Special Dedication Week to our Fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck

This week is celebrated as Special Dedication Week to His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo on His 60th birth anniversary in Bhutan. Every day—for a whole week—we have different messages and programs. That's right, seven full days of non-stop royal appreciation. My calendar is full, and my heart is fuller. We light butter lamps for the king—arranged on a small altar in front of the assembly ground. The smell of burning butter fills the morning air. We sing Zhabten, a special prayer for long life. Many student speakers have spoken about the Fourth King during morning assembly. There have also been quiz questions based on the king's life. (I scored three out of ten. Don't tell anyone.)

We solemnize this week to our living legacy. We express and show our gratitude, honor, homage, accolade, commendation, felicitation, wishes, pledges, gratefulness, thankfulness, appreciation, and greetings. We pay tribute, and we pray for his happy and long life. To honor the occasion, I recounted a short fact about the Fourth Druk Gyalpo during one of my weekly duties as Teacher on Duty. The students listen earnestly. I call that a win.

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck was born at Dechencholing Palace, Thimphu, on 11 November 1955, to the Third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck and Her Majesty Queen Grandmother Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck. That makes him a Scorpio. But more importantly, a king.

The mantle of leadership—when Bhutan was at a crossroads both domestically and internationally—fell on him on June 2, 1974, when he became the king of Bhutan at the age of 18. While most 18-year-olds are worrying about exams and pimples, he was worrying about a nation. Talk about pressure.

He married four queens: Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck, Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck, and Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck—all daughters of Yab Ugyen Dorji and Yum Thuji Zam. One wedding is stressful. Four? That's either bravery or very good planning.

He brought many landmark developments: the construction of the Chukha Hydropower Project, road networks (so we no longer had to ride yaks to the hospital), decentralization of administrations, opening to tourism (hello, foreign dollars), and membership in many organizations like WHO, UNESCO, the World Bank, IMF, and SAARC. He also established RIM in Bhutan and the Gewog Yargay Tshochung. In short, he kept us busy—in a good way.

During his reign, he firmly established our status as an independent, sovereign nation. No small feat when you're sandwiched between two giants. He also expanded diplomatic relations with many foreign countries. His Majesty's foreign policy deepened Bhutan's relations with many nations, especially India. Bhutan also received many high-level foreign visitors, including various Prime Ministers of India; Yasser Arafat; Prince Naruhito of Japan; King Birendra of Nepal; Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh; I.K. Gujral; and Prince Charles of Wales, to name a few. Our guesthouse must have been very busy.

The country overcame the militancy of the southern rebels in the 1990s. His Majesty led the "Operation Flush Out" team against ULFA, KLO, and NDFB militants. The well-armed militants from Assam and Bengal had illegally entered the jungles of southern Bhutan and camped in some 30 locations while carrying out attacks back in Assam and Bengal. Our King personally headed the military operation and flushed them out in three days. Three days. That's faster than I can clean my living room. He turned a potential security threat into a history lesson.

The Fourth Druk Gyalpo also drafted the Constitution of Bhutan with his people, providing the legal framework for a democratic political system for Bhutan. The drafting of the Constitution is an exemplary stride toward democracy. In many countries, changes in the system of government were brought externally through revolution and public strife—usually involving angry mobs and flying furniture. However, the Bhutanese are fortunate since the change came as a gift to the people of Bhutan from the Throne. The Constitution was offered to the people at a time when the country enjoyed unparalleled peace and stability, with total harmony and unshakable fidelity between the King and the people. Show me another country that got democracy as a present. I'll wait.

 

The Fourth King abdicated the throne for the people in 2006 in favor of his son, Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. He stepped down so his son could step up. 

A larger-than-life figure, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck is a national hero of different historic dimensions and aspects of national status and life. His Majesty the Fourth King is the creator of GNH (Gross National Happiness) and the Father of the Nation. He literally invented happiness as a policy. 

I also recited a short oath to our king, which I wrote very recently:

Our joy ring, we sing

Long may our land be bright

With freedom's holy light

Great God, our king.

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck

United, peace and spring of development brought

Thank you.

Long live our beloved king.

May His Majesty enjoy many years of happiness, and may the flag of Pelden Drukpa continue to flutter high under the reign of his son, His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

Long live the Fourth Druk Gyalpo! Palden Drukpa Gyelo!

Not only me, but our students also read so many beautiful messages and tributes to our king. One of these messages is written below. It was read out by Mr. Dawa Thsering of Class V B. I wrote this piece for him. (Yes, I helped. But he delivered it like a champ.)

