founding Monarch’s letter written to the viceroy of India dated September 5, 1921. (From the book Myth & Memory by Tshering Tashi)

“In 1914 I sent 45 boys to be taught in Kalimpong, and started a school in Bumthang” that is the first step to remove barrier of ignorance from my people for development. Letter continues… “the problem now is how best to utilize them, there is a great need of medical knowledge to relieve suffering (of his people) to deal with these epidemic I like to see at least two of them trained as doctor” in the following lines king also requests two students to be trained as veterinary doctors to take care of animals and three be trained in agriculture as real basis of prosperity lies in agriculture and almost the whole population depends on it. He also wanted six to be trained in science for initiating a system of education for people at large.

It’s so emotional to know our king begged assistance for us “I take the liberty of asking your Excellency’s warm interest in the welfare of my country and of laying before you certain proposals for its development” letter ends 

His Majesty Jigme Wangchuk, the consolidator’s concern for the well being of his people (as stated by Dr. Sonam Kinga in his book Polity Kingship and democracy) 

Our second king could not tolerate to see a bit of injustice in the society that would hamper the well being of his people in any way. He was not happy about the interest rate of lending money in the society, so in a kasho to Gongzim sonam Tobgay he wrote, “thus far, the interest rate for the principal sum of nu.20 is Nu. 5. This is very high and I feel it is oppressive for the people. Thus an interest of Nu 4 be charged hereafter”

In a similar instance the law requires a foal born to any taxpayer’s mare be offered to government but our king abolished it and instead granted a horse each to smaller family to help. Like his father he had great love and care for his people and most of all he inherited king fathers vision of creating a fair society. Therefore, he begun the tax reform from the moment he was crown the successor to his father.

His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, The father of Modern Bhutan’s prayers and wishes for the future. (Taken from the book The Facts of Bhutan by Lily Wangchuk)

Bhutan and the Bhutanese were brought into the lights of modernity and secured its independence at the international fonts with its dream membership in UNO and still his big heart wishes more for his people. He had two most demanding task at hand the moment he was crowned. He had to attend to his father’s inherited vision for more just society within and pressure of modernity from outside to open up. But with his wise wisdom he served the people and created democratic system in the form of Tshogdu, serfdom, RAA and council of ministers but also timely ended the isolation that his father maintained. Country was set on planed development path and security sealed and he had this prayers: 

“If I were to make a prayer, I would ask that during my sons reign the people of my country would be more prosperous and happy than they are today…”

 

His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuk, the visionary King (extract from His majesty’s speech in Deothang, 2003 taken from the book Nation’s Gem by Kuensel )

No praise or gift would ever be adequate to thank his 34 years of selfless and excellent service to the people of Bhutan. As we retrace and relive our great fourths reign and time we just know he is the god who chose to measure a country’s progress through the smiles of his people.

Shouldering the responsibility of looking after his country and people from the very tender age, he taught his people to be independent; he trained his people to govern themselves through systematic DYT and GYT programs, sacrificed his life for the country's security, kept ready made leaders for the people and gifted the Democracy from the throne. 

 

Here is one touching line of our king (extract from His majesty’s speech in Deothang, 2003 taken from the book Nation’s Gem by Kuensel ) “I will not stay in the capital and give orders. I hold the responsibility of safeguarding the security and independence of our nation. I am here today, to look after the safety and welfare of our soldiers, because I worry from the heart for you are all like my own children. This is my true responsibility”

KADRIN CHEY MEWANG CHOG.

His Majesty Jigme Khasar Namgyel Wangchuk, the people’s king shares how he shall serve as king. (Coronation speech on 7^th of November, 2008, Changlimithang, Thimphu)

 Our beloved his majesty the king, like his king father do not have any desires for himself except for his people.

“Throughout my reign I will never rule you as a King. I will protect you as a parent, care for you as a brother and serve you as a son. I shall give you everything and keep nothing; I shall live such a life as a good human being that you may find it worthy to serve as an example for your children; I have no personal goals other than to fulfill your hopes and aspirations. I shall always serve you, day and night, in the spirit of kindness, justice and equality.”

It’s so fascinating to know how a common wisdom is being passed down from generation to generation, we are lucky to be ruled by the kings whose only wish is to see us smiling…

Photo of Gyeltshen: A sign of Victory captured at Digap on 10/11/2015

Thank you your Majesties’

PELDEN DRUKPA GYALO

 

A Day With The Stray Dogs

I have heard people saying: Dog is man's best friend and yes they are one loyal friend too, but are we their friends too???

Recently I had this fantasy; what if dogs ever talked… and if they ever did then all funds will be drained to built prisons for mankind. I know they will have volumes to protest against the mankind. Had it been an agreement of mutual benefits signed 30,000 years ago when dogs were domesticated, human kept none of those clauses.

History of animal domestication says; during the most recent Ice age there lived two superior hunters, Wolves and human. Humans and wolves are competing for the same prey, but there are advantages for both in teaming up. For the wolf, human ingenuity and the use of weapons mean a share in a greater number of kills and for humans, the wolf's speed and wildness is a new weapon.  For the mutual benefits in teaming up, human kinds nurtured the young cubs and these cubs soon learnt the rules of human society. That’s how all dogs are of wolf’s origin.

Upon teaming up these wild brothers of mankind served us well, showed us their love and of all they had been the most loyal…

With roads at door step, electric fencing and CC Camera for security in human life, their utility to mankind became minimal and thus not required. People trend to hate the presence of their ancestral friends and to my quite surprise I have seen the cruelty of mankind here. Some people pour hot water on dogs when they come begging for food and some kept a sharp object to hit them. I have also seen those people in so much of a celebrative mood upon hurting those innocent animals.

Picture of he Dogs being injected by Mr. TN Timsina (Animal Husbandry officer, Dophuchen)

Recently my school became a hideaway Paradise for dogs, kindness of equally innocent kids and left over to feed on has turned this place into a dog paradise. Upon close gaze I observed some dogs suffer from the results of human cruelty while others suffer from Dermatitis. Dermatitis is a common skin condition caused by inflammation of the skin. There are several different forms of dermatitis but all are caused by the skin reacting to allergens or irritants. Long rainy season is one main cause of the disease here and in long run the dogs lose their fur, wounds get worse and foul smell dilutes the air where ever the go until death bless them.

The danger of spreading it to kids here is risks losing their paradise; so I gathered a group of young warm hearts to save their lives and paradise. With the help of those boys and Mr. TN Timsina (Gewog Animal Husbandry Officer, Dophuchen Gewog) we undertook a short campaign to inject those infected and wounded dogs against Dermatitis and Maggots in wounds. It was successful and I am very happy with the task.

warm hearted Volunteers from Class VII 'B"... 

Upon completion of task I called all the volunteers and told them the best service is something that you do without expecting anything in return and that’s what you all did, I applauded them. I also told them we should take care of existing ones while we control their population too as none wants them now.

Are we Tshethar Tshopas now? A boy questioned me. “Yes we are but with zero account and there’s no need of it too;” I said.

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