A GESTURE TO REMEMBER

Just a few days back on May 2, schools everywhere in Bhutan marked Teacher’s Day. The day is a special one as it is also the birth anniversary of the Father of Bhutan, late His Majesty, the third Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. It was under him that Bhutan shed its self imposed isolation from outside world and embarked upon the rapid path of modernization. Marking this special day as Teacher’s Day is a befitting tribute to the great monarch enabling all of us to pay our respects and gratitude.

The day as a teacher’s day reinforces the special bond that exists between teachers and students. For students, is a day to thank their teachers for bestowing upon them, the priceless gift of knowledge and for bringing them up to be responsible and productive citizens of the country. And for teachers, the day reminds them of the onus they have in not just teaching lessons from text books but also shaping young people into complete human being through their exemplary conduct. Like everybody else, I also thanked all my teachers, some taught lessons in classes, others taught things about life and living. I owe all of them my heartfelt gratitude.

This year, the day also brought a pleasant surprise to me. A close friend came to my place with a beautiful wishing card and a generous gift of books for a mini library that I am trying to build at home. I was humbled by such a gesture from a friend who admitted that despite being a friend, he learnt valuable lessons and meanings of life from me. I wonder what meaningful thing I could have said all along except that, whenever I see him confused, I try to share my take on issues confronting him.

What made it even more special is the fact that, this is only the second time he wished someone with a card on Teacher’s Day in his entire life. For me this is bound to be my first and certainly the last. So, it is a special one.

 

SOURCE: GOOGLE

Thank you Tashi, for your thoughtfulness. If you have benefitted from our friendship in any ways, it is because of your receptive attitude and the desire you have, to change for the better. Although, I am not a teacher, I accept your beautiful card that I have it pasted  on my living room wall and the books will make a prized addition to my small library.

Thank you and god bless you always!

Gyembo Namgyal

May 6, 2015 10.30 pm

A REJUVENATING EXPERIENCE

Negotiating a treacherous narrow track over a cliff with a sack of rice on my shoulder, I felt relieved when I finally reached the knoll on top. My adrenalin was rushing and I was running out of my breath as I dropped the sack to the ground and sat down to catch my breath. My better half was following little distance behind and further behind was my 72-years-old mother in-law. They also have loads on their back.

We were on our way to reach my mother in-law to a community of elderly people who made a serene and a peaceful place in the middle a forest their place of spiritual pursuit away from the hullabaloo of the villages around. She wanted to be among these elderly people for a month. And this month, the first of the traditional lunar calendar is one of the most auspicious months which has the potency of multiplying any merits gained by manifolds. This month is also known as Bumjur Dawa, literally meaning that a single merit accumulated during this month can multiply a hundred thousand fold.

Since I really don’t know on this multiplication factor, I accept it. So I whole heartedly try and make it possible for her to pursue spirituality even if it was for a month.

Back at the knoll, the sight around took my breath away once more. The entire bowl shaped valley just sprawled in front of me. It was not just mesmerizing but inviting too. The villages far and near, the mountain that goes in circular formation and the Oori River meandering according to folds of those mountain bases are all beautiful except for that ugly sight of the gypsum mine right in the middle. An eye sore it is always going to be.

The knoll is a place where the wind blows strong because if its position. So, it is apparently an ideal place to hoist Lungdhar  (Wind horse) prayer flags. The entire place has been dressed in full with prayer flags that blew wildly in the strong wind current. Differing glow of print and colour of these prayer flags indicated its various ages. Some have begun tearing and the strong winds are found blowing them away piece by piece and in bits.

Just below is a new Gonpa under construction. The progress of the Drasha (Hostel) construction for monks is making a good progress and the place already endowed with scenic landscape is on its way to becoming an important spiritual centre in the dzongkhag.

 

pic. source: Google

What made the place so surreally beautiful are the innumerable rhododendrons in full bloom. It is all over the forest around us.  Just as we were about to resume our journey, a dog came scampering directly in our direction. Just few metres away from us it turned back and looked around the track. We knew it was a sign some people are following him. And few minutes later three elderly people residing in the community of elderly walked towards us. They have come specifically to help my in-law carry her belongings.

From that point, I and my better half returned back while the four elderly people began their walk back. On my way back I collected few saplings of rhododendrons which I planted around my place. I hope one day, these plants will all produce beautiful flowers of theirs. I felt rejuvenated with the experience.

Gyembo Namgyal

February 18, 2015 11: 45 PM

WISHING MY READERS A HAPPY LOSAR TOMORROW AND MAY THE SHEEP YEAR BRING YOU ALL HEALTH AND HAPPINESS THROUGHOUT THE NEW YEAR!!!

A MONK ON A MISSION

bird's eye view of Totpalung Gonpa pic. by Gyembo Namgyal

I heard of a local lam from Totpalung village, now transitioning into a beautiful gonpa but, I haven’t met him until last week. Meeting him was truly inspiring. His humility, the gentle manner and soft voice were qualities enough to disarm anyone who comes into contact with him. I wondered then, how he got to be named Lam Singye Dradok (Wrathful manifestation of lion like roar) by His Eminence Garab Rimpoche.

