As I like it

My resignation

2012-02-01T21:50:00.001-08:00

After working in the media for so long I finally decided to resign.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
12/1/12

I write to apprise you of my intention to resign from my position as reporter, effective February 12, 2012. As I must, I am offering one month’s notice to give management an opportunity to find a suitable replacement for the void that will ensue with my going.

I joined Bhutan Observer in November 2006 as a reporter. I have grown in this profession along with this company. I have had the opportunity to upgrade my qualification and get a diploma course in development journalism in India. I have also undergone many training inside as well as outside Bhutan. Recently I attended a month long gender training workshop in Nepal. These trainings have helped me broaden my knowledge and be a responsible reporter.

Although challenging and stressful I have loved my job and never thought I would take this decision to resign. The private media scenario is not hidden from anyone. Media in Bhutan is going through a unique market situation where it is hugely dependent on the government for advertisement revenues because the advertising culture in the private sector does not exist. The content, quality and reach do not matter to the government because the advertisements are given on rotation basis. Private media tries to survive within a small market. Some media companies have shutdown while others shrunk. Daily’s have gone biweekly and biweekly to weekly. There have been a lot of ups and downs in the media business but Bhutan Observer has always been consistent.

However, lately Bhutan Observer also had to downsize and relieve some staff. The editorial contents had to be compromised and expenses cut down. I do not see a good future of the independent media because they are dying a slow death. I had pursued journalism with a different objective which cannot be met in such situations.

With every media licence issued the share of the pie is getting smaller. The media market is already saturated but many media companies still waiting to operate.

My decision to resign was finalised after long and careful consideration of all these factors. It was indeed a hard decision to make. But then, one must always consider moving on in life, where the prospects are better.I would like to express my sincere appreciation at having been given the opportunity to work at Bhutan Observer. It has been a pleasurable learning experience working as part of Bhutan Observer team with talented and highly seasoned colleagues.

I will remember fondly the good times I shared with everyone at Bhutan Observer for the last five years. Most of all, I shall always cherish the good values of honesty, hard work, sincerity and dedication I learnt here at Bhutan Observer. I wish you and Bhutan Observer great success in future. Please accept my prayers.
Sincerely,
Tandin Pem

New Year

2011-12-30T21:55:00.000-08:00

With the year coming to an end it time for a new beginning.Its time to look back at the mistakes we made time to look back and rejoice the achievements time for some reflectionIt calls for a celebration for being alive and being able to enter into a new year once again.HAppy New Year

Gender

2011-10-28T00:22:00.000-07:00

“Gender” was not a new word for me, but I had missed out on the meaning of the word which was used every time we had to fill up forms, applications and documents.

I have assumed gender just meant an identity of a girl and a boy but meaning was so much deeper than that. It was a social definition of a girl and a boy.

When I say social definition, we do not feel anything is wrong in Bhutan because girls and boys are given the same opportunity. Even the first baseline study on gender conducted by UN agency in 2001 revealed that Bhutan enjoyed a generally high level of gender equality. The study said that only “some subtle and indirect forms of gender bias exist,” but I feel there is much more than what has been mentioned in this report.

In Bhutan, there is gender inequality in religion, customs and tradition, jobs, public spaces, domestic homes, things, objects, clothes, appearance, marriage, paintings, talking and the list can go on.

A girl cannot come home late while it is acceptable for a boy. She cannot go to genkhangs while visiting monasteries while he can. There are huge paintings of penis on almost every house but a girl’s private part which is not even exposed is impure. He can play with guns but she has to play with dolls because guns are “for” boys.

In a way it is something to do with the society and our upbringing. There is a lot of gendering at our homes starting from childhood.

When a girl is born, the mothers dress them in bright colours but if it is a boy, they will go for darker colours.
Girls are taught how to cook while their brother can go and play, girls are given dolls while brothers play with cars and guns, girls are told not to offer water at the alter during mensuration because I we are impure. Girls are told not to play boy’s games or climb trees because it is for boys. Similarly when my boys do not like playing football their fathers pressurise them because he is a boy. If his voice was small and not clears he is tagged as a girl. If boys like getting dressed like a girl and wearing ornaments they are told not to and I don’t think any mother in Bhutan wants her son to grow up like a girl. It worries mother if their sons do not act like, the so called societal behaviours of, sons but why do we do this?

Why do we gender girl and boy? Why can’t a boy dress like a girl if he wants to and vice versa?
The government has given women equal opportunity to do anything but at the back of our mind-sets women will always remain a house maker. She can go out and work but when she gets home she still has to carry the responsibility of being a women by cooking for her family or cleaning the house. While a working men is not expected to do house hold chores.

Gender is embedded in our society and will be difficult to remove

School rankings for 2010

2011-05-31T21:11:00.000-07:00

Based on academic, enabling practice scorecard and gross national happiness scorecard Baging Community Primary School in Mongar, Gedu Higher Secondary School and Chukha Higher Secondary School in Chukha were declared among the 10 highest performing schools in 2010.

The school performance ranking was released on May 25 by the Department of Education, Ministry of Education.

The Performance Management System (PMS) was introduced in 2010 as a part of Performance Compact signed by the Ministry of Education with the Government to improve performance of schools in student learning outcomes, reducing repetition rates, promoting GNH education across all schools and enhancing teacher satisfaction.

According to a press release from the education ministry, PMS has been designed to help achieve Bhutan’s goals of universal access and providing quality education.

The PMS consists of three scorecards, academic learning, enabling practices in teaching and learning and achievements on GNH practices in the schools.

The press release states that with this ranking, it is possible to know precisely the performance of each level of schools across the country.

The practice of ranking schools was started in 2010 base on academic performance in 2009. The Ministry of Education intends to make this regular intervention till such time as the monitoring and performance review become a normal feature of the schools and their overall performance reaches a respectable level of integrity.

The top 10 schools of 2009 were Yarangla Community Primary Schools in Mongar, Dagor Community Primary School in Pemagtashel, Nobgang Community Primary School and Khuruthang Middle Secondary School in Punakha, Sunshine, Early Learning Centre, Phuensum Primary and Druk Schools in Thimphu, Nimshong Community Primary School in Trongsa, and Namchala Lower Secondary School in Dagana.

In the middle secondary standard, Kanglung Middle Secondary School (MSS), Trashigang Middle Secondary School, Rangjung and Jigme Sherubling Higher Secondary Schools (HSS) in Trashigang and Ugyen Academy in Punakha, Monggar HSS, Bayling HSS in Trashiyangtse, Yangchenphu in Thimphu, Nangkor HSS in Pemagatshel and Khangkhu MSS in Paro the top 10 schools.

And in the Higher Secondary Schools, the top 10 schools were Tashitse HSS in Trashigang, Yangchenphu and Motithang HSS in Thimphu , Drugyal HSS in Paro, Bayling HSS in Tashiyangtse, Bajo HSS in Wangdue, Phuentsholing HSS, Nangkor HSS in Pemagatshel, Monggar HSS and Gelephu HSS.

The following were the higher performing schools in the year 2010.

Tackling terrorism collectively

2011-05-31T21:07:00.000-07:00

All anti-terrorism activities should be carried out with full respect for human rights and it is completely unacceptable to use torture.

This was one of the primary discussion points during the fourth regional workshop for police, prosecutors, and judges in South Asia.

The three-day workshop on effectively countering terrorism ended yesterday with significant outcomes, according to Mike Smith, the Executive Director of Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate.

Police officials, prosecutors, and judges from eight countries attended the workshop hosted by Bhutan in association with the United Nations Counter Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (UNCTED). Resource persons included representatives of the member states and representatives of several United Nations and international organizations including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, International Criminal Police Organization, and the Commonwealth. The SAARC Secretariat and the European Union also participated as observers.

Mike Smith said that terrorism is a phenomenon which very often has a regional character so it is important for the regions to come together.
In his opening address, the home minister of Bhutan, Lyonpo Minjur Dorji, said that the post 9/11 world terrorism is arguably one of the most serious challenges faced by the global community.

“It is a phenomenon that recognizes no boundaries, and often leaves little or no footprint, and harbours the singular intent of inflicting pain and destruction to as many innocent victims as possible,” said Lyonpo Minjur Dorji.
He added that no country in the world can today claim immunity from the scourge of terrorism and nearly all governments have been vociferous in their collective abhorrence of terrorism and terrorist acts.

The home minister said that regional and international cooperation and proactive law enforcement are important in combating terrorism in all its manifestations.
Asked what Bhutan should do to counter terrorism, Mike Smith said that Bhutan can first raise awareness on the issue and adopt appropriate legislation. The country should also ensure that the legalisation can successfully prosecute terrorists. He said Bhutan should also strengthen the border control.

Some of the issues discussed in the meeting included protection of eyewitnesses, charging people before the crime were committed, and having evidence from the intelligence and interviewing subjects.

According to a press statement from the foreign ministry, the purpose of the workshop was to raise awareness of the latest available legal regimes and investigation techniques among senior police officers, prosecutors, and judges in South Asia for countering terrorism and to enhance their capacities for combating terrorism.

The Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate carries out the policy decisions of the Counter Terrorism Committee of the United Nations Security Council which works to bolster the ability of the United Nations Member States to prevent terrorist acts both within their borders and across regions. The Directorate was established in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs in collaboration with the Centre on Global Counter Terrorism with the support of the governments of Australia and Denmark.

Silent but not dead

2011-05-12T04:03:00.000-07:00

Thimphu: Lately there have been talks about gangs regrouping in Thimphu. Sights of boys roaming in the streets dressed similarly in groups are not new. But some of the residents say they have also seen group of boys indulged in fights even during broad daylight.

The recent arrest of 10 boys in Thimphu from a school, for involving in a gang fight during school hours has raised eyebrows.
It was said that the fight was a result of an unsettled fight which had earlier taken place.

“Have the police really been successful in disbanding the gangs or did they celebrate victory too fast?” questioned a concerned Thimphu resident.
“It was during one Sunday, I was walking in town when I suddenly felt tremors. I looked back and saw that a group of boys was chasing a boy. He nearly got hit by a vehicle but he kept on running,” said an eye witness who had seen a gang chase after a boy.

Eight months after the two notorious gangs in Thimphu, MB Boys and Shabji Bazaar Gang, signed a pledge to disband, the Anti Gang Squad said that they have not received any complaints of gangs other than the 10 students involved in a gang fight in school.

However, a resident of Shabji bazaar said that he had heard of a gang fight which occurred in his locality. Although he had not seen it personally he confirmed that it happened. “A group of boys had beaten up a boy in Thimphu, so the boy had asked his friends to back him up to take revenge. The other group had come all the way from Paro for the fight,” he said.

He said that such trend will keep happening until the two groups decide to settle thing mutually. “The ones who get hurt in a fight always keep looking for an opportunity to get back,” he said.

A former gang member said that some gangs did not disband and are still operating. He said that a few new gangs have also come into existence.

A group calling themselves F4D, fight for defence, is becoming powerful and creating problems according to sources. An officer from the Anti Gang Squad said that this is not a new gang.

There are talks about MB Boys being revitalized by the younger gang members but Kencho Chophel , the ex- leader of the gang said he was not aware of it. “They must be other boys using the name,” he said. He added that ever since the gang was disbanded he has not been in contact with most of his friends.

A new gang “Warriors,” is taking shape in Paro according to sources.
“The gangs have just been silent for a while, but they were never dead,” said another Thimphu resident.

Meanwhile, some of the prominent ex-members of the disbanded gangs are either employed, undergoing trainings or studying.

Happy Teachers Day!

2011-05-03T00:25:00.000-07:00

A Hero

2011-04-29T22:24:00.000-07:00

Taxi drivers have always been affiliated to eve teasing, over speeding, and breaking traffic rules by the people but the good deeds they do always go unnoticed.

A taxi driver once returned a bag belonging to one of the passengers, he was thanked and the deed was forgotten.I agree that all the apples on a tree will not be tasty similarly I feel it is wrong for us to generalize and conclude that all taxi drivers are not disciplined.

Earlier this week, a young woman met with an accident on the express way for no fault of hers. She was going towards Babisa on the expressway, which is one way, and a truck came from the opposite direction on the one way. It was dark so she first thought that the truck was on the other lane. When she noticed that the truck was coming on the wrong lane she honked but the truck did not stop. The truck hit her car and left without even checking if she was all right.

She was left there on the road with her head cut open but no one stopped to help. There are usually many vehicles plying on the express way but none stopped to help except a taxi driver. He stopped and helped her. She was in a critical conduction and could only give a phone number of one of her relative. When she woke up she was at the hospital with her head stitched.

Had the taxi driver not stopped to help god knows what would have happened. The doctor said she was brought just in time.

Kudos to the driver who ever he was.

A loving wife

2011-04-29T02:10:00.000-07:00

Is listening to you husband, doing what he tell you, going out with him, wearing what he likes and supporting him in times of trouble being a loving wife?

Now a days many wifes cannot do all such this and resort to divorce if things get a little overburden.

I know a woman who has not only been a loving and caring wife but the best wife a man could ever have. I am sure had there been prizes for being a best wife she would win all. However, her husband does not see it that way.

Her husband fell sick when her only child was born. She had two people to look after. She had to feed them both, change them and bath them. 22 years have passed her son has grown into a fine young man but the condition of her husband has remained the same if not deteriorated. She has to choose every thing for her husband and at times choses things which her husband does not like, so he does not think she is a loving wife.

Her son has given up on his father and tells her often to live her life and get married to someone. She never listens to what he says because she cannot move on when her husband is unwell.

There is no hope for him to get better but death does not come easy either. Every day she prays for his well being and hopes to see him alive the next day.

Five taken for a ride (to Italy)

2011-04-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

It isn’t a new story anymore, of Bhutanese wanting to mint dollars working in another country.

This time it was to be in Italy, and it never happened. Instead the 32-year-old woman who had promised a visa to Italy and instant employment once there just about disappeared.

The four prospective travellers had paid the con woman Nu 50,000 each and an additional Nu 97,000 each was to be paid. One had paid a little less as she happened to be the woman’s cousin. That was almost a year back.

When things didn’t happen, the group of five became suspicious. They sought the woman out and asked for refund, andafter a relentless game of hide and seek she paid back the three of them.

“Only after we threatened her with police action did she refund us,” said one of them.

The con woman’s cousin had introduced the other four to the idea of work and life in Italy saying she had worked there earlier. They were promised employment for a Khenpo (Buddhist master) living in Italy.

“She said working in Italy was easy,” said Karma, one of the duped individuals. “And she continuously gave false hopes saying things are shaping up good.”

They often recharged her cell phone because she said she had to call Italy constantly to check their visas.She also showed them some documents but none of them knew how to read.

A year went by waiting for the good news, and themood soured. The three of them decided to forget Italy and ask their money back. At first the con woman refused to refundsaying she had already sent the money for processing the visas.
However, after a series of pleas she asked them to come to Thimphu and paid their money back.

