A New Year Note

Thank you 2012 for all that you unveiled for me- it was a mixture of, surprises-both pleasant and awful, excitements, merriment, love, care, support, acquaintances and a lot more. 

All of us have a common goal. We are all looking for happiness, consciously or not. No one would like to be unhappy, even for the shortest moment. But unfortunately, we are often immersed into suffering.

Therefore, in the quest of happiness, may we not grow only older but wiser also; may we not merely become wealthy, but contented as well; and may we not just become more attractive, rather may we remind ourselves to remain healthy.

May 2013 be a year filled with Happiness, Prosperity, Opportunities and Marvelous Outcomes.  

Salvaging the Have Nots

Even as the people are looking for newer and fancier gadgets, there are other lot of people who have not equaled the same fate. There are people who go without food, clothes and shelter across the globe.

Narrowing down to the condition in Bhutan, our Monarchs have played a very vital role in alleviating poverty by way of granting different forms of Kidu and therefore, we can proudly say that the poverty in Bhutan is not as severe as the ones in the Third World Countries, befitting the title that Bhutan is tagged with- the country of Gross National Happiness.

Having said that, we cannot declare that poverty does not prevail in Bhutan. Poverty still exists because most of the poverty-stricken people dwell in the rural pockets of the country as they were either oblivious about the Kidu System or they did not know how to derive the benefit of the Kidu that our benevolent Monarchs have been tirelessly granting till date. 

Therefore, His Majesty the Fifth Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Khaesar Namgyel Wangchuck professionalized the Welfare System and focused on ‘Taking Kidu to the People’, keeping in mind that the most vulnerable and the deserving ones would not be able to come to the Capital to avail Kidu.

For that very purpose, His Majesty opened Regional Office of His Majesty's Kidu Support Centre whereby Zimpon Wogms and Their Royal Highness were appointed as His Majesty's Representatives in the Regional Offices. In order to take Kidu to the threshold of the people, His Majesty has now appointed Kidu Officers in all the Dzongkhags in order to profile on the various Kidu disciplines.

Road, electricity, technology and other modern amenities may make a community more comfortable and less arduous. But it would benefit only the people who can reap its benefits. Whereas, the poverty-stricken people will not be benefited as they do not have the capacity and the know-how to capitalize on the developmental activities. If those kinds of people are not rescued with proper care, it will take ages to get out of the vicious cycle of poverty.

Thus, His Majesty's Kidu comes in handy to evacuate the poverty-stricken people to a realm of happiness, graduating them to a level, psychologically and economically at par with their fellow rural dwellers.

Who are the Real Dashos?

While we may have a lot of nice bosses, I am sure that there are equally good or even more number of bosses who are inflated by the ego of the so called title of Dasho, which is used to actually butter up those who just have Patangs and colored Kabneys but are not actually Dashos.

Dasho is in fact a prestigious title that only His Majesty does confer (with a red scarf and a sword) to outstanding leaders and is similar to the knighthood conferred by the Queen of England. 

Few of our bosses are so used to it that they demand themselves to be called Dashos and the subordinates on the other hand also do not bother to give it a second thought despite heated debates on the issue broadcast at times on the national television. 

A lieutenant is called Dasho, an MP is called Dasho, a Rabjam is called Dasho, a Dzongda is called Dasho and while travelling to the remote pockets of the nation, even civil servants are also addressed as Dashos.

It is because, we are obsessed by the 'top-down' kind of bureaucracy that exists in Bhutan. If we do not address them as Dashos, we will hurt their sentiments and therefore, not get our work done or, will be blacklisted.

So, what do we do? Address everyone as Dashos in order to shield ourselves from the consequence that would result from not addressing them as Dashos? Or, value the honor that His Majesty confers? 

A letter to my Beloved Sister (Class XII)

Changzamtog,

24^th May, 2012

Dear Cheychey,

May this letter find you in sound health! I am pleased to inform you that I am doing very well. I know you will be taken aback because this is the first letter that I am writing to you. Yet, this is the best opportunity to do so, I suppose.

This is just to remind you that you have reached a point where success will follow you like your shadow should you invest your hard work now and also, where failure will engulf you if you look for merriment at this instant. In other words, this year will somehow decide your future. 

I know your potential and our parents are expecting lots from you; I am also anticipating no lesser. I hope you won't let our hopes go down the drain. 

As you know, I suffered a lot in 2006 after graduating from Baylling HSS as the marks that I scored (in BHSEC) were way below the criteria set by the RUB for different training and study programmes both abroad and within Bhutan. As a result, I had to endure various nightmares. Why did that happen? The answer is simple; it is because I chose merrymaking over study!

So, the message is clear- it’s in your hands to choose either of the two. But please think whether you would like to enjoy for less than a year and suffer later or to make some small trivial sacrifices now and then reap its sweet yields for the whole lifetime!!!

Love You

        Sd/-

(Ata Jamtsho)

The Intent of My Partaking

Kencho Ongdi is well known for entertaining the people with his reality shows. With two of its kind already successfully completed, he is coming up with yet another show, a promising one, with dance and lozey competition besides singing.

With already few songs in various movies and musical albums, I am still an aspiring singer. So, I decided to try and become one of the contestants of the much loved reality show- Druk Superstar.  I have made it to the third round of the Druk Superstar audition as of now and I am very confident that I will be able to make it to the top 16. After that I will let the mighty reaping hook decide.

From the very beginning, I would like my well-wishers, friends, family and fans- if there are any to be clear of my intent for taking part in the show. I know winning is important and I would be more than happy to drive home the prize car should I win the contest. But what is more important is that once I perform in Druk Superstar, people would begin to know me- I would call it FAME!

While we can buy many of the prizes that are awarded by various philanthropists to the contestants of the reality shows, it would be difficult to buy fame. Moreover, going by the experience that i gained while going as a guest to the little stars on the 1st of March, 2012, I am poised to learn and experience a lot by participating in the show- which can't also be bought besides learning a great deal of Boedra and Zhungdra songs.

Ergo, I would like to clarify that I am participating to let more people know me and learn more, not for the sheer desire for the Prize Car!

Questioning Our Patriotism

Every time I go to the theaters, I see a large portion of the viewers displaying very barbaric behavior. Howling and jeering no sooner than the lights are turned off, one can only imagine the height of our fellow Bhutanese’ conduct!

Prior to screening the actual movie, a minute-long video clip of our National Anthem is played. If you are a regular viewer of the Bhutanese movies, you are safe. But if you are planning to visit the movie theaters for the first time, here is a cautionary note- please do not be taken aback to see people disdainfully making mockery of our own National Anthem, while many would not even rise!

On one hand, while playing the National Anthem in the theaters would be very essential for quite a few of us to reiterate our gratitude towards our tsa-wa-sum, I seriously feel that it should be forgone because its very intention is defeated on the other hand.

Several times on the idiot box, I have seen people abroad rising and even breaking down upon hearing their National Anthem. But to our sheer disappointment, just the opposite is happening in the theaters. If we question every Bhutanese whether they were patriotic, there would not be even a single citizen who would say that he/she isn’t. But let us all be reminded that we should be patriotic, if at all we are, not only when there is someone eyeing us, but also when it is dark and no one can see us!