I made a day-trip to Jaigaon. It is an easy pleasant drive from Thimphu. I had gone there to find a silversmith who can do the zartsha (parasol) and gokyim (cornice) of the stupa. I need three sets each. I found one artisan in a village away from Jaigaon, who has agreed to do it for 50k a set.

Guess how much our people here in Thimphu were asking me? One was as high as 120k per set. Since I am almost the sole sponsor of the project, I had to hunt for some reasonable prices.

Now we know why businesses and the town of Jaigaon are booming while we continue to be in a state of slumber. We overcharge for everything in Bhutan. And I have no solutions to offer, or make any subjective comments, for this practice. It is a personal decision 😏😏😏

And coming to Jaigaon as a place, honestly, I am at home in these plains and tea gardens of Imdia – having grown up in Phuntsholing (my father was a bus driver there) – and having seen Jaigaon sprout out of a sleepy village with a border gate and three Indian policemen – in the early 1970s.

I saw the iconic Bhutan Gate being built in 1973-74. And as a student in Kharbandi, we stood in line to see off, and recieve, His Majesty the Fourth King, many times. There was no Druk Air then. So, I have nothing but fond memories of the area to be able to just jump for any small reason to go there.

As a bonus, I got the hilux-cover repaired for Nu. 50 😁😁😁

Triviality – I came across several private clinics run by Bhutanese medical doctors, and doctors who worked in Bhutan for many years. Another reason why Bhutanese folk to Jaigaon.