Got invited to the first Write Circle in Thimphu – an event for writers in conversation with other writers and readers – brought to town by Bhutan Echoes Festival Team.

It was a lovely evening. Such cultural events are something that I miss in Thimphu. Meaning the city has very little on permanent offer in terms of contemporary art and culture. For instance, there isn’t even a large public library where people can just hang out. Few book shops and an art gallery are all we have in the country.

Of course, those of us seeking such a place, or events, may be in the minority, but then a society could easily stagnate and regress when there is no investment in art, philosophy and culture. (And just to clarify, dzongs and temples are more of spiritual heritage sites in my definition. Culture is something more dynamic that responds to the changing circumstances around us – and which reflects mundane life and society).

So, amidst the overpowering election campaigns and gossips, and the nausea from AI-generated pictures flooding my social media feeds, it was a refreshing evening to listen to an author who sees beauty in the ordinary.

That’s what art and literature do. You see beauty in everything. Beauty in a tree, a river or in people. You heart opens. You see more. You live more.

Sometime back, someone asked my opinion on the changes in the course offerings of the Royal University of Bhutan – where apparently lots of arts and humanities courses were done away with – and replaced with digital technology programs.

My response was, “Science and technology, which have taken the first part of my life, make things comfortable for us. But art, philosophy and social science, which have given me a second inning to my career, make life itself worth living”.

Yes, that’s paraphrasing a line from my favourite movie, Dead Poet Society:

“Medicine, business, law, engineering… these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love… these are what we stay alive for.”

#MaanKiBaat #art #literature #philosophy #music