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Sunday 30 October 2011

Season of Joy and Mellow Fruitfulness.

In an attempt to write a poem for each season, finally as the autumn shifts towards winter, i produced this, though not a good one. Now I complete a full circle with each passing seasons.

The monsoon has turned drizzles and heats mild,
As the sun shifts towards southern hemisphere.
Yesterday, the trees were green gold
But today, the leaves are stained with multiple hue.

The fruit laden trees give us a hearty vow
While in the garden do the bees buzz
Waving good bye to those beauteous flowers,
As the frost hardens to rage the fragile plants.

People hear the jolly voice of alpine birds,
That swarmed the temperate vales in euphoric mood.
Gone are the days of limitless lights of tiresome nature
With each passing day getting shorter and nights long.

The air is filled with fragrance of fruit,
And farmers sing the lusty songs of bounty reap.
With colourful dances on joyous occasions,
Festivity runs through our thrilling veins.

Jest and jokes brings us a cheerful mirth,
When together we bask the heat around hearth.
With autumn come the colours of happiness,
With dearth of pains from bygone summer.

If not for the love fallen like autumn leaves,
That filled the heart weary and dreams bizarre.
Autumn brings in hopes like colourful harvest,
To keep us destined to pre-written fate,
 for its season of joy and mellow fruitfulness.

 You may also like:
                              Season of Emptiness,
                              Season of Hopefulness,
                              Season of varied Sentiments.

 Photo Courtesy: googled.

Tuesday 25 October 2011

In A Fairy Tale Kingdom of Bhutan- II

Continues...,

The next big national event that I witnessed was in 2008 when the nation celebrated the Centenary Coronation. I was then a first year student studying in college, which is away from home. If ever missed, it is going to be a great regret for me but our Dean in the college was so kind to grant us leave to attend the great celebration with the fellow citizens back home.

When His Majesty the Fourth DrukGyalpo abdicated the throne and handed over the responsibilities of the king to the then Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck on 14th December 2006, the whole nation was startled and shed their tears silently, but little did we knew that the new king will keep the hopes of people alive and hearts contended. 
2008 Crowning Ceremony.
On the morning of November 1, when His Majesty was formally empowered as the Fifth Druk Gyalpo in a unique and sacred empowerment ceremony in the sacred PungthangDewaChenpoi Phodrang, the nation rejoiced the fairy tale event in a fairy tale kingdom. It was on November 6 that the world witnessed a historical phenomenon when the fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck offered the Raven Crown to His Majesty the King, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck in the sacred chamber of TashiChhoDzong. For the Bhutanese it was an overwhelming moment with the merging of past, present and future. For the first time in history of our country, a father king crowned his son.

It was for the first time that I saw my Kings in person. Sitting in one corners of the packed Changlimithang stadium, seeing and hearing my king in real was the most euphoric moment in my life.
"I will never rule you as a King. I will protect you as a parent, care for you as a brother and serve you as a son. I have no personal goals other than to fulfill your hopes and aspirations. I shall always serve you, day and night, in the spirit of kindness, justice and equity."
The divine speech still reverberate my ears and after almost six years of reign as a king, we have seen his majesty keeping his sacred words. With his charming look, reassuring smile, and twinkling eyes with playful mischief, His Majesty is always there to comfort the people by travelling length and breadth of the country when earthquake has shook, fire has ragged, rivers has flooded, granting Kidu to the needy ones tirelessly  thus beguiling the entire nation.

On May 20 this year, His Majesty the King announced his intention to wed Jetsun Pema in October 2011, which filled the Bhutanese atmosphere with love and affection. The whole nation waited with pride and unity for the big October Day to come and when it finally came, Drukyul was awash with colors of autumn in one hand and festivity of Royal Wedding on the other.
"She was a shy 7 and he was a handsome 17 when they first exchanged glances at a family picnic. She clung to the young prince asking him to take her with him. The promise he made was that when she grow up, if he is single and not married, and if she is single and not married, then they would marry."
 14 years flashed by. He turned into a dashing king, and she a ravishing beauty and destiny came full circle on October 13 2011.
After Crowning in Punakha. wangyel stud.
Despite having a tight schedule with tiresome field-works for the partial fulfillment of the final year curricula, my friend and I approached the office of the warden to seek leave in name of Historic Royal Wedding, which he granted so generously. So I could once again become a part of the Historic event of a lifetime opportunity to witness our king getting married. 
Back home on 13th October, I watched the sacred ceremonies which took place in the Kuenra and Chambers of Punakha Dzong LIVE on television with my relatives. After the empowerment of five sacred scarves from the Machen Lhakhang of Zhabdrung by His majesty the fourth king to K5 and Queen, crowning the Queen by His Majesty K5 in front of his father and of course the entire nation was the most spectacular scene that we the people have witnessed.


