tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316227662011-09-16T15:20:23.075+06:00cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.comBlogger601100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-68691046406336679652011-08-23T12:30:00.003+06:002011-08-23T12:34:43.145+06:00

Significance of Japanese Tea Ceremony: Peace Through a Cup of Tea Most JICA trainees and other visitors to Japan would have had the opportunity to participate in a Tea Ceremony. To take part in a Tea Ceremony is considered a privilege and Japanese hosts often go out of their way to organize a tea ceremony for their guests. But the foreigners, with little understanding of the actual significance

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-91185110123288512642011-07-01T13:15:00.002+06:002011-07-01T13:18:57.935+06:00

Will Elected Political Dynasties Emerge in Bhutan?By Tshering Cigay Dorji (Ph.D)Published in Drukpa, November 2010 Issue on PoliticsElected political dynasties are common in democracies around the world: the Kennedys and the Bushes of the USA, the Aquinos of the Phillipines, the Nehru-Gandhis of India, the Bhuttos of Pakistan, the Bandaranaikes of Sri Lanka, and the Koiralas of Nepal. Are such

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-57330459248069728552011-07-01T13:12:00.001+06:002011-07-01T13:14:55.042+06:00

They Don’t Know Me, Or Do They?By Tshering Cigay Dorji (Ph.D)Published in Drukpa, December 2010 Issue on MediaToday, many Bhutanese make various anonymous comments in online forums ranging from kuenselonline.com to bhutantimes. com. One of the things that may be on minds of many of these online posters is if their real identity be found out.Tracking the real identity of an anonymous poster may

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-53851194184293667872011-07-01T12:24:00.001+06:002011-07-01T12:26:50.722+06:00

Every Rose Has Its ThornBy Tshering Cigay DorjiPublished in Drukpa, December 2010 Issue on MediaBeware the hype of social networking, says Tshering Cigay Dorji, for behind the glitz lies a plethora of unsavory ill-effects and insidious designMost of the internet-literate Bhutanese have now embraced Facebook, Twitter, blogs or online forums to interact with other people. These internetbased

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-48486011833119781572011-07-01T12:09:00.003+06:002011-07-01T12:21:06.117+06:00

The Smaller the Purse, the Harder they FallBy Tshering Cigay DorjiPublished in Drukpa, February 2011 Issue on Education.Education is the key to solving social ills like poverty, inequality and injustice. Education is also the key to achieving many of our cherished goals as a society and as a nation. We do a great disservice to our nation when we deprive so many youths of equal access to this

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-85780687995576457602010-07-13T13:11:00.000+06:002010-07-13T13:30:26.953+06:00

Below is a quote from Robert F. (Bobby) Kennedy on what the Gross National Product means and more importantly what it does not mean, from a speech given in 1968. "Too much and too long, we seem to have surrendered community excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things. Our gross national product ... if we should judge America by that - counts air pollution and

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-33531505492224904912010-06-06T14:44:00.000+06:002010-06-06T14:45:57.467+06:00

PERSPECTIVE 5 June, 2010 - Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s article “Many questions, few answers” has generated much debate, both online and offline, just as he intended it to. I would like to offer my honest views on some of the issues he raised and some other related issues. People’s opinions and perspectives differ. HH the Dalai Lama writes in his book “The Universe in a Single Atom” that “Any

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-16585982731342880342010-05-31T23:09:00.000+06:002010-05-31T23:31:45.650+06:00

There is an exhibition titled “Himalayas: People’s life and Nature” taking place at a museum in Tokushima, Japan. It started on 29th April and will go on till 6th June, 2010. I visited the exhibition on 8th May and I was happy to see a bangchu(Bhutanese bamboo-made lunch box) on display. But I was surprised to see the label informing the visitors that it was from Nepal. I thought it was a mistake

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-42138566160282045562010-05-30T21:34:00.000+06:002010-06-01T09:47:47.991+06:00

