Feelings in the Fogs.

The sun has long sunk below the horizon, the moon was hardly visible in the sky. Perhaps the sky lost its depth of blues as the clouds crimson and dark overcast it. I was walking by the highway, listening to the tunes of modern lyrics, and as I walked on in solitude, the road never ended but it faded through the green of woods that too were immersed in the chaos of hazy fogs and at that point there lies a stone.

courtesy: Tshering

The point gave me a panoramic evening view of swift flowing Mangde chhu, the lush of green paddies on the lowlands of Tshangkha, the strategic temple with rainbows of prayer flags at Tashichoeling, the cluster of buildings of College of Language and Cultural Studies at Taktse and of course far beyond imagination my insight could visualize the magnificent fortress of Chokhor Rabtentse and many more, if not of the distractions of stirring clouds.

Sitting on the stone and as I gazed on the flow of fogs,  and I was then tuning to a melancholic Modern Bhutanese verse, the lyric of reads as follows;

“Two souls did met, yet happiness was a dream,
Sight captured the beauty, yet mind failed to appreciate
While seldom we encountered, feelings were feeble,
Now when we are to part, your reminiscence haunt me.

There’s neither answer to my call, nor reply to my message
In the meantime, I lost my precious values.
Oh Fate, why are you such an illusion,
Why I don’t see destiny in my love…”

Soon I lost my tune to the music and in the valley of fogs, my thoughts wondered like the fleeting clouds; of beauty, of uncertainty, of simplicity, of pride and egotism, of pains and tears , of positivity, of hopes and aspiration, and of course of this beautiful life.

I first saw beauty to which I lost my heart. That was the strength of beauty. The flowers of different colours and variety, though each possess a striking exquisiteness, the taste of nectar can never be ascertained that it will be sweet. So, what? Will the beauty that captured my sight and to which I lost my heart possess a beautiful heart to cherish an everlasting relationship? I didn’t dare to doubt, after all the feelings of my heart mattered. “In my life, my purpose of living is to fulfill your happiness.” Such sentence of selflessness and dedication has already been reached to the other end, to embrace the love my heart, and so did I. Yet my positivity yield no fruit, conversations over phone and sms exchanged lost its values, little dreams and laughter we shared were to go futile for reasons so silly and vague and there was no reflecting back.  While to err is human, my forgiveness heard no echo but my own words of promises and pledges reverberated in my ears; it remained unfulfilled and there was a pain in my heart, tear in my eyes.

By then, the music in my ear has shifted to soothing melody of Minzung and Namgay Jiks, but it was an irony;

“Oh! Please don’t go, leaving me behind,
When you go, I am filled with misery and poignancy.
Please don’t go, leaving me behind.
Without your presence in this world
my existence resembles a soulless body.
When you are gone too far
My life endures a hellish pain…”

My conscience is my strength. I looked around; the clouds are drifting as usual with its shape changing frequently. The fluttering prayer flags came to standstill. Every phenomenon is momentary and fleeting. Uncertainty is the law of universe. I then stared down the valley and could see the Mangde Chhu flowing swiftly though its sound faintly heard. Life is never static but it’s ever dynamic and it must flow on like the river. Each of us have a path to follow and destiny to reach, like the green paddies that will soon reach the bowl of landlords in the form of grains. At the end of the day, our mind should be free of guilt, of ego, but be filled with humble thoughts and positive energy. Life is only beautiful with positive energy and with values of humbleness and simplicity.

It was getting darker, and soon the clouds gave way to light drizzle to cleanse my thoughts. Such a place, such a weather to get immersed into the depth of feelings and emotions in solitude.

“Life is beautiful not because one is beautiful, one is wealthy, or one has extraordinary character. Life is beautiful only because of positive energy. In life, don’t regret about the past because it taught you lessons. Don’t worry about the future because it will come as surprise, sometimes it will surprise you because it is beyond your expectation, but sometimes it will surprise you because it is not up to your expectation, but it is meant to happen. We can’t pretend to be happy when we are not so do what makes you happy. After all our happiness matters. Don’t expect too much because expectation hurts.  Most importantly feel the pride because we cared for ourselves. Life is short, live happily. Never be proud because we let somebody down. We are meant to live this life by living principles. Avoid negative energy and inculcate positivity.”

Remembering.

Today morning
I woke up late.

With contemplations numerous

I leaned for long on my bed.

I thought about the days

That just passed by.

