Monday 30 July 2012

Fast Lane

Greatness is what is yet to come...
And only I myself can fool me

((((((Everyone can be sad))))))

Even though the green light blinked
I know wasnt ready to go...
This is just the way it is
So I drove away even faster~

I dug the deepest pit
And dived right into it
Knowing what lay ahead
As I just wanted to be happy

"What would you want me to be?

I want you to be good to yourself!
Why do you need me so much?
I need you because only you matter!..."

Thus falling deeper and deeper into this pool of darkness

I fell knowing you wanted me more and more!
But I'm stuck here in this dark hole
With no answers
leaving you even more clueless than you already are...



I see this life going steady .. 
Not in need of anything and
Not in want of anything either
Just pure simplicity with happiness


Do you promise to keep me happy?



Photo: A beautiful yellow rose



Tuesday 24 July 2012

Melancholic Raindrops

The endless downpour sparked creativity within
Laziness suddenly overcome by ideas
Spontaneous and mindless...
Ignorant of the consequences for 'if'

The ride was slightly bumpy
Not because of the road
But the emotions that yet again stirred
One week, two weeks and even three
Time didn't matter any more...

The splattering of rain drops,
The swiftness of the wiper,
And a figure emerging from a far,
While the music shuffled to appeal,
Seemed all too soothing of a night.

Conversations constant in rhythm,
A journey filled with laughter.
Inquisitive as the mind may be
The answers satisfied the moment
While the rain kept pouring...

I felt happy to be amongst the star
That hadn't yet fallen...
Nor was it lonely up there
Rather the light kept on shinning
And guided me in times of darkness...

Temptations of softness,
But the end is always bitter.
Hopeful for another encounter,
When "all's well that ends well".
Perhaps another day when it pours?

My religion is Practical

Never been a religious type of person ever since i was little but that doesn't make me an atheist either.
Well the root of my beliefs set foot only once i was a bit older but that wasn't just plain Buddhism. Most often people believe that because we are born in a Buddhist country we are binded by Buddhism but that is not the case.
I studied in Bhutan till i was in Grade 4, don't have any memories of attending tsechu's or family lochay's during holy days but rather the only thing i remember till date is being taken by my Asha all over Bhutan during the holidays and weekends visiting sacred nyes and lhakhangs. This was all the religious influence i received from the family before i was sent to a convent school for a few years and then to another multicultural christian school in India until i finished grade 12.
Up until now being away from home, took me further apart from knowing what Buddhism was all about and i based all my knowledge on the practical beliefs i held and applied them where i knew it to be most appropriate. Even today, I wouldn't say i am not a religious person like some of the people my age are but i would think of myself to be more of a practical person trying to help people not through religion but with good intentions to improve their livelihood. My family was not pressuring me to attend anything here and there too which further led me away from understanding my own religion.
But now that i am back in Bhutan i promised myself to explore further into understanding and knowing Buddhism beyond what i know and to accept religion as it is and now as how i wish it to be.
A positive start henceforth!!

Yesterday, it was Drukpa Tse Zhi and along with a few office staff, we went to Dechenphodrang at 7:30 am as we all had donated money to give the monastic body there to pray for the well being of our king, country and people. Had been there just a few times as the early morning was refreshing and the scene was absolutely breath taking.

Here are some of the images from the morning:


Wednesday 18 July 2012

Walk Walk Walk

Recently I started going on walks and light jogging to Sangay gang since i stopped calisthenics about a month back since mid June. It's a nice place close to where i live in Motithang and the place is quiet and serene which is ideal for walking in the evenings. You end up meeting alot of familiar faces along the way who are either brisk walking, walking their dog, jogging, running while there are also those riding their bikes panting up the path... However, i noticed that many people you tend to meet who are completely or partial strangers tend to avoid eye contact when they encounter each other while walking. 

Apparently there are three different routes to get to the top but i took the normal paved road since i wanted to test my endurance and speed. It took about 30 minutes to get to the top as this was just my second day!!! 
So i took pictures along the way to capture what i see to share with you all :) 


A graffiti on the stone walls in Sangaygang

Add A bend in the Road


A view of Motithang and Thimphu from top

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Time Stood Still

"Service to one's country that ends so tragically is the highest form of patriotism..." Even though words of faith are very comforting at a time of loss, there are many people we meet in life. Some do deeds of greatness while others just wait for something to happen. But of all that, one man today is truly a proud hero of our nation as there is none greater than a man who gives his life for the country.

So as the yellow-orange colors of our flag were being neatly folded away, the funeral parade stood still in attention before finally raising their weapons and firing three-volley gun salutes in the air. The honor, courage and respect each soldier had today was overshadowed by this sudden tragedy. Yet words such as bravery and pride were echoing from every mouth to ear.

The cremation ground was filled completely with soldiers from RBA (Royal Bhutan Army), RBG (Royal Bhutan Guard) and the Police. Even though the Prime Minister and the Home Minister were present along with Former Minister Nado Rinchen, Cabinet Secretary Dasho Penden Wangchuk, Home and Cultural Secretary Tshering Dorji,  and a few notable faces. I personally felt the lack of representation as there were hardly any government officials (Ministers, MP's), nor the media, and only a few ladies present when the parade was taking place which further led to the burning of the three bodies. 


Tuesday 3 July 2012

The two sides to a Story...


Just as how chivalry seems to be dead these days, Bhutanese weddings are turning out to more than just a social gathering in comparison to the sacred meaning these ceremonies had many, many years ago.

Dating back to 50 years when our grandparents or even when some of our parents got married, marriage was considered a holy matrimony between two couples that fell in love or had arranged marriages. Correct me if i’m wrong but in contrast to that, now days the sanctity of marriages is losing its traditional value and becoming more of convenience. Tradition is certainly losing its place in society especially in a place like Thimphu.
Early days, they didn’t have grand ceremonies but rather the groom would ask the bride’s parents for their daughters hand in marriage and thus consented would be proclaimed husband and wife. Even today, in the villages of Bhutan there are no such celebrations for a wedding but rather there are no parties nor would a feast be given. Instead the village would get together to give a small simple lunch for those who come to congratulate the newly proclaimed husband and wife. In most cases, there would be no such wedding but only in the case of when the girl would give birth, she would be considered as married.

For some since their parents lived in the villages and they in the city,  it was hard to get consent so they never really got married officially but started living together. As Agay doye says it “ Getting married wasn’t as complicated as these days...”

Tradition here has picked up that one throws large parties that assemble gatherings where you invite people you both know or don’t know and give lunch during the tenday and dinner for the rest of the community. In contrast if there was a wedding in the village or those days, a small lunch would be given and at night they would consume alcohol and offer advice to the newlyweds of their new life together.
There is a sense of community unlike now days here in Thimphu where everything has become individualistic and people are greedier and all motivated towards having more money. They feel that in dzongkhags such as Thimphu people throw away money unnecessarily to celebrate weddings and any occasions while in the villages tradition still remains intact with the people!
“There won’t be any huge party or a feast but some would prepare lunch meant for small gatherings and that was it...A simple Bhutanese wedding...” says Ap Tenzin. For him in the earlier days and back in his village in Trongsa, people still stuck together as one community and everyone would contribute one way or the other. For example, take building a house; the cost was minimum and the procedures was simple. We didn’t have to ask anyone for permission like now days to build in our own land as we had the right. The better off people would build three stories and those who couldn’t build just one story with Bamboo. Even the roofs were made from bamboo explains Doye and Tenzin.

Thus, impermanence and simplicity is what we all must strive for while still being kind and thoughtful!

Will the real P please stand up! (Feb 2021-October 2023)

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