Momo (steam dumplings) Competition

Yesterday, my house had turned to a bee colony. Everybody was assigned certain work and were diligently carrying out their own tasks. Some were sieving flour and making dough while few others were chopping cabbage, beef and onion; some were doing the dishes and some were designing different shapes, both beautiful as well as awful...yes, we were preparing steam dumplings! 

My family was joined by my uncle's family. It started at around 4 in the evening and went up to 10 into the night. It was a very long, arduous and strenuous voyage of transforming the flour and vegetables/meat into steam dumplings for around 10 heads; it surely was a very time consuming job, which many would not even dare to prepare.

But what was happening on the sidelines of the work is worth sharing. We were asking so many riddles to which some gave very silly answers and we were switching from serious talks to funny anecdotes. We laughed our lungs out and also wrecked our brains out. 

After we were done with the preparation, we assembled to the most awaited menu. Everyone was served coffee, soup and steam dumplings. We had a competition among ourselves and there was a prize earmarked.  In the quest of making it to the top, everybody tried their utmost. Some rested for some time and ate again while some didn't pause even for a while. Later, few had to puke. A true sense of competition existed. The number of steam dumplings eaten by my cousin reached the peak of 26 and he bagged the prize! 

What happened at home last night was an event that did not occur for quite a time. Above everything else, we were exhibiting the existence of a vibrant sense of community vitality which is one of the 9 domains of our country's development paradigm, Gross National Happiness. Moreover, I was into my work for so long and did not get time to spend quality time with my family. It was an opportunity to fill that gap too.

Water Shortage in Zhemgang City!

The house that I am living in has five taps. But, I see no water flowing from even one for days on stretch. Often, either of the meals (mostly breakfast) has to be forgone unless there is leftover food that I can scavenge on.

Quite often, I need to drive towards RDTC, around little more than a kilometer uphill to fetch few jerry cans of water which would not even suffice half a day!

To pay Nu. 5,500 as house rent in a place like Zhemgang and not have enough water at home is more frustrating than a sad tale to tell. The extra fuel that is consumed while fetching water from RDTC and elsewhere is but only escalating the day-to-day expenditure.

When there is an acute shortage of water in a very small settlement like Zhemgang, I regret for blaming Thimphu City Corporation for not delivering enough water while I was in Thimphu a couple of months ago. TCC has to look after more than one lakh people living in the city and I doubt if there is a populace of even 10,000 people in Zhemgang; the ratio is 1:10, even if Zhemgang has 10,000.

Zhemgang has a very abundant forest cover and logically, a problem like water shortage is the least expected. What I cannot comprehend is whether Zhemgang does not really have enough water resources or whether it is the inefficiency on the part of the people involved in delivering water services. The technical problems in the building that I live in may be culpable, perhaps. 

This problem has been persisting for quite a time. The Prime Minister commanded to solve it during his visit, last year. I feel it is recklessly daring on the part of the authorities concerned to leave the problem still unresolved. 

Listen if You May, I am Blowing My Own Trumpet

Ask any student in any part of Bhutan about what they desire to do after graduation and the answer, without any doubt, will be to serve the tsa-wa-sum. During my school days, I would also pronounce the same answer.

Today, I have graduated (even post-graduated) and I work as a Dzongkhag Kidu Officer. I get to work closely with the people, people who are in dire need of help. 

In just seven month’s time, I could meet hundreds of people, young and old alike and could listen to their pleas. After trekking for days on stretch, I could identify around 50 vulnerable individuals in Zhemgang and propose for Kidu to His Majesty the King. Hopefully, the proposals will be approved which translates to changing the lives of 50 individuals and their family!

If this is the pace in less than 7 months I can do a lot more in the next one and half years.

I may not get foreign travels (even the ones that I win as prize), I may not get frequent training and I may not have the comfort of living in the capital. But I definitely am  serving the tsa-wa-sum by working as a bridge between His Majesty and the People.

Furthermore, the enriching joy of having been able to add value to the lives of numerous marginalized lot of people is bound to remain as a perennial source of inspiration and self-esteem for ages!

Reminiscing the Royal Audience

On 22^nd January, 2013, His Majesty the King granted an audience to the twenty Dzongkhag Kidu Officers despite his hectic schedule. HM told us that he was even counting seconds as he was preparing for his trip to New Delhi the next day for the celebration of Republic Day. But he graciously spared more than 30 minutes of his precious time for us.

His Majesty explained us the reason why he was going as the Guest of Honor to India.

His Majesty cited several examples some of which he said deserved kidu and also that few of our Bhutanese were getting spoilt by the Kidu that His Majesty has been granting.

Amongst others, His Majesty focused on the following points:

• PR: His Majesty told us that public relations was very important and to accord a high regard for that. 
• Unpopularity: His Majesty told us not to be unpopular. His Majesty did not hear anything bad about us till date but in the event he comes to know about our unpopularity, he said that he would change us. HM highlighted that the public opinion was very important.
• Information: His Majesty also told us to keep abreast of the latest happenings in the Dzongkhags and to feed him with the news.
• 2013 Elections: His Majesty advised us not to associate with any of the parties. Rather, HM advised us to be alert and know what was going around.

His Majesty told us that he was very busy for the next two months; and that he would call all of us and orient us on every aspect of Kidu after two months.

His Majesty thanked us for the timely delivery of semsos and also for identifying the new lot of vulnerable individuals. HM told us that we were an important part of his work. His Majesty granted us a jacket each.

To have the highest authority saying, “You are an important part of my job” is not only inspirational, but also the most unforgettable remark a civil servant can ever think of being granted. I mean, what can be a greater remark?

Rethinking Marriage

On 20^th March 2011, I wrote an article on marriage being a self-imprisonment. Now, on 5^th February, 2013, as my marriage turns one year old, I have new reflections.

Earlier, I wrote that offspring tend to reciprocate the sacrifices made by their parents with callousness. But it differs from individual to individual. It is up to us whether to love or hate them. For me, I love my parents and siblings as much as I love my wife and my little son.

I viewed marriage as a trap then. But now, I feel it is a boon.

We stayed for few months as a friend and around 4 years as lovers before we married last year on this day. So, we know about each other, at least up to certain extent.

At this juncture, what I feel is that, marriage will work if we do not dig out the past, be faithful to one another, and understand each other’s weaknesses and strengths.

After marriage, I have become more responsible and with responsibility, I have attained certain maturity. Marriage is beautiful as of now and I will update as it gets older.                          

Thinking of Rendering a Helping Hand to My Parents, but...

We think of helping our parents after we land a job and hence take it as a license to solely depend on them during our schooling years. When they don’t give us enough money while resuming school after a vacation, we feel very low and think that they can't even spare a little more for us.

But now that I have landed a job and that I have to take care of my own expenditures, I realize the extent of the trouble that I and my four other siblings did impose onto the sole bread-earner of the family, my beloved dad.

Keep some amount in your wallet and don't be surprised if you don't find a penny left after a few days. Because, that’s the value of few thousands and we never know when it would leave us!

The need to spend for my own family only soars with time- there is no end to it.

What should I do then? Shall I save some part of my salary and give it to my parents after few months? Or shall I avail a loan and send it to my parents? But, will I be able to survive with the outstanding amount?

Perhaps, I might become financially stable and help my parents (both mine and my spouse's) with whatever little means I can afford.

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.