To see the King and Queen and to be a part of history in making, we then proceeded towards Punakha from the dusty valley of Bajothang. People swarmed Punakha dzong in thousands not only to celebrate the royal wedding but to see in person and express their joy and prayers to the Dharma King and Dakini Queen. The paddy fields nearby were near ripening, festoons of flags were fluttering everywhere, and with the sky partially casted with clouds, the heat was mild and was a perfect weather to join the crowd in LhatsoThang beside Punakha dzong, which actually is one of the hottest places in Bhutan.

A Scene from Punakha: wangyel studio

Amid the crowd as I sit and watch the cultural programmes, I could have a glimpse of my King holding the hand of the young graceful Queen and interacting with the people. That was the second chance that I could see my king and first time, the king and queen together. I was extremely happy and felt contended with my purpose of taking part in the grand celebration. To the folk of tourists, his majesty thanked them and asked them to just relax and enjoy their stay. Such a day, which will remain in the history of Bhutan, is also one of the unforgettable days of my life.

source: wangyel studio.
After learning that on 14th, the royal couple will return to their palace in Thimphu from Punakha, I also went to Thimphu on that same evening of October 13. The next day people from all walks of life waited for hours and his majesty nearly walked the entire stretch from Punakha to Thimphu  meeeitng with the people, students and tourists so by the time, His Majesty crossed the crowded Norzin lam, which was illuminated with colourful LED, it was already dark. How tired our newly wed King and Queen would be yet we could see happiness and satisfaction in theim having meet with their subjects on such a special occasion.


Changlimithang Crowd via Nokia Mobile.
On the third day i.e., on 15th after watching the ceremonies that took place in TashiChhoDzong on television, I rushed to the Changlimithang stadium to join the crowd for celebration but I was too late as the stadium was already packed to its capacity. While many of the local spectators returned back, I patiently waited amid the crowd not bothering about the where about of my friends and cousins, so I could finally pierce into the stadium only at the right time when His majesty kissed the Queen three times in front of the crowd. So that particular moment made my day complete. One special cultural programme that caught the attention of all the audience was the WangZhey, in which His majesty and Prime Minister accompanied by some MPs took part in it. It is only in the land of Happiness that the King entertains his people.
The most anticipated Royal Wedding lasted for three days starting from 13th to 15th October but the memories created in three days will remain deeply engraved in the hearts of every Bhutanese. With prayers on lips and wishes from heart, we the citizens express our heartiest congratulation to our king and queen. May many such divine souls rule this mythical land of Palden Drukpa, and may Happiness remains synonymous with the tiny Drukyul forever. 
For myself, I feel very lucky to have taken part in such Historic Celebrations all the time and even though the great days were over, the ceremonies of Serdreng and Chhipdrel with long queue of monks in red robes, the sounds of clashing cymbals and beats of gongs and drums, the pleasing musics of clarinets and trumpets, and rhythmic moves of the Bjipi Pawo and folk dancers, leading our charming King and beautiful Queen still resonates and envisages in my thoughts each passing day.


Palden Drukpa Gyalo.

In A Fairy Tale Kingdom of Bhutan.


Adorned with the lofty Himalayan peaks each wrapped with crystalline flakes of ethereal beauty the country is deeply steeped in the doctrines of Vajrayana Dharma. The inhabitants have long been acquainted with various values of loyalty, gratitude and unity, and they believe in the consequences of one’s thought and action and its proportional repercussions. This might be the reasons why peace has prevailed in this Land of Thunder Dragon since long before and that the colonizers never conquered her when many countries big and small around the globe went through the unbearable trauma of losing their national identity and getting them colonized by other power nations.
Bhutan-The Last ShangriLa

Ever since the enthronement of First Druk Gyalpo on 17th December 1907, all the internal strife has totally. Our kings have made every possible effort to strengthen the solidarity of the nation and maintained the perpetual flow of peace and happiness for their subjects. It is only because there is little or no indifferences among the people, that peace and prosperity prevail in Bhutan though her economy is one of the poorest in the world. Our benevolent and dynamic kings treat us with fatherly love and intimate affection. Happiness is deeply rooted together with the Buddhist principles and Bhutanese by virtue are the luckiest people born in this mythical land once known as Last Shangri la.