My King: The Jewel of Our Country

My king, my country's king. He is helpful to all the people. He worries about his country—probably more than I worry about my phone battery. He makes good decisions to help people when any problem comes.

I am glad to have a smart and brave king. He guides our small nation with great love and affection. He is guiding us to the realms of modernity without sacrificing our great traditions. He is our guardian. (And he doesn't even charge rent.)

My king is like my parent. He is very popular everywhere. He has built many schools and hospitals, roads, electricity, and so much more for his people. Basically, everything except a machine that grades papers. But we forgive him.

I have my poem here for you, Your Majesty.

You are the bud of love

And country's king

You are so special

You are the king of many great hearts

And jewel of our country.

And with that, we bow, we smile, and we light one more butter lamp. Long live the kings—all of them.

His Majesty Visits

On October 17, 2015, His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck visited Darla Gewog. It was a historic moment—never before had a king set foot in Darla. The audience took place at the Rinchentse Helipad, and for the people there, it was nothing short of unforgettable.

His Majesty had originally planned to visit our school. But due to a busy schedule, the King and His entourage arrived very late in the evening. Instead of hosting Him at the school, we were asked to go down to Rinchentse. So we walked in a line for nearly three kilometers before being picked up by buses along the way. Our school, unfortunately, missed the Royal visit—despite a week of splendid and pompous preparations. We had polished everything. The floors were shining. The students were rehearsed.

But anyway, we were still extremely lucky to have an audience with His Majesty at Rinchentse, alongside the public of Darla and neighboring villages. Thousands of people had gathered on the ground. Some had reportedly arrived as early as 5 a.m.—which, in Bhutanese time, is basically the middle of the night. The audience was graced by His Majesty's presence at 5 p.m. He gave a royal speech, expressing how happy He was to be with the people. He also spoke about being good citizens and taking care of children—sons and daughters alike. No pressure, parents.

His Majesty also served tokha to the people, and everyone received a booklet containing a Coronation coin. (Yes, a coin. Not spendable. But far more valuable.) The event also featured dances performed by the public of Darla and students of Darla Middle Secondary School. And to keep the mood light, Bhutanese comedians Gyem Tshering and Gyam Dorji cracked joke after joke—witty, loud, and thoroughly enjoyable. There was much mirth and joy. People laughed until their stomachs hurt.

As the crowd dispersed, everyone walked away smiling—clutching a beautiful portrait of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen. Some probably framed theirs the very next day. So yes, the King didn't visit our school. But for one evening, Darla became the center of the universe. And we were there.

Senseless to Be in Senses

You see around you many things—
things you have concurred with, fabricated, taken part in.
You hurt.
It makes you both helpless and sad,
yet happy and hopeful.
You have the sense to feel all of this.

But when you are separated from your senses,
you feel nothing.
It is ecstasy,
and just a fantasy of an illusionist's life.


The senselessness of being
Fills heaven with rainbows.
Everything is you—
a life and the universe.
You will shout, sing, and dance
In the space you occupy.

Now, be in sense, eyes wide open.
Feel the darkness and light,
sunshine and harsh wind,
trails of softness, trails of iron,
each denuding life.
These are invisible threads en route
to the common destination: the grave.

Books are bound, framed, and forced.
Weeping, smiling, they are taught naught.
Perfection and decency are treasures—
things forgotten and unlearned.
Aging, we grow experienced. Then what?
We are pulled down to the grave.

Reading Week 2015

Reading Week is organized in our school every year with the noble intent of helping our students understand the importance of reading and the infinite benefits it facilitates in their academic growth as students. Moreover, it supposedly makes them better humans in their individual and social life spheres—because nothing says "well-rounded citizen" like a good book and the ability to shut up and read.

In accordance with the plan set at the beginning of the academic year (back when hope was fresh and deadlines felt distant), Reading Week was organized from September 7 to 12, 2015. This year's theme was the delightfully ambitious "Read, Lead and Succeed." Because if you can read, you can lead. And if you can lead, success is supposedly just around the corner. No pressure.

During the week, special reading activities were initiated to provide more opportunities for students to participate, thereby developing and inculcating an interest in reading within them. Whether this involved gentle persuasion or the subtle threat of extra homework, we will never tell.