What are the values that guide a Bhutanese man/woman?The answer probably lies in: (1)following the principle of mutual sincerity and loyalty in relationships (tha dam tshig) whether it is between the ruler and subjects, husband and wife, parents and children, or between friends, (2)following the principle of cause and effect (las rju 'bras) - the belief in the relation between cause and effect of

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-16915274892855141902010-05-17T15:12:00.001+06:002010-05-17T15:22:06.662+06:00

"The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven." - John MiltomAccording to Sogyal Rinpoche, "there are two kinds of happiness: one based on material comfort and pleasures; the other on inner contentment and peace."Rinpoche further adds, "Material happiness is often very expensive and doesn’t satisfy us. Whereas, if it’s based on deeper inner peace and

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-55691970973652886982010-05-06T10:40:00.000+06:002010-05-06T11:26:26.758+06:00

"If in the east there’s a sick childHe goes there and nurses himIf in the west there is a tired motherHe goes there and carries bundles of rice for herIf in the south there’s someone dyingHe goes there to tell him not to be afraid,If in the north there’s a quarrel or a lawsuitHe goes there to tell them it’s not worth it.When there's drought, he sheds tears of sympathyWhen the summer's cold, he

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-17027683039059781052010-05-06T10:30:00.000+06:002010-05-06T10:39:30.386+06:00

We were talking of smiles yesterday. Here is a quotation which you may like.“There are hundreds of languages in the world, but a smile speaks them all.”I don't know who said it. But it reminds me of my late father who once told me how amazing it is that there are so many peoples with different cultures and languages in this world, but all of them can communicate with a smile. The smile holds

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-31733924986170005662010-04-27T20:09:00.000+06:002010-05-02T09:03:31.548+06:00

That was then, this is now:This week, I was lucky enough to lay my hands on a photocopy of an article on Bhutan that appeared in the National Geographic Magazine in April 1914. The title of the article is "CASTLES IN THE AIR: Experiences and Journeys in Unknown Bhutan" and was written by John Claude White, Political Officer of British India stationed in Gangtok, Sikkim. (Note: you can click on

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-53990155454827065562010-04-08T20:19:00.000+06:002010-04-08T21:20:47.896+06:00

Not many people read poems these days. But sometimes the power of a poem could be so profound that it can motivate you to achieve your dreams even in the face of most challenging of circumstances. Few days ago, I was watching NHK Television before Japanese Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki blasted off towards the International Space Station onboard the shuttle Discovery on April 5th, to became the second

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-63909339793845862712010-04-02T09:45:00.000+06:002010-04-02T10:01:08.388+06:00

As i sit on my bed sipping tea this morning, a little sparrow comes and sits on my bedroom windowsill. He turns his restless little body in all directions making nodding movements and flies away in the next instant changing the course of his erratic flight midway. Does it ever think in advance where it wants to go next? I wonder. How careless and carefree his life seems!

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-57654131024070740392010-03-03T22:02:00.000+06:002010-08-07T21:15:42.768+06:00

Title: Less graduates, fewer jobsPublished by: Kuensel7 August, 2010 - Less than two percent of the Bhutanese population went to college and received a university degree in the past two decades. There were about 8,200 Bhutanese with university degrees between 1987 and 2009, Kuensel records show that. The figure excludes a small percentage of Bhutanese graduates who did not register for the

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-87385318732905841092010-01-31T17:17:00.000+06:002010-04-02T10:33:38.269+06:00

September the fifth, the long awaited day for the camp finally came. The sun was shining brightly. The cicadas were singing in joy. I hurried myself to Tokushima International Association (TIA) office. Almost all the participants had arrived when I got there. There were 48 of us including the organizers and foreigners from seven different countries viz. China, India, USA, Kenya, Australia,

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-86505576280160029792009-12-01T17:27:00.000+06:002010-01-31T17:33:15.692+06:00