“I had given her additional money and I do not know if I will get it back,” said Dechen, who is yet to get her money back.
When Observer called on the Italy dream weaver, she denied everything. “I do not even know these people,” she said.

But the group of five insistedthey did not want to report to the police because some got their money back and others still have hope.

People say this is just one of many such scamsthat go unreported because the deals are illegal and both parties could be penalised.

“One of my relatives spent more than Nu 150,000 for a visa that never materialised. In the end, he did not even get back his money,” said a Thimphu resident.

People who take money from others on the pretext of obtainingoverseas visas for them shall be charged for deceptive practice, according to the Penal Code of Bhutan.

Compromises

2011-04-21T03:26:00.000-07:00

A close friend of mine asked me why I was making compromises on my boy friend. Firstly this came as a shock to me and secondly I did not know how to answer her.

It took me a few seconds to think about it and truthfully speaking, I still could not figure out how to answer her. "May be because I love him?" I finally said. But my answer was not convincing enough for her. I could't even convince myself let alone her.

However, I kept stressing on the "Love." Was I making compromises I though, unable to answer myself I turned to my friend and asked her instead. "What makes you think, I am making compromises?

She confidently said she know. Just because he is divorced and a father of a son, my friends think I am compromising in life.

Well, my thoughts do not match with theirs then. He keeps me happy and I don't think that I am compromising because the ultimate thing that matters is happiness. It is no use being with someone with less baggage but who does not keep you happy is it?

Old age homes, not a solution but a need

2011-04-07T21:24:00.000-07:00

Phuba at the patients guest house

With the opening of Bhutan’s first old age home in Radhi, Trashigang, recently, Bhutan’s old moral dilemma resurfaced – whether old age homes sit comfortably on the GNH country’s conscience.

Answering the media’s question on this subject at the 11th Meet the Press yesterday, Lyonchhen Jigme Y Thinley said old age homes are not the solution, but a need. “That is not what we should promote, but it is needed right now. It is a temporary arrangement,” he said.

Lyonchhen said initiatives are being taken by various parties to cater to the needs of the aged people who are abandoned by their families in the GNH country because of rural-urban migration.

Old people in the country, Lyonchhen said, are abandoned ‘not in a very big way, but the trend is beginning to emerge, the number is enough for us to worry.’
Lyonchhen added that the solution must be one whereby the aged will continue as in the past to be the object of reverence and respect within the family. He said the government will it worthwhile, not only socially and emotionally, even financially for families to look after their aged folks.

Meanwhile, there are plans to establish another old age home in Bidung in Trashigang. Speaker Jigme Tshultrim said the new home will take in old people from all parts of Bhutan. He said, “This has become a necessity in view of GNH.”

One of the mandates of the recently registered civil society organisation called Royal Society for Senior Citizens (RSSC) is opening old age homes. Pema Tenzin, the vice president of the organisation, said old age homes are necessary for people without siblings and family members.

Opposition Leader Tshering Tobgay said that, if old age homes give the senior citizens a sense of dignity and security in their final years, he fully supports the idea. But he asked why old age homes are needed in the first place. He asked, “Why don't our senior citizens have homes? Are our communities failing? Are we abandoning our parents? If so, why? Is it urbanization? Or are our values declining?”

Sangay Khandu, a National Council member from Gasa, said old age homes would generally benefit the Bhutanese society. “As a compassionate society, and a small one at that, we have always taken care of our own,” he said, adding that the subject of old age home is a ‘very emotional one to each one of us’.

Eighty-year-old Phurba from Dagana, who has been living in the patients’ guest house at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu, said there is a genuine need of old age homes in Bhutan. Phurba is the father of six children, all of whom died young. His wife also died young. He has no siblings.

Freedom of speech

2011-04-05T23:24:00.000-07:00

People normally do not exercise their right to speak at the right time. Freedom of speech is practiced only when one has something good to say about the government or any cases.The moment you ask someone about something controversial no one wants to speak.

Recently I was following a story and the story could be told by many sides but no one even wanted to speak because the case was sensitive. There were two people involved in a fight in Paro and one of them reported the other to the police and he was therefore detained for one night. The police then asked them to compromise but the man who was detained refused and said he will meet at the court. The complainant's father is an influential person.

I called up the man who was detained but he said that since his case is in the court he will not be able to give me any comments. I called the complainant and he said he will get back to me and took my number, he never called. When i called him again he never answered my calls. I called the court officials and they said the case has not yet reached there. I called the police SP and he said he was not even aware of the case.

where is the freedom of speech gone?

Smoking in Bhutan

2011-03-23T03:07:00.000-07:00

Smoking in Bhutan is not banned, smoking without a import receipt issued by the Department of Revenue and Customs is banned. Selling cigarettes in Bhutan is illegal so one must import by paying 100 to 200 percent of taxes.

A lot of debate on cigarettes and smoke has been going on and I personally think that the Tobacco Control Act should be amended. Not because smoking is a free right but because the punishment is a little too harsh. Going to jail three months for smoking is not reasonable at all. But on the second thought I think there should be a strict law if you want to implement things.

The Tenancy Act of Bhutan has still been left as a paper tiger because they do not have harsh penalties. Take a house owner to jail for three years for raising the house rent so high and I confirm that housing problem in Thimphu will be automatically addressed.

Coming back to smoking, the Act states that smoking in public places is prohibited but does not state if chewing tobacco is.

Those of you who chew tobacco are luckier than the smokers. One can easily detect people smoking but once cannot detect people chewing tobacco unless you get into their mouth.

However, a save way to smoke is to smoke in a moving car. Even if the police men see you smoking in a moving car they do not say anything.

Sharchokpa Zamin (my review)

2011-03-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

The latest film in town Sharchokpa Zamin is attracting a good crowd, a very good one I must say. I watched it on the second day after it was released at the Luger theater in Thimphu. It was a nigh show which started at 8:30 and I had to go because my little cousins wanted to watch the film. Children love Bhutanese films don't they?

As many other films, I though there would not be much of a crowd because its usually cold during the night but I did not want to take a risk. So I went to get the tickets way earlier and I got it. The tickets were almost over but I managed to get six.

At 8:30 pm, I reached the theater along with my cousins, mother and a friend but people were still waiting outside. The evening film was not over so people had to wait. We waited for more than 30 minutes outside in the cold but it was an interesting sight to watch. I had never seen such a big crowd in front of the Luger Theater to watch a Bhutanese film, I did see such crowds when I was a little girl and the theater screened Bollywood films.

Finally when it was past 9 pm, we could go inside. Imagine the rush at the gate that a little girl lost her shoe. After we got into the hall the tickets did not have seat numbers and we were told that we could sit anywhere we wanted. Anywhere, but where?

We were lucky that we got all the six seats together but there were few others who could not sit together. The theater authorities should have at least given the seat numbers.

After much havoc, things started settling down and the film started.

I was excited being a Sharchokpa myself. At the same time I was expecting a lot from this film because it was directed by Tshering wangyel and the actors were also very good.Every time Tshering Wangyel has a new release, I always expect a lot and at times my expectations are fulfilled.

I liked how the film started and Tshokey Tshomo's acting but I did not like the story line. Small realities had been left out here, which of course will not be a big deal for many but it is for me.

The film is about a simple Sharchokpa girl living in Thimphu going to RTC living a life of a typical villager in Thimphu and dressing that way. In a span of three years she becomes a voluptuous top actor of Bhutan and the sharchokpa zamin is lost.

She speaks dzongkha with sharchokpa influence and makes a joke out of herself. I found that funny but a little over the limit. Come on man, she has been living in Thimphu with that accent?

Now, who would live a life like hers in Thimphu? I mean she goes to RTC college dressed typically like a villager. The setting would have been better if she came to RTC from a remote village, that would have made sense. But she has her family in Thimphu which states that she has been living here for many years.

Her best friend Khor Khor la also goes to RTC with here and he becomes a doctor, an eye specialist within three years. Now wouldn't we all like to become eye specialist three years after graduating if that possible?

The male protagonist becomes blind and turns to rags from riches. Poor him, we don't even know where his best friends are right after he becomes blind but the canteen owner of RTC, who had earlier seen him when he was studying, takes care of him.

The actors have done a good job and the songs of the film are worth listening. One of my favorite songs Gawai Jigme, sung by Tshering Dorji is also used in the film.

People enjoyed the film but I personally was not satisfied. I expected more that this.

Convincing you

2011-03-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

I know not how to convince you of my love. I have tried yet failed every time I though I had convinced you.

It hurts to know that you still have to be convinced of my love for you.
I try my best and shall try forever till you are convinced.

I try and try again not because I just want to convince you but because I truly love you.

I can't climb a hill top, nor swim in a swimming pool but I can love you in my own simple ways. Isn't that enough?

At times, I break down and I never show you my tears because I do not want you to think I am unhappy being with you.I break down because I can't even keep you happy...

Our bond is different but I always hope for the best ultimately. Wish you could understand my love for you.

Someday you shall realize my love for you and when you do I will still be loving you.

A song from Sacho Gami Ga

2011-03-02T02:33:00.000-08:00

Choe thongtshe nge sem ba macha
Nge sem ge nazu choe mena?

Choe gawai gazum de daa cha
Nge sem de kuu mena bum choe ge?

Nge sem de rawa meb jodo
Den desa tsala baa macha

Lo labi tshe lu ya denda mendu
Nge sem de chew mena len lab na may

Tasha bu cho bum nga laa
Rew cha sem la ke mengo

Tam hembai loo ju she mengo
Choe gawa wai gazum ten mengo

Choe nga lug ga rang ga wa chin
Bum nge ge sem khar baap tshu ga?

Thiku tshu nga ge tsha zha me tshu
Thong che che zom thiku lasha ra

Choe thong tsay nge sem ba macha
Nge sem ge nazhu choe mena

Choe ga wa gazhum de na cha
Sem choe ge kue mena lab na ma X 2

Note: a song from the film Sacho gami ga.. didnot watch the film but loved this song

The innocent ones

2011-02-10T20:22:00.000-08:00

The world is cruel at times, we are made to pay for the mistakes committed by our forefathers even when we are innocent.

My friend was not even born when his grandfather decided to leave Bhutan.His father did not go because he disagreed with the decision made by the grandfather. Thus, my friend was born in Bhutan but is not not considered Bhutanese officially because of the mistakes made by his grandfather.

Recently a couple was arrested by the police in connection with embezzlement of fund from the bank. I pity them both because I know them well but what I sympathies more is that they have two children. Both the children are too young even to understand what money or embezzlement is. For the mistakes committed by the parents the children are having to suffer.

I wish there was some kind of a place where such children could be taken care of till they parents are free. Yes, relatives of the parents take the children but for how long would they keep them? I cannot even imagine the trauma the children would go through just because of their parents.

I know children will not hate the parents because every children idolizes their parents and look up to them as a good example.

There are many such cases where because of someone the innocent ones have to suffer equally and sometimes I feel is not fair.

What did the unborn child do to deserve abortion? What did the wife of the murderer do to come to rags from riches? What did the old parents of a drug seller do to deserve such pain at this age?

A love letter

2011-02-09T01:39:00.000-08:00

I miss reading love letters, especially from loved ones. I have been telling my boyfriend that he should write me a love letter. He agreed but he never wrote.

Every time I remind him he says it will be a surprise. May be I surely will be surprised because I am sure he does not remember having to write to me anymore because it has been more than two months since I first asked him.

I want to treasure his first letter to me forever.

It is sad, why people do not write letters to their loved onces anymore. Of course there are alternative things like writing a mail or sending an sms but nothing can match the specialness a letter brings to me.

I can always feel the feelings of the other person when I read a letter. The emotions and the feelings are different when you read a hand written letter than an email.

Getting a Medical Certificate

2011-02-08T04:57:00.000-08:00

With the launch of the Special Consultation Services (SCS) at the JDWNR Hospital, getting a medical certificate has become expensive, at least for me.

The SCS starts at four and the number of people coming for medical certificates are always huge. Even when you have to pay, you still have to stay in a queue. After waiting for sometimes you get a prescription and a medical certificate for Nu 100. Then you go to the doctors chamber. There is a rush too.

I finally get to meet the doctor. The doctor asks me
Doc: Do you have any diseases?
Me: No (how am I suppose to know he should be the once checking me)
Doc: Sure?
Me: I think so
Doc: very sure?
Me: I hope
Doc: Okey then

for the Nu 100 I pay which goes to the government's exchequer he just asks me a few question and signs. Now isn't that expensive?

Snowfall in 2011

2011-01-19T23:48:00.000-08:00

The snow has been playful this year. With little flakes falling now and then until it decided that Thimphu needs to be pure on Jan 19. Right from the evening it started snowing but with the morning sun everything was gone. The only snow left were at higher altitude places like Dochula.Jan 20 was declared a government holiday for civil servants but for poor private employees like us, we had to come and work in the cold

The others

2011-01-19T08:40:00.000-08:00

Sonam's mom has always been rude to me. She never offered me anything to eat, and never even bothored to talk to me. I never saw her smile at me when ever I visited Sonam, that made me felt bad but like my mother said not everyone is same so I let that go unnoticed.

I visit Sonam whenever I have time and he is usually home because he is too young for school and I am usually free because I dont go to school. Sonam and I am neighbours and we became friends a few months ago. They are new in town and the house next door has been empty for a long time. I always hoped a family with many children came and lived there but for a long time the house remain empty. My mother told me not to visit the house because it could be haunted but I always like challanges and I visited the house many a times alone (but I never told mother).

Then one fine day Sonam and his family shifted to that house. I wanted to go and help them with their things but mom said i would be more of a burden than help because I am just 10 and cant carry heavy things. I watched the new family move their things but I was looking out to see if there was a kid with whom i could befriend.

I never had any friends.It was always my mother, brother and father. My father and brother left for some place far away so I do not have any friends to play with these days. I did not excatly know where my father and brother went but mom always says we will meet them soon, it has been long but havent met them.so you understand my happiness to see Sonam right?

I saw Sonam playing alone in the lawn and I went and approached him. I think he is five bcause I heard his mother say he will be going to school next year.He smiled the moment he saw me and we started playing together ever since. Sonam always invites me to come to his house but I feel awkard because he is family does not even aknowledge my presence.

Winter went by and it was soon spring. All the trees were in full blossom and plants were ready to flower everything was green and full of flower except the trees and plants near our house. The garden was a mess when I asked mom about it she said she was not well to tend the garden and I was too young for that.

Sonam's parents were young and both of them worked. When both of them went to work they took Soanm and left him at his cousins house. So right after they came home, I went visited them and Sundays and Saturdays I was there most of the time.

We look at books with pictures together and play with his toya all day. Sometime i tell him fairy tales and he enjoyes them a lot. One day as usual I was with him the whole day and by the time I realised it was late. I quickly ran home and saw that mom was not there. She never went anywhere where would she have gone now? I ate dinner and then went to sleep. The next morning I quickly woke up and saw that she was still not home. Two days and she was not home, it left me worried and I didnot have anyone to share my problem with. I told Sonam about it and he said I could sleep with him till my mom returned.

