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