My last blogpost on the Australian dream garnered a huge interest – and lots of readership. I am surprised, and also embarrassed, because my post was only a review of an article by another blogger, Karma Choden. It was a short article. Nevertheless, what I concluded from that piece is that there is a real hunger for more such articles from me. 😜😜😜 

Well, jokes aside, of course, everyone wants to do well and get some sense of fulfilment out of one’s life. Therefore, let me share some tips here – assuming that I have a “successful” life. Of course, I did few fun stuffs and so it has been a fulfilling one as far as I am concerned. But note that these tips may not take you to your Holy Grail. They worked for me. You will have to decide what works for you. If they aren’t useful, skip this post or swipe back to your smartphone.

I have been to Australia but have not lived there. So I can’t write more on the life out there. All I can say is the Australia is not the only answer if you are seeking the much-needed break into some meaningful life.

My approach is, when in doubt, you step back and ponder hard on what you really want; find your life’s purpose and greater meanings; and prepare well – and then eventually pounce. This will definitely spice up your life, to say the least – and may be lead you to some success too. So Ponder your Purpose, Prepare and Pounce. This is the strategy.

Ponder. What do you really want to be?

Whether you are a teacher in a remote school, an engineer in Thimphu, or freshly out of school/college or still a student – whatever you are, you must take time to reflect every now and then – even if the going is good. What do you really want to be? What is that you can do more? What is changing around you? Agreed that you have a job or a degree. That’s the mistake we make. Our job or education is a means and not an end. Meaning, your job or your degree is a platform for you to something greater in life. For example, let’s say you are a teacher (sorry, I have a soft corner for teachers), don’t you want to be a better teacher? A real good teacher and specialised in one subject? Do you want to upgrade? Or do you want to leave teaching and be something else? If the answer to any of these questions is Yes, you should decide what is that you want.

In this world that is travelling at 3G speed, you also need to watch out for changes around you that might affect you – directly or indirectly. Don’t be a sitting duck. Move, if you must.

Now this is difficult, I know. Here is what I do. I fast-forward my life and think, “If I am dead and gone into bardo, what would be one thing that I regret not doing, looking back?” If there is something I have left undone, I do that now, while I am still alive. The bold idea of bringing TV to Bhutan happened that way. The crazy idea to go back to school for PhD in another field at 50, as Thais say, same same. Isn’t that simple? I also use another technique. When a place really bugs me and I can’t do anything about it, I look around and ask myself, “Is this a message from the universe to move on? That your time is up?” Quitting BBS happened in that fashion.

If you are happy where you are, stay! But do the same things better. That’s called innovation.

Purpose? Believe in something

These days one phrase we hear from our aspiring politicians is “serve the tsawa sum”. Fine, but how? Obviously, they can’t solve all the problems. Their time is limited. Which one would they be taking on? Unemployment? Climate change? The rising national debt? Economic self-reliance? Public service delivery? Emerging social issues? Like the politicians, your time here is also limited. So you can’t be generic. Don’t procrastinate.

One way of looking at success is that people look up to you, accept you, believe in you, right? How do you achieve that? Well, you need to find your passion or give meaning to your own life or be in service of others – or do all three. I believe as milay rimpoche, we are all born for a purpose. Find that purpose and live by it with conviction and consistency. Be genuine – like Tashi Namgay of Kidney Foundation and Tsewang Tenzin of Chithuen Phenday – or be passionate like our Thrash Guy, Karma Yonten of Greener Ways. You can also turn your opinions and frustrations into actions like how Passu Passang Tshering did. The Chablop (Toilet Master) of Bhutan was upset to see dirty toilets everywhere. Or share simply what you have discovered and your ideas like Dumcho Wangdi. Unless you believe in yourself, no one will. Do not fear haters and cynics. We care so much about what others would say that we forget to live our own life. They will always be there – no matter what you do. Even Gautama Buddha was challenged. Gandhi was even shot dead. So what are you? Bigger than Buddha? Greater than Gandhi? There will be discerning advices. There will be pressure for you to stop. You will be laughed at. But you should be persevere and believe in yourself. In the 1990s, people derided my proposal to bring TV to Bhutan. I was even threatened. When I became a documentary producer, some of my own colleagues at work back-stabbed me from all angles. When I started social works in Athang Rukha people were suspicious. Now, my works in middle-path communication is being ridiculed by some back home. What do you do? Give up? Well, that’s exactly what your cynics want you to do. Instead, you shift your gear, work harder, go faster, refine your ideas better.