国際友情キャンプin 木沢　　　　　徳島大学工学部博士課程　　　　　　　Tshering Cigay Dorji ツェリンスィーゲドルジ、ブータン人 (翻訳: 渡　　　忍） 　待ちに待った九月五日が来ました。その日は、晴天で蝉が早朝よりミーン、ミーンと鳴いていました。インドからのサンモイさん家族を車に乗せてTIAに着くと、ほとんどの参加者が集合していました。　中国、インド、米国、ケニヤ、オーストラリア、モンゴル、ブータン人を含めた４８人は予定通り、９時にマイクロバス等で出発し、神山経由で、緑の森の曲がりくねった山道を器用な運転捌きで進んで行きました。この時、母国ブータンの山を思い出しました。　正午ごろキャンプ場、木沢の「FAGUSファガスの森、山城」に到着しました。ブナの森に囲まれた、前に広いキャンプ場のある木造の一軒家で、食堂、台所、宿泊室があり、到着

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-269297433160687182009-02-03T12:33:00.000+06:002010-01-31T16:56:25.058+06:00

Having born in this world, we are all on our individual journey called life. Our journey has begun. We are all traveling this great journey now. And until this great journey ends, we study, we play, we lie, and we work and make love. Sometimes we also meet new people who sometimes leave big impressions on our mind.On my way back to Japan last October, I had a transit in Dhaka. After bearing all

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-9342536850699305532009-02-02T15:22:00.000+06:002010-02-02T15:31:18.315+06:00

日本人が日本国のことを「ジャパン」ではなく「にほん」と呼ぶのと同じように、私たちブータン人はブータンのことを「ブータン」ではなく「雷龍の国」を意味する「ドルック・ユル」と呼んでいます。この呼び名は、ブータンに伝来し繁栄した仏教の一派である「ドルックパ」に由来しています。ブータンは、独自の「国民総幸福量」という開発哲学を国の最終目標とし、物質的豊かさだけではなく心の豊かさに重点を置き、豊かな文化と自然を多く持つ、幸福で平和な仏教王国としてその魅力がここ最近世界に知られてきています。ヒマラヤの東の麓に位置するブータンは、北にチベット自治区を含む広大な中国と南にインドを国境とし、面積が九州ほどの大きさでありながら、標高は200メートルから7000メートルにおよび、人口は約60万人です。歴史上、一度も植民地化されたことがないという事実は、ブータン人にとっての誇りであります。1974年に最初の

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-52246643941721411112008-02-29T09:46:00.000+06:002008-02-29T09:48:01.166+06:00

GNH: Bhutan's Unique Development Philosophy Here is an English version of the talk on Gross National Happiness (GNH) I gave in Japanese on 17th Feb. 2007 in Tokushima, Japan. Today, GNH has become so overused and misused that some people are fed up of it. Yet, there are some curious to know more about GNH, but are daunted by the countless professional papers on GNH you find on the CBS

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-48069803585243205442008-02-26T12:43:00.000+06:002008-02-26T12:44:31.493+06:00

One hot sunny autumn day about twenty six years ago, I, then a kid of six or seven years, was helping my parents harvest paddy at a place called Yomdi, located at the confluence of Jekang drang and Gamri chhu in upper Trashigang.The paddy was golden ripe. Their sweet aroma filled the air. Women joked as they cut the rice stems. Men seemed inexhaustible as each tried to display his prowess in

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-6421636812885896742008-02-25T15:11:00.000+06:002008-02-25T15:12:07.721+06:00

Yesterday was Sunday, but the day was far from being sunny. Gushes of wind banging on my window panes now and then cautioned me to stay indoors. But I had to get a haircut. Reluctantly, I ventured out on my bicycle for my favorite saloon.After a chilling ride in the wind for 30 minutes, I arrived at the place where the saloon used to be housed. But today, a sign in Japanese on the window read: “

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-26908774505196835112008-02-03T12:45:00.001+06:002010-01-31T17:34:46.364+06:00