Readers' Theatre

Readers' Theatre was conducted as a competition between the sections of grades PP to III. It was genuinely interesting—and admittedly adorable—to see the tiny tots of our school presenting themselves as little narrators and various fanciful characters in creative costumes. Kings, queens, butterflies, birds, and possibly one unidentified fluffy thing made their appearance. Their babbling speeches and sing-song narrations created an effective ambiance (or at least a very cute one) and were appreciated by everyone—especially parents with cameras. The presentations were evaluated based on creativity and coordination, and prizes were awarded accordingly.

Winners:

· PP A

· I A

· II A

· III A & B

Random Reading

This activity was conducted for students of classes VII to X to test their ability to read Dzongkha and English fluently, as well as their preparedness and confidence to speak before an audience—two skills that rarely overlap in teenagers. They were instructed beforehand to prepare two passages, one in English and one in Dzongkha, and read them out when the coordinator of the day randomly called their roll numbers during assembly. Nothing builds character like public speaking with no warning. The activity went as planned and delivered the desired results—namely, mild terror followed by a sense of accomplishment.

Selected Reading

This activity was for students of classes IV to VI. Some students, identified by their teachers as either brave or unable to say no, read out either news pieces or interesting information they wanted to share with their fellow students during assembly. This activity was also successful, though many students who came forward could not be permitted to present due to time constraints. In other words, the bell showed no mercy.

Quiz

A mini-quiz of two questions related to books and reading was also initiated to evaluate students' awareness of popular books, writers, and some common literary terms. Prizes were awarded instantly to the winners—because instant gratification is the best way to encourage long-term learning. Or so we tell ourselves.

Book Talk

As on every Friday, two students presented reviews of an English book and a Dzongkha book. These reviews are helping students become acquainted with interesting books in the library and rouse their curiosity to read them. "Rouse" is a strong word, but we're optimists.

Mass Reading

To facilitate more time for general reading, an hour was created on Thursday by deducting five minutes from each period. Mathematics was briefly sacrificed for literature. After instructional hours, all students and teachers came out into the open, settled in conducive places (anywhere without direct sunlight and distractions), and read books of their choice for an hour. Miraculously, nobody fell asleep. Or if they did, they were very quiet about it.

We are very happy to note here that all the activities we had envisaged went well, leading this year's Reading Week to a grand success. It is hoped that our plans for such activities in the future will also meet with the same grandeur and success—or at least with the same level of student cooperation and minimal chaos.

Happy reading. Or at least, happy pretending to read.

Reading Week 2015

As a part of the Reading Year, Darla School also celebrated Reading Week this year with our ever-optimistic theme: "Read, Lead, and Succeed." We celebrate Reading Week every year—partly out of tradition, partly because it's an excuse to make noise about silence. This year too, Reading Week kicked off from September 7th.

The week was packed with reading activities, including Readers' Theatre, Random Reading, Selected Reading, Quiz, Book Talk, and Mass Reading—to name a few. (And also to make the list look longer than it is.) Prizes were also given for the best readers, because nothing motivates young minds like the promise of a shiny reward and mild public recognition.

So here's to turning pages, ignoring distractions, and pretending we don't hear the recess bell.

Happy Reading Year!!!

(May your books be interesting and your yawns be silent.)

Making Ready for Reading by class 3 students

In an action

A Business is to be Noted- The Price of Patriotism

One of the most significant needs in life is money. Companies and individual businesses aim to make a profit. Celebrations and festivities capture people's minds, encouraging them to buy, try, and hoard event-related items. Whether it's the World Olympic event in China, Independence Day, or National Day, it all comes down to the same thing: money.

Like everywhere else, the 60th anniversary has become a profit-making occasion in Bhutan. Just as the Reading Year benefited booksellers, such celebrations are lucrative business opportunities for many money-minded people. Several groups came to our school selling wall clocks bearing His Majesty's portrait, celebration-based lotteries, badges, and other assorted merchandise—because nothing says "royal tribute" like a ticking clock and a scratch card.

Take our school, for example. Every student had to buy a badge, each costing Nu. 50. Today, our students received the new badge featuring the Fourth King's portrait. They were genuinely happy to have the King with them—but not so happy with the quality of the badge, which is likely worth no more than Nu. 20. The pins fall off for no reason (gravity, perhaps, or sheer disappointment), and His Majesty's photo is about as clear as a morning fog in Phuntsholing.

So yes, the spirit of celebration is alive. So is the spirit of markup. Long live the King—and long live the Nu. 30 profit margin.