Memories of love and loath

Reverberated in my mind.

With Reminiscence of words spoken

It ached me hard

For it remained as broken promises
Without hearing back any echo.

I wondered why?

The fate has a twist.
Yet I believed

Everything is ephemeral.

I thought about the moment

I walked round the stupa.

Praying for eternal happiness

Not realizing prayer will fade in breeze.

I remembered the errs

That I often commit

Yet I seek forgiveness

Even if I am not wrong.

Thus I wronged my rights,

I wept for the values I have lost

Yet conscience shook me hard and said

"Life is beautiful only with Positive Energy."

Then I woke up and readied fast for the day

Forgetting all agony, I set out,

Yet here, the same reminiscence

It appeared in black and white.

The Source of New Dawn.

From the infancy as I rose,

Ephemeral turbulence shook me hard,

The truest of fatherly love I didn’t garner,

Yet the almighty disguised as my mom,

To lighten the burden of dearly loss

Showering with the light of the new dawn.

Fate envied our joy and ecstasy,

And ailments broke our wealth of tenderness.

Ruined further, the family of innocence,

When icily, a sibling laid numb in cruelty’s hand.

Goddess in a sisterly disguise, dispersed our doomed despair,

Yet again, gleaming us with the rays of new dawn.

In the states of chaos as I struck,

In solitude as I stroll the paths of confusion,

I miss not the blessings of almighty

But the words of aging mom and caring sister,

“Not to follow the paths of evil but the righteous one”

For your words are the true blessings for my new dawn.

My Life in JSW National Park.

The magical clouds over Thimphu city and the first crystalline flakes of 2013 that danced down the air of Wang valley appears to be the last source of inspiration for me to jot down lines in my blog. My blog went silent for quite long since the January 19^th post but that doesn’t mean that my inspiration to write ended with the disappearing of magical clouds and melting of crystalline flakes. Indeed, there were lot of inspirations and many new experiences that I have gained since the inception of my new life in Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park.

My first couple of days in the office had been quite boring, not knowing what to do and how to proceed. However, owing to the benevolent gesture of our Chief Forestry Officer and cooperation of the fellow colleagues of the office, I felt very comfortable without much worry. My joining the office was on such a time that the local residents were conducting their annual lochoe, so it was such a treat for me to be part of the JSWNP family to attend dinners at the homes of the local residents for quite a number of occasions.

As time passed by, I felt the need to explore the park areas and fortunately, the park is in the process of carrying out biological corridor survey so I got the opportunity to be part of the survey team that gave a chance to be in field to explore the forests officially. Knowledge is gained through experience but experiences are never gained overnight. While in the field, we were to record the diversity of flora and fauna but my taxonomic knowledge was baseless as we were in temperate forests. All I know is the name of certain plants of tropical region. However, the team comprised of what I can call a field botanist, a local ornithologist, mammal and camera-trapping specialist, though all of them are either Forester of Asst. Forester by rank. Their working in the field for many years made them experienced and knowledgeable, which I could learn from them.

While conversing with my mates who opted Territorial Divisions and Districts, I came to learn that they hardly get any chance to be in field or out of station for official purpose but my Chief, he has nominated me to attend an important workshop on Biodiversity in Thimphu in March, giving me a chance to be in Thimphu for the first time after my joining the office in January. Attending such workshops give us an exposure and better interaction with outsiders, thus building our capacity of a civil servant.

And currently, we in collaboration with UWICE of Bumthang is in the process of  stationing camera traps in our park, thus giving more chance to interact with nature, hiking up the hills and descending down the ancient trails. This is the pleasure of being in a leisurely profession.

Excerpts from my last expedition on Tiger Survey:

A week-long adventuring through the jungle began with disappearing of mobile network as we entered the forests of Berti in Zhemgang. We were on an expedition to camera trap Tigers in Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park. Following the ancient trails, the journey took us on top of ridges and deep into riverbanks all in the forests. Discovering pugmarks and scats inspires us to venture further in weather beaten days of spring and as the week ends, the mobile signal is back and now we are to exit from Surey in Sarpang. What an adventure together with Professor Mark of Montana University, Dr. Ellen of UWICE, the UWICE team of researchers and of course my fellow JSWNP mates.

For now, the next expedition through the nature is just a day away. Hope the weather will play fair this time as well. :)

The Rhododendron Trail, an Arduous Hike worth a Hike.

