LOOKING INTO THE BHUTANESE HISTORY & CELEBRATING!

On 17.12.2010 with much splendor and solemnity, we observed the ‘103th National Day’ celebrations in Punakha. The solemnization started with the hoisting of our National flag and singing of our National Anthem filling us with pride and connecting us to our roots. Almost every Bhutanese, the old and young were beyond impatient to watch and listen to the live broadcast of His Majesty the King’s National Day address on BBS tv/radio. The day was celebrated with various cultural dances and sports event.

Hoisting of our National flag, Lekithang, Punakha (17.12.2010)

Calm and safely guarded till ‘Tashi Lebay’ movements started to end the celebrations, it left me with an abrupt moment to pause and reflect. It was then I tried to go back to the past and look into the future. 103 National Days of peace and stability, is a great number of years to reach. As a student I remember studying about this significant day in my history lessons during my high school days. I wasn’t good in remembering the historical timelines but I was pretty interested learning about the times of yore. I still love history. I have lots of historic figures that I admire and celebrate (more on that some other day). And today with a dogged persistence I recall few of those-boring-history-classes to instigate as I compose about the observance of this important event.

Our history dates back to Eighth century with the visit of Guru Rimpoche from India who brought Tantric Buddhism in Bhutan. Another important event in the timeline was the arrival of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel from Tibet in 1616. We still remember and credit him for the construction of most distinct Dzongs, unifying the country and leaving us the Bhutanese National Identity. It was Zhabdrung, supposedly the first ruler of Bhutan who established the dual system of government with a spiritual leader and an administrator leader which still exist to this day. Bhutan emerged as a country having its own share of occasional Tibetan invasions, numerous civil wars and ungracious encounters & Treaties with the British. But there is this singular distinction in the ‘History of Bhutan’, we were never colonized (yes, we were never colonized!) and its one thing that we Bhutanese are proud of and swank about.

The hereditary monarchy was instituted in Bhutan with Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuk as the first king of Bhutan. It was Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck who gained control and ended many years of civil war, and marked the beginning of unprecedented peace, unity, progress and prosperity in the country. On December 17, 1907, sir Ugyen Wangchuk was unanimously enthroned as the first hereditary monarch of Bhutan inside Punakha Dzong (It’s a proud thing for me to be working in this historic place with one of the most memorable landmarks in Bhutanese history. Somehow I can’t stop getting obsessed of this magnificent monument). They really couldn’t have made a befitting decision. This day is celebrated as National Day of Bhutan.

Every nation celebrates National Day under many other symbolic titles for instance Independence Day or Republic Day expressing pride, identity, sovereignty, independence and freedom. It undoubtedly holds a special significance of commemorating the birth of an independent nation. As a Bhutanese we honor it every year with almost everyone partaking in this national event all across the nation. What comes to your heart when you think of December 17? What flashes inside your mind when you think of December 17? What does the National Day mean to you? What does National Day connote in your world? What’s the significance of National Day in your life? I’m supposed to get the answers before I even complete my questions (I hope you could provide me with when you read them).

Statue of His Majesty the fifth King brought in for the procession.

What separates and distinguishes this national event from others is the fact that almost everyone recognizes the significance of the day.  It provides us with a pleasant opportunity to remember the past that took a step into such a future (not to forget the implausible transfer of powers). It is indeed the day for us to pay our homage and tribute to our forefathers, Zhabdrung, the first king and the successive benevolent monarchs thereafter for guarding our sovereignty. It endows us the platform to apparently ‘renew ownership of the nation’. Essentially it is the day for every Bhutanese to celebrate and evoke the patriot within us and be responsible to protect and safeguard the peace, sovereignty and security of our country.

I’m blessed to have born in this blessed kingdom under the leadership of inspiring monarchs. I’m proud to have gotten the domination to write Bhutanese (every time) against the blank box of Nationality option in those obligatory forms. May the ‘sun of happiness’ as they label continue to shine for years to come. As we close this door of a fine Bhutanese history and open yet another door to a new era, let us re-affirm our commitment to serve the “Gyeb, Gyelkhab and Meser”, the Tsa-Wa-Sum on this day. Hope we can free ourselves from corruption as we contribute in shaping the nation, be the country Zhabdrung and the monarchs of Bhutan aspired for and pass a happier Bhutan to the Gen Next.