Badge for my class

A Golden Handshake: A solution to Unemployment

The government has so far failed to frame a long-term employment policy. Without one, there is a real danger of our youth going astray—which would not only disrupt but also put unnecessary pressure on our development strategies. As things stand, secure employment often seems reserved for a small circle of well-connected individuals.

According to a recent report by the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources, the national unemployment rate sits at 2.9 percent, while youth unemployment stands at 9.6 percent. That may sound small on paper, but ask any fresh graduate, and they'll tell you it feels much larger.

This year, nearly half of the 3,322 university graduates sat for the preliminary examination to compete for just 434 civil service vacancies. That means at least three graduates are chasing every single government slot. And the unemployment figure keeps rising. The labour ministry's press release claims that the national unemployment rate dropped by 0.3 percent in 2014 compared to 2013—but anyone watching closely knows that number doesn't tell the real story. The government must now start thinking seriously about absorbing graduates into the workforce. One of the most practical ways to do this is to replace aging employees with young, skilled job seekers. The labour force participation rate was estimated at 62.6 percent in 2014 for those between 16 and 45 years of age—a group considered economically active, unlike those who have retired or are nearing retirement.

Google Guru

One promising scheme is the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS). Under this arrangement, employees are offered a generous, often tax-free, severance package to voluntarily retire from their positions. This is popularly known as a "Golden Handshake"—because it polishes the exit door until it shines. It is a golden route to retrenchment, but done kindly. A golden handshake typically includes cash, stock options, or other incentive packages. It is an agreement between employer and employee to part ways early, voluntarily, and without bad blood. The so-called "golden parachute" is usually dangled as a lure to create job opportunities for young people. And let's be honest—when young people enter jobs, they tend to run faster, learn quicker, and stay awake longer during meetings than some of us oldies.  of creating jobs for an active group of people.

Under this scheme, employees receive better emoluments. They get their provident fund and gratuity dues earlier than usual, which they can use for house construction or family subsistence. It becomes a lucrative settlement that prevents financial resentment in old age. It also offers the most humane route to reducing excess staff. Best of all, because the retirement is voluntary, there's little need for enforcement or hard feelings. The people most likely to take advantage of the Golden Handshake are those who would retire anyway. For example, employees above 50 years of age with more than 25 years of service should be made eligible. If that tenure criterion is adopted, we could easily create 1,000 or more jobs in a single year—far more than the meager 434 civil service slots currently on offer. Offering the Golden Handshake might encourage a few additional employees to retire sooner than planned. And once the bogus sleepers opt for retirement, the new hires would bring fresh energy, new ideas, and higher overall job quality. If the Golden Handshake doesn't fit, there is another option. A Lump Sum Incentive Program could be introduced, where retirement-eligible employees are offered a one-time lump sum payment. This could include cash, a house, stock options, or other lifelong benefits in exchange for the personal sacrifice of early retirement. For example, any employee at least 50 years old who retires by the close of the fiscal year could receive such an incentive. Either way, the message is clear: doing nothing is no longer an option. Our youth are waiting. And their patience—unlike their unemployment rate—is running thin.

Darla School Annual Concert

Darla School is gearing up for its upcoming Annual Concert, which will take place over two days on August 28th and 29th, 2015. The school has been preparing for almost a month for the final show. Different in-charges and coordinators have been assigned various items to practice. Students, teachers, and the school as a whole have been busy after school—so busy, in fact, that no one could even think about hanging around and losing time like that. Because in Darla, free time is suspicious.

As the days crawl nearer, students and teachers bump here and there looking for participants, only to discover their own participants have been hijacked by other programs. It's a logistical circus. On the bright side, each student is allowed to take part in only three items to ensure maximum participation. This rule is also not taken very seriously by our students. During rehearsals, there were some students taking part in four or more items. So be it, I say. Good dancers should. Even monkeys can dance when the music is on. (No offense to the dancers. Or the monkeys.)

Our teachers, students, and councilors are also busy selling tickets for the show. The cost of a ticket this year is Nu. 80, up from Nu. 70 last year. This price hike has been the most mauled and ranted topic in the school when it comes to any collection. "Where does the money go?" "Isn't this too much?" These are some of the not-so-sweet talks floating among our students. And honestly? Sometimes the criticism is true.