ཀ་ཝ་མ་ཅད་ཉེ་ལ།།ཁ་ཙ་ཨོ་གའེ་ཕ་ལེ།།ག་དང་དལ་བ་ཐ་ཉེ།།ང་ལེ་ཁེ་ཝ་རི་ལེ།།ཅ་ལ་སིང་མ་ངོ་ཉེ།།ཆ་ལུགས་བེ་དེང་ཅོད་ཉེ།།ཇ་ཐུར་ཇམ་ཉེ་ཆོ་ཉེ།།ཉ་གའེ་ཐ་གའེ་གོད་ལ།།ཏ་ཀ་མང་ཕ་མང་གི།།ཐ་དང་དམ་ཚིག་ཙུང་ཤོ།།ད་ཀ་སྒྲིང་སྒྲིང་མ་ཉེ།།ན་ཐན་རིག་པ་ས་གྲིམ་ཅོ།།པ་རོ་སྟག་ཚང་གནས་སྐོར།།ཕ་མ་རིག་ཉེ་དེ་ལེ།།བ་ཛར་བསྐོར་བེ་དེ་ཉེ།།མ་རྩ་བརླག་སྟོར་མ་ཕི།།རྩ་བའི་བླ་མའི་གསུངས་ཁན།།ཚ་ངེར་བཏོན་ཉེ་ཉན་ཅོ།།འཛམ་གླིང་ནང་ཀ་མི་ལུས།།ཝ་དང་སེམས་ཅན་མང་གི།།ཞ་ཝ་ཞི་ཝ

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-71551812547148322962008-02-03T12:32:00.000+06:002008-02-03T12:33:12.370+06:00

Yesterday morning, my next door neighbor knocked on my door, looking pale-faced.“Can I borrow 100 yen to take shower? I have lost my purse.” He asked. (We need to insert a 100 Yen coin for hot water).Slipping 100 Yen into his hands, I enquired where he lost his wallet.“It might have fallen down between here and the 24 Hour-open Supermarket last night. I went to search for it now and even asked

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-43830875839085074072008-02-03T12:31:00.000+06:002008-02-03T12:32:25.207+06:00

Yesterday, an article in Japan Times really got me thinking. Should children born through artificial insemination be told who their real father is? Or is ignorance really bliss in such matters?Conceiving children through artificial insemination by donor, or AID, is undertaken by couples who cannot have children due to the male partner’s problems. This technology, like using surrogate mothers, can

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-79423350448422674172008-01-03T12:43:00.000+06:002008-02-03T12:44:33.133+06:00

The decision to teach History in Dzongkha was a very good decision taken by the Education Ministry. The problem is not with the decision, but with the preparations for the new challenge. I think the preparations, especially in terms of training the teachers for the new challenges, were not enough. So the current doubtful scenario has resulted.The solution to this scenario is not to backtrack on

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1161242819647738322006-10-19T13:25:00.000+06:002006-10-19T13:35:35.090+06:00

Girls in mini skirts and tight pants and guys in hip hop style oversized pants and shirts are dancing to the rhythm of Eminem's 'the real slim Shady'.Thinley, an unassuming young man is sipping Tiger beer with his close friends. A seductive and confident girl with blackened eyelids, lips colored dark brown and her oversized hip wrapped in a tight black dress reaching her thighs midway approaches

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1161242288996489942006-10-19T13:16:00.000+06:002006-10-19T13:22:16.353+06:00

Jade thrungthrung karmo (White crane)Shogtsel ngala 'yar dang (Lend me your wings)Thagring jangla midro (I will not go far)Lithang kor ne lebyong. (From Lithang, I will return)So wrote a lonely Tshangyang Gyatsho, the sixth Dalai Lama to a lady friend in Shol (a town in Tibet) as he was being led by Lhazang Khan and his troops just before his mysterious disappearance in 1706. He was only 24.His

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1161242103956545132006-10-19T13:12:00.000+06:002006-10-19T13:15:03.963+06:00

In the history of modern agriculture in Bhutan and Japan-Bhutan relationship, one man stands tall like the Mt Everest in the Himalayas. He is Dasho Nishioka. Today, Bhutan continues to reap the fruits of his immense and selfless contribution which spanned 28 years from 1964 till his sudden demise in 1992.On 6 May 1964 at Calcutta Airport, Keiji Nishioka, 31, and his wife Satoko, 28, boarded an