You could be also living a purposeful life already. In that case, keep going. But once in a while, ponder. No dikpey-attitude, please.

Prepare. Find your nest

Once you have decided what you want to be, start immediately – but start small. First, specialise. Focus. Be different. Nobody has become famous or successful by doing the same things and by being like others.

Second, prepare in silence and with patience. Don’t shout on the social media. If you are trying for scholarships, prepare. If you are competing for a higher post or a job opening, prepare by researching on what it takes to do that job well. If you are planning to move from school to university, prepare by studying more. If you are planning a career in football or films, prepare by practicing hard.

For example, six months before I left BBS, I started preparing. I got a trip to Singapore and I took the opportunity to buy filmmaking equipment. I started refurbishing a room in my house as my office. I started pitching story ideas and projects. I started writing scripts and honed my skills in editing. Then one fine day in 2005 I proudly dropped my resignation. Everyone thought I resigned suddenly. I didn’t.

Lastly, everything takes time and patience. When I was teaching in Sherubtse in 2013, I noticed a guy, who was very passionate about filmmaking. So that year we organised the first film festival there and got our filmy people over from Thimphu to encourage students like him. That boy’s name is Tashi P Dorji. This year he just won the Best Actor Award at the National Film Festival. It took Tashi five years.

You also have to experiment. Try new things. Chencho Gyeltshen, the footballer, is one name that comes to my mind when I say experimenting. Our chance encounter in 2015 is detailed in my blog. Chencho was actually doing Taekwondo and picked up football quite late. So while you keep doing what you are doing, pick something and try out. You never know. Tashi completed his studies and became an actor. Chencho switched to football and he has now conquered the Indian soil. If you don’t like something, move to the next. If you find something exciting, don’t be scared to leave your comfort zone. You can’t guess how many things I tried and failed. But you will ultimately find your call.

BUT, do not be so overwhelmed with what you are doing now (like many civil servants) or think that you are absolutely indispensable. Time will pass. You will be old soon. New people will replace you. So while you are there, there is always some space for you to do more. If you are a forester, you can become a cypress or agar-wood expert. If you own a restaurant go beyond selling junk noodles. If you are in agriculture, get some sticky rice to Bhutan (because I love it). If you are a vet, let’s breed some beautiful riding horses or Yak dogs.

Pounce!

Finally, do not wait for everything to be ready. We are Bhutanese – not Japanese. We are never ready. When you are more than 60 percent sure, just pounce!

So, Ponder your Purpose, Prepare and Pounce.