I started sleeping with Sonam everynight. During the day I went home once but my mom never came home.I noticed that Sonam's parents were bothered about something but I never had the courage to ask.Days passed by and one day I woke up to some loud noise. I did not know what it was but it was distrubing me a lot. I looked around and Sonam was not there, I tried to run away from the sound but some strong feelings dragged me towards it. I forced myself to the sound and saw that a few people dressed in red robs were sitting along with Sonam and his parents. They were the one making the noise. I requested them to stop the noise but one of the person dressed in red with a yellow hat asked me to sit next to them. Sonam's parents looked worried and Sonam looked weak. I had never noticed that.

The man said I must go home and I didnot know they were talking about. I told them my mother was not home and they told me that my mother was waiting for me and that I should follow a path through the clouds. The conservasation took a long time and then finally when i realised I was not walking on the ground anymore but I was still moving towards some white glowing light. I waved good bye to Sonam and then I was I saw my parents and my brother waiting for me.

Her Story

2011-01-19T07:18:00.000-08:00

It has not even been a year and my husband has moved on with his life. Yes, we got divorced and the only think that keeps us attatched is our son now.

Sometimes I dont even want to see his face but he is the father of my son and I cant deny him his rights. It makes me feel bad that he has moved on and I am still stuck at the point where we sepreated.

I want to move forward too but with my son, I always give it a second thought. I do not want to get him a step father. The word step has always been taken in a negative connotation so I fear if that will be good for my son. But at the same time I do not want my son to grow up without a father so I ask my ex- husband to come visit us whenever possible. I do not want him to marry to although I do not want to go back to him. I know it is wrong on my side to expect him to be single for the rest of his life but I didnt expect that he would move on so fast.

Every time I look at my son, I am reminded of him and I feel like I will never be able to move on.

Death the ultimate thing

2011-01-19T06:54:00.000-08:00

I am sure that there are accidental and unnatural deaths everyday but these deaths either go unnoticed because it happens outside the country, or in a remote place or because a single person dies.

It is only when a group of people die that they get the nation’s attention but there is nothing much that can be done except mourn.

Firstly the death of the six boys which was avoidable then the death of 13 people in an earthquake which was unavoidable and lately the death of 18 in the Nepal crash followed by nine deaths in a bus accident.

All the news about deaths makes me think if that is the ultimate truth of life. Once a human, turns into a handful of dust within no time. I wonder if the world will change after my death or if I will ever be missed. Life will just go on for others and people will talk about me only for a while and I will be forgotten with time.

We Buddhist believe in rebirths and sometimes I wonder what I will be reborn as. It will be an entirely new life with new surroundings and new relatives but what if we are born to the same family? The thought excites me.

You have gained weight!

2010-12-26T02:12:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been gaining a lot of weight which has been distracting me a lot because the clothes I wear do not fit me well. And I get exhausted after I walk a mile.

There are a lot of other factors that prove that I have really put on weight and the most accurate prove is my mirror.

Every morning I look at my mirror and the mirror looks at me. I can see that the girl in the mirror has chubby cheeks and a big belly (so unlike me) but I know mirrors do not lie. I have tried exercise but my laziness could not cope up with it. Then I tried dieting, but my craving for food could not put up with that too. So I finally decided that I don’t want to try anything and let nature decide for me.

After all I ate the same amount of food earlier and I was as lazy as now and I still was thin.

But my weight does disturb me most of the time and to add on that every time I meet an old friend or someone I know they always comment on my weight. “You have gained weight,” say some while there were others who say I have become fat.

A foreigner friend of mine truly said that Bhutanese are very rude because all they ever do is comment on each other’s weight even if they are meeting after a long gap. It was true and I realized I was also doing the same. It was true that whenever two friends met the first conservation they started with was weight. “Hey you have put on weight,” is then followed with other conversation such as how have you been and others.

After my friend told me this I started being conscious of what I said to my friend the first time I met them. I know how I feel when others tell me I have become fat so I don’t want other to feel the same.

MPs says drayangs & discotheques are problematic

2010-12-03T02:18:00.000-08:00

The issue of draying and discotheques was brought up in the National Assembly on November 2, by Mp Chencho Dorji. He said that drayangs and discotheques were creating social disharmony in Paro.

MP Kinley Dorji said that the issue of drayang is not new. He said that the inconvenience started from the capital and has reached remote places like Tsirang. MP Pema Lhamo also said that most of the girls working in Drayangs are exploited and there are girls below the age of 18 working in drayangs.

Women are being exploited in drayangs, said MP Chencho Dorji. He said that in a way legalising drayangs is like legalising prostitution.

Lyonpo Pema Gyamtsho said that individual dzongkhags should discuss whether there is a need for drayangs and discotheques in their dzongkhags.

MP Tshering Tenzin expressed that one of the major problems regarding the drayangs were unclear licensing procedure. He informed that licenses for entertainment places were issued by BICMA while the bars inside entertainment places were sanctioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs resulting in double licensing by the same authority.
Lyonpo Dorji Wangdi assured that the government can take in all the employees of drayangs and discotheques and provide alternative employment.

Opposition Leader, Tshering Tobgay said that Drayangs and discotheques benefit the government through employment and business tax. Such business also makes the economy strong, he said. “Drayangs also promote culture,” he said.

He said that there are also inconveniences caused by drayangs and discotheques but the government should not immediately downsize drayangs or stop renewing their licences.

While, some MPs said that drayangs should be banned most MPs said that it was important to formulate clear policies and laws rather than shutting down some entertainment places while allowing others to operate.

Expressing his views, Speaker Jigme Tshultrim said that it was important to reconsider the timing for the entertainment places and set forth not to issue new licenses in places where the entertainment places already exits to mitigate problems in the society.

Drayangs in Thimphu has employed more than 200 youth. So would it be realistic to close down the drayangs?

Till death do us apart

2010-12-01T03:18:00.000-08:00

It was cold but walking along with the person she loved most was worth bearing the cold. Sonam had called Tshering to the centenary park because he wanted to tell her something important.

The time was 7 pm but dark because with winter the days got shorter. Both of them were there at the gate and they walked inside the park. Tshering looked at the lights which brightened they walk but Sonam was quite.

After ten minutes of silence, Tshering asked Sonam to tell her why he had called her there because she had to be home soon. Sonam coughed to clear his throat and looked away from Tshering. He then said it in such a low voice that Tshering had to ask him about it again. “I am breaking up with you,” he said for the second time.
Tshering did not know how to react because she did not expect this. She felt betrayed and felt like the world had come to an end. His promises of being together till death were all lies.

She had brought a ring for him because she was expecting he would propose her to marry him. Tshering turned away from him and wiped away her tears. She then turned to Sonam and asked him why. Sonam said that he was in love with another woman. The words pierced Tshering’s heart but she did not say a thing.

After a moment of silence, she turned towards Sonam and said, “I am glad you found love again,” and handed over the right she had brought for him. “I do not want to keep the rig because I had bought it for you and if I keep it, it will remind me of you,” she said.

Sonam took the ring and both of them went on their own ways.

Tshering had just graduated and Sonam was a corporate employee they were high school sweethearts. They had been together for six years. After XII Sonam joined the corporate sector and Tshering was in High school. Sonam’s parents wanted him to study but he wanted to join work. Tshering graduated from India but the distance never affected their relationship. Distance made the heart founder and their love stronger.
After their break up Tshering did not want to stay and work in Thimphu so she opted to become a teacher in a remote part of Bhutan. Her parents as always supported her decision and said she could do anything she wanted.

After teaching in Trashiyangtse for 10 years Tshering got transferred to Thimphu. She did not want to come at first but her parents insisted that she should. 10 years had not changed much for Tshering. She was still stuck on the day of the night her lover broke off with her in Thimphu. The daily activities kept her busy but the lonely nights took her to the same thoughts.

Who could the other girl be? Where did he meet her? How long have they known each other? There were a thousand of questions but no answers. After taking a lot of things into consideration Tshering finally decided to come to Thimphu.

She joined her new school and everything went on well except when she walked in town. She always feared that she might walk into Sonam someday and that she would not have been able to say a thing. A year went by and she never saw Sonam nor met any of her friends who knew him.

Time was catching up and Tshering was getting older, her parents though she should get married and she agreed to marry the choice of her parents because she no longer trusted her own choice.

Her parents always wanted her to marry Rinchen, a son of their friend. Tshering had never noticed Rinchen before but had heard of him, while Rinchen had secretly loved her after seeing her once during a family dinner.

Tshering and Rinchen married after a month and a small ceremony was performed where just a few close family members were invited.

A year of peaceful marriage passed and Rinchen was the most understanding and loving husband, Tshering could have. She had no more complains in life. Soon she gave birth to a healthy son. Rinchen wanted to name his son after his grandfather Sonam. And Tshering did not want to keep this name for her son.

For the first time ever the couple broke into a quarrel which lasted for a day. Tshering had never told Rinchen about her past. Both of them had made a promise that they will not ask each other about their past. So Tshering told Rinchen about her past and how her lover Sonam had dumped her.

Rinchen listened carefully and asked what his full name was. Tshering hesitated at first and then spoke out. “Sonam Tshering Dorji,” she said. After she said that Rinchen threw a lot of question on her. Where was he from? Where did he work? Where are his parents? And a lot more, this confused Tshering but she decided that once she started she might as well tell her husband everything.

“He was from Trashigang but he stayed with his adopted parents in Thimphu. I never really met them but he always said they were nice people. He worked in RICB,” she said.
Hearing this Rinchen broke into tears, Tshering did not know what happened. She did not know what to do. She just held up her new born and brought him close to her breast.

Later that night Tshering asked Rinchen about his weird behaviour and Rinchen said Sonam was his adopted brother. “But why did you cry,” she asked. “Because the heart which beats for you even today belongs to him,” he said. She did not understand a word he said and asked him again.

Rinchen’s family had adopted Sonam at the age of six, so how much ever they treated him well he always knew he was an adopted son. Sonam had cancer and would never tell his family about it. It was when Rinchen fell sick all of a sudden and required a heart transplantation that he decided to donate his. He had said that if they didnot take his heart he would die anyways because he had cancer. With lots of hesitations Rinchen’s family had agreed.

When Rinchen agreed not to talk about his past he did not want to talk about this.

HER STORY

2010-11-29T01:23:00.000-08:00

Sangay was going through a rough time in life. His personal life was messed up. Nothing was working out well as expected. His lover turned wife and he had been having family problems for the past one year. Sangay was trying his best to compromise and sort out things until nothing seemed right except a divorce.

With a heavy heart he agreed to give divorce to his wife. He was willing to give his wife up but not his one-year-old son. His wife hated him and his family more than anything. All he could do was give her a divorce on the condition that he could meet his son whenever he wanted.

Nothing seemed normal after a divorce. He missed the warmth of her body in winter. He missed everything about his mostly his son. He resorted to addiction of alcohol and cigarettes. These were the only things that seem to make him feel lighter and forget the troubles of life.

Every night he emptied bottles of alcohol and packets of smokes, during the day he tried to do best at work.

It was at work that everyone tried to be extra nice to him because everyone knew what he was going through. He enjoyed the company of a particular friend from work, Tshering. Tshering was a friend of Sangay. They were working together for the past four years and they we good friends. Tshering’s life at the moment was the opposite of Sangays life. She had a perfect life with happiness all around her. Her boyfriend always kept her happy although there were a few times when he upset her.

Tshering always felt bad for Sangay because she knew he deserved happiness live anyone of us and tried her best to give him small happiness when every possible.

Never did she realise that the little happiness she gave him meant a lot to him until a day came when he proposed to her. For once she was confused. She always knew this was coming but had never thought of how she would deal with it. She had a steady boyfriend and could not afford to break his heart. After taking two months she decided to leave her boyfriend and be with Sangay. She had her own reasons. Her boyfriend could start over with anyone but it would not be the same for Sangay. Everyone deserved a second chance and she decided to give him the second chance.

Sangay's world changed after that. He was a changed person and always happy.

Things were going smooth and Sangay had all the time in the world for Tshering. He kept his time for his son too. But every time Sangay talked about his ex-wife Tshering always felt insecure.

He had a child that connected him to her even though he no longer loved her. Every time he went to meet his son Tshering was always insecure. Sangay had talked about getting married with Tshering but after she accepted him in her life the talks never materialized. He had a fear that if he married his ex-wife would not let him meet his son. Tshering had that fear too. But both of them knew there was no point holding back.

Tshering, sometimes felt that Sangay's son would grow up to hate her and she hated that thought. She had nights which were sleepless because of her thoughts. She had thoughts that sometimes would want to make her run away from life but at times they were so lovely she wanted it to last forever.

After two years of relationship they finally decided to tie the knot.

Getting married is every girls dream but Tshering was getting more than she dreamt, she was getting married to a divorced man with a child.

Winter Fashion

2010-11-23T02:18:00.000-08:00

The feel of the cold wind on the face and the cracking of lips is enough to indicate that winter is here. And winter is the time when people change their wardrobe. People dress up differently every winter depending on the latest trend in town.

What is in the trend this winter?

Girls walk in town dressed in long sweaters and thick stockings with fancy flat half boots. A few prefer skinny jean pants to stockings. Last year it was full knee length boots. Some add on an over-coat on top of the long sweaters to keep themselves warmer. This is the trend among girls who have crossed teenage.

Some teenagers dress in short stylish coat, the Korean way while a few others dress to look punk, popularly known as the emo style. Jumpers with hoods, colourful coats are included in the emo way of dressing.

Boys mostly prefer short blazers type jackets, over jackets with bigger collar; they call it the Genji style. The leather jacket is still alive among boys. Jean pants are popular even in winter and for the shoes the tread is same for boys through the year. Some prefer ankle length boots while others like converse shoes or sneakers.
Most shops in Thimphu have already switched to selling their winter collections.

Mufflers and scarves are always in trend every winter

People do not just want to be warm but also want to look good at the same time!

picture from google

Collecting memories

2010-11-18T03:14:00.000-08:00

When life takes twists and turns nothing is left except for memories. So the saying goes leave nothing but footsteps, take nothing but memories.

There is however ways to keep memories, I call it collecting memories.
I have had a lot of hobbies ever since a kid, my hobbies changed as I grew up and now I am left with some stupid ones.

When younger I collected stones, earrings, rings and then switched to collecting stamps, coins and then to letters, soft toys, pictures and then there was a time when I used to write down messages sent to me by my boyfriends.

My mother threw away my collection of stones, I lost the letters but I still have the coins, stamps, soft toys, pictures and I recently tore away the messages I had collected.

We have bad and good memories and I like to keep just the good ones. Of course some the messages were good memories because it reminded me of the time and the feels I felt those days. Funny, that these mean nothing to me anymore because the feelings have been substituted, and time has moved on. Memories replaced too.
I still remember where I got some of the coins and stamps from but any my soft toys were given to me by my loved ones so they have a memory each. Memories of birthday, valentine’s day, and many special occasions.