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1161243129693651682006-10-18T13:31:00.000+06:002006-10-19T13:33:15.793+06:00

Two new interesting inventions that I read about recently prompted me to write this article. They are the blow-up man - a companion for women, and Toyota's automatic brakes. Before I write about the inventions themselves, let me introduce how an inventor is recognized and rewarded.When someone makes an invention, he or she can apply for a certificate authenticating his invention. That is called a

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1161242706797994012006-10-18T13:24:00.000+06:002006-10-19T13:33:46.576+06:00

In the wake of the ban on the import of poultry products from India following the bird-flu scare in February 2006, chicken and eggs virtually disappeared from Bhutanese dinner tables. Is there something positive we can learn from this experience? I think there is. Why can't we learn to produce enough of our own?We are an agricultural country with the agriculture providing the livelihood to the

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1161243008639975462006-10-17T13:29:00.000+06:002006-10-19T13:34:19.156+06:00

It was not night hunting, but night dating. Non-bhutanese teachers who came to Bhutan at the start of modern development programmes termed it 'night hunting' without understanding the practice well. The practice served as dating between prospective future partners for rural people who were too busy during the day time. With modernity came a different class of people to the villages - businessmen,

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1161242955684039962006-10-17T13:28:00.000+06:002006-10-19T13:34:39.830+06:00

Bearing no nightmares of colonizationNor ancient grudge of any brutal wars,Blessed indeed are we, the DrukpasThe bearers of Siddhartha's treasures.On the lap of the rugged Himalayas,Is my motherland, the Land of the DragonLike the mythical flower Udumbara,A rare jewel in this strife-torn world."The once-in-three-millennia Udumbara,comes now quietly into bloom,"The legendary Holy Law Wheel King,

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153958963468998742006-07-29T06:08:00.000+06:002006-07-28T08:27:11.720+06:00

At 11, Patti was a kind little girl who liked to play with her friends, and above all loved her parents. One day, she was playing with her father when he suddenly collapsed with a heart attack.Patti was shocked. But she held her father's limping hands with her little fingers and called her mother. Among tears, she kept calling, "Father! Father! Please get well".Patti's father Chet Szuber had a

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153957999008820192006-07-28T05:49:00.000+06:002006-07-27T18:43:17.676+06:00

I watch the flowers bloom,I watch the seasons change.I watch the children grow,And the men busy on the go.I watch the rolling mountains,I watch the rivers flow.I roam the deserted villages,I roam the bustling cities.I am constantly on the move,But I am not in hurry.My passion lies in the arts,And beauty is what I seek.I work not for money,I never worry about time.I desire not power or praise,I am

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153925610315494832006-07-27T20:50:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:58:14.040+06:00

John's Japanese girlfriend of two years had just said goodbye. She had found another man. Living in Japan was hard enough for a foreigner. But this latest incident made it harder for poor John. That was when he turned to the Internet for solace.From the comfort of his bedroom, he exchanged emails and chatted with girls from far and wide. But one of them, Maria, caught his attention more than the

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Somewhere near Thrumsingla, by the side of the road to Mongar, there is a small lonely hut. Chhimi was born in this hut one cold autumn night. At that time of the year, even the nomadic herders had started to migrate downwards for fear of cold, but her parents, being road-workers (Gyelyong Lemi) had to stay on here to clear a roadblock caused by a recent mudslide."Ungee...ungeee...." her first

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153960589237712362006-07-27T06:35:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:36:29.240+06:00

If there is one thing that I have learnt by living in different countries and meeting different people, it is the fact that people love themselves and their own country and culture first and foremost. It is well and fine as long as it does not carry the connotation of feeling superior as Dale Carnegie says "Each nation feels superior to other nations. That breeds patriotism - and wars". Of course

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My first day at school was actually a night. The sun set well before my brother and I reached my school. On that first night and over the many following nights in the cold and dark dormitory, I always dreamt of my mother and my home and cried.Over the next many days, months and years, I ate many kilos of 'bong kharang' (wheat), 'broomsha mom' (pumpkin broth), ran barefoot, kicked 'baktang ball' (