And while you wait for things to change, keep smiling, keep shining. Most probably the world will smile and shine back on you because no matter what, there is always something to appreciate for what you are and what you have – already.

~~~~~

NB:

My visit to Lamga village, in Athang Gewog (Wangdue) where I am helping the community build a temple.

My first involvement with this community was as a volunteer for Tarayana to build them houses and settle them properly here. They are originally from Phobjikha. In 2015, we initiated a community hall and temple. This visit was to see the progress.

Humbled by the elaborate reception party and preparation.

I am back to my university in Macau – and away from the pollutions and politics that seem to have completely engulfed my home city of Thimphu. Both were killing me. And between the two, I don’t know which one was worse. What a sad development. I always thought we, as Bhutanese, were better than that.

First, the pollution.

Has anyone measured the level of dust particles in the air in Thimphu? I am sure it will be at dangerous level We boast of being a carbon-negative country but the construction boom and rising number of cars have resulted in unbreathable air in Thimphu. What does that mean? Well, more respiratory problems such as bronchitis and asthma, allergy attacks, lung impairment in the long run and increased overall cost on public health. However, all these are preventable. The Building Regulations require construction sites to be covered and pollutions to be contained. Who is supposed to implement and why are people so irresponsible? As someone who is allergic to dust, and I know many who are, winters in Bhutan is hell for me. The dryness itself kills me. Now add to that the dust from open construction sites.

The second cause of pollution is from cars. Just since my last visit in July, Thimphu suddenly is swarmed by more cars. Well, we can’t prevent people from buying cars but we can regulate the way they move around. Meaning, through effective traffic management, which unfortunately doesn’t seem to be the case. Thimphu’s traffic is planned more to ease the works of some organizations rather than for convenience of commuters. For example, it is ironic that a country that doesn’t produce a drop of oil is obsessed with one-way streets that you are forced to do several merry-go-around to get from point A to point B. To ensure that you are channeled into a jam, there are several dividers along the road in Thimphu. The dividers along the Chorten to Chubachu round-about is unnecessary. Those around the BOD station is idiotic. Adding to the chaos is the public transport system network that is small, sporadic and unreliable. Taxis, as told to me by several taxi drivers, are considered a nuisance – as a poor man’s option. There are, in fact, signs in major public offices that say “Taxis not allowed”.

Hence it was such a relief to be away to Punakha, Athang Rukha and Bumthang. Thimphu, as a city, is gone. Hopefully, it will be the only place we would have ruined in Bhutan.

Second, the politics.

I am not allergic to politics. Fortunately. After all, politics means “affairs of the states” from the Greek word, polis – meaning cities within reference to city-states of Athens. What is unappealing, though, is the perception and narratives that we are creating around it. “Politics is dirty”, “Don’t mix politics with religion”, “No public gatherings during election”, “Apolitical civil service”. In an earnest attempt to carve out clean politics in Bhutan, I am afraid we have irrevocably marred it.

For me politics is just another reality that we have embraced. It is neither dirty nor clean. It is a part of our civic life. So why should it override other aspects of our society? I work, I pray, I eat, I talk and every few years I vote. They all blend seamlessly. As is in one’s life, so it is in the life of a nation. Every five year, we will listen to new aspirants and old leaders.

However, the overbearing rules and restrictive regulations, while done with good intentions, are killing the interests in politics that people are refraining from talking openly. Only individuals supporting a particular candidate or a party are getting together. Furthermore, by letting the political process take over social functions, we may also be losing the essence of Bhutanese society. They should be at par. By overemphasizing not to mix politics with religion, we are implying that politics is dirty. A dirty place, whether perceived or real, will not attract good people. Is this what we want?

Politics or democracy should be a harmonious part of life of a nation – not an exceptional event that overtakes religious gatherings, public functions, cultural events or wedding parties – and that too for an extended period. If there are people who get mixed up, and there will be, they should be allowed to grow. This is the only way how democratic ideals are internalized. This is the only way how democratic principles are sown. A blanket ban is an easy method – not the best solution.

Still, at the Bloggers Meet, which had to be a closed-door event, it was nice to have two attendees bring their children to the meeting room. While our presenters presented and adults talked about plans and projects, and about stories, dreams and illusions, the children went about with their life. Crying, sleeping, making noise and running around, etc. As the moderator, I wasn’t disturbed. Rather I was happy. This is how a village zomdu used to be. Women bringing young babies and old men groaning some irrelevant topics. And no one noticing because they all flow seamlessly. This is how Bhutan was – or should be. Everything that exist in harmony.

I am not sure how the new or future Bhutan would like. More pollutions? More dirty politics? More overbearing rules and regulations? Perhaps.

But life, you must know, will go on. And what doesn’t makes sense will disappear into irrelevance.

…

This post might look strange but a regular reader of my blog asked me asked to clarify about myself – because, apparently, there are some confusions among those who never met me, between me and other namesakes (those who are also called Dorji Wangchuk). In fact, many people ask me about a book, which was written by another Dorji Wangchuk (dean at Paro College of Education). The confusion is further aggravated after I entered the teaching profession – when I got associated with Sherubtse College. And also, of late, because I have been writing extensively on education and teaching.

So, first of all, I am not a career teacher. I have never been one until my short stint in Sherubtse where I taught three classes for three semesters. I never studied in Sherubtse either. I used to joke with my students there that I didn’t qualify for Sherubtse but became qualified to teach there.

My background is in engineering. All my formal education, except the current one, is in technical field. Right from the primary classes to matriculation from Kharbandi to Dewathang Polytechnic and to advanced university studies in Italy, I did carpentry, welding, metal works, electrical engineering, telecommunication and microelectronics. Furthermore, in the school I went (Don Bosco Technical School in Kharbandi) from 1974 to 1982 I also studied English, History, Geography, Physics and Chemistry, which gave me some grounding me in language and literature. It is pity that these subjects have been removed and technical and non-technical fields are so compartmentalised nowadays.