Pictures capture memories and that is one of the best ways to collect memories. Songs also refresh memories of the past.

The fire incident in Bumthang

2010-11-07T23:56:00.000-08:00

Children have started going to school and people are trying to lead a normal life but life will never be the same for people affected by the October 26 fire in Chamkar town.
The October 26 incident is a nightmare for most Bumthabs and a few are yet to recover from the shock while most have accepted their fate and trying to start from scratch again.

The fire that started off from a mobile shop had left 267 people homeless but the timely intervention of the Government and Galpoi Zimpoen’s office has given new hopes to the people.

The victims of the fire are happy with how the situation was handled during the incident and after the incident.

The fire started at around 1:45 am and by 2 am the dzongda and Zimpon were on the spot coordinating to bring the fire under control. With just one fire engine, school children, monks, passengers plying through Bumthang, police, civil servants and the local residents all put in effort and the fire was controlled within three hours.
Right after the fire was controlled arrangements of food, shelter and clothing was made for all. The students of Chumey institute of civil engineering built shelter for 21 household immediately, some families are putting up in tents and a few are staying with their relatives.

People including the victims said that the situation was handled very well.
The ground has been cleared and work for construction of new houses has started. All those shop and house owners will receive equal plots each for temporary resettlement in the same location before they shift to Dekiling the new town area, which will take three to four years according to Bumthang Dzongda Sangay Thinley.
The people will stay in the make shift shelters till the construction is complete.
More than 300 army personals have been deployed.

“We are lucky to have been born in a country where the King and the government take care of the citizen like this,” said one of the victims.

Cause of the fireThe cause of the fire, which destroyed about 59 shops and houses, is not confirmed. While, most people say it could be because of short circuit a few say it is due to negligence. A handful of victims feel it could be intentional but they have no fingers to point.

This is the third such incident in Bumthang. The first incident took place in 1985 and the second in 2005. Sources say it was around the same time of the year during the Jambay Lhakhang Tshechu.

“This is the time when most people stay out late enjoying and drinking,” said one of the victim.

Damages causedThe fire has killed two, injured one and left 267 people homeless
One of the travelers travelling to Thimphu from Trashigang and a person working as helper in one of the shops died. While the body of the helper was given to his relatives no one came forward to claim the body of the traveler, so on 1000 butter lamps were offered for him by the dzongkhag.

The traveler was putting up in Hotel Sonam and during the incident of the fire he had refused to budge from his room because he was drunk.

The fire, which lasted for more than three hours, destroyed 59 shops and houses. The fire also damaged three parked vehicles.

The fire has also indirectly affected other shopkeepers. A few of the shopkeepers lost goods worth a good amount of money during the incident. One of the shopkeeper lost his flat screen TV during the incident while other lost clothes and other things.
Dorji, whose house was partially burnt, was spared by the fire but not by the people who robbed him disguised as helpers. He lost goods worth Nu 1.3 million. “There were a lot of people to help during which it was difficult to keep track of what was being taken where,” he said.

Some of the people helping control the fire did agree that such things could have happened because a few of them had seen people run of with others belongings.
Other damages are indirect like the prices of some basic commodities have gone up and getting a room has become difficult.

Dzongda Sangay Thinley said that most of the low cost hotels were affected by the fire so passengers are running out of rooms. “There are rooms available but now passengers do not have much choice of rooms,” he said,

Kidu His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, along with Their Majesties the Queen Mothers, Minister of Works and Human settlement, members of parliament and Dratshang visited Bumthang to comfort the victims and express the support of the nation to the families the same day of the incident.

His Majesty the King visited the site on October 31 and visited the temporary shelters and assured the affected families that he will be stationed in Bumthang and will personally oversee the relief efforts that are currently underway. His Majesty expressed his wish to rebuild their homes and resume their lives as soon as possible.

His Majesty also visited the temporary shelters and met with individual families to assess their living conditions and other facilities built for them.
Nu 50,000, Nu 40000 and Nu 10000 was granted as kidu to the victims depending on their loss from His Majesty’s relief fund.

The people were also assured that free timber and CGI sheets will be provided.
The victims are also provided with food, ration, clothing and blankets by the Gyalpoi Zimpon’s Office.

“We are lucky to be born in a country where the king takes care of everything and is very much concerned about us,” said one of the victim.
BCCI also gave Nu 5000 each to the shopkeepers and there are donations from people too.

InsuranceSome 100 victims had insured with the Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan (RICB) and two victims had insured with Bhutan Insurance Limited (BIL).
RICB identified 12 of their clients and are still assessing the property damage. They paid off some of their clients with 50 percent of the sum insured the rest will be given after the assessment. “This is to support our client so that they can immediately start over again,” said Dorji Phuntsho the RICB Manager in Bumthang.
They have compensated Nu 3 million to their clients and everyday there are clients approaching them for their claims.

Insurance policy worth Nu 8475800 has been lapsed. RICB has identified five victims who have failed to renew their insurance policies hence making them ineligible for compensation.

“Since we are business people we forgot about renewing the policy and RICBL did not even send us a reminder,” said one of the victim.

RICB also paid off 39 households for the rural insurance scheme to the victims. There were three permanent houses that were paid Nu 100,000 while semi permanent houses were paid Nu 40,000.

The two victims insured with BIL were paid 60 percent of the compensation. One had insured for more than Nu 2 Million and the other had insured for Nu 1.5 million. “The rest will be paid after the complete documentation and assessment,” said Tashi Tenzin the manager of BIL in Bumthang.

Victims’ voiceChundu a shop owner affected by the fire recovered 60 percent of his household items but lost his entire stock from the shop. “It is touching to see that everyone is concerned, we will be able to overcone the difficulty and start over again,” he said.

Aum Kuenga Tshomo from whose mobile shop the fire started was not home when the incident occurred. Her son, daughter in-law and grand children were home during that day.

“By the time my children realized that the house was on fire it was too late to get anything out except the children,” she said.

Pema, 68-year-old, another victim of the fire recollects the night of the incident clearly. “I was sound asleep when my wife started kicking me and telling me about the fire. I cursed her for spoiling my sleep and when I woke up everything was on fire,” he said. “Had it not been for her I would have died.”

He also lost his vehicle to the fire but he is not disheartened. “I started from a scratch and now I am back to where I was. I am happy that I at least have a good capital now to start with. Earlier I just started off with a few amount of money,” he said.

However, most victims say it will never be the same.

My trip to lingshi

2010-08-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

After attempting to go to Lingshi for the past few months, my mom finally agreed to take me and my friend along. But she warned me that it would be a tough walk.

For me waking up at 5 in the morning was tough. But call it excitement because I didn’t have problem waking up. At around 8:00 am we reached Mesizampa the base in Paro behind Drugyel, from where we were suppose to start walking. Ap Wangdue, the school cook of Lingshi, was there with three of his horses to carry our loads.

At first excitement took over us and we walked energetically but later we were slogging. After much hardship and cursing we finally reached Shingrab where we were suppose to halt. Was such a relief to be there that right after reaching took some snacks and rested my head. When I woke up I saw there were many other people seeking shelter for the night there. A man was on his way to reach two of his kids to school and he was talking about bridges being washed away. My mom asked me and my friend if we wanted to return from there. But I was persistent to go to Lingshi. After sharing dinner with nine others we headed to bed because we had a long day to take.

That night, the cat of the woman who gave us shelter jumped from the ceiling to the floor so many times that for once i though i was having nightmares.

With packed lunches and wished we continued our walk. Jumping from one stone to the other the sole of my foot hurt so bad that I though it was going to bleed. One energy drink after another, coffee, juice, I took all of them but still the speed of my walk did not increase but decrease.

I wished I had not come, I wished my mom never got posted there and I wished a lot of other things too. Finally it was time to eat, my favourite activity on the trip. We decided to eat at the Indian Army base camp but there was no one around so decided to go a little further up where our own army base camp was located. We ate there at Soe and continued our walk.

That night we made up to Soe School where our host were Tshering Dorji a teacher and his five year old son. Had some fruits in my bag which I gave him. I also had a mango in my bag and gave that to Ap Wangdue. Ap Wangdue looked at the fruit and asked me what that was. To my amazement, he had never even seen a mango in his life forget eating one. After I explained what it was the 55-year-old ate like a small kid.

After a delicious dinner we conversed for some time and then went to sleep.
That night the rats were running from one end to the other and disturbing my sleep.
The next morning, I was more excited and even though my leg hurt walked fast. Was so happy that we were nearing Lingshi but the walk uphill on the stone mountain Nelala killed all my excitement. It just drained all the energy I had and was making it impossible for me to walk. My mom encouraged me giving me lots of energy drinks and finally made it. We had lunch at the base of the mountain and that was when I got to pluck a cordycep.

After re-energising ourselves with lunch we started our walk. After a few hours of walk I could see the Lingshi Dzong in the mist, looked so beautiful. Seeing the dzong made us believe that we were nearing Lingshi but how much ever we walked the dzong remained in the same distance.

After slogging for a few more hours we finally reached near the dzong and from there we could see the whole of Lingshi, which just consisted of the school, dungpa office, post office, telecom office and a few houses. The view was just so amazing and the happiness of reaching the place cannot be expressed here. I that I forgot everything including the pain and the tough walks. That night I had a peaceful sleep.

It was a nice feeling

2010-07-09T04:57:00.000-07:00

We always come across thousands of people in life and sometimes just a glimpse of someone stays in our memory forever.

Sometimes in life we think it is just us, who notice people and that we are not noticed. Every day I walked to school from the town and there was this man in his mid 30s. I saw him and particularly noticed him because he has long hair. Used to walk by his shop in the mornings and the evenings every day like many other 1000s of students did.

It has almost been 10 years now and just imagine how many students must have walked by his shop. A few weeks earlier I went to his shop to buy something.
He looked at me and smiled, I smiled back assuming that he was doing it for the sake of courtesy. Then he said he knew me. For once I though he mistook me for someone else but then he explained that he saw me walking by his shop everyday when i was a little girl.

I just didn’t know what to say. I just smiled back and said yes that was me. But it felt nice.

Khegpas

2010-05-13T03:19:00.000-07:00

On our way home we meet a lot of people, as usual, but today I look at every person with suspicion. An old man is carrying a sack on his back. “There is a Khegpa,” I tease my friend. Deep within I do not know whether or not to believe the Khegpa rumours I have been hearing.

Rumours about Khegpas (human head hunters) have travelled throughout Bhutan it seems. My aunt recently came from Mongar. She said she heard that a small girl’s head was taken by a Khegpa there but no one had seen anything.

“It is in Mongar? I thought that happened in Orong, Samdrup Jongkhar,” said my uncle who had recently come from there. He had got calls from friends enquiring about the little girl because some heard it was in Orong.

Some people even know the exact number of heads the Khegpas need. Are they working as agents for them? Ha ha

The rumours have spread far too because my friends in India were also curious about it. Right after my friend called him mother to inform about his reach to his mother the first thing she told him was to be careful of Khegpas.

He wore a serious face when he told us about it. He said that his mom had informed him that a man was caught in his village for being a Khegpa but he had an official letter (permission) from the highest authority and nothing could be done.

I laughed hearing that but the stern look he gave me, was prove enough that he believed in it. I asked if I could contact anyone in his village but he was not ready to talk.

It is not in the villages that people have started fearing Khegpas but also here in the capital.

I heard that in some places villagers sleep with knife under their pillow. Some keep poisoned arrows and bows near their beds.

As far as I remember my mother used to tell me that a Khegpa would come along and take my head if I played till dark outside. She thought that would scare me and keeps me home but that never worked and thank God I never met a Khegpa too.

If khegpas really exist who are they? And as people say if human head is needed as sacrifice while building big projects and bridges so that they will last long where are all the rest of the body parts?

Why is it that no one has seen one till date?
I agree that a lot of the people go missing and in some case they are never found but that is not prove enough for the existence of Khegpas.
Photo kuenselonline.com

Drayangs are spreading

2010-04-02T23:53:00.000-07:00

When I heard of 71-year-old Chojey Lhamo, visiting a drayang (bars with girl as entertainers) every day, I had many questions in my mind and really wanted to meet her.

After asking a few friends for her address, I was able to meet her.

Chojey Lhamo said that she found the drayang entertaining and spends a lot of her time there. Chojey usually lives in Babisa and when she comes to Thimphu to her granddaughter’s place, she never misses going to the drayang.

In the morning she goes to the memorial chorten and in the evening she sits in a corner of the drayang watching people perform on stage.

It has been almost one year that she has been following this routine.

However, she said that she has seen men misbehaving with the girls and that she does not like it at all. “Everything has good and a bad part and there are good and bad men,” she said.

There are people who say that the evolving drayang culture in Bhutan is not healthy for youth while there are also those who say it is entertaining.

I strongly believe that the drayang culture is soon going to become dirtier than expected. I know that the girls working there are not educated and have source of other income but they are also looking for fast money at the same time.

An aunt of mine offered a job to a girl working in the drayang as a sales girl. She said she would pay Nu 3000 but the girl refused saying she earned more than that in a drayang.

One of the high rank official said that Drayangs are a cover-up operation for prostitution but he won’t let me quote that. How am i going to make a difference then? I have written a lot about this issue but nothing has happened.

It this culture is not stopped right at the start, it won’t be long when prostitution will spread.

Whatever the circumstances may be statistics show that the draying culture is spreading to dzongkhags out of Thimphu.
The number of drayangs in Bhutan has increased. There are more that 22 drayangs in Bhutan now, majority of them being situated in Thimphu.

Snow fall in Thimphu

2010-01-01T03:36:00.000-08:00

I was still sleeping warmly in my bed when a friend called me up in the morning of December 31. I usually don’t answer calls in the morning especially if I am still in bed. But I felt the urgency to answer his call because he was leaving for India in a few hours and he was calling from Phuentsholing.
“Are you still in bed? Just look out of the window,” he said and hung up. Still in my half sleep I woke up and looked outside the window and the scene was so beautiful. Snowflakes from the sky made everything look so romantic and beautiful. Everything around was covered with snow though not fully.
I woke my friend Eshu, who was sleeping next to me, to see the snow. She just had a look and went back to sleep. I was so excited but dared not to go out and play because I had a bad cold. I though I will play on my way to the office because even the snow cannot be a reason for a holiday in a private firm.
As Eshu and I started walking to work I saw children playing in the snow. The cold could not keep their excitement away. And then there were some naughty kids trying to hit us with snow balls but thank god it did not hit us.
By the time we reached office the snow started melting.

My recent trip to Delhi

2009-12-29T20:50:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to travel with the King for his first State visit after he officially took over. While I was there I saw some interesting things which I tried to capture with my Canon G 10...

Journalist by chance

2009-11-27T02:04:00.000-08:00

Someone once asked me if I had become a journalist by choice to which I replied it was by chance.