This is a time when all the passes all over Bhutan are adorned with the blossom of rhododendron. Bhutan herself being a home to wide diversity of rhododendron, with species list as high as 46, the passes of Dochu la, Pele La, Yotong La, Thrumshing La, etc are the paradise of Rhododendrons. While such passes are in clear glimpse of every traveler, Bhutan has many ancient trails that are now least used, linking every valleys, and these trails too are offers a scenic glimpse of the glow of different rhododendrons, and one such trail is Khebethang-Rukha ancient trail in Wangdi Phodrang.

It was the third phase of remote camera trapping for tiger survey in Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park and our team was to station around eleven plots starting from Khebethang (13 Km from Phobjikha) towards Taksha following the Khebethang-Rukha ancient trail. It took us 10 days to station cameras in all the plots in an arduous hike of as many as 31 kms a day. However, the beauty of Rhododendrons that were in full blossom helped us relieve the pain that our leg endured and fatigue that our muscles borne. Even the beat of torrential rains and hailstones appeared blessing as we sit beneath the dropping branches of rhododendrons, hearing the splashes rain and hail but sighting the petals of rhododendrons fall.

Khebethang is located at an elevation of 2713 masl, and as you ascend upward for four hours, you will finally reach a pass at an elevation of 3669 masl, after which we have to again descend. It is in this range of elevation that the following rhododendrons species were found blooming.

  Rhododendron thomsonii,

   

Rhododendron arboreum,

 Rhododendron barbetum,

  

Rhododendron falconeri,

Rhododendron kesangaie,

Rhododendron hodgsonii,

Rhododendron cinnabarium
  

Rhododendron glaucophyllum.

There might be few others but not in blooming stage. With such diversity of rhododendrons, the trail has a potential to turn into an exciting eco-trail. However, the path being too steep and non-availability of water is a biggest constraint. For our team, besides successfully setting the camera traps, it was a wonderful expedition to be cherished from the spring of 2013.

So rightly, the Royal Botanical Park at Lampelri has also celebrated the first ever rhododendron festival in the country from 11^th-13^th May 2013.

P.S. The quality of photographs are poor as i used my cell phone to snap it. I tried to identify Rhododendrons at my best but if there are errors in naming the type of flower, kindly comment for rectification.

Magical Clouds and Snow Fall.

Yesterday, the magical clouds spread overhead Thimphu valley giving the azure blue sky a beautiful look. The cumulus shades were so beautiful, making constant splashes giving the normal sky a tantalizing look. But today as the dawn cracked, I peeped through the window and surprisingly saw crystalline flakes dancing in the air. Thimphu is getting her first snow fall for the year 2013. Every year, people eagerly waits for the first snowfall as the government declare the day holiday so that the people can celebrate the joy at home. Unluckily this snowfall on 2013 happens to be on a weekend. 

SOURCE: http://rikkuwrites.blogspot.com/

Reflecting back into the articles that I have posted over the past years, I discovered an Ode to Snowfall, and following the last stanza of the poem is as follows;

"As soft as the silky wool, yet as clear as the crystalline glass,

The snow in its purest form, afloat so silent yet never motionless.

It cleanses the world of misery and sorrow, the woe and sins,

Thus in rejoice, they eat and drink, all together the kith and kins.

It’s snow of health and happiness."

Over the last 20 days, I have been strolling in the Thimphu city and I sometimes feel that I am now even acquainted to the stray dogs. I have been to the bars, to the clubs and to the snooker rooms just like a lad loitering without a purpose in life. Since the day RCSC provided us with the appointment letters to join our offices, many of our friends have joined their offices, but me and few colleagues of mine in the Department of Forests and Park Services got struck in the midway with the hope to get our placement changed. As we waited for the RCSC's new resolution, we have already spent more than 20 days, and this kept us waiting, until yesterday, we made our mind to go to our first placings. 

So finally I am leaving Thimphu for Tashiling in Trongsa to officially join the Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park. I am sure that the like the magical clouds of yesterday, my journey across the two passes of Dochula and Pelela would be an adventurous one without any struggles on the way.

God Bless Me On My WAY. _/\_

 

To End is to Begin.

When 2012 kicked off, I was in my college fulfilling the requirements of my final year B.Sc Forestry degree. And when the year begin, there was a fear in every soul that celebrating 2013 would be a dream for there were rumours that the world will end on 21st December. The first day of 2012 was not so good for me as rain drenched us completely then.