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Monasteries and temples dot the mountain slopes, prayer-flags adorn the hilltops and chortens line the ancient footpaths.You are right if you think I am talking about Bhutan. But the same description also applies to Sikkim, Mustang, Tawang, Ladakh and Tibet.They were also Buddhist Kingdoms like Bhutan in the past. How did they lose their independence? And how did Bhutan survive?Tawang, along with

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153958451571792522006-07-27T05:58:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:04:45.793+06:00

1. INTRODUCTIONIn this age of information technology we are lambasted by myriads of information daily. Sometimes, this extra information makes us more confused than we already are. I think Spirituality is one area where our confusion centers, especially because clear answers to some of our doubts have not been readily available despite the fact that Buddhism forms a part of our daily life.I am

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Night fell and darkness engulfed Khengri village. Somewhere in the distance, a lone jackal howled.Fire crackled in the old mud oven in Yeshi's house. Water had been boiling in the soot-stained aluminium pot for sometime now without rice. Rag-clad children waited around the mud oven, their hollow eyes fixed on the pot."Mother, we are hungry!" cried the children."Where is the five-kilo rice I

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153925908359749992006-07-26T20:57:00.000+06:002006-07-26T21:09:05.216+06:00

To expect is to be unhappy. How many times would we have saved ourselves from unnecessary heartaches if only we didn't expect something from others?We may be a parent, a lover, a friend, a wife, a husband, a brother or a sister. We all suffer disappointments because we expected something from the other person. If we analyse carefully, we will be able to reduce or eliminate the expectations with

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153925789144978622006-07-26T20:55:00.000+06:002006-07-26T20:56:29.146+06:00

One of these days, I have been thinking. Age has drawn new lines on my face and made veins visible on my hands. Lovers have come and gone, friends made and forgotten.One of these days, I have been thinking. Time has moved fast. Grasslands have become buildings. Girls have become mothers. A 1990's baby girl now flaunts in mini-skirt holding the hands of a lover. It is a sure sign for me. That less

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The ancient silk route from Lhasa to Kalimpong ran through it, Jawaharlal Nehru crossed it on his historic journey to Bhutan in 1958, the Indian and the Chinese troops fought over it in 1962 and today the Indian Army and Chinese Border Guards face each other almost at breathing distance over it. But come 6 July 2006, it is set to formally open for trade between China and India after 44 years of

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153924532212112032006-07-26T20:33:00.000+06:002006-07-26T20:35:32.223+06:00

As the road from Trashigang to Bartsham coils upwards from Menchhakorkang to Mugtangkhar, there is an old fig tree (chongma shing) just above one of the zigzags. It was under the shade of this tree that Zhabdrung is believed to have taken a brief rest, some half a century or more years ago. True to the reverence accorded to it by the local people, this tree recently demonstrated a miracle. The

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153926153029700462006-07-26T13:00:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:57:45.523+06:00

Long after the shine in your eyes have faded,Long after your beauty has given way to wrinkles,I will be there with you still,To cherish the far greater beauty that you hold inside.Long after your legs have lost their strength,Long after your hands can grasp no more,I will be there with you still,To be your hands and legs when you need.Long after your wit has withered,Long after people find you

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153960454766057552006-07-26T06:33:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:55:25.990+06:00

Ever wondered why our New Year normally falls around the same time as Chinese New Year? Or why there was so much fuss about the approaching of Lo Nag (Lo=year, Nag =black) or black years of 2006 and 2007?2006 has come and so has the Chinese New Year. But this time, the Bhutanese Losar (Lo=Year Sar=New) is still almost a month away. According to Bhutanese calendar, our Losar falls on 28 Feb. 2006.