I still remember the first job application I wrote. It was in 2006 I was a fresh graduate with no set goals. All i wanted to do was sit for the RCSC exams and get myself employed in a government job. My friend Wesel started working with Bhutan Observer right after graduation as a reporter.

I used to visit her and hang around in the Observer Office. One day Wesel was excited. She said that there was an announcement that Observer would be employing more reporters. She said that it would be a good practice for me because for the RCSC exams they had viva tests. I did not even have a paper and a pen to write. I asked for one from the receptionist and started writing a job application.

They had set a date for the interview and i had to lie at home. My dad insisted that I got a government job so did not want to go against him. On the day of the interview (it was on a Saturday) I left home saying I was going to go and meet Wesel. Dad did not even have the smallest of the doubt. i smiled at myself.

I was nervous because it was the first interview of my life. I went to the Observer office and they made me sit for a written test along with 12 others. They asked us to write about the role of media and there were some other short questions.

I was a B Com student so the essay I wrote was sure to be rejected by the editors. I just praised their paper. After completing the paper they said that the editors would correct the papers and call those who have been shortlisted. I went home with all smiles not because I was sure of getting selected but because i was imagining the face of the editor who would edit my rubbish articles.

A week passed and I did not receive any call. It was a Tuesday and my cell rang early in the morning. I saw a fixed line number calling me. I answered and the phone and the person talking on the other said said that I was called for an interview by Observer and had to report at 9 am in their office. I didn’t know what to do, how would I tell my father if I got the job, how will I explain the employer, how, how. With lots of questions in my mind I walked to the Observer office. There we were three of us shortlisted. A girl was already inside being interviewed by the Editor-in-chief Sonam Kinga. I was the last one.

I went and he asked me all sort of questions. I remember one. He asked me what type of news I would be reporting from a village keeping in mind the course I took in college. I didn’t know what to say. So quickly answered, "I will report on sale of maize, tengma and other items." he smile at me and said they will call me if i get the job.

I went home and hoped they didn’t call me and I didn’t receive any calls. After a month I sat for the RCSC exams and the results were yet to be declared when I got a call from Observer. They said that if I was still interested I could join them from the new week. I was dumb for a second. But why? I went to meet the owner and came to know that they were short of reporters. I told her frankly that I was waiting for the results and then my dad always insisted that I get a job in the government sector. She was understanding and gave me an option. I came to know from her that one of the editor was impressed by my written test.

She said I could work for a month till my results were out and then if I got through I could join government sector but if my work were not impressive they would kick me out. It was a fair deal and I talked about it with my parents. My mom as usual said I could do whatever I want provided I was happy with it and dad was a little hard to convince. But ultimately he agreed.

For a week after joined Observer I did not know where to go and what kind of work to do. No one guided me. Two weeks after idly sitting in the office I got my first assignment to go an interview a person who had escaped an accident. I was nervous, my heart was beating faster. I did not know how to start the conversation, nor did I know what questions to ask. Lucky I, our photographer Au Lhendup came to my rescue. He was so used to going reporting with reporters that he was familiar with such situations. He did all the questioning for me. I returned to the office happy because I got all the information my editor needed. I wrote it and submitted it.

The story did not come out in the paper I was angry because I worked for it. I didn’t think I would last in this profession and was hoping that I get a government job. After that I got more assignments and I delivered them to my best. The third week in my office I had my first front page story.

For reporters it means a lot when our articles come out on the front page. My editor congratulated me and I was feeling on top of the world. After that I did various kinds of stories and my editors appreciated me.

Meanwhile RCSC results were out and I was on the waiting list, I was sure of getting a government job but by then I had started liking my profession. I talked to my parents again and they said it is up to me. My employer said they wanted to keep me so I forgot about the government job.

Today I feel I can not do anything better then reporting.

Getting older

2009-11-24T01:27:00.000-08:00

People rather say there are getting wiser than getting older. My 24th Birthday was quit a nice one especially with friends and families sending me their good wishes.
My friend Sonam Zangpo was the first one to wish me. he wished me a week in advance because he had plans to go on tour. And again when his tour was cancelled he wished me a day in advance. Still making him the first one to wish me.

My best friends and I went dancing on the night of Nov 21 to splash. Just as it was 12 they all wished me. They even dedicated songs for me. So much celebrations for getting old huh. My mom wished me on 22nd she send me an sms. My brother and favourate uncle forgot to wish me so i forced them to wish me. I wrote to them saying, "happy birthday to me," and my uncle replied saying he loved me the most so did not have to wish me while my brother said he was so busy buying me a gift. My birthday was over but wishes still came from friends.

sometimes it really feels good to be wished by friends and families you realise how special you are. Thanks for making my birthday so special

My dream of adopting a child

2009-11-20T01:02:00.000-08:00

Children are a creation of god and a smile from an innocent child can melt hearts. Ever since i was a child myself i had a dream of adopting a baby. I always thought that adopting a child was better than giving birth to one. May be i am wrong. But there are already many children in Bhutan itself who are born to disadvantaged families and who suffer. Why not adopt them and give them a better life to live?

When i discuses this issue with my family and friends they say that it would not be the same. A child you gave birth to will be closer than a child you adopt. That is what most of them say. I have seen cases where children are adopted and once the couple have their own they start differentiating but would all people be the same?

Some day I hope i get to live my dream...

My work

2009-11-20T00:41:00.000-08:00

It is yet again another day for work and I have no other option than to wake up and drag myself to the bathroom. I don't even feel like working but after the education my parents gave me i got to make some use of it.

My office has become a second home for me.The situation is better now because earlier I spend more of my time in the office than at home. I remember my father telling me to take a sleeping bag in the office because i reached home always late.

My co-workers are friendly and I have known most of them for many years now. What more could I ask for? When a work is well done people praise me of the good work and I even get calls from other people thanking me. But when i do a controversial story I even get threats.

Sometimes i feel that this profession of mine is the best one for me and that i was born to be working in this field but there are times when i feel none other job would suck more than mine. Guess that is what everyone goes through once in a while.

It has been three years since i started working and this profession has thought me a lot. I used to be a shy girl in college with less words but now I cant afford to be that way. Met a lot of people and learned a lot from them.

I don't know how long i will be working in this profession but when i do i try to give it my best!

It happened to him

2009-11-12T03:53:00.000-08:00

Met a friend recently and this guy is full of humor. He has just started chatting on Druknet when someone from the other end wrote ASL? He though the other person was saying Ass Hole to him so he replied saying F**K You. A friend of his who was watching him closely explained things to him and he was so embarrassed.

Natures beauty

2009-11-05T22:11:00.000-08:00

Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into. ~Henry Beecher

The talkative kid

2009-11-05T21:34:00.000-08:00

The kid in the picture is probably three and for a kid of his age he is very talkative. Nono stays with his mother in Trashigang and he says that he is a dukha waktsa village kid. He says he has a girl friend who is his neighbor. I met him when I was on tour. We took this picture together because he wanted me to take his picture. CUTE!

The male weaver

2009-11-05T21:26:00.000-08:00

Tandin Wangchuk is a shopkeeper in Gyelopshing, Mongar. He has been weaving ever since he was 10. Today he is 27-year-old. weighing 100 kgs he is a friendly person and gets along very well with women.

Effect of September 21 earthquake

2009-11-05T01:01:00.000-08:00

Kupejigtsham Lhakhang in Yangnear, Trashigang was completely destroyed by September 21 earthquake. The lhakhang was also destroyed some 60 years ago by earthquake.

learning from a stranger

2009-11-04T22:46:00.001-08:00

It was around 12 pm and the date was October 28. I was looking for a vehicle to go to Gyelposhing from Mongar (almost a journey of an hour). Many taxis went by but all were packed. I walked a few meters and saw two old men talking.

I joined their conversation and talked with them as I had no other thing to do rather than waiting for a vehicle. The two men said they would stop a vehicle for me and surely right after five minutes a young man was passing that way. One of the old man stopped the vehicle and asked where the vehicle was heading. Lucky the vehicle was also going to Gyelposhing and it had a empty seat in front. The back seats were packed with goods for sale.

I thanked the old men and got going. The young man just asked me about my work and after that he was doing all the talking. I just nodded and smiled because he did all the talking.

He said he was uneducated but his talks made sense. He talked of the recent disaster, about families and bonds and lot of other things. "Man this guy can really talk," I thought to myself.

Of the various things he talked about he said something about going after our own dreams and that we have to make the effort yourself. he put it this way; somethings are made for us but it wont come to us easily until we make the effort of getting it. this lines really inspired me and was thinking about it when we reached Gyelposhing.

I thanked him and he went his way and I mine.

Who am I?

2009-11-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

His Majesty the King was going from shop-to-shop during the night of October 15 in Bumthang. HM went to a small shop and asked the shopkeeper if her business was doing well. She thought he was a trade officer and deep inside she thought he was such a handsome trad officer. She answered and when HM poured more question she said she did not have time to answer him.
HM looked around and saw a picture of Indian PM Manmohan and himself in her shop. HM pointed at the picture and asked the shopkeeper who then men in the picture were. she looked up and said its Mamohod Singh, he then asked her who ther other man was. She coolly said Drugyel Drukpa. HM then asked her is the man in the picture and he looked similar. The shopkeeper than looked at him properly and bowed her head. She was so scared and thought HM might have felt offended but HM gave her a sera of Nu 1500.

journey to the EAST

2009-11-01T21:01:00.000-08:00

Recently I went to the eastern part of bhutan to some of the remote places too and I realized what comfort and luxuries life we lead in the capital.

Although some of the villages i visited did not have electricity and people lived in darkness there was something that glowed. Their nature and their innocence. The people there are so innocent and not materialistic at all, they help each other in a community unlike in Thimphu where people do not even know their own neighbors.

I went and slept in a couples house, forget about knowing them I was meeting them for the first time. But the hospitality they showed and the way they made me feel at home cannot be expressed. Would people in the west allow a stranger to sleep over?

Sometimes I feel it is good that all parts of Bhutan has not developed equally or we would have lost the small portion of innocent people.

Detour to school

2009-10-12T22:09:00.001-07:00

Detour to school

Posted using ShareThis

The man in double ghos

2009-10-12T22:07:00.001-07:00

The man in double ghos

Posted using ShareThis

The drayang culture

2009-10-12T21:58:00.000-07:00

People agree that the scenario at Thimphu drayangs has improved since they have been legalised but people have shown concerns about the youths that they attract. These musical entertainment bars employ a lot of people, especially female entertainers,
some of them as young as 16.

Some of the owners running the drayangs are concerned about their employees and make it a point to drop the girls home. Some owners also have laid down strict rules for their employees, such as not being allowed to drink alcohol with the customers.
However, there are always some loopholes.

Entertaining in drayangs has been seen as an easy job to make easy money. The female
entertainers are sometimes abused and harassed by customers within or outside the drayangs.

Female entertainers are mostly employed to attract customers and the owners say that with girls around, the number of customers increases.

Sources say that some of these female entertainers go out with the customers after their work hours. According to Chimi, an entertainer,some of the entertainers
in her drayang have regular customers. And toearn more she has seen some of her friends willing to go out with the customers after work.

“The problem is not just for the entertainers but also the kind of crowd these drayangs attract,” said Tashi, a private firm employee.In the area she stays, there are three drayangs and she is disturbed most of the nights. “It is either the music from the drayang or the youth who linger around after the drayangs are closed,” she said.

She remembers an incident where she could not sleep well the whole night because a couple of youth were outside her building being a nuisance. “I looked from the window and the children were very young to be outside at that odd hour,” she said.

An owner of a drayang said that he has various age groups of customers coming
in. He said that at times, when smaller children come in, he does not entertain them but most of the time he is not aware of the age of his customers.“Children these days look older than their age,” he added.

Zangpo and his friends recollect seeing a group of young boys in a drayang. “There were four of them requesting songs, all of them looked like school kids,” said Zangpo.

There are people who usually go and drink in drayangs but a few others have their own reservations. “I have not been to all the drayangs but among the few I visited, it did not make a good impression so I think it is not a healthy environment for youth to be,” said Indu Gurung, who usually loves checking out entertainment places.
Pema, mother of two, said that earlier, late night parties worried her but with the drayang culture picking up so fast her concerns have increased.

“There should be a system where the owners of drayangs ask the customers’ age so that young children will not be allowed in such places,” she said.Tshering, a civil servant, said that he and his friends visited drayangs occasionally and if the girls agreed they got themselves a room to spend the night.

“Most girls come from poor background but some are educated and should actually have no problem getting a decent job, I don’t understand why they opt for such jobs,” said Tshering.

Most of the drayangs have come up with their own dress code. The entertainers wear uniforms provided by the drayang owners. The dresses are mostly kira but a few drayangs have bego (Tibetan dress) as their uniform.

A few drayangs look a lot cleaner but a few still remain the same. Thimphu has more than 12 licensed drayangs. Bhutan Infocomm and Media Authority regulates the drayangs.

Drayangs legalised

2009-10-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

The musical entertainment bars in Thimphu, famously known as drayangs, were operating illegally until April. Recently 12 drayangs have been granted licences on fulfilling the general technical standards of the draft rules governing places of entertainments drawn by the regulating authority.

Bhutan Infocomm and Media Authority (BICMA), after inspection, legalised the rayangs with proper licences.The Director of BICMA, Kinley T Wangchuk, said the decisions were taken in cooperation with the police and the Economic Affairs Ministry.

During the inspections, 16 drayangs in Thimphu were found operating illegally. 11 of them were licensed. Out of the two new proposals for drayangs, one was given a licence.

During the earlier inspection, the draying owners were made aware of the rules and regulations and minimum standards of operation.

Earlier in the draft rules, the annual licence fee was Nu 5000. It has been raised to Nu 25000. “We raised the amount hoping to discourage people but a few more have shown interest,” said Kinley T Wangchuk.

The look of most drayangs earlier was dark, shabby, andloud with no safety measures like bouncers or fire extinguishers. Now with BICMA inspecting and regulating, these drayangs look cleaner.

According to the draft rules of BICMA, the general technical standards that the licencees operating places of entertainment should fulfil is that it should be located in town; away from dzongs, monasteries, schools, hospitals,
government offices, residential areas and it should be indoors.

“My drayang fulfils all but one standard,” said an owner of a drayang. He said that after BICMA inspected hislegaliseddrayang, he had been working
towards fulfilling the minimum standards set by them.

Drayangs are required to have safety measures such as fire extinguishers, exhaust fans, first aid kit and medical help, bouncers and security persons. They should also have separate restrooms for men and women, should be sound proof with proper
sanitation facilities and availability of condoms and birth control methods. This kind of entertainment is not just based in Thimphu. Paro has two drayangs running on provisional licences and Bumthang has one with a licence.Ngawang Lhendup from BICMA said the licensing for the other dzongkhags is different.

“We only issue the licence;the dzongkhag authorities regulate them,” he said. He added that other dzongkhags are also picking up this business.