As months passed by, the year with lots of ups and downs, have finally come to an end but not the world. Looking back into the year just gone by, i can say that the year had been one of the most challenging ones in my life so far, but in the end, things turned out to be a great blessing. At one time of the year i was not sure whether I would be able to complete my degree on time and sit for the premiere BCSE as our session was late. This worry had been wrecking me since the beginning of 2012.

Somewhere in the month of June, we were having our final semester educational tour in the Dehradun, visiting all the forest based institutes and industries. It was during those days that i was further depressed. First, like in a horrific nightmare, Wangdue Dzong, my district headquarter was reduced to rubbles, and in the mean time, RCSC has announced the timetable for the BCSE 2012 procedures. I came to learn that the preliminary exams were to be held in August, while our semester is scheduled to complete only in September. I could not think of waiting a whole year just because of 15 days delay in my semester. I wondered what exist beyond hope, that keeps us strong.

However, with all the requests made to the college authority, we could somehow manage to come for the writing the PE and attend the NGOP but without a degree in hand. I couldn’t really concentrate on the preparation as my mind was already preoccupied with worries. No sooner did we completed our NGOP, we returned to our college to write the semester exams, after which we requested for special attention to us in compiling the academic transcripts and PDC. When we finally reached home after completing the requirements of our degree, two of us were left with just two days to complete our verification for main exams, as we were through with the PE. Therefore, in times, things turned out to be blessing in disguise.

So, with each and every steps for BSCE 2012 completed, finally I am to join the league of Bhutanese foresters, after we were showered with words of wisdom by the chairman of RCSC Lyonpo Thinley Jamtso, and taking the oath of allegiance on 27/12/12.  

“In civil service you must take pride to serve with humility, appreciating small beauties, without ignoring the small duties, because, these small things make a big difference, just like the small springs together making a big river. As civil servants, always try to bring pride and honour to your country, to your parents and to yourself.” - Chairman, RCSC.

On the same day, we had an audience with Director General of Department of Forests and Park Services, stressing to the younger FOs that we explore the forestry studies with our best abilities.

“Issues like melting of snows and retreating of glaciers are a result of global phenomenon, the global warming so there is less we can do to control it. But within your reach are the minute streams so protecting the watershed in the proximity of your home will make bigger difference.” - Director General, DoFPS.  

And finally came the new years eve, where I got to meet with friends and relatives, over a glass of beer, waiving adieu to the bygone days of 2012. Thank you 2012 for making me bolder in taking risks, facing the obstacles and of course making choices and compromises in my life.

Meanwhile I am thankful to all my friends and peers for dropping new year greetings. "Years come and go but this year, I specially wish for you a double dose of health and happiness topped with loads of good fortunes. Have a great year ahead. Happy New Year 2013." Read one of the sms that I received from a friend. 

Today, the New Year is Thimphu for me is just like other normal days, but unlike that of 2012, the weather is good sunny day. The day somehow gave me a special light for me in living a sociable life and as the 2013 progresses, I only wish to have that special light glistening me brighter, and as a resolution, I want to keep my mind under my control and hereby I welcome 2013 with open heart, with responsibilities on my shoulder.

image courtesy: google.

Wishing all my Readers a Very Happy New Year.

A Responsibility Ahead.

I am an ardent lover of nature and admirer of phenomenons that occur in natural environment, therefore I believe in the lines of George Santayana who stated as follows;

“Everything in nature is lyrical in its ideal essence, tragic in its fate, and comic in its existence.”

And having pursued my graduation in Forestry, a subject of my choice, I have theoretically explored many components of nature in general and forestry principles in particular. But after studies comes a responsibility to work because of which I had successfully completed the requirements to join civil service cadre to put into application the knowledge I gained during my course of study. 

I knew my result of the BSCE 2012 and I was aware about the vacancies and places for posting. Had there been some vacancies in the functional divisions in Thimphu that would have remained my first option but there was none. After getting the guidance and suggestions from senior officers about the nature of work and working environment in different arenas of the same department, I thought of joining Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment as a researcher. By working in this institute, I would be in an intimate relation with nature besides not losing the traces of forestry knowledge I had acquired.

However, I couldn't get the privilege to be there, so had to go for my second option from the many available on 21/12/2012, the day initially speculated as Doomsday. The world didn't end, we didn't die, nor there was any Blackout, we were all smiling but I had a broader smile as I got my first placement in civil service. I have decided to work at Jigme Singye Wangchcuk National Park, the head office of which is at Tsangkha, Trongsa, and finally I could see a responsibility ahead. Responsibility conserve the protected area so as to protect natural habitats and help contribute in maintaining more than 60% of the nation under forest cover, besides sustainably utilizing the rich resources for the need of common people. 