The Lam is one of the foremost disciple of Garab Rimpoche and one of the most important monks of Rangjung monastery.  He is a busy Lam, shuttling between the various Buddhist centres of His Eminence in Taiwan, Hongkong, Singapore, Malaysia and other countries. And he looks after the welfare of many Anims in his own Gonpa at Totpalung village in Pemagatshel.

What makes him truly an exemplary man is his own journey from a village lay monk to an accomplished master. From a lay monk who just spoke Tshangla to mastering English and Chinese languages. People who know him well are in awe of what true Buddhist practitioner he has become. They say the transition is nothing short of legendary.

Well just a few days back, the Lam was on a short visit to take stock of the progress of his pet project. I took an opportunity to go along with some Threma practitioners from Nangkor village to call on the Lam. I felt enchanted by this aging yet energetic Lam. His humility was so profound. For me it was an obvious sign of how accomplished he is.

In our group was a lay monk from the village who had been on pilgrimage to Nepal recently. He had apparently availed the discount of Druk Air flight; because he began the conversation on pilgrimage sites he visited and then meandered to his experience in airports and the facilities in the flight blah….blah. How I wished, he put an end to his bragging. But, on and on he went, depriving others including the Lam to talk of other things.

What I felt witnessing the proceeding was why Buddhist practitioners like this man don’t learn from the conduct of Lam right in front. The Lam is a Buddhist master, yet he was so modest. The Lam travels widely to some of the busiest airports in the world, yet he listened to the aggrandizement of Paro and Kathmandu airports. The lam’s humility and everything   I saw in him was deserving of a Buddhist practitioner and a role model for others. I thought people need not look further to learn about the true conduct of a Buddhist practitioner.

Today, the Lam has embarked on an ambitious project of building a large stupa that will have the precious relics of late Dungse Rimpoche as nangtens. Whatever little donations he gets from his patrons are put into building this Kudung Choeten. In order to make this happen, the Lam had to construct an approach road on his own with some maintenance fund provided by the gewog.

Bhutanese are known for generosity. If there is anyone wishing to donate in whatever little ways possible, you still have an opportunity to sow the seeds of immeasurable merits lasting for eons. It may be a drop in an ocean but, unless the ocean dries, the drop remains. Such will be the magnitude of your contribution. The Lam is not a Tuelku with wealthy patrons. He is an ordinary monk with a mission. If anyone wishes to make donations, this is the most appropriate place.

Gyembo Namgyal

February 3, 2015 10:45 PM

READING-WHAT FOR?

Books are dear to my heart because I love reading. I am not a voracious reader who can down a book in a night or two. It takes days for me to finish reading a book. But, I make sure I read some pages every day. It is a habit that I cannot live without. This is a habit I developed reading doma wrappers et al from school days.

Every time I meet people with some inclination towards reading, I make it a point to encourage them to keep the habit going. And in doing so, come across different kind of people. Not different in real sense but, with differing resolve to make good of momentary inspirations into a lifelong habit.

I am inspired to write this piece on reading today, because, I met two friends on facebook who made reference to reading today during our chat.

The first friend informed me of having read a book, a novel, this winter. And that friend is now looking for another book to read. Reading the first book is an achievement for someone who last read a book many years back.

But the surprise is that, the friend said, “I remembered you encouraging me to read about a year back. So I made it a point to begin now.”

“This is great,” I said. I genuinely felt good that someone heeded to my suggestion made long time back.

And another friend was online. That friend apparently did not have a good day at some tests where constant reading and writing could have made some difference. I felt sorry but, all is not lost. I was again for a pleasant surprise when that friend said, “I will now make good of your encouragement to read and write. I will make a beginning now.”

Both the incidences indicated that, I have in fact been trying in my little ways to encourage people to read. I wondered, if what I have been telling people around to read is my foolishness. But then, I have been doing that with good intention. I always have this feeling that, if we are to have a responsible and enlightened society, we need to have well educated people. And education to me does not mean degrees and certificates.  Education to me is always one step beyond degrees and certificates. It is wisdom and realizing our human values that we are capable of achieving. I believe some of our farmers may not be qualified with degrees but, are no less educated than those who can boast of the most coveted degrees.

Why reading then? Through consistent reading, we develop ourselves in all areas and become intellectually more aware. Through reading, our priorities change. We crave knowledge and wisdom rather than materialism. For those wise people wealth is not important but, look around, the more ignorant we are, the more importance we give to wealth. Isn’t that greed? Greed leads to more greed and that is suffering.

Well, while I write about reading and how this can change our lives for better, I must mention my friend Tashi’s achievement. Just a couple of years back we met. We talked. Our frequency matched and we became good friends and more like family now.

He confesses even today that he was a rustic, raw with a wild side when we first met. Today, he considers himself a changed man or should we say refined man. He attributed this to constant reading and that habit, he says was instilled by me. From a high school dropout he has a degree in his name now.

