2023-A year of growth

In a blink of an eye the year 2023 has come to an end. It's been a year of getting up after hitting the rock bottom and of course a year of becoming more independent than I have ever been. I am proud of myself for doing well in my work and for making some good decisions. 

This time I did not blame myself for any wrongs in my life, rather I have come in terms with the uncertainties that life offered me. I embraced my flaws, remained prepared for the surprises, cried a little less and smiled a lot more. 

I could let off some toxic people and mended my broken heart. I met some special people who appreciated my mere existence and loved me without conditions and judgements. Shout out to my sunshine for fixing my broken heart and for always pampering me. I hope you will continue to do till the end. 

Also I am grateful that my family stood by me when I was at my lowest and never stopped believing me. Honestly I am blessed with the best and I realized this only when I was at my worst and the entire word turned their back to me.  

Nothing magnificent but I am proud that I could get my driving license which eventually came with a car. Well, don’t get me wrong cuz I am not boasting anything here. For me small things matter and there is no measurement for those things I achieve with my own hard work. 

I am just so happy that I did well this year and I hope I will be doing better next year.

Last pic of 2023

116th National Day

It has been 116th years since the people of Bhutan had been enjoying the peace and prosperity under the leadership of Wangchuk dynasty. It was in 1907 when Gongar Ugyen Wangchuk was enthroned as the first king of Bhutan by signing a historic Genja. Since then Bhutan has prospered socially, economically, traditionally and culturally ever more than yesterday. 

Every year on 17th December people from all pockets of the country gather together to celebrate unity and shared identity. The celebration even goes beyond the boundary of Bhutan for those living abroad. 

It is a day to pay our gratitude to our great kings for their self-less leadership. It is a day to applaud how far Bhutan has come. There was a time when Bhutan was just a small land but today Bhutan and GNH is uttered and envied by all the outside eyes. This has helped Bhutan to become one of the top tourist destinations in the world. 

 

It is also a day to take pride in being Bhutanese. Regionalism should be forgotten and we should remember at heart we are all Bhutanese and we have a common identity. 

Unlike the past National Days this year it is rather special as we were recently blessed with a Royal Princess and the fact that Bhutan is entering a different phase of transformation. Everything is undergoing change and certain reforms have alarmed so many of us. Many of our friends left abroad for better opportunities and it is concerning how the houses are being emptied every day. This will continue if we don't act today.

We must remember that the change is inevitable and if we wish to enjoy the same peace and prosperity we must all wake up and welcome the change. We must adapt to the changing environment. Globally the countries are developing at the speed of light so Bhutan can’t afford to just sleep. We know how His Majesty is spending sleepless nights so isn’t it the duty of we people to do something? 

This National Day we should all brace ourselves for a greater battle and fight together. 

We have fought our battles till today so we shall fight till the end and make a better Bhutan for our future generations. 

HAPPY 116TH NATIONAL DAY!!!

Parallel lines

Crossed paths many times
But the ends never met.
Feared since the start
Maybe I was the coward one. 

Wind blowing the wind chime
Slow and soothing
Sound it produces
Is worth everything.

Maybe our story 
Became one of it.
Much love and attention 
I forgot to cherish it.

Maybe I wrote my
Present since the start.
Did things half heartedly.
I almost forgot what is

Doing with full heart.
Maybe I was never bound to
Feel that feeling.
I was loved
I forgot to return the love
Maybe that tired you.
You were in the relationship
I thought I was too
Until I realized I never
Entered the door.
Now that we have separate paths
I am missing you
Too late was my realization
Maybe Karma is playing the game.

Nya-Dosem

Did you know that Nya-Dosem is not a fish sandwiched between stone slabs. It is just a misunderstanding attached with its name. It is beyond the stone and the fish. It carries the hardship of catching the fish where they have to camp in the middle of the river and wait for the fish to get in their trap. It is an asset passed from their fore-fathers, the identity of belonging to their village and pride shown to other people, giving value to  the worth of Nya-Dosem. 

The story of Nya-Dosem dates back to the times of fore-fathers when the people of Lawa-Lamgang and Rukha-Samthang relied upon fishing to make their livelihood. The remoteness of their village and lack of sources for income generation were some of the reasons why they relied upon fishing. Realising this, in 2010 it was legalised to fish for a stretch of 7kms from Haracchu for the people of these two Chiwogs. It was a gift from the throne. 