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153959401824943432006-07-26T06:16:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:52:23.950+06:00

I would like to thank this blogging community for all your condolences and solidarity on my tragic bereavement. I am currently in Japan, and waiting to come home soon. I would like to share a few thoughts with you all.I was only recently in Bhutan. I came back to Japan for my studies on 28th March. On 29th, I reported to my university and my professor.That night, I didn't have any premonition,

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153958850542159532006-07-26T06:06:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:58:43.230+06:00

For most Bhutanese graduates who have been working for more than one year, their minds are set on 'masters'.With the RCSC's PCS riveting more on qualification in the absence of other reliable measures of a civil servant's capacity, it becomes more urgent.What are the scholarships? Which are the countries? What are the gains? Let me try to dispel some myths and bring some reality to the fore.The

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Summer heat had overtaken the cool spring breeze. It was unbearably hot as we waited for the chief guest to arrive. It was the foundation day of our school.A big red car arrived. It would have to be the chief guest. Cars were rare those days in that part of the country."At last!" we cried in our hearts."Lam Neten", the boy next to me whispered."Is Neten his name?""No, it is his position or the

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153958169330913452006-07-26T05:53:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:53:31.110+06:00

Reflecting on our country from afar, variety of things come to my mind - some good and some not so good. We have a lot to offer to the world, but at that same time, we have a lot to learn from the world outside.Let me highlight some of my reflections.Most of the world seems to be consumed in globalization, but Bhutan has managed to remain a unique country of rich tradition and pristine natural

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153957743137409342006-07-26T05:47:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:59:57.253+06:00

Traditionally, individual creativity was discouraged in our culture. No names of authors can be found on famous 'namthars', nor names of painters of famous 'thangkas'. Has it something to do with why we lack creativity?There is one industry that badly needs creativity. And that is the music and entertainment industry. But sadly, most of our movies are based on existing Hollywood and Bollywood

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153957586565646622006-07-26T05:44:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:54:04.990+06:00

Civil servants want more salary, chimis want their travel and daily allowances increased and contractors and public officials want to cheat the government where possible. But at this very second, some people somewhere in the land of the Gross National Happiness are worrying about how to buy the next bag of rice or how to pay this month's rent. Elsewhere, some jobless youths, disillusioned with

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153957448986530792006-07-26T05:43:00.000+06:002006-07-27T07:30:09.533+06:00

How we interpret what we read, see or hear depends very much on our preconceived ideas, what you want to hear or see and the angle from which you look at it. Failing to look at it from different perspectives gives it a narrow and lopsided view.In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Cicero says to Casca: "Men may construe things after their fashion, Clean from the purpose of the things themselves." The

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153957356060452942006-07-26T05:42:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:54:27.800+06:00

It is okay to discuss matters of public concern in the National Assembly, but the problem arises when the person raising the issue, or the one responding, puts a personal undertone to the issue.In Bhutan, it is very common to see bosses and colleagues take it personally if you raise an issue of common concern that has some connection to them. It is an old habit and old habits die hard.We have not

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153957292106539662006-07-26T05:39:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:54:51.926+06:00

Today, Bhutanese society has undergone major changes. Clearly, two levels of middle class have emerged - the upper middle class who own a lot of property and wealth such as lands, buildings and businesses in Bhutan and the lower middle class which is composed of educated, financially independent, office-going people.It is unfortunate that the members of the National Assembly are mostly

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153817869390028632006-07-25T14:57:00.000+06:002006-07-26T12:13:04.836+06:00

As the sun sets, many men and women crowd the numerous bars in Thimphu. Around a corner table in one substandard hotel-cum-bar, two men sit with a beautiful teenage girl. Sipping beer and whisky, they talk and laugh, and occasionally, the men touch her mischievously. She does not seem to mind it. Later, she retires to a room in the hotel. One of the men follows her. Scenes such as the one

cigayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13809861988441826291noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31622766.post-1153960216215069872006-07-25T06:29:00.000+06:002006-07-27T06:51:08.733+06:00

The Dasho Dzongdag or the honorable district administrator was a big man in those days.When he looked, people hung their heads low. When he spoke, they obeyed. His visit to a village had to be a grand celebration.So it was on this day in a remote village in Eastern Bhutan. It was an archery match between the Dzongkhag (district administration) team and the Gewog (block) team.The archery match was

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