Winter Days

Wintery view from my House

This is a time; the time for ending; the flowers are withering up, the brown leaves of trees are felling one by one. There have been times of glory; growing, sprouting, and blooming. There were times when birds were singing to feed on fresh foods. There have been times of rain and sunshine. There have been times…  And this is the time when everything is coming to an end. The year is drawing to an end; new curtains are folding inside out. What brings a new?

Our exams are almost done. The product of a year’s learning is almost to its end’s result. Children are happy, parents are happy about their smooth sailing throughout this year. Wish them so much luck ahead.

The Winter season in most parts of Bhutan is not a time for celebration, though, everybody is in a restive mood. Because the chilly northern winds bundled people with so many layers of clothes and it makes them difficult to move. Many would remain inside their homes; sitting around Bhukhuris, room heaters, and most of them drinking warm Ara or Bangchang. And this is the time; time to gather and talk a whole lot about year’s works and plans ahead. I wish them so much luck ahead.

Bhukhari

Here at Darla, it’s no better than any other place. The temperature reaches minus at this time of the year. On top, it has been drizzling for so many days now. Winds are cutting through clothes and skins making bodies into icy iron. The good news is that we will soon migrate to a lower southern warmer part of Phuntsholing and Gelephu.

Unsafe Glass Windows

Safe windows with the railings

Last time in one of the houses in Gedu, there was an incident of an accident where a boy was hospitalized because he fell from the window. There were also so many incidents of so many children's death felling from the windows.

What type of windows do you have in your home?  Is it with railings or without it? If you have observed nowadays, we have beautiful glass windows without any railings. They are like huge doors on the wall. There is nothing like bars, handrails or sorts.  Because of these unsafe windows, I have heard people breaking into houses and stealing things. Not only are these windows safe for small children but also for elders. A child may lean on the window and hoops… opens up the window and trip over-dead.  I personally feel these types of windows are ways to untimely death and materials lost. They are the un-mindful traps to death and burglary activities.

Why do we build houses with such glassy windows with no bars and no protections? Do they look nice to have white windows? Some people are so unmindful that they forget to close the windows with curtains. And the electricity being very cheap here in Bhutan, we don’t bother to put off the whole night. The result, outside peepers, could see happenings inside the house. Some peepers are so curious to wait a whole night to see the show.

I think our builders should think about new glassy windows without bars. The windows must not only be beautiful but also safe and protective.

Unsafe Windows without railings

Moelam Choemo

A five-day Moelam Choemo was conducted at Gedu HSS ground, seven kilometers from Darla, where I am living. It just got over yesterday. The ritual was headed by Je Khenpo and the central monastic body. Moelam Choemo was conducted to bring peace and prosperity to the country and its people. Darla school served devotees lunch for a day. It was a tedious one to serve thousands of devotees. Here are some shots of the day.

Mat of grasses, twigs and branches

Train of People

Another Cup, 2014-World Cup Business

An exhilarating and escalating business is in full swing in Brazil with millions of world cup fans thronging the place. If you watch TV, most of the channels show clips of what’s going outside and inside the stadium. Brazilian civilizations and cultures, rich Brazilian arts, and artifacts are displayed just to get some bucks, and at the end of the day is everyone’s dream.

Not surprisingly, every corner of the world knows about the world cup. Another world cup is going on in every person's mind. The bet is going on. At my place, here in Chukha, the world cup business is in full swing. I would like to call this ‘another world cup’; people have lots of fun making money games. The gambling of bets is in full swing. Though the prediction of which team will win the world cup is only the god knows. The gamblers knew it, but with a dwindling chance. They look at the good players, but not as a team.

The quality of work has drastically reduced with this world cup. Subordinates, heads, and even laymen and the government servant are busy betting for their countries. Lots of fluke money is made and lots of money is gone. Works postponed and left, their mind inclined and eyes closed to the days’ works.

I think many school students will pass this year-this mid-term. Many teachers’ evaluators would just think a life of an individual is not so important as the world cup. With their unfinished sleep, they would go through a sentence or two and sum up the answer, or it would be vice-versa. They would give a big ‘0’ if their team lost, or to catch up the time for the cup.

Coming to the offices late and bullshitting in top noises will be common scenes everywhere. Sinecure workers! You join any group, a debate is in full swing, betting is in full swing. You could hear quarrels and noises late in the night, which cause nuisances to the neighbors, people in the houses. If it is to judge the quality of work this June and July, they should be paying half the salary; as they would have not done more than that. I heard, some even take casual leave to watch cup that is not yours in any way.

Our Country, Our Rights

From Google

A book by Sanjaya Baru, ‘The Accidental Prime Minister: Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh’ hits the markets during the time of political storm and election rage in India. It has definitely created ripple effects between the two parties, BJP, and the Congress Party.

Looking at the title, I think that the book criticizes Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his rules. First, he was considered an accidental prime minister, and second, his tenure did not bring any good future in India.

What I like about the book and its title is the freedom of writing; freedom of speech, when many countries are deprived of and needed the most. Look at their voices, look at their rights, look at their freedom of expression, look at the print media, look at the freedom of the press. But some countries cannot criticize and give negative feedbacks to anyone. If so, one is damned, rebuked and admonished.  So, they are living in a utopian society that is actually a dystopian society. Some pretend a gentle one when there is limited freedom. Freedom of choice? Or freedom of individuality? Their voices are smothered, controlled, and hid. There is nothing such as, ‘Our country, our rights.’

Chiphen Rigphel Project Training

The Chiphen Rigphel Project workshop commenced from 23-12-13 and will end on 1-1-14. The workshop is currently going on in Gelephu Higher Secondary School for ten days. There are 22 participants from two Dzongkhags; Zhemgang and Sarpang. As per the name list from the Ministry of Education, there were more than 28 participants. Many enlisted teachers didn’t turn up for this training. An obvious reason seems and some hearsay says it is because of the benefit that they are entitled to get. “Teachers who are coming from faraway places like Bjokha are devoid of mileage, porter pony, and others. They spent more here than what they earned here,” one teacher who asked to be unnamed said.

The participants are taught basic computer knowledge like how to use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and basic internet usages.   It will equip them in the ICT world.

One of the resource persons, Mr. Dawa Tshering said that this project aims to teach daily computing knowledge. “We have many senior participants who have not work on computers before, but it’s satisfying that they show interest and learn considerably,” he said.

“Format painter, Excel filtering, Google drive, Wizards, and some others are new to me. It’s worth attending,” said Mr. Ugyen Dorji, one of the participants. “We have more days to go,” he smiled.

Here are some photos:

A Group Pic

Dawa doing presentation

Another one

So Engrossed

And Engrossed