Fishing season

Fishing is allowed for only 6 months, September to December and February to March. It is not  allowed to fish during Bhutanese month of Saga Daw and during the breeding season.

Fishing technique 

What makes Nya-Dosem special? Its speciality starts from the way it is fished. They neither  use a fishing net nor a fishing hook to catch the fishes. They use bamboo and wooden sticks with which they make a diversion in the river to trap the fishes. 

Drying/baking technique 

The fish is then washed, cleaned and bent in a bow shape with the help of bamboo which is then dried on a low flame. The stove is made from stones on either side and wooden sticks are kept in the centre like a bridge. The fish is then kept on the stick bridge and dried where it needs to be flipped around occasionally to avoid burning. These sticks are changed every day to maintain the hygiene of the fish. They say for the best premium quality it takes around 15 days for a fish to be dried. 

Cooking technique

Well most of the time we cook this fish in the wrong way and fail to obtain the actual flavour of it. Since it is smoke dried the smell of smoke is bound to be with it so before cooking it has to be soaked in warm water for 5 mins to remove the smoke smell and stains. Wash properly and need not really remove the scale as the people here there say even the scales carry the taste. After washing, cook with some water, dried chilli, salt and cooking oil can be added at the same time. When it is almost cooked add cottage cheese and fresh butter. This is the traditional way of preparing Nya-Dosem but it can be prepared in various methods. However, I feel it would taste the best when it is prepared in the traditional method. 

Concerns

Things have changed over the time and the people are now questioning the sustainability of this earning as the number of fishes has decreased over the years. They say there was a time when they caught 60-70 fishes in a night and now they hardly catch 2-3 in a night. Hence, the group is looking for other means of rearing the fishes and not just depending on the fishes from the river. This way they will be able to keep their tradition alive and pass on from generations to generations. 

Chairman of the group with packed Nya-Dosem

Do you all also enjoy Lochoe's as much as me?

Bhutan being a culturally rich nation has so many unique and beautiful things to pass down to the younger generations, tell stories about and take pride in. I feel the complexity and intricacies of our culture and tradition can be compared to that of the pattern of Kishuthara. It comes in varieties of colours, patterns and a lot of stories on its origin. 

Of the many cultures and traditions it's the annual ritual (Lochoe) in the village that reminds me of my home. Since we all work away from our home we rarely get time to go back so it’s only this annual ritual that brings all the families and relatives together. It is also the only time of the year that our grandparents look forward with much eagerness and excitement. 

Having grown up in a close-nit society I have always felt emotionally connected with the feeling of being surrounded by my families and relatives, sharing home cooked meals together and ending the day with traditional song and dance in circles (Gorgom). It may be a one day ritual but connectivity within the family on that day cannot be measured. We share the stories from the city while our grandparents share their stories of the village. Conversations happen even while working such as over preparing meals, chopping vegetables or doing the dishes. Like in any other homes we also have our own special means of bonding that is by preparing our traditional Bumthap buckwheat noodles (Puta) in a traditional way whenever we have such a family gathering. For our family no gathering is complete without preparing and having that dish. 

This being said, it was very unfortunate for me to miss this year’s Lochoe. It was not just ritual being missed, I have missed meeting my grandparents, relatives back in the village and everyone who came from the capital. I can always meet them another time but meeting them during that time of the year gives unmatched joy and connectedness. 

Campfires and people dancing around it always reminds me of Lochoe

Birth of Royal Princess

Finally the wait is over,
It's a Royal Princess this time.
Bringing joy and hope to the nation. 

Words of Tashi Delek,

Filled the lips of every Bhutanese,
And their hearts with happiness. 

A day to offer prayers of gratitude,
A day to make celebratory toast,
And a day to mark in our history.

May I also join the nation,
To offer my heartiest Tashi Delek
Your Majesties and my fellow Bhutanese.

Photo credit: homebasedillustrator

Love in Spring

Spring bloomed with

Hopes and love,

For I met you 

The first time.

Walked confidently 

Never did I think 

Would you stop 

And stare at me. 

Your stare caught me,

For I was in my worst shape

Embarrassment engulfed me

Red cheeks betrayed me

And my feelings were caught.