Yet, awaited is the Appointment Letter to consider myself a member of Department of Forest and Park Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests. 

Crossing the Hurdles- BCSE 2012 Results.

When the dawn of 30^th November 2012 cracked, my mind was filled with anxiety yet I was excited and this might be a sensation which many of my peers felt because that was the day, when BCSE 2012 result was to be announced. For over 16 years of endeavour in academics, quite a number of Bhutanese youths finally graduates from colleges within and universities abroad in 2012. However, the degree certificate, be it a colourful A grade or a meager C grade, it only served as a license to write the Bhutan Civil Service Examination, the most premiere examination in the country to land a job in civil service. And after clearing all the due procedures, some 1078 graduates appeared for the main exams in October from the 2397 who wrote the preliminary exam in August, to contest for 596 prioritized vacancies. So finally, that day of 30^th November came a couple of days ago.

The performance of general graduates of 2011 was little better than that of this years. This year, the topper, a BBA graduate from Gaeddu College secured only 68.33% as compared to that of 2011 topper who secured 75.5%. Kuensel has announced the toppers from three categories of the BSCE 2012, viz.., PGDFM, PGDPA, and PGDE but not that of Dzongkha and Technical category. This earned some comments on kuenselonline where one reads as follows;

“We really want to see the real toppers.  No matter what are the category Under gone for examination the highest % of overall must be the real topper. One should be best in their own trade and the one who wins with highest % must have worked hard and he/she deserve to be topper.”

So upon reflecting on the marks obtained by Technical category, I found that a Traditional Medicine graduate topped the technical category with 73.12%, followed by Forestry graduates with 72.92% and 72.25% in second and third positions.

Regarding the Dzongkha graduates, there were only six who sat for main exams to contest for the 61 vacancies, and the toppers in the category have scored 73.94%, 67.24%, and 65.67% for the first, second and third positions respectively.

Therefore, if we were to declare the toppers of BCSE 2012 and not the toppers of separate categories, the top five positions would be as follows;

However, the fact that only the toppers of General Category are declared by the RCSC and not those of Technical Category, is also a point as there are hundreds of graduates competing for limited vacancies by answering to same question paper. In the Technical Category, we have only one paper in common and the two are different for graduates specializing in different professions. Besides many technical graduates are those who obtained scholarships abroad after class twelve so in many fields, the ratio of graduates to vacancies are nearly equal. Nonetheless, we should keep in mind that at the end of the day, it is hard work that is paid off well. Even some MBBS and Civil Engineers didn’t obtain the required 50% to join civil service.

Regarding my result, I was overwhelmed and wordless. During the Preliminary Exams, at 81% I was extremely happy, but was worried how well I could perform in the mains and now with 72.25% in the mains, I was on top of the world. I felt, some weakness in myviva but 14.24 out of 20, I now feel it is OK. Of course, getting a pass mark of 50% is enough for us to land a job but better rank offers better preference during placement so by virtue of fate or by virtue of my own efforts, I can live by my choice.

For a time being, series of exams has come to an end but awaited in queue are TOEFL test or so, but lying ahead is Tsa-Wa-Sum as Department of Forests and Park Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests is one step closer. Thank You almighty for all the blessings, teachers for all the faith and guidance, peers and relatives for all the good wishes and warm cheers. :) .

courtesy: linked.

Thanks for the congratulatory calls and messages as well and I also congratulate all those who made through in the BSCE 2012. For those who are not through, may you discover better arenas to work and serve. I too wish all my readers a successful life ahead. 

Fleeting Temperaments.

With the fading of autumn winds, so punctually, the chill of winter breeze has once again come and at this time of the year, Thimphu is getting colder day by day. A month ago, when I left Thimphu for my village having completed the BSCE 2012 requirements, the air was more temperate and environment was filled with bountiful colours.  Reaching home, I was no different from my village folks as there were remnant of works in the field, the harvesting of barley, uprooting of radish and turnips, and soon the frost acted harsher on the leafy vegetables, thus they demanded a roofing.

so fleeting are the rays of morning sun, so are the inscriptions on prayer flags.

