Revisiting Childhood Days

Part II – Thank You Your Majesties and the Philosophy of Gross National Happiness

My parents took a bold decision to enroll me in school in 1996. On 10 March 1996, I was taken to the office of Mr. Tshering Phuntsho, the then Headmaster of Ladrong Primary School in Singmabee. I was 8 years old – old enough to be Pre-primary student, but my parents told me that I was sick and kind of paralyzed until 4 years. They told me that I started walking properly at the age of 4 and I consider that my parents enrolled me in school at the age of 4, because my legs were four years old on the ground.

I will highlight my educational history in tabular form:

Duration	School/College/Institute	Level
1996 – 2002	Ladrong Primary School	Primary
2003 – 2006	Tangmachu MSS	Secondary
2007 – 2008	Phuyum HSS (Lhuntse)	Plus Two
Jul 2009 – June 2012	Sherubtse College	BA
Jul 2012 – June 2013	Sherubtse College	BA (H)
Feb 2014 – Dec 2014	Royal Institute of Management	PG Dip

I have spent 19 years with education system, learning to be more productive citizen of the country. But I always ask myself a question – what if education was not free then? As I mentioned in my earlier article, I am from far-flung area where monetary economic activities is very limited. The price of commodities is cheap in villages. Monetary economy? It’s obvious no. Back then barter system was more prominent.

The little thing that I remember about pricing is a ball of cheese cost Nu 2 and an egg cost Nu 1. A sang[1]of butter was Nu 20 (I am not exactly sure of this). A labour charge for a day should also be Nu 20 for I have seen people taking a sang of butter and later paying in labour. Getting hold money was extremely difficult. Back then a one ngultrum note bore a value of US $ 100 note in today’s term. I am just mentioning of the community in which I was brought up. Now in Bhutan, even dogs do not bother to look at one ngultrum note. A big fun! And shopkeepers equate Nu 1 to a chewing gum or a chocolate, as if one can take those stuffs as a change and use at another shop to buy other items.

The Great Fourth
PC: Facebook page of The Great Fourth

When money was scarce and sources of earning money was very difficult, the farsighted leader of our country, The Great Fourth, His Majesty the King Jigme Singye Wangchuck’s philosophy of the Gross National Happiness really help poor sections of the society to get easy access to modern amenities. When the economy of whole world focuses on material development, on other side of the world, there is a leader who values individual well-being and happiness over materialism. When most of the leaders of the world were trying to protect their throne or position, in a tiny Himalayan Kingdom, a country hardly known to outside world, there is a leader who is selfless and compassionate. Citizens are so close to the heart of the Leader. Education and healthcare are provided free of cost to the citizens. And, I am a proud recipient of free education and healthcare facilities.

The Great Fourth and His Majesty the Fifth King of Bhutan
PC: Facebook

If we have to pay for education and healthcare facilities, education could be an unseen and a mere far-fetched dream. Instead of writing this article, I could be holding a plough or spade and working on the farm land. When abled contemporaries of mine proudly rotate on chair in cozy office, or gaze from high with goggles, I could be staring at them, shivering. When abled children could go to school, I could have been herding cows. When abled people could buy car, I could be still grazing horse. When abled people use gas-stoves to cook their food, I could be in the forest, collecting firewood to cook my meal. When able people go to decent hospital for medical check-up, I could be going to local shaman or gomchen[2] for motab/tsitab. [3]

But I was given an opportunity. In fact, all Bhutanese children, even today are provided with free education. One’s capabilities will determine up to which level/grade one will study. No one was given special treatment. All were provided with a black slate and a white chalk in pre-primary. Today I am not left behind. I am not toiling on farmland. Harsh realities have turned to a ghostly dream. Walking to school in villages to boarding school in other parts of the district, from the Peak of Learning (Sherubtse College) to the top management institution in Bhutan (Royal Institute of Management), I received free education. Absolutely free of cost. I was, in fact, all Bhutanese are provided with platform to compete with one another openly. Economic and social status hardly played any role during the competitions.