Meanwhile, Sonam, 29, said that legalising drayangs was not a good step because a lot of young girls worked there as entertainers and customers harassed them for sex.
The drayangs employ a good number of people, especially females, who are used as an attraction for the customers

Drayangs – the seamy side of Thimphu entertainment

2009-10-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

Agroup of men walk in and sit in a corner of the draying, a musical entertainment bar, in the heart of Thimphu city. A young girl approaches them for their order. After the men place their order, another girl with a notebook and a pen comes over to the group. She wants them to request for songs which she or her friends will sing or perform on the stage. It is 9.30 pm.

She puts on her best facial expression and body gestures to please the customers. She joins them in a seemingly hearty conversation punctuated by short, ringing giggles. Later, she joins them to drink. At long last, she lures one of the men into requesting for a song.

The man fishes out a 100 ngultrum note from a thick wallet. The minimum amount for a song is Nu 100. The girl leaves the table. Meanwhile, other girls try their luck with the same customers. It is 10 pm. Soon, another group of men come in. The girls move round and round and round the men.

This is the initial decent scene at a draying, a dimly-lit bar where young girls sing and dance and lure customers. The atmosphere is the same in all Thimphu’s more than 16 drayangs.

Each time a customer requests for a song, the money directly goes to the owner of the drayang. A book of account is maintained by the owner where the names of the girls and the amount they have collected are noted down. The amount the girls manage to collect decides their bonus at the end of the month.

Every girl is paid Nu 3000 plus a bonus which is determined by the number of song requests she has got. If a girl manages to get Nu 15,000, she gets Nu 1000 as bonus at the end of the month. If she makes Nu 20,000, she gets Nu 2000 as bonus.

“The bonus system is maintained because some girls work very hard to get requests while others don’t. This is to encourage the girls,” said the owner of a drayang.

Behind the hearty singing and merrymaking though, most drayang girls have sad stories to share.

Karma (name changed), 25, is one of some 90 girls who entertain customers in the drayangs. She studied till class VII with the support of her single mother. After her mother fell ill, she could not continue her studies.

She came to Thimphu chasing a dream of a decent life. She gave a try in one of the performing arts and music companies. But her knowledge of Bhutanese songs and quality of her voice fell far short of the qualification criteria.

“I stayed with a cousin and desperately wanted to get a job because I thought that I was a burden on my cousin who already had to look after five children,” she said.

After a long time, she got a job but that paid her too little. That is when she visited a drayang which was in need of female performers. She thought that the amount they paid her would be enough to sustain her.

She has been working with the drayang for the past four months and her contract with the owner is about to expire.

“It is frustrating at times when customers offer you money and ask you to come and spend a night with them. We have to handle such situations very carefully because, if we are rude, they won’t return so we just smile and say nothing,” said Karma. She said that her mother and cousin did not know that she worked as a performer in a drayang.

All the draying girls have signed a contract with the owners. “I don’t have any permanent girls because some of them marry and go away while others quit the job when they get a better opportunity,” said Dorji, the owner of Gyelwang Drayang.

Karma said that she performed in a draying because she did not have any other option. “After my contract is over, I will look for other jobs, and if I can’t get one, I may go back to my village,” she said.

Another draying girl, 23, is six months pregnant. But she still drags herself around because her husband does not support her. She cannot dance but sings. She said that she did not like the job but had to take it up for she was uneducated. “My husband does not treat me well so I have no other option but to work and be on my own,” she said. The girls in the drayangs work from 5 pm to 11 pm on weekdays and 5 pm to 12 pm on weekends.

Most customers in the drayangs are middle class people, according to Dorji. Men different ages come to the drayangs. Some are young boys. Dorji said a few of the customers tried to abuse girls physically but he did not allow that. If the customers did not listen to him, he called up the police for help.

He said, “The customers talk with the girls. Some of them, who know the girls well, fondle them. But the girls are not allowed to go anywhere until the drayang is closed. Once it is closed, I don’t know what the girls do.”

Dawa, a Thimphu resident enjoying in Zombala Drayang, said that he came to the drayang to reduce tensions and worries, but mainly to meet the young girls. He does not drink but requests a girl to sing for him after paying her Nu 100. This is the time when he gets to hug another girl who also tries to lure him into getting a request from him. This is how customers get so close that they make plans for the night.

“It is frustrating at times when customers
offer you money and ask you to come and spend a night with them. We have to handle
such situations very carefully because, if we are rude, they won’t return so we just smile and say nothing,” said Karma. She said that her mother and cousin did not know that she worked as a performer in a drayang.”

Jamyang (name changed), is also an entertainer in a drayang. She said that she did not mind the customers hugging and fondling her because all that mattered to her at the end of the day was her livelihood. And that she had to earn somehow. She added that she had to go to the extent of promising the night with the customer so that he would request for more songs, which meant more money for her.

Meanwhile, Kinley T Wangchuk, the Director of Bhutan Infocomm and Media Authority (BICMA), said that, during an inspection, they found that there were 16 drayangs in Thimphu operating illegally.

He said that they could not immediately shut down the drayangs because they employed a good number of people. “The drayangs have been made aware of the rules and regulations and the minimum standards they will have to maintain to operate and have been given a time of two months to fulfil them,” said Kinley T Wangchuk.

In mid May, BICMA will again do an inspection and if the drayangs are found operating without fulfilling the minimum standards, they will all be closed down.

An owner of a drayang said that not even a single drayang in Thimphu will be able to fulfil all the standards required by BICMA.

Children’s rights

2009-10-09T22:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (October 9) it was quite late I was walking home with a friend after watching a Bhutanese film. We reached near the Hongkong market when we saw a crowd of people there. Vegetable vendors were also shouting. My friend said we should leave the place but I insisted we see what was going on.

I pushed myself through the crowd and was a small girl crying and hiding herself behind a woman. The woman did not know what to do. The girl’s mother and grandmother were drunk and were beating the child. The father was sitting nearby and not saying a thing. The family were asking the child to come home with them but the girl refused because she was beaten up.

A few concerned people asked the mother and the grandmother not to beat the child but the mother was very difficult to handle. She was drunk and aggressive. She was pulling her daughters hands so hard that the child was crying. “Don’t interfere she is my child and I have the right to do anything,” she shouted at the people. The woman behind whom the child was hiding was also helpless. She did nto know what to do.

There were some traffic police trying to sort things out. I asked one of them if they could do anything because the police have a different unit called the, “women and children protection unit.” The police first said it was better if the parents solved the problem mutually. I told him that would not be possible because the parents were drunk he then told me to call 113 and complain.

I called 113 and complained. The receiver there asked me a lot of questions which irritated me. He asked for my name, number, and the spot again and again. I explained to him that it was just near the city police station. To which he asked if there were other people there and how he could know when he get to the place. Had he come out he would have directly noticed the crowd. For once I thought the time taken by the police to answer the call and ask questions again and again was enough for people to run away.

There was an incident when I saw two guys fighting outside a party hall. One had carried some kind of a knife (couldn’t see in the dark). I quickly called 113 and informed the police. The fight took long and by the time police came one was seriously injured and was bleeding. The incident was just near the police station too.

But the issue here is not about the police but the child being beaten up. It was 10 pm and I could not stay there longer. I just hoped the police came to the rescue of the child. In Bhutanese society there are cases where children are beaten up. I also got a lot of beating as a kid especially from mom but can a small child be beaten up by three people in the mid of the town.

Sometimes I feel we should follow the west in having the children’s rights.

Hawa methai or cotton candy

2009-10-01T05:59:00.000-07:00

The making

My Thought

2009-10-01T01:37:00.000-07:00

The sun is shining bright and I am even lazier. Don't even want to move an inch. I sleep on the side of the road where a tree gives me some shade from the harsh rays of the sun.

I hear people walking, vehicles plying by but that does not distract me much.Have always been a great sleeper. Humans are really unique from us. They are so obsessed with the way they look and dress. We don't care much about our looks and how we carry ourselves. I am only bothered about it when I meet some beauties but not much because they only behave different but have the same looks as I do.

The new beauty in my locality is a fair one. She is one in a million I would say but have many suitors, I haven't even tried my luck. I was always know to be the shy type and laziness added to it. Sleep most of day except when I am hungry.

I don't know who my parents are. I was raised by the people of the locality I live in. They are nice but sometimes can be real mean.

Ouch! that hurts. I raise my head to see who hit me. Damn! it is the naughty boy who lives in the locality. i don't want to be a pet dog. I want to live a free life but he is forcing me and putting a chain around my neck. He does that everyday.
Now I will have to go for a walk with him, I would rather be trying the new beauty then running around with him :(

The WALK

2009-09-30T23:49:00.000-07:00

Funny pictures

2009-09-30T23:08:00.000-07:00

the natural bhutanese lipstick

words of kindness provoke people

two reporters dozing off while covering a session of the national assembly

I don't want to grow up

2009-09-30T22:34:00.000-07:00

If growing up means freedom, I don't want to grow up!
If growing up means cheating, I don't want to grow up!
If growing up means pretending ,I don't want to grow up!
If growing up means breaking hearts, I don't want to grow up!
If growing up means becoming selfish, I don't want to grow up!
If growing up means working late hours, I don't want to grow up!
If growing up means becoming independent, I don't want to grow up!
If growing up means not playing like kids anymore, I don't want to grow up!
If growing up means eating alone most of the time, I don't want to grow up!
If growing up means waking up early and sleeping late, I don't want to grow up!
If growing up means not having enough time for family, I don't want to grow up!

Let me remain a child and be innocent, truthful, and pure, always close to my family.

A lonely woman

2009-09-24T01:04:00.000-07:00

The dawn is yet to break but I cant seem to sleep longer people were right, sleep goes away at old age. I get up and wash myself, get dressed and sit in bed. That is all I can do. I cant cook I am not allowed to do, and I cant do other household because my daughter hates it.

I wait restlessly in bed for my daughter and her family to wake up. I want to watch television but don't want to disturb them. so the only option I have is to chant a few prayers, know only a few, or read my old book, which I have memorized by now.

I still have five hours in hand before the others wake up. It has been almost five years since i started living with my daughter and her family.I used to stay with my my only son as I had no where else to go after my husband died in an accident. My husband always said that I should keep some saving for my old age, somehow he always said he would die earlier,but I always assured him that our son would take good care of us. After all the education we have given him and the pains we have gone through to make him complete masters, I at least expected him to do that.

Dawa, pet name of my son, had just graduated when my husband expired. we were always there to support each other through thick and thins and soon he got employed in government service.He asked me to resign from my job because I was getting older and he did not want to see me slogging.I resigned and life was going on fine.

One day, as usual, I was waiting for him over dinner when he came home with a girl. He introduced me and said that he wanted to marry that girl. i didn't know anything about the girl but as my only son I did not want to hurt his feelings. They got married and the first few months went on fine.

After a few months I noticed the change in my daughter in laws behavior. She started coming home later than usual never spoke much to me and my son was busy with his official works to notice that. I tried talking about it to my son but he ignored it saying it is just my feeling nothing is wrong.

Women grow old but their interest does not change much. At the age of 50 I still loved shopping and surprisingly my daughter in law gave me some money and asked me to go shopping. We lived near the town so i though it would be fun shopping, it has been some time, I asked my daughter in law to accompany me but she said she was not in the mood. I was on my way when my old sandals gave away and broke. I went back to change it. My daughter in law had locked the door from inside but I also had a key with me. I did not want to disturb her so quietly opened and went to my room. i changed my sandals and was going back when i heard a different voice from my son's room. At first I though I should just ignore it but I was a woman and then a curious one. I walked to the room and peeked inside. My daughter in law was in the arms of some other man and that man looked familiar. I thought of pushing open the door but their conversation stopped me. They were talking about how they will fool my son and take over what ever little he has. We were not very rich but my husband has left behind enough for us, which included a house.

I could not believe a wife would plan against her own husband. I could not stop myself and when i realized I had pushed open the door and slapped my daughter in law. I now clearly saw the face of the man, he was non other than Dawa's best friend, I chased him away.

later that evening when Dawa came home i wanted to tell him every thing but surprisingly my daughter in law started crying and telling him a different story. she said I slapped her when she refused to give me money for shopping and forcefully took the money. I tried to explain but Dawa said that he was not a mood to listen to our silly quarrels. But he was angry at me for slapping his wife.

I was in my room and i heard my daughter in law still crying and Dawa consoling her. The relationship between a wife and husband is indeed strong because a mother had no say in it.

From that day on she stopped talking to me completely and always avoided me. This went on for almost a year and she was pregnant. She gave birth to a son and my son was the happiest, I was happy too but deep inside I had doubts if the father was my son.

with a child in the family I expected things to change and it did seem changed for a couple of months but later I realized that it was the same. I son's friend came home with my son and sometimes alone on the pretext of meeting the new born. All I could do was give him serious looks.

Months changed into years and I knew my daughter in law was cheating my son but my son was not ready to listen to anything I said. Finally one day my son said that as I and his wife did not get alone I should stay in my house while he would shift taking his family. I didn't care about my daughter in law and her son but I did care about my son. I told my son not to do that but he had made up his mind. but how could I forget his cunning wife wanted to take over the house so she refused to go away. She somehow convinced my son that it would be better if I stayed in a rented house somewhere else and that they would support me.

My innocent son agreed and I was shifted to a small house away from town. I was almost 60 and has to stay alone. My son promised to bring me all the necessary commodities and he did but only for a year. His visits decreased and every time he visited his stay shortened. I did not say a thing. I always kept myself busy reading the same book over and over or by going for walks.

Sometimes I visited the memorial chorten and gossiped with the other oldies there. It was fun being with them because I forgot all my troubles and we oldies talked about our younger days for hours. But every time in the evening I would be sad because everyone else looked forward to going home and being with there dear once while I was the only one who had to go back to a house with no one there.

I never told this to my friends. Sometimes I wished I would have my best friends back. I had a group of friends whom I claimed were my best. After I married I lost contact with them because they also had their own lives to led.

As usual I was at the chorten with my old friends when I saw a couple coming there with a little girl walking in between. I found it very sweet and looked closely and was shocked to see that it was my son and some other woman and a child. They came closer and walked passed me. My son did not notice me as he was engrossed talking with the woman and her child, as I assumed. I called him and he turned to see me. He asked the women to stay where she was and he came towards me.

I asked him who the woman was and he said she was a friend. I told him that he had not visited me for long and that I really missed him. Our talk prolonged for a few minutes and the woman lost her patience and came toward us dragging the child behind her. Dawa who are you talking to, said the woman. Dawa's answer nearly gave me a heart attack. She is just someone I know he answered. I looked at him and quietly walked towards the entrance of the chorten when I heard the child call him "apa".

That day I went home early and cried. I had not cried that much when my husband died but that night I cried so much that my pillows if squeezed could fill a bucket.

A few months I stayed home and then started going to the chorten again. I met my old friends but one was missing. I heard she died. Death always scared me, the only worry I had was if I would get a proper funeral when I die. But then again I though my son would not even know if I died. he just paid the rent of the house I stayed in and bought things and for him his duty was done.