Soon, the fields revealed its emptiness in parchedness, and the frost became thicker. In the gardens, the flowers revealed a temperament of impermanence with many petals dying an early death and the living cells in few green foliar ruptured by merciless winter frosts. With the coming of winter days, no more we could wash our hands in running tap water in the morning. what we aspire is to have a sensation of warmth everywhere. Yet, in the village, the peasants don’t rest in chillness but keep themselves busy to maintain their body warm. Before the spring dried to its minimum quantity, the villager decided to build individual taps for each household and this called for equal day labour to built tanks at the source, dig dungeons to bury the water pipes into soil, and for soft skin like mine, a little slogging caused blisters to burst in my palm.

.

In the rural areas, it is the superstitious mind that brings more ailments. More saddened when my peers predicted the curse of evil spirit called “Tsen” causing enormous swell to the minute blisters on my palm. The believe that evil spirits reside everywhere seems true, as no sooner an elder villager recited some rituals and offered bread made from wheat flour to the so called “Tsen” helped me relieve the pain. The day before, it was a joyous occasion warming by the hearth, but the next day, swelling in palm caused pain in my nerves So, I was back at home without any update on my blog but facing the challenges of villager’s life in harsh winter.

Today, the sky is overcast with clouds and it is chilly to move outside in the town and one day from today, many students across the country will be writing their board exams with tensed mind to clear the minor hurdles but for many graduates, the BCSE 2012 result will make their day either merry or gloomy, but its again a temperament that we have to overcome be it good or bad.

Meanwhile, I am glad that to have 100 followers on by blog.

Where will my destiny lie?

The Bhutan Civil Service Exam has been always considered the final hurdle for the university graduates to land in to the civil service cadre of Bhutan. Being a graduate of 2012, I too had the privilege of facing this prestigious exam of the country. For those who are well prepared and determined to join the civil service and serve the nation, it is more of an opportunity but BSCE the erstwhile RCSE is a big hurdle land a job in civil service. For me, it turned out to be a wonderful privilege to experience the procedures of this esteemed exam.

Since the day of registration for the exam, my mind had been filled with mixed feelings and thoughts about how to prepare for it, face it and clear it to reach a more comfortable platform. Having cleared the preliminary stage and got the opportunity to write the main exams of the BCSE, the final procedure of the same is to face the panel of viva voce, for which my turn came yesterday.

Writing examinations had been the oldest and most comfortable experience that we have seasoned since our admission to pre-primary but never in my life had I sat for interviews to contest for the vacancies. The only vivid experience I had was facing my own professors during the final viva voce during my final semester back in the university.

It is not as easy as one thinks. It is even more difficult to speak out at a go without organizing the thoughts in the mind first and that too in front of a panel, who are well-versed professionals and high ranked officials. This is my conclusion from my first ever interview and this calls for more preparedness, confidence and eloquence in speaking.

The questions that the member of the panel asked were not tough which requires excessive scratching of head so I have given the answers for every question without having to say “sorry sir”. However, my answers, as I reflect back were more simple and precise, without much organization of thoughts, which hampered my presentation. That I felt is due to my promptness in replying and speaking as I thought which not a good habit. I felt that, we need to take few seconds after the question to organize our thoughts.

Just for an instance, one member of the panel asked me what strategies I would suggest for contributing to the national revenue from the forest without compromising the quality and coverage of the same. To this, I promptly expressed the need of extensive plantations on the vacant Government Reserved Forest lands which can be harvested after certain years for sale in local industries so that the country need not have to implement the policy of importing timbers from outside. I added that there is a need to encourage private forestry at individual level, which will help them generate income by the sale of the products or meet their own basic requirements. These two activities won’t hamper the quality and coverage of natural forest and in this way, my response came to an end.

As I reflected back later, there are more strategies, which can be divided into different categories like the sustainable harvesting of non-wood forest products and their marketing, encouraging ecotourism and other recreational activities for the tourists, and of course the for mentioned point.

So my first interaction with interviewers has given me a good experience of facing similar panels in the future by applying the lessons which I have learnt from it. There is also a need for the contestants to keep updated with the current affairs and national history. For now, I am done with all the inputs for the BCSE 2012, and the result of which will be declared by the end of November will decide my final destiny.

The profession has been my choice, let me wait and see the chances for my destiny. 

The Progressive 2012.

