Dorji Tenzin: Random Thoughts like Cries of a Clown

Eighteen years ago, a nine years old boy was admitted to community school by his then fourteen years old sister. Barefoot, shirtless, pant-less with only second-hand gho wrapped around, the boy had to walk for hours to get to the semi-permanent school run by headmaster whose qualification was less than matriculation and taught by temporary teachers mainly class ten students from Mongar High School. Some of them would keep us upside with legs leaning on the wall. Of all brutal punishments, the one punishment that rushed to fore of my memory was incident where we are asked who did we love. On refusal, the temporary teacher would make us jump from staked bench, almost up from the class room beams to floor. The landing would give painful vibration on legs later while walking home. This story was set in 1994 in a remote village called Jurmey under Mongar. A year earlier, the boy was projected to be a named gomchen just like his grandfather who died attending death and life rituals of...

Far away from the distant corner of my thought Images of nature’s joy approaches like a dream. The romantic breeze caresses nature softly And whispers melody as it passes through. The prayer flag dances tirelessly with the breeze Like my lady love long lost in the world. The nature that was dry and yellow Now wears patches hopeful green. The trees those are shamelessly naked Now adorned themselves with green and flowers, The spring with all its gifts is slowly approaching Replacing winter that was full of drying pains. As the season of hope makes its entrance Can hope of my life be far away?

Dr Tho is one of the disciples of venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. Venerable Thich Nhat Hanc is Vietnamese Buddhist, author for more than 100 books and Nobel Peace Prize Nominee. Dr Tho who works Programme Development Coordinator at the GNH Centre. He was invited to Royal Institute of Management as an eminent speaker in first inspiration session of 2013 on 20 th February. He talked about applied Buddhism to Happiness. I was in and out of sleep through whole speech because tiring class and extra class coupled with late sleep earlier night.   I couldn’t understand many things. However, I loved a story of a woman in the war torn Darfur. The Red Cross had set up the ad organization where malnourished baby was given enough nutritious diet. Like any other women with breast feeding baby, she was given diets to feed her baby. When she came next week for baby’s evaluation, Red Cross officials were surprised because baby was still underweight. Then officials enquired her on the matte...

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 ha...

Asian especially Chinese believed that those born in dragon years are lucky as the dragon is considered as auspicious in China. We see lots of dragons in Chinese arts and culture too. In Bhutan too, dragon is worshipped as one of the four protective animals that would would ward off evils and bring luck and prosperity. Other three animals are tiger, Garuda and lion. Unfortunately there is no calendar year dedicated to lion and Garuda which comes once every twelve years. Following the media attention of auspiciousness of dragon year, more people than before planned to have dragon babies who are said to possess passion and will to achieve what they dream. People also believe dragon babies will be full of wisdom and wealth. If that is the case, which parents in their mind won’t want to have the wise, wealthy and lucky babies?   In Thimphu alone, parents welcomed more than 4000 dragon babies. I too feel proud to be blessed with dragon baby girl. Mine was not a planned dragon...

February 3, 2013 The honeymoon for RCSC selected candidates are over. The class commenced this morning with introduction of subject by concerned lecturers as per timetable of the institute in all three courses.  In Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration category, Mr Tshering Wangdi and Ms  Tashi Tshomo  were appointed as class representatives. Both the representatives were elected through yes or no votes through the show of hands as there were no contenders. Both the elected representatives solicited the class cooperation  for various upcoming activities in the calender years.  At the same time, Programme Assistant distributed secret identity code that is necessary for evaluation with favour by lecturer.