I started my working career as a junior engineer in Radio NYAB in 1985 and was part of the team that launched the Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) – a year later. In 1987, I was awarded a fellowship to undergo higher studies at the University of Bologna (Italy). I returned home in 1995 with a laureate degree and resumed my job in the BBS. I worked as head of transmission, project manager, chief engineer, general manager leading the team that brought both FM radio and television to Bhutan between 1999 to 2002. In 2003 I moved to documentary production and journalism – producing some 25 documentaries and hosting 112 shows on BBS – Q&A with Dorji Wangchuk. I resigned in 2006 to start Centennial Radio and pursue an independent career. I also wrote some 120 columns – mainly for Bhutan Times. My freelance life was, however, short-lived when I was called back to the government again – as the Director for Royal Office for Media, His Majesty’s Secretariat from 2009 to 2013.

After my service at the Palace, I taught for three semesters in Sherubtse College and then worked as a Dean at Royal Thimphu College for one year. These two places inspired me to go back to classroom and that is when I started working again towards another advanced degree – but this time in another field – communication. Speaking of my zeal for learning, it is not for the fancy title (I have the “Doctor” title from my degree in Italy, which I never used – or cared for). I am pursuing this academic works in communication to consolidate the rich professional experience I accumulated in engineering, mass media, public affairs, governance, etc. into some scholarly works that could contribute to the national narrative – and to the discourse on nationhood and nation-building.

What next? Well, honestly, I haven’t really decided what to do next. I have done a lot in my life, and been through a lot too. I guess, as John Rambo puts it, I will take my life day by day. It is still an open book. But a story worth a read.

The newly-built road to Lamga seems painstakingly carved out of a rocky vertical cliff that one miss could take you flying straight down to Harachu river. However, my host and driver, Chorten Tshering, is hardly bothered by it. He is rather proud and happy. “When I first landed here as a groom, I was asking God what I had done in my past life to be transplanted all the way here from Mongar?” he says with a beaming smile. “Now I don’t even think of my native village anymore.” 

Chorten Tshering, popularly known as Kota, married into a family in Lamga and is now the de facto leader of the community. His father-in-law, Mindu, who died two years ago, had led them before him. My association with this community started in 2008 when I was volunteering for Tarayana Foundation that was building them homes, sending their children to school and teaching them health and sanitation among others. The Lamgaps are simple innocent folks who depended on Mindu for every wise decision. And with him gone, Chorten Tshering and I decided to fill the void – as wise men of the village. Sharp, quick and resourceful, Kota learnt to drive in few days. When the Gewog Administration implemented the farm road in the valley, he befriended and invited the bulldozer driver and the site supervisor in his house and lavished them with food and drinks. Although Lamga has been trailing behind other villages in every aspect of modern developmental works, it became the first village to be connected with a motor road in the valley. “The government may provide the budget but it is the hands of the people on the ground as to how the road should be built. If we treat them well, they would go an extra mile to do a good job,” he explains. Even before the road was through, he bought a used Bolero and was ahead of the game.

Lamga village is located at the southeastern end of Athang Gewog. Beyond the village is the massive Black Mountain range and further towards the east is the Mangdechu valley. To the south is Tsirang. It is a new settlement of Phobjibs who made there their permanent home after the government asked them to choose between Phobjikha and Lamga. Until then, they moved between the two distant places in the bjasa-guensa (summer-winter) tradition – a practice that has been long been discontinued in other parts of Bhutan. 

Moving to Lamga, however, posed a challenge they forgot to consider. They needed to appease their deities regularly. There are at least three rituals to be conducted every month. “During the monsoon, we do the rituals under the tarpaulin sheets in a pouring rain,” explained Daw Gyeltshen, the village Tshogpa. Few years back, on the insistence of Chorten Tshering and Daw Gyeltshen, I initiated a community temple project.

When I say, I am doing a temple, I am not doing everything. From my experience doing my first temple in Rukha, you only need to put in, may be, a third of what it might take. The rest is something that the community will do on their own. As a net result, you have the people that contribute in equal measures and feel proud to be a part of the whole process. This is called empowerment. In Lamga, the same modus operandi was followed. I provided the three main statues, fuel for the wood working machineries, royalty for timber, some cash to the chief carpenter, the roofing materials. The villagers happily go into the jungle to extract the timber, find boulders near the river and carry them to the site, dig muds and pound them for days and months till they have all the four walls. Compared to what I put in, theirs is a much larger share.

As the Bolero pick-up truck negotiates the dusty hair-pin bends taking us the village, we see a huge smoke of incense shooting up from the site where the new temple is built. As we get closer, we see the whole village lined up to greet the chief guest (me). “Sorry to keep you waiting. There was a road block above Samthang,” I tell the people as I jump out of the car. I then walk and greet one woman after another – with each of them offering me a basket of raw rice, three eggs and three incense sticks. This is a traditional way of welcoming an important guest into a village. We all gather in the temple that is under construction. All around us, the place has been cleaned, decorated and done up really well for my impending visit. My heart is overjoyed to see the progress at the site. They have worked hard.

“Thank you everyone, for this most heartwarming welcome to your village,” I open my speech. “Allow me to tell you that it’s a very humbling experience and totally undeserved for something so little that I have done for you,” I continue. I updated on the statues of Tshela Namsum (Tsepamay, Namgyelmo and Drolma) being completed in Gangtey and Tashi Yangste and ready to be transported to site. I conclude with a renewed commitment to see to the completion of the project.

“The main purpose of this temple is to serve a place of meeting – as social place. Otherwise you people will never get together as a community.”

When I am done, Chorten Tshering and Daw Gyeltshen share on the recent visit of His Eminence Lama Gangtey Tulku, who came and blessed the place. “That’s wonderful,” I interrupt them. “However,” they continue, “this spot is nam droesum sa droesum (literally, three skies and three earth*) and so it is quite an auspicious spot.”

Wow! What a coincidence, I thought

* Nam droesum sa droesum refers to a place where two rivers meet in mountainous area and thus creating a spot with three valleys and three skies. The local belief is that such places have excess of cosmic energy that ordinary dwellings would perish. Only spiritual structures can come up and that too initiated by accomplished masters.

