Wisdom for a Modern Age

How a community and its people at present are the products of the past. It is perhaps a blessing for the people of Bhutan to have His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck as a king of unparalled wisdom, benevolence and vision. Right from his coronation address till last abdication, His Majesty devoted everything to serve the nation, reaching out the nook and corner of the kingdom.  Fourth Druk Gyalpo believed that the ultimate goal of the nation was the contentment of the people and that we should not compromise our environment, culture and tradition for the sake of socio-economic development. For that Gross National Happiness (GNH) was envisioned as a development philosophy right after his enthronement. His Majesty realized and declared that development paradigm-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) did not consider the ultimate goal of the every human being and concluded that GDP is neither an equitable nor a meaningful measurement for the human happiness. Thus, the philosophy of Gross National Happiness was born.

Photo credit: Google.

As Bhutan break the cocoon of isolation and observed modernization in last few decades, Gross National Happiness remains largely an intuitive insight and guiding light. It reminds government and people that material progress was not only contributor to the wellbeing. Farsighted philosophy had not been there, like in many countries, Bhutan would have failed to distinguish between activities that increase a nation’s wealth and those that deplete its natural resources. If the forest of Bhutan were logged for profit and minerals are extracted, GDP would have increased but if the GNH principle were not applied and environmental consideration are not taken  into account, the country today would have affected with several massive challenges like degradation  of tropical rainforest,landslide,flood and ,many other havoc. Amidst in the time of challenges and opportunity, temptations and restraints, His Majesty has a clear and profound environmental vision that of which we enjoy today and commit to pass on to coming generations.

Of all the insurmountable tasks and insuperable achievements of His Majesty is one of the pillars of Gross National Happiness to conserve environment for all times to come. Even as the world witness the alarming environmental hazards, deforestation and desertification. Bhutan is fortunate to have vast proportions of its natural forest intact. Under farsighted leadership, series of law and policies that have a positive impact on conservation and environment sustainability are established. The most notable is the Bhutan’s commitment to maintain sixty percent of country’s total lands under forest cover for all times.

His Majesty’s great ideas of nature conservation against rapid economic development have sown the seeds of future wellbeing and have shaped the vision of Bhutan’s environment stewardship. His Majesty innovative environmental conservation laws and policies and our environment status have gained global recognition. Today the world acknowledges Bhutan as a Last Shangri-Lha of the world.

Written by Yeshi Dorji

Bachelor of science in Environment and Climate Studies (1^st Year, 1^stBatch)

Be Better, not Bitter

Life is a continous mechanism of change.There are moments when life seems to work out so smoothly and flawlessly.Moments when we feel contented,comfortable and complete.Then, moments come out of no where at us and point dirty fingers and say your things went out of  plan.Finally we tend to assume that the worst is yet to come.That is the time where we find very core of pain,sadness and fragmentation.We then leap into erroneous conclusions and decisions.Emotions override us, that instead of facing circumtances, we drown ourselves with resentment and frustrations.In this desperate phase I found it important for us to know the following.
Be blind to the causes of heartbroken and  sight locked into that person being cause and quit blame game.Instead remain grateful to him/her despite the feeling of emptiness.View forward inspite of heartbreak.The pain may be hard to erase completely but you have ability to believe that you can move on.
We shed tear out of true and the deepest level of feelings.It is because you cared,you loved and you are hurt finally.But tears that rolled out are never wasted.This are testimony that you are feeling what you are able to feel.
The pinch and crack will remain in our core feeling of heart.But donot let it turn into bitter scar.Instead the gap and briuse should nurse properly and become the very spot where hopes ignite out of personal darkness and shine with something better and more deserving.
Know that everything will not go as expected and planned.Stop to build castle in air and focus on what is possible and compatible.End of relation with him or her doesnot mean a mistake nor end of everything.
Finally it is all paradox of life.Life is bittersweet.Pain and heartache can mould our way in making ourself better person.
(P.S:This is my timeless exploration and not intented to relate any one else)

Photo credit:Tshering Chezom.

Life in midst of everything!

Climate March to COP 21

The ingenious idea of first ever Climate March going to happen on November 29 has held many nature enthusiast, climate activist and members of Bhutan Earth Guardian in eager anticipation for last many days.

As the day finally cropped up to announce 29th November, the first ever Climate March took place in Bhutan. It is organized by the Earth Guardian Bhutan member students based on College of Natural Resources, Lobesa with a financial support from Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation. The day embarked on with the assembling of participants from college and nearby schools (Dashiding HSS and Khuruthang HSS).The participants gathered are than briefed on the ethics and conducts of the Climate March. Some of them include like participants exhibiting the highest standard of humanity conduct while marching and single-mindedly marching for common purpose.