Between late night messages 

Sweet gestures and 

Stealing glances

And you won my heart.

Now in love with you,

Today, tomorrow and forever.

Acceptance

Why do we struggle so much to be accepted and fit in a puzzle? All the great philosophers and movies teach us to be ourselves but the town makes you the topic of discussion when you start being yourself. We are given different labels and looked at as if we have committed a huge crime by being ourselves. When I say being ourselves there are many aspects to it starting from the way we dress, the way we talk, our ideas, perspectives on any topic of discussion, friend circle, even the food that we eat and so on. 

We are made to pretend in certain small ways all the time so that people will accept you. While we might be able to pretend or change certain things as per the situation and the crowd but there are things such as our roots, gender and the past that cannot be changed. I wonder how we pretend in such so that our pretentious nature seems more likable to others.

As much as I respect the other school of thoughts who would argue that we are humans and we should evolve and adapt I fear nothing original of you would be there when we die as we are all trying so hard to fit in by molding ourselves as per the preference of others.

At times I just feel like I am born in a wrong place or time but this doesn’t mean that I am ungrateful for all the beautiful things this place and the time is offering me. These are not my usual thoughts but when things become extreme I just can’t help but wander my thoughts in this direction. 

Even this rose has it's share of story

Stories from Cordyceps auctioning

As I was going with the cordyceps auctioning team at cordyceps collecting Gewogs under Wangdue Dzongkhag I came across a young, female cordyceps collector, Phub Gyem at Dangchu. She is only 25 but very strong and independent. She is one among many who earns for the family. Cordyceps collecting is just one of the sources of income for her because she says she just can’t let her family go hungry by relying only on one source of income. She has been collecting the cordyceps for the past 7 years and this year isn’t a good harvest for her. Despite this her cordyceps were graded as the 1A grade among the others. This grade is the best one which has the best colour, all parts intact, larger in size and drier. 

As much as we admire and value the fungus, it's worth seemed priceless after listening to the struggle stories of the collectors. They climb up to 5000-5800 metres above sea level(masl) everyday, walking for around 5 hours while their tents are pitched at 3000-4000 masl. They get only 2-3 hours to collect in a day. Some days they don’t even get one while on a good day they get around 1000 pcs from a location. Most of them survive on fast food such as packet noodles and tea. For Phub she had to leave her few months old baby behind to go to the mountains. Hence, to do justice to their struggle Government is organizing the auctioning to give them a fair price.

Well, there are fun parts of the story as well. She said it is fun to be sleeping under the sky, drinking water directly from the river and protecting the cordyceps they have collected. It is more fun when you have friends, she said and the story goes on and on. 

The cordyceps collection has been legalized from 2004 and has been granted as a gift from the crown to give the highlanders to improve their livelihood. For this the collectors are highly indebted to the crown while so keeping in mind to sustainably harvest the gift and keep this going for all the generations to come.

Phub Gyem
Took picture with her consent

Dasho Dzongda's familiarization tour to Gase Tshowom

With modernization and urbanization creeping into the villages, it is a rare sight to see the ancient houses in the villages in their original structure and having people still living in them.

Well, today Dasho Dzongda and the team visited Hetshokha village and the village was full of surprises. There were only 7-8 households but all these houses were more than two centuries old as per the local leaders The houses were filled with antique items starting from the wooden ladder, stove, water storing jar, pots, and the list goes on.

Additionally there is an ongoing construction of herbal hot stone baths sourcing the water from Charlie menchu. This water is known for curing sinus, sores and stomach ulcers.

Likewise, the elderly say there is an ancient route connecting this village with Thimphu (Chamgang, RTC and Talakha).

The list of surprises goes on so one can visit the village to explore and experience it.

As the final stop for the day, the team visited a piggery farm at Nadotse which is currently having more than 60 pigs and supplying pork to the meat shops in Bajo.

To my dear brother

Dear to my heart,

Pride of the family,

My dear brother,

How did you grow up so fast. 

Little boy to a gentle man,

Time glided away so fast.

Now you are leaving,

Little did I prepare for this departure.

A brother, teacher and a best friend,

You have been all.

Now here I am left,

With none to share those moments with. 

Journey of success you are on,

Shield all the challenges,

Uncover all the wonders and amazements,

And conquer the world.