Last year, the show made a huge amount of money. And then? Silence. There was a presentation in one of the various meetings stating that the money was used for buying stage decoration clothes and related items. But the stage remained the same—or actually became poorer than before. The back wall of the stage is scratched, smeared, and blotted with so many tints of colors that it looks like an abstract painting gone wrong. The floor planks have become shaking pendulums, risky for our participants and excellent for building ankle injuries. There were no musical instruments, no lighting amenities, no good sound boxes, and—to put it bluntly—NO. But YES when it comes to working? Curious.

Anyway. We hope everything will be better this year. And hope we must. It's all we have left.

Like last year, our Darla community will come and watch the show. The show is all about showcasing the talents and abilities of our—and your—students. This show is dedicated and honored to our Fourth Druk Gyalpo and Je Khenpo on their 60th birth anniversary. The school is also building a Jangchub Chorten for the well-being of all.

Come, watch the differences! (Hopefully the good kind. But bring a cushion. Those planks are unforgiving.)

All set to go with the ticket on circulation

Invitation cards send to every individual around the school

Human Values Workshop

Darla School staff attended a Human Values Workshop in Gedu for three days, beginning August 13th to 15th. I am reproducing some of the important topics the workshop covered during this period—partly for posterity, partly because I paid attention and now you all have to suffer.

During the feedback session, everyone said how changed they were at the end of the workshop. Apparently, three days in Gedu can undo a lifetime of bad habits. Who knew? In the beginning, the content felt quite similar to our eight-fold paths—and it actually was derived from there. So essentially, we paid for a refresher course on things we already believed in. But let's not be cynical. Yet.

The session started with this proposal—an ambiguous one, designed to make your brain tilt slightly:

"Whatever is said is a Proposal. Do not assume it to be true or false. Verify it on your own right—on the basis of your natural acceptance."

In other words: don't believe us. But also don't disbelieve us. Just… feel it. Naturally.

The workshop also defined the role of education with great seriousness:

"The role of education is to facilitate the development of the competence to live with Definite Human Conduct."

Not just any conduct. Definite conduct. No vagueness allowed. We're here to produce decent human beings, not wishy-washy ones.

According to the workshop, transformation equals development. Yes, same thing. No difference. Change a little, develop a lot. Here is the diagrammatic summary of human values—because nothing says "spiritual growth" like a flowchart.

Transformation = Development

Right Understanding is all we need

And Preconditioning leads to many undesirable activities

 

The self and body...i like this part the most. Everything submerges in the space. Where does the self go from the space? 

Payment is NOT Enough

The salary I get by the end of the month is finely calculated and then finely split—like a poor man's magic trick. There are times when my meager salary cannot make a single day stay in the account. It's good, I suppose, that it doesn't occupy much space in the bank. By the end of the month, the credit would amount to Nu. 10,000 or more, leaving me still in debt. I hardly get Nu. 13,000. Let me show you where it all disappears.

How My Money Splits in a Month:

1. House rent: Nu. 2,500

2. TV bill: Nu. 300 (for the privilege of watching ads and old movies)

3. Electric bill: Nu. 100+ (depending on how many lights I forget to switch off)

4. Car petrol: Nu. 1,500 or more, depending on "emergency" (translation: visiting family)

5. School collection: Nu. 500, sometimes more than 1,000 (the mystery fund)

6. Miscellaneous donations (religious purposes): Nu. 300 (for the soul)

7. Visiting sick people: Nu. 300 or more (for the conscience)

8. Visiting relatives: Nu. 300 or more (for the guilt)

9. Veggies, rice, and general fooding: Nu. 3,000 (for staying alive, annoyingly necessary)

10. For a child: Nu. 200 (the cheapest part of this list, thankfully)

Total: Nu. 10,000

The salary I actually get now is Nu. 13,314—after a heavy loan deduction. The meager amount is not really enough. Expenditure escalates beyond what I receive sometimes. We don't have any money left for holidaying or family trips. A vacation, in this economy, is a dream that requires its own fundraiser.

This is a little bill of a rough calculation incurred in this month and is prepared by my wife.

And this donation comes frequently.

I really feel that teachers and doctors and hospital staff must be paid handsomely. Because services like teaching are, as someone wisely put it, "sitting penniless on a beach job"—except there is no beach, no sun, and definitely no umbrella drink. No TA/DA, no training, no outside tour, no nothing. Only a dry and meager monthly salary that evaporates before the month does.

I hardly know how to fill out a TA/DA form. Sometimes I fail to even say what TA/DA stands for. (Travel Allowance / Dearness Allowance, apparently. I had to look it up. Twice.)

So here's to another month of calculated suffering and a bank account that echoes.