Dorji Tenzin: Random Thoughts like Cries of a Clown

Welcoming another life to this world is the most beautiful and satisfying experience of parents. In nine months duration in mother’s womb, mother suffers cramps, pains and giddiness with happy face while father prepares to welcome the new born. As the ninth month comes to an end, mother eagerly readies to get labour pain. Despite one foot away from death; mother bears all pains and tears in good faith. As baby comes out from the womb, parents fight with worries. Will my child have ten toes and two feet? Will those two little feet normal? Aren’t the mouth cleft, eyes blind and ears deaf? For many parents whether child is male or female becomes a secondary worry.   However for few people, the preference for male and female issues becomes primary concern? In India, everyday, I read in paper that girl child being abused, female fetus aborted and woman being discriminated. Even in a family, male are preferred to female and preferences were given to male child. If one is poor, the ...

Every week, I buy almost all available Bhutanese newspapers in English.  On an average, I spend around Ngultrum 100 buying newspapers alone. On top of that I always buy Bhutanese magazines on trial basis from the book stores.  If it is worth, I continue buying every succeeding issue. Ngultrum 100 is more than my week’s earning in 1998 as a boy in the village.  As a boy I used to toil myself out every winter vacation so that I could cover at least half of my expenditures.  I used to carry manure for rich people, sand for local subcontractors who were building schools, basic health units etc. I used to earn only ngultrum 10 per day which I used to buy school uniform and a pair of shoes at the end of three months of vigorous slavery.  Today with my weekly expenditure of Nu. 1500 (excluding expenditures for food and rents), I think I am quite lavish. Last week, I heard that my friends pocket money for the month (though he earns more than me) is Nu. 1000. I re...