When you have it all,

Return to us.

For we will be waiting for you,

With our hearts and arms open.

My favourite picture of us.

Agriculture fair (26/5/23)

Our country has come a long way in so many terms and I got to reflect on some as I was attending the Agriculture fair at Paro. We had participants from all parts of the country including passionate entrepreneurs, donor agencies and government officials. A platform created to expose entrepreneurs to opportunity doors to take their business on a higher level. Products even from the far flung east were on display but I could see none from my Dzongkhag. This was a harsh blow on me especially being the person working in the field, rooting and doing all in my means to take my entrepreneurs upfront. I never felt Thimphu dominate other Dzongkhags, especially western region, like it did on that day. Nevertheless, it was an opportunity door for me to do more to take my entrepreneurs on the same level. 

We talk about balanced economic growth but can this be achieved if the rest of the places are ignored as always. Not complaining here but just something I felt.

As someone working the Dzongkhag I really want to bring my people to the front line as well. I may not be able to contribute through big projects with huge turnovers but  I want to make a change in very simple ways like making people remember that our country is beyond Thimphu. 

Marketing at its best

Product development training at Sufficiency Economy Philosophy(SEP) communities of Gangtey and Phobjikha

The One Gewog One Product (OGOP) project has been adopted from One Tampoon One Product (OTOP) of Thailand in 2015 and is being implemented in 6 Districts across Bhutan including Wangdue.

The experts and volunteers from Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) came to provide hands on training on various product development 21/9/22 to 22/9/22.

Potato being available in abundance at Gantey and Phobji the products were also developed using potato mainly to make zero waste from potato. The products include potato chips, potato peel tea, potato wine and bio-fertilizer. These products will be marketed in their local market especially the homestays and in future to other parts of Bhutan as well.

Right timing

They say there is a perfect timing for things to happen but then when is that and how do we even know? While time waits for none I have been told not to rush things and will have everything figured out and happen at the right time. 

I am just lost if my waiting for the right timing is a mere wastage of time. Uncertainty of life needs no validation so why can’t we just squeeze things in today. People say there is a future that needs to be built but what about the present that we are losing just for the sake of an unseen future. In such times I wish I have the supernatural power to just visit the future and see if things are really worth fighting for.

In such a future oriented environment it is so difficult to get a minute of peace in the present. There are so many things I don’t want to worry about. I don’t want to worry about the future, not having enough to meet my expenses, how to pay back my credits, next meal or the papers on my desk, but I don’t have the luxury to do that because I am worried that I will be left behind if I do that. Is everything in this world a competition and race or is it only in my thoughts? 

Philosophers would say one should not compare with others and will have one's own time to do things but I always find people impatiently comparing themselves to others. Can’t we trust the wise words and wait for our own time. We have always been encouraged to set goals and dreams and if we do that don't they come with a timeline? So, a confused soul like me can never figure out the right timing for anything and just lose my peace with such thoughts. 

If you all are also going through similar experiences let's grab a coffee together, have a conversation and enjoy a minute of peace together. 

It was the right time to turn my back and take a picture.

Sunshine

Chasing sunshine

If I have any say in this world, 

I want to repeat our days

Over and over,

Never getting tired of it.

Too blessed am I,

To have met you.

Brought back the hopes,

Which were long lost.

Never realized my worth,

Until you showed me.

Never thought I would be loved,

Until I heard it from your lips.

Timing has never favored me,

Like it did with you and me.

Brightened is my world,

For I finally found my sunshine.

Story of a young and rich Agri-Entrepreneur.

What inspires you?

I am often asked this question but I found my answer always changing. Honestly I don’t know what inspires me all the time but I do find certain things quite inspiring like Tandin Zam today. I met her at Thimakha, Bjena among the field of vegetables. What inspired me was that she looked so confident and contended working in the field. She grows extensive vegetables and is making a luxurious income of Nu. 80,000 per week which is so much better than the office goers.

She isn’t one of those who had to stay back in the village and was deprived of education. It was her choice to stay back and choose farming after completing her 10th standard. She said she didn’t see the need to continue her education because she already gained the basics and was enough to carry out her work in the field. However, she did admit that the education she received helps her to do better. No wonder she stood out amongst all the people in her village.