The thought itself almost killed me everyday and brought tears to my eyes. The sun was shining to its fullest that day on the white chorten almost blinding everyone when a woman in he late twenties walked up to me. "Why are you crying ama," she asked.The word "ama" had become extent in my life and felt real good to hear it. I smiled at her and told her that it was bright sun which brought tears to my eyes. She smiled at me and continued her rounds around the chorten.

I saw her everyday during the evenings and she made it a point to talk to me everyday sometimes she offered to drop me home because my other friends had there children come and pick them up. I always told her that my children will come and pick me up. I did not want to let her know how lonely I was.

There was something that connected me to her, I was always happy to see her. And once when she did not turn up on her usual time I though something was wrong. With prayers in my heart for her I was about to leave when it started raining. I did not want to take a taxi because I just got enough for my son to last a month and that would be extra expenditure. I waited for the rain to stop when she appeared carrying the usual smile on her face. She asked me why I had not left and I could not lie, I said I wanted to see her. She explained that she had a meeting and was late.

That day I could not hide my loneliness from her because she offered to drop me home and I could not reject her offer as it was getting dark and to make it worst, raining.

We reached the house which I claimed a home, I felt ashamed to invite her in because it was just a small room. She insisted that she wanted to come and see my children. I could not take it any longer and started crying. I told her everything about my dead husband and my son. "What an unlucky son," she said. He has his mother yet is motherless because he wants to live his own life while I want to stay with a mother but don't have one. She told me that her mother died when she was born and ever since her father had raised her. She had just started earning and had lots of dreams and plans for her father, when he expired due to a heart attack. She told me that this was the reason why she came to the chorten every day.

It was dark and she had to leave, but we still had a new day to look towards. From that day onwards she always dropped me home.

I wanted to wake up but some how I could not. My old bones felt shaky and felt so weak. Is my nightmare coming true? I though. Was I going to die in that small room and no one would even know. Wished my son came to see me that day. And someone did come to see me but it was not my son. It was her. She had waited for me at the chorten but when people said I did not turn up she had come to see me. It really touched me. She saw that I was sick so insisted upon taking me to the hospital. I was in the hospital for a few day and she took care of me. After three days I was discharged. She came to drop me home but the road we traveled did not go towards my home. I told her that we were heading the wrong direction but she said that is where our home is.

I was numb for a moment and she just smiled. She was taking me home. Ever since that day I have been living with Tshering. She is now married but unlike my son she asked me if she could and she introduced him to me first. they have a handsome son and a daughter now.

"Ama," up already? said my daughter coming to my room with a cup of tea. I have a whole day in hand and I will be spending time with my grand children. In the evenings my daughter takes me to the chorten...

Keeping in touch!

2009-09-24T00:26:00.000-07:00

The bond of friendship is a strong bond but with time everything fades away. And once you lose touch with friends the bond weakens. Keeping in touch is very important and in this busy world not many of us can keep in touch with every friend of ours.

WAITING

2009-09-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

Nothing is more annoying than having to wait for someone or something. Time crawls when having to wait.

Today I was running after a story when time was crawling and mocking at me.
I went to the dzongkhag because i was suppose to meet the chief judge there but my luck, his office was on the other side of the river. I put my hand into my bag to call the driver but curse my luck, i had forgotten my cell phone in the office.
I went into one of the office and asked if i could make a call. Thanks to kind uncle Tawachu I called my office and asked my friend to send my cell with the driver. she said she would do it.

i went outside the gate of the dzongkhang and waited for the driver to come with my cell. I waited and waited and waited.
I waited more than an hour. had i walked back to office i would have reached by then but i waited. (i can be stupid at times).
I waited so long that i met a women who shared her story of coming to the court with me. I asked her if she had a cell so that i could call again but my luck she did not. she left her cell in the car and the car was not there. Finally i asked the policeman at the gate if i could use his cell but he had left it in the office to charge it. curse my luck more.

after a while a man came with a woman to the court. the woman went inside while he stayed back in the car reading a newspaper.the new friend i met suggested i ask him for his cell. at first i said i will wait a little longer because he looked serious. she insisted and I gathered my guts and asked. luckily he gave me his cell. i made a call again and thanked him.
waited for half an hour more (during which i cursed quit a lot of people) before the driver came with my cell. I said bye to my new friends and went on to the other side of the river.

I asked my driver to wait till i finished my duty but since it was getting late he said he would return later. i agreed. I was suppose to meet the chief judge but he was entertaining some guest inside (that is what his PA told me). I waited for another half an hour there but seemed like his guest would not come out. i began to lose my patience but his PA was not going to send me in.

I though i would go back but after waiting for so long i at least expected my work to be done. So i took the risk of calling the judge on his cell. luckily he said i could come in. I told the PA i called him and he has asked me to come in, she said i could go.
the judge was talking to a blue scarfed man i did not know who he was. not one of the elected MPs of course. he directed me to his Registrar and my job with his was over even within a minute. I went to the registrar and there waited for ten minutes. after all waiting ten minutes was not a problem. My business with his was over within a few minutes.

I called my driver to come and then my driver said he was on his way. but he made me wait for another half an hour again.

find a way back into love...

2009-09-08T00:40:00.000-07:00

All I want to do is find a way back into love... Yes I do want to find a way back into love. But not to the same person I loved once.

Falling in love is indeed a beautiful moment.

Of empty bottles and broken hearts - I I

2009-09-07T03:50:00.001-07:00

it is almost five and everyone at work is packing to go home. kesang is the first one to leave. she goes home and shuts herself in her room till dinner time. after having dinner with her parents she goes back to her room. her mother asks her if there is anything she wants to talk about. she does not say a thing.

After sometimes it 8 pm and as usual kesang gets out her house on the pretext of going for a walk. she does not care what she wares. she has got to impress no one. She goes to her usual bar and and does what she always do. The same routine continues for months untill everone in the bar knows her well.

one day as usual she is in the bar talking about her story and in the mid of her talk a person interferes. This is the first time someone has done so she looks carefully at the person. she has not seen him around, may be a new person come to drink she thinks.
"how many times will you be telling the same story," the man asks.

she gets annoyed and gives him the look but he is also drunk. "let me tell these people my story today," he continues. the others agree because they have heard Kesangs story a lot of times that they have memorized some of her lines.
"She was my sweetheart since school days. we were two bodies but one soul. she was rich so she went to a foreign country to continue her studies while I had to study here. Distance made our hearts grow fonder but only for some time. before I knew she had changed. Today she is happily married and I am happy for her. I would not have been able to give her the happiness her husband gives her today,"he says and drops on the table.

For the first time Kesang realizes how foolish she much have looked in front of the others. But she knows the feeling the man is going through. he is relieved i know, she says to herself and leaves the bar.

That night she does not fall asleep. she thinks till late night. she feels that heartbroken people does not have the courage to speak out till they empty a few bottles. She smiles at the thought and calls it a day.

The next day she visits the bar again. as usual the bar owner shouts at his waiter to bring her whiskey when she rejects.the bar owner cleans his ears and asks her, what will you have today dear."
she smiles at him and says I shall have a cup of coffee uncle. She sits in a corner drinking coffee and as usual the same crowd gathers there. some of the people ask her if she is not going to tell them her story today. She just smiles and says lets hear some other story today.

she is waiting for the man to come. the man whose heart is also broken. finally after her fourth coffee she sees him coming. he is already drunk and asks for more. the bar owner rejects him saying he is already drunk. he makes a fuss there and leaves the bar. she quickly pays her bill and walks behind him.

he keep on walking towards the centenary park. It is night time and the park is locked so he kicks the gate and moves on to a spot where he can sit. he is talking to himself and Kesang can hear that he is hurt.

At first Keasang feels it would not be right but she gathers all her courage to face him. hello there, she greets him. he has manners enough to greet back. You are kesang aren't you? he ask. She smiles and replies, "guilty."

Then they start their conversation and for the first time Kesang feels that she is not the only person who is hurt. they talk till midnight and finally bids good bye to each other.He tells her that he felt light talking to her.

the next day Kesangs mother comes to wake her up but she is all dressed for work. every one at work is shocked to see her come on time and she has a great day at work.

She dresses neatly and walks towards the direction of the bar in the evening to meet her new friend. she waits but he is not ther. she finally get up to leave and asks the bar owner if he had seen him. Oh! so it was you he was talking about. He has left a not for you, he said and handed over the note to him.

the letter reads...

Dear Kesang,
I know you have finally changed so dont feel the need to act the whay I have been doing. Actually I do not drink but I have seen you drunk in the bar many a time. You were too drunk even to notice me. I fell in love with you but could not tell you so directly because you hated men. I finally decided to become like you. and You have changed now. If you feel for me come to the spot where we first talked.

will be waiting there everyday till you come

With love
Pema

Of empty bottles and broken hearts - I

2009-09-07T02:05:00.000-07:00

Dressed in a shabby jeans and a pullover Kesang walks from her house to the town. People stop to look at her but she is least bothered. wearing a worn out slipper she quickly rushes in between the crowd and steps into a bar.

The bar owner knows her well. "Whiskey for the lady," he shouts at his waiter without even asking her what she wants. ever since her breakup with Karma she has been visiting this bar.

She takes a sip and then slowly gulps it all down. her neck is warm with sensation and she likes it. she asks for another and another till she is drunk. The bar owner looks at her and smiles. "Now she will start her love story all over again," he says to one of the customer sitting on a table near him.

True to his words, Kesang in her drunken state starts narrating her love story to the waiter and other people who have come for a drink.

we were collage mates, he promised to live with me but he left me. he promised to love me forever but he loved some other. He cheated on me. I will never trust another guy now. I hate men. she went on. finally she felt relieved.

It does feel relief to talk out your feeling to strangers she thought to herself. She stood up looked at the bar owner and smiled at him. he smiled back and said, "why do you drink so much. you have so much to achieve out of life, you are still young." she just cleared her bills and said "I have lost my life uncle," and walked towards the direction of her house.

Her parents are sleeping by the time she reached home, she quietly sneaks into her room and goes to sleep.

"Wake up kesang or you will be late for work," shouts her mother early morning. She still feels a little tipsy but manages herself out of bed. she looks at the time and she just has 10 minutes for her to get wash, get dressed and reach office.
As usual she is late for office and her boss gives her a piece of his mind and like always she has a bad day at work. What more can i ask, she thinks.

she has been working for two years and still does not have any friend at work. She does not even go out for lunch she eats from the packed lunch her loving mother has cooked for her.

flipping back the chapters of my life

2009-08-27T04:43:00.000-07:00

When I recollect my college days I think, “Those were the best days of my life,” For those who don’t know me I graduated from Darjeeling Government College (Gunda College as most people called) with a plain Degree of B. Com (I got dropped from Honors in 2nd yr) in 2006.

In my first year I stayed as a paying guest and knew only a few Bhutanese students. In my second year I shifted from the previous house to another and stayed there again as a paying guest (My parents didn’t have faith on my cooking).

It was then when I met my friend ‘Phagpa,’ (I love to call her that). We were neighbors and we used to get along quit well as we shared some bad habits (That’s a secret).

Those days Phagpa was fat so I gave her the name lovingly, just as she has a loving name for me.

Days turned into weeks and weeks into months, before it was a year we had become best friends that we were together almost everywhere (except for the toilets), that some of the people also took us as lesbians (one of our friend called us ‘girlfriends’).

“Thank God you have a boy friend,” that’s what Phagpa used to say. We were so close that she decided to move with me as a paying guest too. My aunty was happy because she liked Phagpa too. We had to share my room as no other rooms were empty and later on another of our friend (Kaktar) wanted to shift with us. So that small room of mine was not enough to take three of us so we had to ask for a bigger room.

As you know, my aunty was happy to give us a bigger room as money was what mattered to her.

Three of us started living in a big room where there were only two beds (two of us were sleeping together). It was fun, complaining about the food in dzongkha (earlier I was the only Bhutanese paying guest staying there). But aunty as we all called her was also good to us (especially me; after all that gifts I gave her each time I returned from home).

Even though three of us stayed together, things didn’t change for the two of us. We were still as close as we could get when Phagpa suddenly had to go to Bhutan.

Phagpa was gone and one day kaktar ended up fighting with our aunty and in her anger she stated that none of us liked staying there and that we were going to shift.

After that statement we had no other option then to move (I somehow convinced my parents as my new friend was a great cook). Luckily in such a short notice two of our seniors agreed to take us in. when Phagpa returned from Bhutan she was shocked to see that we were staying in a flat on our own without anyone to control us.

The place we stayed was called ‘Dolls Dreams,’ (which was owned by daju chethey- bald). He could be older than my dad but we had to call him daju as he was still a bachelor. His house was located in Toongsung (little Bhutan was what most of the locals called it).

We had to go through ever kind of experiences there. There is water shortage in Darjeeling and we had to adjust with the little water we had. I even recall some moments when we had to wash our clothes with rain water. But those moments were fun.

That was the height of freedom as we had no timing to anything we like to do but as nothing is permanent our so wasn’t our stay together. After all we are girls, so a little misunderstanding occurred here and a little there.

No, not Phagpa and me, we were together after that too but it was Kaktar, who did not want to stay with us (may be she has a reasonable reason but if you ask us we have a good reason to give too).

We had to leave that house as that house was quit bigger for the two of us, keeping in mind the water scarcity we face there. We shifted to another house in ‘Ganesh Gram’.

And those days were really the best days of my life. If people had there happiness in shares I am sure the two of us had more than our share.

We had all types of experiences there it was basically like a mad house. All our other friends including Kaktar would come to our place to sleep over.

Though the actual occupants were only the two of us, most of our other friends stayed with us (of course the expenditure was born by the two of us).

The two of us might have won a noble prize each for adopting so many girls (that too older than us). They ate at our place though we also went to there place (but it was more often on our side) slept at our place so much so they came to date at our place. hahahahah

We were many of us and out of that five us were basically living together (the others did come). We even named our selves just to show that we were so close but that name never got close. Zena, katerena (phagpa), Jasmine, Jessica and one of our friends was called Carin (kaktar).

These names were not very common even within us it was only jokingly we called eachother by those names or else most of the time we were back to square one.

This time also happiness did not last more, the two other friends left us and the three of us were left to stay together. Of course Phagpa and I were still together but the other friend staying with us was Baby (Jessica)

Baby as we called her not because she is small but because she was the biggest among the three of us.

The three of us got so well along that I can’t recall a single moment were we fought (Though we did some back biting sometimes). Time flew by and it was time for our final exams. We did our last minutes studies and managed to get through (thank god).

The three of us are still good friends and you must have guessed it, yes Phagpa and I am working in the same organization today and baby is taking care of her shop.

The only difference today is Phagpa is no longer fat.

Old enough to marry

2009-08-27T04:11:00.001-07:00

A lot of my friends have become mothers and others are married. My mother does not seem to worry that her daughter(me)is getting older by the day. she says I can stay with her and apa as long as I am single. And she feels I will be living many years with her which means she feels I will not marry any sooner.
A few friends do worry for me and I have a maternal aunt who worries a lot. She says I am old enough to marry and once i get older I will remain single forever.