I was given free healthcare services. Occasionally, I suffered from a major health issues. I did not worry about my medic fee or the cost of medicines. I walked in BHU/Hospital to treat our complications. Had there been no free medical facilities, I would have bid adieu to this world from tender ages. If not dead, I would be experiencing aftermath of sudden sickness of 2007 and an injury of right hand in 2011.

Thank you Your Majesties for free education and healthcare services. I am currently reaping the fruits of farsighted leadership of our kings and the philosophy of Gross National Happiness and its visionary principles. Long live Your Majesties. May Wangchuck dynasty last for eternity in Bhutan. May all be people be blessed under the farsighted, compassionate and selfless leaders of Wangchucks. 

Kardincheyla beyond the sky and the earth.

To be continued...

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[1] Traditional Bhutanese weighing instrument. One sang is equivalent to 333.33 grams.

[2] Laymonk

[3] Religious means of identifying cause of sickness and warding off deities (exorcising). 

Revisiting Childhood Days

                   Part I – Rural Growth: A blessing in disguise

The article will be full of digression. Please bear with me. My thought is  bizarre, so is my writing.

I was born and brought up in a far-flung village in Lhuntse Dzongkhag – to be more specific Ladrong under Jarey Gewog; the gewog once considered as the least developed gewogs in Bhutan. I can still remember that the annual gewog performance ranking would be 205 for Jarey Gewog. Indeed, the last rank! The nearest market and road connectivity are 15kms away from our Gewog. Kurichhu and rugged terrains played their part in thwarting the developmental activities. Until 2010, we did not have electricity and until 2012, we did not have road connectivity. We are isolated.

Ladrong Primary School and Ladrong BHU - II.
Photo Courtesy: Ms. Reidi, Himalayan View

Until I was 12 years old, I have not been to the nearest road point cum market area - Autsho. It was only when my dad decided to take me to market place to buy some basic necessities for upcoming local festival – Lha[1]. And I assure my readers that during those days only privileged few of my contemporaries got to go there. My experience was – I was in another part of the world. I realised that there are settlements beyond hills of my village and plains at the foothills. I saw motor vehicle for the first time. Being a barbaric village boy, I had to run away when someone starts the engine. I haven’t heard such annoying sound before. All I was acquainted with were sweet melody of brooks, early morning zephyr, chirping of birds and those of cattle, horses, cats, cocks and dogs. My dad asked, indeed, requested the shopkeeper to give me a peg of orange squash. I took a sip and I was like what – these people take sweet water made out of tsalu[2] all the time!

Ah! I forgot one thing. While crossing Kurichhu Bridge, something took away my eyes with the flow of river. Later I realized that it was motion sickness.

I had seen car in 2000. Until 2001, I haven’t ridden one. In 2001, when I was in class five, there was inter-primary school Dzongkha[3] Mid-term Exam performance competition. I was informed that I was one of the prize recipients. It was announced that the prize will be awarded during the National Day Celebration in Thimyul. Three others students from my community won the award. Our fathers were guardians. On 15 December 2001, we came to Autsho (my second time) to travel to Lhuntse to hold a night before proceeding to Thimyul on 16^th. My dad told me that we will be going by sa-ri-b-c.[4] I was already imagining so-called sa-ri-b-c must be a huge object for its going to carry all five of us. I was told by people in my villages that first timers will puke when traveling in gari.[5] I was tensed and whenever I saw cars coming towards me or going away I used to get butterflies in my stomach. Finally at 03:30pm the sa-ri-b-c arrived. It was a green DCM truck. We climbed and took seat on an empty wooden bench fixed on the cargo bed of the DCM. The engine started and everything was moving along with me. I told my aku[6] who was sitting next to me that why all the trees and mountains are moving. He told me to look at the very distant trees and mountains. I nearly puked but I managed withstand it. I was able to debunk the myth of puking while riding motor vehicle for the first time. The night that we spent in a forest below a footpath on the basin of Kurichhu on 16^th December 2001 was so romantic. The fire that our parents made to cook and warm us was so charming that Wordsworth, Shelley or Keats would have written a poem describing that beautiful night. The melodious flow of Kurichhu in darkness added a soothing charm of the serene night in Thimyul forest. My dad and I carried a blanket and he allowed me to use it. He must have spent sleepless night adding woods to keep fire alive.