She grows vegetables year round and that also in two places Thimakha and Khotokha so she is the busiest person. Her vegetables are much demanded that the buyers come even all the way from Paro.

She has inspired many villagers to grow vegetables not only at her villages but also in the nearby villages. She also had future plans that is to expand her farm and do mixing farming.

When I asked if she also had plans to go abroad she said that she is happy at her village and contended with her income with a shy smile. She says there is no need to go outside to make a living when the opportunity is right at your door step. All you need is dedication and interest in whatever you do.

I always heard people say that the young and educated ones will never come back to the village and do farming but Tandin proved this wrong. I am sure there are more Tandins in every parts of the country with more inspiring stories about them and their farms.

Tandin with her vegetables

Real life fault in our stars

Amidst all the chaos I found myself steadily fangirling over Sid and Kiara’s wedding. I mean how can I not, it gave me hope to believe in love and have faith in all the hopes that I have. 

Lately, I have been surrounded by so much negative energy and found myself always frustrated at so many things. I can’t believe even the tiniest of things infuriated me, from the conversations I had with people to the pebbles I found on the road I was walking. There were even moments when I would rush home and break down and even in the middle of some nights I would find myself crying. Pouring out felt so much better but it got worse when I found myself crying till some mornings. I tried so much to distract myself and assured myself that things will work out but I couldn’t even figure out what was wrong in the first place. I blamed it all on my life and my work of course because I found it easier than to blame another human being. Slowly I found comfort in staying alone, shutting everyone out and viewing things negatively. The worst was hating myself. 

Just like any other human with a beating heart I also got to have my heart beat for another human being. However, it never favored me, in fact it has always been in its cruelest form whenever it encountered me. At such times, the only thing that kept me alive was blaming love and I swore to never to believe in it. 

Well, seeing such a beautiful wedding filled my heart with warmth after so many months. Not to forget the revised ‘Ranjha’ song,'sigh' there couldn’t have been anything more beautiful and perfect than their wedding and them. I would like to claim myself to be a voracious reader of romantic novels but I knew 'happily ever after' was only in novels until I saw them. 

I definitely sound like a girl living in a fantasy world right now but believe me there are certain things which hit you differently and once it does you just can’t undo it. I hope I am not the only one romanticizing every little thing.

If I have any say in this world, I would like to fill the love portion of this world with more of such beautiful couples and give hope to all those broken hearts, find soul mates for all those who are waiting for one and awaken the lost faith in love once again like Sid and Kiara's wedding did for me.

Life surely is beautiful like my friend said.

Photo credit to my friend Kuenga

It's miracle that I am still breathing

Dwelling in the same world, 

Yet miles apart 

Wish I can have you closer,

Even if it's just for a day.

The hopes keeps hanging,

Memories lingering,

Bringing me a joy,

Every time it passes by.

Feels like just yesterday,

When the whole world danced 

To the rhythm of our heart beats.

And every lips sang our love song. 

Now it is today, 

I am left with nothing.

And my time stopped forever. 

Since the day when you turned your back to me.

How do I understand this reform in a positive way?

One time the most prestigious job "Civil Servant" is now becoming a mere joke. With one of the highest attrition rates observed in recent years the value of it has been decreasing. Even for the new graduates they no longer aspire to become part of it and the same is for the existing ones, they are all looking for opportunities outside the system. This is rather disheartening to see every office (mine is no exception) discussing no more work plans and projects rather than the famous Australia and opportunities down there. 

Wondering where things went wrong and when we can overcome this phase? When the topic of civil service reform first arose I was so excited and was really looking forward to it and I am sure there were many like me out there. However, it is not turning out in a positive way or did I fail to understand it. I thought the reform would make this prestigious job more attractive and the most sought after with increased efficiency but I am failing to see this in the current reform. Rather than attracting more, it is scaring away even those who already in it. 

Once I also received the honor to be referred to as the "cream of the nation" (RIM graduates would know what I mean here) but today I no longer honor this title. Rather than the cream I feel no better than a left over  servant. Everyday I am bidding farewell to my colleagues, friends and family but their absence did not affect my work much. However, when my office became empty I was left with a heavy heart. I have had enough of bidding farewell with heavy heart and tears, earnestly waiting for a day when I can only welcome with a warm heart and smile. 

I miss going to the office with motivation, working with passion and discussing plans and projects about change and future.