What can Dorokha learn from the recent monsoon disaster?

We can develop only when we grow our own food and now is the perfect time we feed ourselves 

Roads still unstable and shops still short of its usual stocks, people wait for hours and rush for the limited arrival each Sunday. It’s been almost two weeks now that I relied on chilies and potatoes for all my meals. I have tasted potatoes in all possible shapes and styles but potatoes are still potatoes LOL. 

satellite view of Dorokha

Maps and books say Dorokha lies in southern foothills with subtropical climate and rainfall usually being above 2000mm per annum but I bet anyone coming with these geographical facts will be shocked to experience the drastic variation. Dorokha in fact is against all geographical and bookish facts, here we experience sub-Alpine in early spring to real sub-tropical from mid May-mid September followed by a brief temperate freshness before we welcome the Sub-Alpine back.



My little knowledge demands me to say this place can serve to be a vegetable hub for Bhutan as any seed that fall off your hand reaps the product, let me list down the fruits and vegetables that grows very well here:-

The list of Fruits n Vegetables prepared by me and my students

In fact Dorokha have all the potentials to feed the whole of Haa, Paro and Thimphu round the year, if such potentials across the country especially in the southern part of the country are harnessed we could reduce the import by at least 20%  in next two years and in next five years approximately 2-5% of urban population will return to the villages while income of our farmer will rise drastically and country could boast rupee reserve by a good figure in next two to three fiscal year alone and Vegetables will always have market but that’s something I am dreaming and keep sharing with my students without knowing what they would actually be thinking.

Southern homes are famed for their flowering culture no longer boast the same as cardamom did not even abscond these gardens. People here earns well through cardamom cultivation and exports and I always pray for their successes but at the back of my mind I always ask myself do they have a contingency plan? Almost all the dry lands, more than 70% of the wet lands and flower garden are under cardamom cultivation. What next if the crop fails or the market fails is my question as I ingest all the imported foods through the Bhutanese throat...

The southern homes once so reputed for flowering culture no longer boast the same now

#Thank you For Reading...

Enter the Exit...

With each entry an exit is assured

 here I watch, the nature's dual act, 

The ENTRY and EXIT plays in Unison

Life begins to end here. 

Truly, it's Entry the exittttt.... 

maternity ward the place where life makes its entry n the back door for exit

Note: life enters by maternity ward and exit by the back door...  

My Inspirational Teacher…

A lady who spent all her childhood herding in the mountains and all her womanhood in the muddy fields happened to be the greatest teacher with so much of inspiration that changed the very essence of my outlook. She knows not a single word of English nor does she know how to dial a number to direct a call but that doesn’t make her any short of inspirations to inspire.

At a very tender age of five she was separated from all her paternal links in Shar  and linked with her maternal ones at Haa, owing to large number of siblings at home she was given to her aunt at the age of nine who haven’t borne  a child in their long marriage. They were caring and loving but she had to work as the couple needs helping hand. Her indispensability at domestic chores and herding cost her opportunity to study. And marrying a man from the village sealed her fate.

Here is the lady who would never cease to smile and inspire
against all adversities

She lacks literacy and outlook but she would never cease to smile against all adversity, to all that I have known; patience is her religion while smile is her god. For her everyone has equal status of importance in the family or outside and protects the weakest. She would save anything special for family gathering and would wait hours to dine together. She would always discourage gossips and will constantly have praises for all’ that’s the inspiration of love and humanity I drew. 

I was the beneficiary of all that during my troubled teenage.

 I had never been a good student all through my primary and secondary schools, my egoistic approaches always retrieved bullies and physical forces from seniors which I would instantly complain to my grand mom, who in all her primitive ideologies would discourage my schooling and that’s the kindest word I would carefully listen to but my mother in all her softness would take some pieces of chugo (Dried cheese) and approach those elders and request them to help me instead.  In a chain like approach I too bully my weaker mates and juniors and have broken many lunch pots with my little tae Kwando, (During those days it takes thousand sweat drops off my mom’s forehead to afford a school bag for me, so i used to carry my lunch pots behind my humechu and every kick would unluckily break the pot or hurt my legs if it’s made of steel). The very next morning somebody would approach my home for refund or wait for me at bus stand for repay. In either case my mother had to fall at their feet to rescue me. In one instance I remember somebody with money and power from the neighboring village took my mother by hand to the principal’s office ignoring all her plea, the reality is I had like most of the time bullied her nephew verbally and she in return wanted me out of school or want me beaten up in her presence. Only my mother’s tireless begging with teary eyes stopped my termination letter half way.

On my return that day I expected the worst at home but all that awaited me was a beautiful smile and like always she served me tea and edibles. She took me with her to make fire in the field so as to keep the wild animals away. It was that diminutive walk that brings tear even to this day, in a very soft and caring voice she told me that education is something nobody could steal or take away from me and that it would remain with me all my life. She wants me never to quit it and in a low tone she told me that even if she dies her soul would never find peace if I remain the old me. She also said; I am the son with most potential and that with little change in my attitude, she believes my life would be an oyster though she feels same for all her four sons. She was always a constant motivator and her Robin Sharma tone would always rescue me from the hot water. But who knew that there more puddles and hurdles when you travel the rough road all alone most of the time.

Once the teenage fantasy led a group of us into substance abuse and slowly habitual abuser, the whole locality knew of our mischievous act and started isolating us with cautions to stay away from their kids. People started complaining and she knew what I was into but she would never accept my fault and would defend me against all blames and slowly people stopped talking openly of me with fear of hurting her. When two of us are alone she would in a soft tone tell me all the harm of these substances, she would firmly say I and only I can prove her right to the world. She would say she fought against all odds just because she knew I’ll never let her down. The amount of trust she had in me would fill me with regret and then determinations to quit silently. In dealing with the students as a teacher today, I follow her firm techniques to correct those turning into my teenage line. It’s the most effective way I have practically experimented.

She instilled a belief in me that I started valuing myself and to this day I recall that little moment every time I feel low. In a course of time that line became my greatest motivator. Today, as I run back into time, I comprehend how desperate I was for that timely drive to lift me up. I knew greatest teacher inspires from the heart.

During her short stay with me last year, she taught me something I haven’t learnt in my four years B.Ed course. As a young man I often lose temper dealing with diverse student but moment she sense it she would say never lose your head or try using force, that’s not the option. She said; “see, the most venomous snakes are tamed with soothing flutes and constant training, students are human take time and nurture”. This line is my MANTRA now. In an ever reflective sense I just realized that you must be trained to teach books but to teach life you only need a bigger heart…J

In you I learnt the patience and kindness, in you I saw calmness and love, from you I learnt to trust and belief. With you I learnt lo SMILE…

For your patience and caring, for your kind words and sharing, for your trust and beliefs

 I just want to say Thank you.

Note:- i made a point to write about a inspirational teacher every year on teacher's day and here is the first person who inspired me.... Thank you for reading...

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