When he first floated the idea of going to college, no Bhutanese encouraged him until he met me and an Indian teacher. The first time he came out graduating from a college, I asked him a ballistic question.

“Tashi, you now hold a degree, but now is the time to question yourself whether you gained the knowledge, wisdom and values that is consistent of a degree holder?

This could have offended anyone but, not Tashi. He realized the magnitude of this question and thus began the new chapter in his life. He began reading voraciously and of late began writing too. This, I think is positive influence.

But then, there are some people who upon seeing others  progressing, gets inspired momentarily and makes a pledge to read. It lasts just for few days and they are back to square one.

It is now over two years; someone borrowed a book from me and has not returned yet. I hear he completed reading that book in 20 months.

Another man took 12 months to return a book.  And one man has a book of mine for 15 months. These people must have encountered a warning sign which says;

“READING SPEED: ONE WORD A DAY.”  Beware, if you encounter this signal in your reading journey, They are meant to be BROKEN to splinters and accelerate.

Gyembo Namgyal

February 2, 2015 10:00 pm

A MOMENTOUS WEEK

It was a week to remember. A week like no other that can occur in the life of an ordinary being like me. It was an honour, privilege and little embarrassing all together, but it was a week that will have to be marked as something extraordinary to have met personally three distinguished individuals of our country.

First, it was a perchance that, I met former health minister of the first democratically elected government of Bhutan, Dasho Zangley Drukpa on October 13 at Pemagatshel market. He is also the serving member of parliament from Khar-Yurung constituency. It was a brief meeting but no less inspiring.

Dasho is known as one of the most vocal parliamentarian who has the reputation for quick wit and humour and expertly blending them in his arguments in parliamentary deliberations. He is an amiable personality with infectious smile and easy nature, but he is a proven task master. Wits apart, the former minister said he is in the dzongkhag to assess and understand issues in his constituency and the dzongkhag especially in the health care system.

Business apart, it was kind of Dasho to ask me about my reading and writing and encouraged me to follow my passion earnestly. He asked my blog’s url after knowing that I have started blogging after my seven plus years as Bhutan Observer Correspondent ended two months back.

On October 15, I had the honour of meeting the chairperson of the National Council, Thrizin Dasho Dr Sonam Kinga. It was both an awkward as well as an honour meeting him. Awkward, because the meeting was an extemporaneous one and I might have failed in providing the minimum basic chadri that is deemed proper for someone holding as high a post as that of the chair of the parliament’s upper house. An honour it was because, to host such a high ranking personality in my humble shack gave me an overwhelming feel.

I also felt little irked and little thankful to the man responsible for this meeting, a media colleague of mine. I felt a momentary sense of indignation for his decision to host the chairperson’s interview in my farm without forewarning me or intimating me. A little information beforehand would have given me time to make some basic arrangements deserving of a customary Bhutanese protocol. I just had enough time to wear a gho and place a symbolic Thokey on the chogdrom.

Deficiencies and shortcomings apart, I felt honoured, because the visit enabled my humble shack to be graced by one of the most important position holder in the country and the brief visit was hunky dory in the end. This visit by NC Chairperson was reminiscent of a similar visit in 2008 of the former Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley to my same humble dwelling devoid of even the minimum basic requirements necessary for high profile visitors.

Before the Hon’ble Chairperson even sat down for a glass of juice, he was standing right next to my humble book corner holding just about a hundred books and found his eyes scanning over the titles. He encouraged me to keep reading and writing. One remark touched me the most. “One day, I want to live like you in a village,” he said and complimented my small collections.

On the next morning, I had an appointment to call on the Hon’ble Chief Justice Lyonpo Sonam Tobgay. I tried to go as early as possible but, someone was already there before me.  His down to earth personality and easy going way of conversing in Dungsampa ways is what makes him respected and endeared son of Dungsam. Every time, he visits his home, he is flooded by visitors from morning till late evening comprising especially of elderly village people who do not hesitate addressing the Chief Justice as Khotsa Lyonpo.

It was always an inspiration meeting Lyonpo and listening to his words of wisdom. He is truly, one of the most accomplished national figures who is respected and admired by all. He is one of those individuals that we can truly call as ‘destined ones’.

Lyonpo is on a private visit to the dzongkhag as the patron, hosting His Eminence Gangtey Tuelku in the dzongkhag to bless people with wangs and rare displays of Gantey Nangtens like Guru Uzha (Guru Rimpoche’s hat) a Guru Suung Joenma Statue among others. Tuelku also blessed most of the gewogs with brief visits. In one such hectic visit, both lyonpo and Tuelku had to be transshipped in rickety Bolero pickups to by-pass a road block.

So, it was a busy and a momentous week for me. It is an honour for a simpleton to be meeting three important personalities in a week. A renewed feeling of inspiration is what I am feeling right now. Be inspired dear readers and enjoy reading. I promise to be back soon on our usual meeting ground-on this page.

Take care and have good time.

Gyembo Namgyal

October 17,10.20 pm.