~~~~~~~

Extracts from my opening and closing remarks at the 4^th Bloggers Meet/Conference, Feb 2, 2018

Friends and fellow bloggers,

Thank you for sacrificing your weekend to be here at this 4^th Bloggers Meet. I apologize for all the confusions surrounding the venue and the nature of this Meet. Since we are in the election season, we have made this Meet for registered members only. So, this is not open to public like other meets . I know many out there will be unhappy about this. My apologies to them.

The Community of Bhutanese Bloggers is a loose collection of writers who use the web to tell their stories. It is non-political, non-religious and non-commercial – with no affiliation to any individuals, groups or organizations. All expenses for the meets and conferences are borne by few of us. And despite that no incentives are given out for attending these meets, we have participants who travel from other districts.

The theme of this Meet is My Story Our Legacy. This was chosen to reflect the historic times we are going through. Few people today realize that fifty or hundred years down the road, our future descendants will scramble to look at this period for written records and references. Even if we don’t write on events of great historical importance, the written records we leave behind will be told as stories one day. In fact we often use the phrase, dhi gang ngache ghi pham ghi kad su. (those days during the times of our forefathers). So, what we write,  whether they are worth of being read or mentioned, will be talked about and read. So I invite you to be mindful of what you write and share.

My Story Our Legacy was also coined out of the belief that the story of a nation is nothing but the stories of ordinary people. We all have a story to tell. Today, we have three speakers – three storytellers who I believe are also creating their little stories in their own little world. Pawo Choyning Dorji is a filmmaker – photographer who tells stories through pictures, Amrith Subba is spreading the love for sharing and compassion and Tshering Pelden writes about everything from ants to drayang girls. My thanks to them for accepting to share their stories today.

Lastly, the question: what is your story?

For me, writing has been a way to share my life, beliefs and my concerns. It has served as a place where I could offload my feelings and frustrations, share joys and sorrows, and drop ideas and inspirations. It takes time, of course. And sometimes I have even wondered if anyone is even reading them. Yes, I know this hollow feeling of talking to a wall – especially in your early years of blogging. But do not despair. Keep writing. Keep going. Keep flowing. If for nothing, one day you will also turn 50 like me. Your shoulder will get frozen. Then you discover that a physiotherapist is your fellow blogger and is ready to do the magic on you.

Yes, this is a true story.

Also few days back as I walked away from one of these physio sessions, a young woman walked up to me with a beaming smile and went on with something like, “Sir, you don’t know me but we are friends on Facebook and I follow your writings. I work as a nurse in the …. section. If you need anything there, just look out for me. It will be my pleasure to serve you”.