       The day is enchanted with the arrival of chief guest and other distinguished guests. The chief guest for the event was the Punakha Superintendent of Police. With immense admiration for the initiative and the goals of the March, Dasho emphasized on our individual responsibility in taking care of our area in grass root level by humanely act of not polluting and littering our own waste and by picking at least pieces of waste in a day on our way to and fro.Dasho also evinced about keeping Punakha District and its towns clean and tidy as it is important historical site and tourist destination. Than the Chief Guest flagged off the March and it commenced from Khuruthang town to Metsina town covering about 10 kilometres.The participants did not simply march on the way but individual of them wholeheartedly extend their hands in making roadside and runway cleaner and greener by picking rubbish on the way. 

Further, Climate March connects with the important iteration in the circus of International Climate negotiation, COP 21 holding in Paris. According to the Earth Guardian, the COP 21 conference is crucial because the expected outcome is a new International agreement in climate change, applicable to all to keep the global warming increase below 2 degree Celsius. It is even time specific because the scourge of climate change is already affecting the earth and its environment and threatens livelihood and economics of people.

Climate strike is a wakeup call to our own generation and it is the start of the network that will solve the greatest challenge in human history. Thus, the March is the symbol of unity and our nation willingness with the rest of the world conducting similar strike aimed in fulfilling universally agreed and the most realistic Climate agreement. Let’s all stand up for common sense and logical solution not climate obstruction.

A Tribute For A Great King

Make the hopes, prayers and wishes.
Gather courage, homage and dedication.
So we can honor the Fourth Druk Gyalpo.

He was the King of the Diplomatic Maturity,
He was the King to fight for National Security,
He was the King to march towards Democracy.

His Majesty contributions to the country are enormous.
His Majesty was a giant in every meaning of the word.
His Majesty was not violent man but his tongue was a powerful sword.

He sacrificed for mankind and dedicated for his people.
He espoused humanity,decency and love for all,
To our world,Your Majesty is a beacon of hope.

Vow to respect his insuperable task and unconquerable accomplishment,

Gather to shower such an icon with eternal love

And make prayers, commitment for everlasting Drukyul Destiny.(photo:bhutanyouth.org)

(Disclaimer:This poem is my opinion and if intended to offend or disrespect anyone,i beg forgiveness.)

Earth and Enviroment

"Touch the earth,love the earth,honour the earth,her plains,her valley,her hills and her seas, rest your spirit in her solitary places."Henry Beston.

Of all planet in Solar System, our planet,Earth is the distinct planet.Not only because it is known planet to support life but also because it provides enough to satisfy every living creatures need.It provides all the required essential spheres of life.The physical and biological habitat that surrounds all beings on this earth is its enviroment.The earth and its enviroment give ways to life in variety of forms and manifestations-from the single-celled microscopic organisms to highly complex humanbeing.The great Mother Earth actually designed all living beings suited to a particular place and enviroment, where they can flourish,breed and survive untill distracted and dusturbed by other cruel and selfish creatures.

The ecosystem of earth is fragile and delicate.Its enviroment comprise of both living and non-living.Nonliving or physical enviroment includes land,air,water etc... and living enviroment includes flora and fauna,microbes and bacteria etc...There exist a highly sensitive relationship between living and non-living.There existence in  balanced and equilibrium state depends on network cycle of various activities.

Men's excessive greed,shortsightedness began exploiting pristine mother earth's resources beyond the acquired proportion and resulting irreversible enviromental degradation and contamination.And invites globally threatened scandal like Global warming and Climate change.

 Before our Mother Earth and its enviroment turns into worst enemy of mankind,it is time for us to be enviromental-friendly and work sustainably in all our activities.Let us keep distance  from this man-made complications by considering as an individual responsibility to save and protect Mother Earth from excessive Human pressure.

Photo credit:google

Chhimi Lhakhang

Located on a hilltop in the triangular apex of a fertile paddy field below Mitshina and National highway is a sacred site of drukpa lineage because of a lhakhang(monastery) built somewhere in  fifteenth century in honour of Lam Drukpa Kuenley,who was popularly knowm as "divine madman."

On 8th day of 7th month of bhutanese calander,it was Sunday that I promptly accepted nervous system call to pay visit to this sacred site.The preknowledge of this legendary lhakhang was that if a childless women visit lhakhang to offer prayers for fertility,their prayers will be granted and fulfilled.And I thought only childless women must visit lhakhang.The truth I revealed was that everyone,irrespective of married or unmarried,parents or childless,children or adult,male or female will visit and can seek blessing and kindness of great saint.Uniqueness of lhakhang from
other monasteries is that we are blessed with a bow and arrow of Lam Drukpa Khuenley and phallus.As I descended back from lhakhang,a feeling of contentment beeped gently within my self.

Lam  Drukpa kuenley was a highly accomplished Buddhist master and popular figure in Bhutan history.

(PS:this is my first article in the blog and  being poor in languge and literature, grammatical errors and spelling mistakes are prominent.Constructive criticism and correction are welcome.)