Heavy Snow in Thimphu; The Chronicle of Unforgettable Beauty
It was 6 a.m in the morning. Probably I had slept only three
hours. I am a late sleeper by habit and late riser as a consequence. Eight hours
ago around 10 pm, looking from verandah of hostel, I have seen snow flake
descending to earth from the dark heaven. I was happy because God has gifted
the earth another beauty of his creation. I was sad because Monday will not be public
holiday as Home Ministry has already declared holiday a month ago when snow
barely touched the Thimphu Town.
Anyway, my roommates woke me up because they wanted to be
first to play with virgin snow that adorned the land so yellow and dry just 12
hours before. I sat up like a dumb man irritated for disturbing my heavenly
peace of sleep. I ignored the first suggestion and dozed off again to dreamland.
Then they said they wanted to see the snow in its natural setting and beauty.
What the hell! I woke up groping for the jacket. Again hell, I forgot my
camera. Hadn’t I know it would snow like this, I would have even rented a car
to fetch from home. Worse, I forgot even
to bring sneaker from home. But that didn’t stop me from going out.
The white snow had blanketed the earth and it had capped
the mountains that are rugged and green. The green trees were still and bent
under weight of the snow that has landed on their leaves. There was snow on tree,
snow on roof, snow on cars. Indeed, it was the morning of snow, snow everywhere.
The sight made me wonder whether the master landscape designer would ever equal
the grandeur that this morning presented. I almost felt guilty of blaming God
for his laziness and non-performance the previous night. Slowly, I stepped one
foot on the soft white velvet. It was so soft. I was afraid lest I tamper with
its beauty. I wished I could save its beauty forever.
Four of us, the roommates walked to small space that was
between dining hall and academic block. The garden with its trimmed plants
covered with snow transported me to North Pole, the abode of Santa Clause.
Actually, I imagined Santa’s abode to be like the garden, pure and peaceful.
We took few pictures and headed to soccer ground that
looked like ironed wrinkleless white sheet spread over protecting the ground
that was so uneven and vast. I slowly walked on it leaving the footprints
there. I became sad because my foot
prints would be damaged by others who would come to trample upon the beauty.
Worse, the sun would make whole snow evaporate within next six hours at the earliest.
My footprints would be gone as if I never was part of God’s grand plan. After
few pictures taking there, we headed back to hostel for the breakfast.
When we entered
the scene after breakfast, it was different sight. Many feet had trampled upon the
beauty. The perfect blanket looked wrinkled. A bevy of girls were there
preserving the memory of snow at RIM in their digital camera. One of the girls,
my classmate was excited as she saw snow for the first time. Few groups of boys
are scattered on various grounds playing with snow some trying to build snowmen.
Along with them, we also engaged in snow fight. For first few minutes, I was
afraid even to scoop the snow so fragile and soft because I felt I was hurting
the beauty. As the fight intensified all was forgotten. May be, it is human
nature to get pleasured in sadistic torture of nature. I have to admit that we
had fun. Girls of our class came and snow fight between Adam and Eve continued;
laughter reverberating the land. Then we headed to soccer ground which too
looked like darned and ragged sheet. Its early beauty was stolen by young boys
and girls enjoying the fight.
The snow of this kind probably didn’t happen for a
decade. The beauty of this kind was missed for 10 long years or more. As I
returned to my hostel, I could see sun above the horizon glaring at earth from
the parted clouds. As I wrote this, I looked through window and found the white
snow melting. In few places, the dry and yellow grasses had reappeared. May be
such phenomenon of nature is what taught Buddha the impermanence. Although, my footprints on snow will be
melted along with snow, one thing would remain with me till death; a memory of
how Thimphu became so quiet and beautiful, decorated with snow on 17th
February 2013 just four days before Birth Aniversary of His Majesty the Druk
Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk.
Hope all my friends would print this memory forever in
their heart too.
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