When the year 2012 kicked off, I was quite energetic in writing various stuffs, but as the year progressed by, events that were more vital came one after another as I was in the final stage of completing my Bachelors degree. In times, I became more stressful and frustrating when things did not turn up the way I expected. However, I never let my hope die and deep in my soul, I had kept the patience to wait and tolerance to face the odds.

Though at one point of the time, I was not in a position to attend the requirements of BCSE 2012 formalities, through various tactics of our own and arrangements made by the college authorities, we could write our PE and attend the NGOP before we got our degrees in hand. To narrate how we managed is a painful interesting story. So, as the events that I faced indicates, I became busier as time passed by, and sadly I could not write a single post during the month of September. Nor could I read the update of our active Bhutanese bloggers.

Today, I can say the year 2012 has been a progressive one, though I am sitting idly without doing much productive works. Nor did I apply to any of the vacancies, as I am aspiring to join the Bhutan Civil Service Cadre. Having made through to the Main Exams of RCSC with good marks in Preliminary Exam, I have done my best in the Main Exams that was conducted on 12-14^th October 2012 despite having limited time for preparation. Being in the technical category, the competition is not very tough as the number of vacancies in our category (Forestry) has exceeded the number of candidates after the declaration of PE results and this gives me a hope to thrive the most premier exam in Bhutan.

this is what I seek: courtesy: google

Starting 22^nd October, our competent graduates have entered the final stage of clearing the Bhutan Civil Service Exam by giving their Viva Voce which has 20% weightage. Mine is due on 27^th of this month but I am little confused about how to go ahead to face the panel. Meanwhile I will keep my fingers crossed and seek the blessings from almighty and good wishes from my friends to have a successful interactive session with the panels on my coming big day. The complete story of the year can only be revealed once the result of the BCSE is out and I acquire a secure place to sit and work on.

Wangdue Phodrang- The Palace That Unites.

The destiny seems blurred when the historic edifice was reduced to rumbles by fire within hours. The nation was shocked and startled; the people shed their tears in agony and the only hopes were for the reconstruction of a new fortress, which is going to be a herculean task.

source: flickr.

However, with the blessings from almighty and guardian deities; with the munificent and reassuring guidance of His Majesty the King and with the profound faith and dedication by the people of the spiritual Bhutan, the blurred destiny is now giving way to a great achievement- The Unity of the Sovereignty.

When Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel contemplated of building a fortress on the ridge resembling a sleeping elephant more than three centuries ago, his vision was to unite the entire Drukyul under one reign and so did the vision turned into a successful mission. And today, when due to multifarious perceptions in human minds cause a diversion in society in the ever metamorphosing world, once again, Bhutan is reminded of the strength of unity by losing the age old preserved edifice to fire.

on the fateful day of June 24, 2012.

Bhutan Broadcasting Service Corporation has made a noble initiative of raising funds for the reconstruction of Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, by offering a platform for the devoted citizens from every nook and cannery whereby they can make their offering in both cash and kind. Those who could afford have contributed in lakhs, and those who could not made their little own gestures. There were instances where the age old preserved jewelry of the family being donated to for the welfare of dzong construction and there are pledges and promises made by others to contribute more during the event of dzong construction. These events through LIVE broadcasting by BBS have tremendously moved the confused nationals to higher level of unity which none of the world saw in their history.

Today, as BBS presented the total collection of over Nu. 60 million to the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs at the closing ceremony of their fund collection drive, our people would be deeply humbled to have made their little efforts for the reconstruction of mighty Wangdue Phodrang Dzong. People have been deeply obliged to BBS for the giant step taken that they have taken for the welfare of nation.

May there be a steady Resurrection of the great Wangdue Phodrang Dzong. 

September Post.

Sad to learn that there was not a single post for my blog during the September month, so I post this verse which I posted as status via mobile one day before the Blessed Rainy Day on my facebook. 

Tomorrow, the heaven will weep,

It will shed tears, not of sadness but ecstasy.

The heavens tears, it won’t flood but cleanse,

Flooding off, the negative virtues and karmic sins.

 Thus you will be blessed,

Of peace and prosperity, health and happiness.

Of laughter and love not momentary but eternal.

So I wish one and all,

A wonderful day of Blessed Rain,

Soaking in it not of compulsion but joy,

 Getting rid of not positive virtues but sins.

Together with kith and kin, you shall rejoice,

With bowls of delicious feast and wine,

Wine that would emit eloquent words and not quarrel.

And side by side, I wish all my friends who are writing the BSCE 2012, a very Best of Luck.