K4 coronation in 1974.
It is always a matter of great pride and satisfaction to be a part of historic national events in a tiny Fairy Tale Kingdom of Bhutan. As far as I can recall, I have witnessed three major national celebrations. The first one being the Silver Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty the Fourth Kings Ascension to the Golden Throne on 2nd June 1999. Then, I was just a primary school kid yet I could still remember how we prepared for the great day in one of the schools in a remote corner of Bhutan, and in that case by all the people of Bhutan. A grand celebration was held in Changlimithang, but sadly, there was no LIVE telecast like today during those days. Television was first introduced on that very memorable day. It was a momentous day where Bhutanese people commemorated the outstanding achievements of His Majesty in his 25 year reign, and paying tribute and singing paeans for everlasting peace and tranquility in the kingdom, and expressing prayers for the good health and long life of His Majesty the King. 

It’s worth mentioning here that His Majesty the fourth King was only seventeen years old when he took the responsibility as the King of Bhutan in 1972. Coronation Celebration was formally held two years later on June 2, 1974 and he became the youngest monarch in the world then. It was during the coronation speech that His Majesty the fourth king Jigme Singye Wangchuck said that Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross Domestic Product, which has become the guiding philosophy of Bhutan’s Economic development, and now Happiness is one of the Millennium Development Goals of United Nations as proposed by Bhutan. By the time we celebrated the silver jubilee celebration, our young king has tirelessly achieved many developmental goals and decentralized many powers for the betterment of people at grassroot level. Finally before his abdication from the Golden throne in 2006, he gifted the nation and the people with the Sacred Constitution, making Bhutan the youngest democracy in the world. 

                                                                                   to continue, click here      .........to be continued...,

Sunday 23 October 2011

Through the Lens of Nokia Mobile


As the fellow students were trying to escape the daily schedule in name of Durga Puja, this year I had this special excuse of Royal Wedding back home to escape the routine for a while. Though we were having tiresome days in the field growing quality planting materials, which are very vital for the successful completion of our semester, we approached the Office of Warden to get this special leave in name of Royal Wedding, and today I share this snapshots from my Nokia mobile. I became to lazy to jot down things now. As stated before, "the pen though mightier than sword is now clogged".

First and Last Site to take Refuge. 
WangDzong Bathed in Morning Sun
Dangchhu Tsangchhu Confluence- A Destiny.
Arch of PunaTsangChhu Bridge.
Hill Tops Awaits the Crystalline Flakes.
The Chillness of PeleLa.
A countryside where I was raised.
To be Lighted Soon, the Ultimate Hope of People.

LawaLa Pass on the way to Gantey/Phobjikha.

Gangtey Lhakhang- Seat of Pema Lingpa.

WangdueGoenpa Lhakhang- Seat of Dorji Lingpa.

Chendebji Chorten on the way to Trongsa.
Trongsa ChoekhorRabtentse Dzong.

PungThangDewaChenpoi Phodrang decorated for Royal Wedding.
Celebrations in Changlimithang Stadium.
................................and then back to my normal routine.

Saturday 22 October 2011

For Reasons Unknown.

intimate touch

The distance is too far and the sight seems blurred,
The pen though mightier than sword, is clogged,
the beauty though it exist, is cloaked in dark mist,
Yet in its purest state, the free thoughts rest.

The thoughts like the lightness of silken floss,
And its existence, more eternal than the prehistoric rocks,
With the rhythm of flowing river, it shall flow,
Until it reaches the farthest beach, to permanently glow.

With the fall of multi-hued leaves, the birds scream,
The aquatic lives fret with the drying of mud-ridden stream,
And with the cold breeze freezing the once lush lawn,
The inevitable changes in nature bring a change in man.

A change for instance, like a king wedding commoner;
But when the dull butterfly lands on dazzling flower,
The wind rustles, and though fate compels to resist,
The mulish thought pretends to alter, for unknown reasons.