Waterfall on the way to Jarey Gewog from Autsho
Dergang Chhu
PC: Ms. Reidi, Himalayan Views

My world started widening as I grow up. My four year stay at Tangmachu Middle Secondary School and two year stay at Lhuntse Higher Secondary School, erstwhile known as Phuyum Higher Secondary School had allowed me to see other part of the world through books and occasionally through television. When most of my classmates talked so much about going to Thimphu and Phuntsholing during winter vacation and having fun, I would just recalled my happy vacation back at village herding cows, going to jungle to bring bamboos and collect firewood. At times, our friends would keep on talking their fun times in hostel room late into the night, and I used to think why I am really unfortunate. I have not gone beyond Mongar until 2007. But I used to console myself that I will study hard and will go to see Thimphu one fine day.

However, I was contended being in village. I used to interact with elders in my village, learn values and skills from them. I get to go to different households for chogu.[7] Moreover, I was with my parents. Today I can proudly say I know certain level of cane and bamboo works, wood works and masonry. I know all most all the farming works – from ploughing of field to cultivation of paddy; from sowing of seed to harvesting. I know how to milk the cows, churn the milk, extract butter and make cheese. I know so many wild products which are edible. Thank you Apa and Ama[8] for not having any relatives in Thimphu during my upbringing.

In 2008, I was selected to participate in the first ever Golden Youth Camp in Thimphu. The journey, though by bus, it was really enthralling. When I reached Thimphu, I realized that it is a big city. I kept on forgetting routes. The funniest one is I was on Lungtenzampa Bridge and I could not find the way to go to the bus stand. I walked over the bridge four times. And someone saw me doing that time and again with a bag on my shoulder and asked me “is everything all right?” I replied to him that I am looking for a way to go to bus stand. With a broad smile on his face, he showed me the way right in front of me. I had failed to notice steps leading to bus stand right under my nose. Thimphu was too crowded and noisy for me then.

My dad is a chowkidar in Basic Health Unit – II (BHU-II) at my village. People used to refer to him as chowchilla[9]. And children – chowchilai busa gangpo. [10] It’s a kind of discrimination. My mom is a farmer. Her health is fragile and most of the time she used to fall sick and even today she does. Both my parents are my inspiration and my role model. They are indeed, HEROS. With their proper guidance, I am where I am today. As I sit in the hut of my office terrace, I can vividly remember how my parents suffered for our upbringing. Access to monetary activities is limited those days. My parents struggled to get Nu 150 to pay our school fee. Though life was hard in rural areas, my parents never let us feel hardship. My dad and mom would go and attend the chogu of relatives. However, whatever meat item is being served, they would not eat. They would pack meat in bangchung[11] and bring to their kids. Such a love and care! A selfless love. Kadrinchey beyond the sky and the earth. 

To be continued… 

Thank You Your Majesties and the Philosophy of GNH - [upcoming]

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[1] Bon festival celebrated in Maedtsho and Jarey Gewog in Lhuentse, and Tsamang and Banjar Gewog in Mongar Dzongkhag.

[2] Orange.

[3] The National Language of Bhutan

[4]  During those days, the people in our community used to pronounce service as Sa-ri-b-c. It is a daily transport service between Mongar and Lhuntse operated by Jampel Transport Services in Lhuntse.

[5] Car

[6] Step-father – one’s father’s brother.

[7] Annual Puja

[8] Father and mother

[9] Chowkidar/caretaker/sweeper

[10] Children of that chowkidar

[11] Cane product which serve as a food storage