I read somewhere that “No matter how much you do for your country, it pales in comparison to what you take from her”. So wave your flag and never get tired of being a Bhutanese. Happy 103rd National Day Bhutan! May we enjoy another gazillion years of peace, shine, prosperity, growth and happiness!

Palden Drukpa Gyalo!

A Proud Bhutanese, JC

PS. We have come a long way, enjoy the freedom, stand up & take responsibility for the state of our country today and in years from now.

ENCHANTED TO MEET YOU!

For all this while, I was wondering how I would pen down my thoughts in writing. I must say it took a while for me to write this one. I always wanted to tell the story of us, about how we met and how time flew by instantly. Flash rewind and the story starts. It was one beautiful summer where I had it all. You were right beside me and things couldn’t be perfect than that. We were taking on the world together for a day. Less did I know then that someday I would relish it like I do now, with so much of doting. It was like the best thing that’s ever been mine.

I had talked with him for less than one minute in library back in college. Perhaps we had passed by each other every time we visited library. We shared the passion of reading books. It was only after our graduation that we accidently met on an official meeting. We became friends since then but we hardly met. And one day on his supposedly birthday, he had sent a handwritten note asking me ‘will you be my date?’ I was like ‘did he lose his marbles?’, but then I thought ‘ok, I could suffice that for his birthday gift’. He wasn’t a bad idea after all.

After breakfast, he picked me from my place which was actually one hour drive from his place. The date actually began officially at 10:00AM. I had a beautiful card waiting on the passenger’s seat of his car. It had the name of my favorite place. He had played all my favorite songs throughout the entire ride. We talked about our life, family, friends, interests, future plans, everything like it was the first time we had met on Earth (maybe it was). We cut my favorite cake to start off with our eating binge. The food was too good (took me by surprise that he had taken into account that I was a vegetarian). For the first time in life, I could savor the real taste of wine.

After lunch, there was another card waiting me on my seat. It had the name of his favorite person that we were about to visit - his grandpa. I had never imagined he would want me to meet someone else on our date. After few hours of drive, we reached his village. It brought tears in my eyes to meet his 93 years old grandpa who blessed me with all promising good wishes (my marriage included). We cooked dinner together. As we were about to leave the place, I was taken aback to see his grandpa hand over a card to me. This time it was my favorite thing waiting for us. We went to karaoke and sang all the songs we possibly could. Later I was expecting another card after he walked me home. But to my disappointment there wasn’t any last card. Annoyed yet smiling!

I had never felt so happy being with a GUY-guy ever. Close enough to what I was hoping, when I got home, he had emailed me saying “I had the best day of my life with you, today”. Wishful thinking but ain’t I the ‘lucky one’ here?

I ask did you believe what you just read. Well, I say don’t believe everything you read. I guess the best way to describe it is…ummmm...it’s an untried piece that I attempted to write about the best first date I haven’t had yet. I’m neither dating anyone nor even in the beginning stages of dating anybody. I’m all by myself and I got this idea listening to Taylor Swift’s latest album “Speak Now”. I just figured out that I had to speak up too. I wrote it keeping in mind about a guy who I once had dreamt of. He was somebody I was just wonderstruck meeting. To this day, I have never met him. And he has no idea about our meeting either. It just all came together and I felt like I needed to write about. So here I’m trying to write as a, “Hey, this one’s actually for you to let you know that I’d like to obviously meet you soon”.  It's sort of the first open letter that I've written to anyone.

I have never been fascinated by what we call “date” but for a moment I wanted to be strangely awestruck by it. Most of the people fantasize about going on their ideal date. They either dream about a romantic walk along the river bank or a movie and a restaurant after; some even book a table in a flashy restaurant; rose and chocolates; best wine and favorite cuisine, making it exactly like what it takes in the movies. It’s not me saying that I would like to have my perfect date but I think sometimes its fun to write about it. For me, It was about a guy I never dated but I thought was decent and charming, and I never really got to talk to him much. Just being with him for a fleeting moment and watching him enchant me (still in my dreams) inspired me enough to put it in words.  I guess you don’t have to date with someone to have the best date ever. And sometimes it’s not about what you went through, it’s about what you wish you had.

Most of us are so diffident that we cannot even say the right thing at the right moment or for that matter the wrong thing at the wrong moment. Am I confusing you with these rights and wrongs? I mean there’s this moment of letting the moment pass without saying anything. There’s this enormous fear which holds us tightly. And later on we land up with a sense of regret looking back at the moments we didn’t speak up. Usually people like me write this kinda piece and then they usually don’t share it. I suppose by putting it on my blog I’m pushing the share button so that this dream guy would accidently get to read it one fine day.