It is these pleasant and unexpected encounters that make your life worth living, pains worth taking and time worth spending on this small activity of sharing called writing.

Happy blogging to all

June 2, 1999 – This is me making the final connection and screen test for what was a historic moment for Bhutan: Television.

Yes, I led the team to a world-record launch of a television channel – 3 months from the scratch to the screen. That the was the biggest and the most prestigious project I executed as an engineer  😍😍😍 And I made it to the pages of Guardian UK and New York Times and host of other news outlets. I was also also conferred the Asia-Pacific Engineering Award for that stunt. However, those were pre-internet era. So, no way to social media about. Meaning, it is as good as it never happened. 😜😜😜

Still, it is nice to have your past smiling at you although, for me really, I just miss my engineering colleagues. They were the best foot soldiers I had. They were always ready to charge uphill into any battle with me. And we did many battles. In the final days leading to June 2, we camped at Sangaygang so that we could work round-the-clock to complete the task. Not a single complaint was uttered by anyone in my team. Really great guys. I will always be proud of you. As a saying goes in Bhutanese, “Your share, you have to chew even if they are gravels”. Yes, we did chew our gravels. And much more. 😎😎😎

But, my god! Almost 20 years that we have TV ??? HA HA HA

January 17, 2018 – Today is celebrated as another local new year although as per the lunar calendar it is the 12th month of Year of Rooster. Some may wonder why we have so many new years in Bhutan.

Since ancient times, different communities around the world, ethnic groups, religions and nations have different times to celebrate a new cycle in life – a new beginning. Some followed the Sun (like the Egyptians) and some the Moon (Chinese), while others followed both (Indians). They also had different days to observe as holidays (derived from the words, holy days) to attend to religious activities. There were also rest days. In Sharchop communities, for example, there used to be a day for rest known as saa nyan (earth rest) – when the farmers give the soil some rest. (By the way, isn’t this beautiful? Earth rest day)

As communities came together as nations and states, the calendar system was introduced to bring everyone to synchronise their lives so that they can all work together. Therefore, the calendar system is more political and administrative in nature. However, it included the religious holy days and rest days to allow people to take some time off for themselves. While the calendar systems have changed with political changes, the religious holidays have remained constant. Even today while we follow the western Gregorian calendar, our local tshechus have to follow the local lunar calendar known as dathog.  Religion and culture runs deeper than politics.

This is the reason you will find different communities in Bhutan celebrating the start of a new cycle (new year) at different times of the year. These cultural practices predate the formation of Bhutan as a nation-state in the 17th century. This is what makes Bhutan diverse and beautiful. And when we say that we have been successful in maintaining our culture and traditions, we are talking of retaining such practices.

Furthermore, since Losar means new year or new cycle, the term, Chunipa Losar, is technically and linguistically wrong. It is more appropriate to say Sharchop Losar as in Parop or Haap Lomba. Chuni is 12. No new cycle begins at 12. It begins at 1. This day also coincides with the first day of the new moon according the older Gongdu calendar. So it is not a random or modern invention. The Tibetan tradition of celebrating the new year on the second Moon was introduced after the Mongols overrun them and imposed the Hor calendar. I would guess that they followed this day as the losar before that event.

Of greater historical importance for Bhutan is that as Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel brought together the nation of Pelden Drukpa, in around 1637, this day became the day when regional governors and noble families from around Bhutan made the buelwa phuelwa (offerings of tributes). The day was marked with great festivity in Punakha where goods and foods from different regions of Bhutan were shared and celebrated. Some might argue that the “offering” was actually the annual tax – which is right. However, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel didn’t believe in taxing his subjects – and rather declared that the state should be so good that the people would offer taxes as offerings to maintain the central administration, which they did. (Can we learn something from him?)

Everything evolves. So do holidays too. Bhutan, as the nation founded on the ideals of the Zhabdrung and on the selfless sacrifices of the Wangchuck dynasty, could view this day beyond its traditional significance of a local new year – and as a day of national thanksgiving, where we come together to celebrate our elders, our ancestors and monarchs. It could also evolve like the Thanksgiving in the US.

After all, more than the medieval times, it was in the modern era – during our time that we have faced the greatest threats to our survival. And our Kings kept us, and continue to keep us, as a sovereign nation – and as proud sons and daughters of Pelden Drukpa.