A few years back I did have a dream of marrying the person I was with and after he left me for some other girl that dream was shattered. However one does not stop dreaming and nether did I. I met a new guy and yes I had dreams of marrying him too. I won't say if I or he cheated but it was our decision because we realized, we were not meant be.

Since then I never though of marrying anyone. But when a girl is of my age the first question put up to you by a stranger, cousin, friend be it anyone is, "are you married,?" The moment I say no, the immediate question is, "aren't you old enough to marry,?"

Sometimes I choose not to answer, sometimes I lie and sometimes I tell the truth.

I know I am old enough to marry but can't I be on my own?

Observer family

2009-08-27T03:51:00.000-07:00

The organization I work for is three-year-old. I joined Bhutan Observer on November 1, 2006. The same year I graduated from government college in Darjeeling.
The first time I joined the office all I had to do was type some letters and use internet. I did not have any other thing to do rather than talking to some of the staff. Thankfully a few of my close friends were working in the same organization.

The job I was selected for and the kind of job idea I had was completely contras but one has to go on. There were even times when i felt like quitting but the kind of atmosphere we have at work makes us feel at home. Starting from the highest level to the lowest every one is friendly and that is why we call ourselves a family.

Today i just cant imagine myself working in some other organization because I am adapted to this family of mine.

Unforgettable love

2009-08-13T07:20:00.000-07:00

Every one of us has an unspeakable secret, an irreversible regret, an unreachable dream and an unforgettable love, and Sonam is no different from us.

Born in the beautiful valleys of Ura and to such great parents, Sonam did not yearn for anything more in life.

He was just two, when his younger brother was born. Although he did not know much about life then, the small heart in his small body beat faster every time he saw his little brother.

Two years flew by and a beautiful girl was born in his family making the circle of his family a little bigger.

Sonam’s life revolved around his sister and brother but before he knew, he had grown up to get admission in a boarding school in Bumthang.

After making, his parents promise that they will at least visit him once a week along with his soul mates (his brother and sister); he left for the boarding school.

Schooling life was entirely different from how he had seen life to be. At home, all he had to do was give company to his sibling and play around the house the whole day.

Sonam, with much difficulty adjusted to the atmosphere in the school and loved school.

When he reached class X, he fell in love with a girl. His love was so innocent, that he could never reveal it to her or any of his friends. Secretly he stole glances of her from a safe distance.

He was at a tender age of 16 and how he wished he were older because his love was a few years older then him.

He always looked forward for a new day so that he could see the love of his life a bit differently.

After completing class X, when he came to school the next year, he was looking around for his love but to his dismay she had dropped school.

He wished he could go back home and stop studying because she was what inspired him to be in school, and without his inspiration, he almost gave up schooling. Thanks, to the teachers he completed schooling and was ready to go to the college.

From the schooling until his graduation, Sonam, came across thousand girls but none of them could touch the corner of his heart, Dema had touched.

Eight years went by and he thought his love for her was unforgettable never realising that people fall in love not once, not twice but many a times in a lifetime.

After graduation, he joined a private office where he met a girl. His feelings towards her were a bit different from what he felt for others.

He thought it was love because it was the first time he was closer to a girl after losing Dema.

This time he did not want to make the same mistakes so he gathered all the courage he had and proposed her through a message.

For her it was a complete shock, because she had never expected him to do such a thing. She had always taken him like any other friend of her.

She had to be straight to him because like him, she also has an unforgettable love like him.

Today they are good friends and will always remain so but their unforgettable love will always be in their hearts.

Impermanent love

2009-06-23T22:51:00.001-07:00

Gone are the days of togetherness

Memories alive nothing else

I was in love once, which was never meant to be

Once dreamt together, now no longer exist

He turned back for comfort

But I took him as history

I walked out from where I once belonged

Tears in my eyes though I left him

I was hurt because I hurt him

But it wasn’t a mistake which could be mended

As I know that a broken heart is hard to mend

I was always testing his love

Not realizing that the value of love can be treasured and not measured

Like everything else our love was also impermanent.

my dreams of "kissing u once"

2009-06-23T22:50:00.001-07:00

lovely and affectionate dear heart, you do make my heart beat faster and slower at the same times and if I have time to spare .. it is spent on thinking of you...........

It hurts me the most when you are upset and

pleases me the most then you are radiating joy

it makes me what you more, when I am around you

and most when you are not there

I like you more, when you give miss call in the night

fact remains, you don't even call

I like you, when you yell awful words

More when you get infuriated if I did.

I like you, the way make me smile

And then annoy me.

I like you, like waves want to embrace the beach

With my arms wide open, I solicit you

I like you, like dew drop hates to bid its leave

Like I hate to tell you goodnight, when evening sets

I like you, like evening stars hate to salute the day

Shush! Don’t wake me, just don't

lovely and affectionate dear heart, u do make my heart beat faster and slower at the same time,,,,,,, and if I have time to spare ....... it is spent on thinking of you

I like you modestly with my aspiration still remains unpredictable

yet I will still hold on to my dreams of "kissing u once"

If only...... thought of the night

2009-06-23T22:44:00.000-07:00

If only I could read your thoughts

If only I could have your trust

If only I could show you my heart

If only I was all you thought about

If only I didn’t miss you so much

If only I could b what you wanted me to be

If only you could care for me

If only you could know how much I love u

If only you could be a bit more understanding

If only you could say that you love me everyday

If only you could give me some importance

If only I didn’t expect to much

If only I could accept the truth

If only I could hold time

If only I could change things

If only I could fall asleep

If only night could never fall

If only life was not so complicated

Good-bye forever

2009-06-23T22:42:00.001-07:00

Why am I sad?
You left me and I should be glad

I do not know if my decision to let you go was wrong
But I am surely going to be strong

I did cry
When I said goodbye

Life seemed good with you as a part
I can make it better even after your depart

Without you I will not die
I do suffer, that I won’t deny

Although you were not the best
I always thought you were different from the rest

I always thought you were send from above
The one I could only love

The moments once lived was an illusion
leaving me in a confusion

Cannot stick to the days gone
No matter what life still goes on

Falling in love with a friend

2009-06-23T02:07:00.000-07:00

Every day I want to see you smile while I can
Every day I want to be with you even though she is there for you
Every day I want to meet you though that would mean to cheat
Every day I long for a kiss which I miss
Every day I get the feel and do not know how to deal
Why do I long for you? So strong
I know we are not meant to be and that has put a dent on me
I have to cope up with life and lose the hope of having you by my side
Though we spend time at the end you are just a friend

Falling in love twice

2009-06-18T06:27:00.000-07:00

One of my cell phone vibrates signalling that someone is calling me. I take it out and have a look at the number. “Hello,” I said. The one on the other end was a guy. “Hello, how have you been?” I go on talking with him even though I could not make out who he was because most times my friends call me from different numbers just for fun. I thought this was just another prank calls from my friends.
After talking for five minutes I realised that the person on the other side had really taken me for someone else. I told him that I was not who he thought I was. He then asked my number and realised that it was a wrong number. He however, was polite to say sorry and before hanging up he asked me a question. “It would be all right if I called you again some other day right?” well I don’t mind, I answered.
It was a week and I had forgotten all about the caller, when he called me again. I never asked him his name so neither did he ask mine.
Four months of conversation over the phone and all I knew was that he was in the east while I was in the central part of Bhutan. We gave each other nick names and that was what identified us. We never went into serious conversations. It was always full of jokes and laughter. I always looked forward to talking to him every day but one day he did not call me. It was his turn to call me and was an unusual thing because he never forgot to call me. I felt uneasy so tried calling him but his cell was switched off.
The next day was no different so was the next. Days passed and I had no clue what had happened to him I could not confirm from anyone because I didn’t know any of his friends or family. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months.
It was almost a year and I have moved on with my life. It was during this one year that I met Dorji. He had come to Thimphu recently after some treatments in India. His mother said he had a weak heart. We started seeing each other. The year had almost come to an end when we decided to get married. I always thought I loved him more than he did because he never expressed it. He was reserved and hardly shared anything because of which I also shared too less about my past.
I was soon getting married and I was checking the list of friends on my cell phone to give them the news when I saw the name “Doper,” I had not forgotten him. How could I? Though I had never seen him or knew anything about him I did fall in love with him. I tried calling the number but the number no longer existed.
That night I was not thinking about Dorji, but about Doper.
Just three day for my marriage and one night I got a call from an unknown number. I answered it the person on the other side sounded familiar. Who is it? I asked. It is me your friend Doper, he answered. At first I could not believe what I heard, I had thousands of questions running in my head but before I could ask any he continued. “Hey Sweety, I just called you up to say that I am getting married soon. Don’t ask me why I did not contact you all this time because I will not be able to answer. I want to let you know that circumstances did not favour us though I loved you.”
I loved you too I answered but it was too late he had hanged up. So he is getting married too, I thought and smiled at the kind of fate we had. I tried calling back but was switched off. I gave up the idea then. Soon before I realised I was married and happy with my husband.
I stopped using the number where doper (I had two numbers) called because that number always gave me hopes that he would call again someday. But I did try calling the last number he had called me from but was of no use. My intensions were clean, I just wanted to put a face to the person I once fell for.
I wanted to share my feeling with my husband but somehow I felt he would not want to hear it, because we hardly talked or shared our past. I had to resort to a close friend of mine and told her everything.
My friend listened to everything and suggested that we go to the mobile operator and ask them under whose name the number Doper used was registered.
This had never strike me. My friend said she had contacts there and sure enough a few days later she gave me a call.
She told me that it was registered under someone called Palden in Thimphu, she specifically told me that he spelled his name as Paldeen and it was just a single name. “So finally I know the real name of my friend.” I said to myself.
That evening Dorji came home late. He had brought along some friends for dinner. I started cooking while Dorji and his friends started drinking.
This was the first time I saw Dorji actually sharing his thoughts with someone and then laughing. I was cooking but my concentration was on my husband and his friends because it was a nice feeling to see him enjoy. I heard them talk about their wives, children and suddenly one of my husband’s friends pointed towards him and asked. “How is your married life going on?” Why do you ask? said Dorji instead of answering.
The next statement came as a shock to me. “Because you always loved someone else,” he said. “Shut up Palden,” said the rest. My husband did not bother to answer him again; instead he came to the kitchen.
Now I knew why he always was reserved, it was because he loved someone else. He had always been cold and never shared any of his past with me but that did not matter anymore, we were a couple now.
I served dinner with Dorji’s help and that time he introduced me to karma, Pema and Palden. Palden had something to add to his introduction. “I am Palden with double e but just a single name,” he said.
The moment he said that I dropped a spoon on the floor. Could that be my Doper? I asked myself. I did not realise that I was staring at him for a few seconds before my husband shook me off. “Kesang, better keep your eyes to yourself or I will also have to stare at his wife,” said Dorji.
Paldeen smiled and said that his wife had left for her parental home because she was pregnant. The others started teasing Paldeen because he had just married four months earlier after coming to Thimphu from Trashigang.
Every sign showed that he could be Doper. He was in the east, the registered name of the sim and his name, his marriage. I was so engrossed in trying to figure out if he was the man I knew, when my husband came near me.
He asked me if I heard what he and his friends talked about. I told the truth. I expected for the first time that he would open up but he just said he was sorry and went to bed.
Paldeen was the answer to all my doubts.
After a week I met Paldeen in town. I asked him about my husband and told him that he never opened up. Paldeen felt bad for me and told me that my husband was once in love with a girl whom he had never seen. He was going to propose her when he suddenly got sick and had to be taken outside the country for treatment. After coming back he called her but her number was switched off after which he lost hope and started seeing me. Then he decided to marry me that was when he last tried calling her and she answered.
After that each day for him had been difficult because he had loved her with his true heart. He did not want to betray me so he had stopped using the sim with which he had called her because he did not want her to contact him. Later he did try to contact her once or twice but she had stopped using the number.
It was as though Paldeen was telling me my own love story but Doper’s version. All this time I was with him and did not even know that, I did not say anything to Paldeen. I just thanked him and went home.
After reaching home I saw Dorji waiting for me. He said he wanted to talk to me. It was surprises after surprise. He told me that he had earlier loved someone else but now he truly loved me. That was the greatest feeling for me because the same guy feel in love with me twice and I also fell in love with the same guy twice.
Note: I was trying to write a real story but ended up writing a fictitious one.

My friends

2009-06-17T23:20:00.000-07:00

Wesel will seem crazy to most
But she definitely is not lazy
though obsessed with her beauty
She does not fail her duty

Pushkar the serious guy
He definitely has a mystery in his smile
With long hair
On Fridays he is on air

Sonam Rinchen looks cool
As if he just got out of school
He says he likes the city
He believes the girls here are pretty

Eshu is always short of money
She is sometimes funny
Easily looses her smile
But gets it back in a while

Lhendup is handsome
and sometimes troublesome
he has a heart of gold
which only his wife can hold

Tashi Dekey is tall
She is friend to all
But you should see her drink
She will finish her drink in a wink

Sonam Pelden is smart
she has a good heart
Hope she is having fun
and lot of hearts won

Rabi is fat
he definitely is not a spoiled brat
He is the web master
If something is wrong it’s a disaster

In pursuit of journalism

2009-06-17T23:12:00.000-07:00

I was not talented enough to be a novelist, not smart enough to be a lawyer; I didn’t have the patience to be a teacher so by coincidence I landed up being a journalist.

It was my first profession after graduating with a degree in Bachelors of Commerce. Attending talks and courses on journalism came in the later phrase but the most I learned was on the job. No news was always considered good news before no news is bad news in this line.

Working late hours, not able to socialise with old friends and less time for family is a package which comes with this profession and at times I feel like quitting this job. But every night when I sleep and recollect things I have done, gives me satisfaction and I guess that is what people call job satisfaction.

The old man abandoned at the hospital was taken away by his family after my write up. Making little differences in peoples’ lives is what encourages journalist to write more and better. In this process we lose out on our own lives concentrating on others. A friend once said, “Journalists are so much into others lives that you don’t realise that you own life is in a mess.”

In the process of taking the walk to journalism people think we leave our humanity behind because the moment we hear about an accident the first thing we ask is if someone died.

People sometimes forget that we are also simple human being just like them and what we do is our work. I was once scolded by the civil service secretary’s personal assistant for calling him directly on his mobile. And there are times when I get calls from people asking for some information. If I am of no help the words from most of them are similar, “being a reporter you don’t even know this.” I agree a journalist is generalist but we are not experts.

The profession has shown me different faces of people. Always under the shadow of my parents never saw the other face of people. Being a journalist and a woman is a challenge. Sources at times look at you not as a journalist by as a sex symbol and you have to tackle things carefully.

Running three years in this profession I still have doubts at times if I should be saving a person from committing suicide or reporting on it. So I still have miles to go...