Enchanted JC

PS. Speak now to whosoever you have something to say (might read it when you least expect them to).

Couldn't show the Enchanted face!

GEARING UP FOR WHEN WINTER COMES!

Hiya lovely people! Howdy! How did the weekend find you? How have I fared? There was a last minute call from work on my weekend. So today I started my day at six; was gleefully welcomed by the chilly morning. After running errands for my household chores I drove to this place called Limbukha for a meeting. It’s about forty five minutes drive from where I live. Here too I was welcomed by those chilly winds, this time a little stronger. These receptions on my weekend made me realize that it was time I set up for another season and be a good host by welcoming it warmly. As a Bhutanese we believe that Blessed rainy day sets the trend of welcoming the winter. But it’s now that winter is seriously taking its toll. I can guarantee with the chilly feel to my nerves and bones, a lot of good stuffs along.

As I prepare myself to blog right now, I’m laying on the cushion wearing a fleece sweater and wooly socks. I’m all warm and ready to write about the wintry cold. I’m so excited as well as so agitated about the winter. But still warm enough that I wanna take a couple of minutes and invite you to join me on to my winter mode.

I love this time of the season for the whole idea of wearing fluffy caps, colorful hand gloves and scarves, and warm boots on a cold day out. I’m not a fan of over coats but I love sweaters. There is something warmth about the coldness with the winter. When the whole populace of the town is glued to their fireplace, all you want to do is something cool. There is this crazy feeling where you want to take a walk when it’s literally cold outside. Sometimes rather than sticking to the fireplace there is this allure of going for a long walk. And I’m one of them who are so into taking that insane cold walk (would love an ice with it). It's one of those having a  'Bliss Moment' in your life.

As a child (till my graduation) I loved winter for the reason that we used to get holidays. I would always look forward to the winter breaks; a long stretch of holiday after anxious months in school. I used to love everything about this time of the year, mostly because it used to be the perfect time for me to be with the loved ones back home. As I push the present button nothing has changed except that it’s gotten colder. Each year the winter gets colder than what I expect. Could we blame on to the globally acknowledged Global Warming that’s showing its global power!

There is something untoward about winter that I hate the most, especially when the winter seems to have truly set in. I detest the part where the cold days drag on and make me unbearable to take off my private jet to the other world (my dream land). My hands and feet are never warm. It takes me hours to fall asleep with my feet as cold as ice. I loathe the third and fourth month of the winter when I get sick of cold and wearing thick clothes. It’s kinda boring when you have to wake up with the foggy morning every other day. The sun frequently doesn’t show up (a smile lightens up when you get to see the feeble rays of the sun only to see it disappear behind those oversized clouds). And it starts to get dark early. I really start to hate the cold so much that I cosset myself on house arrest when I’m not at work. Once I’m inside my house, I don’t feel like stepping out only. I just feel like curling up in room and watch a marathon of movies or drama series, all warm and fuzzy.

But there is something else I still love about winter. I love the rare rains which pour to make winter months even colder. And as I write this blog I’m excited to share that it’s actually happening outside. Love the sound of the rain pattering on the window sill. There is something beautiful and profound about winter rains. As much as rare and inimitable it is, makes me wistful. It is so romantic and dreamy. When it does come, just feel like at that moment I could hold on to it tightly.

While we are still talking about winter, how can I not shower you with the cousin snow? Honestly, I have never got an opportunity to play with snow ever in my life. Say what with an exclamation (WHAT!) but don’t you dare giggle when I say this. I’ve always lived in places where there is no snow fall in winter. Consequently, I never got a chance to experience the whole adventure of playing in snow. I hope I do get to make snowman this winter. I have read about the snow-flakes that no two are alike. So I would like to know from you who have actually played with snow, is it?  

As I set myself for winter where the weather is wonderfully cold, you stay healthy and keep yourselves warm. Till the spring comes back to see off the winter, let’s reflect on what Camus realized:

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.

Cold yet warmly, JC

PS. My gut feeling says that I’ll get to experience the first ever snowfall in my life one of this chilly wintry day. Who’s joining me for a game of snow fight?

Winter is nature's way of saying, "Up yours."  ~Robert Byrne