Life is beautiful

Life is beautiful

When the buzzing bees visits blossom spring

Hovering here and there with music buzz

Sorrow and pain of life is numbed by the sweet nectar

Life is beautiful

When clear winter adorned with mighty moon

Dispatching the rays of hope and beauty

To dispel the darkness  with glistering stars shone

Life is beautiful

When the magic of love crown the soul

Hatred and anger nipped before bud

Sweetness and smile attired the feeling.

Life is beautiful

When toothless toddler smile of life

Uncertainty of life is unexplored

With cuteness of eye shows of no fear.

Life is beautiful

When goodness rule the world

Evilness and devilish are enslaved

Music of virtues flourishes undisturbed

Life is beautiful

When relationship is knotted with trust

With respect and honesty guard the bond

Jealousy and desire has no space to stand.

Life is beautiful

When the superior bless the inferior

Younger respect and vow to the elders

Esteem and deference prevail within

Dasain Festival

Dasain or Vijay Dasami is a festival to symbolize the victory of good over evils. It is usually celebrated in the month of Kartik (basically falls in September- October). It is the longest festival in the Hindu culture, which is 15 days celebration. The first, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth day holds most important.

Goddess Durga

As per the Hindu mythology, there are two stories over which the Vijay Dasami or Dasain is being celebrated. One story says that, there was a demon named Mahisasura who was very powerful and attempt to rule heaven of gods. He had such a strength that even gods seems powerless in front of him, hence the Goddess Durga (a manifestation of Parvati) fight against the terror of demons and killed him. It is believed that the war went for nine days “Navaratri” and finally Durga defeated the demon and achieved victory on the tenth day, and is celebrated as the triumph of good over evil.

Another story says that, this festival symbolises the victory of Lord Ram (seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu) over Ravan (the King of Lanka). The war started when Ravan kidnapped Sita, wife of Lord Ram using his magical tricks and took her to Lanka. The tenth day is symbolised as the victorious day of good over evil. Whatsoever it may be, it is the celebration of victory.

Ghatasthapana is the first day of Dasain or Vijay Dasami and also the first day of Navaratri. Ghatasthapana literally means “pot establishing”. On this day Kalash (holy water vessel) symbolising goddess Durga is placed in the prayer room. It is filled with holywater and covered with cowdung on to which seeds of barley are sown. Then Kalash is put in the centre of rectangular sand block. The remaining bed of sand is also seeded with grains (The germinated shoot, Jamara, from these seeds are used on the tenth day). The Ghatasthapana ritual is performed till the seventh day. This ceremony is to worship goddess Durga to bless the vessel with her presence.

The seventh day is called “Fulpati”. It literally means day of “flowers, leaves and plants”. On this day, houses are cleaned and decorated them with colours and flowers. As per earlier culture, nine types of flowers and plants (known as Navapatriva) are brought in to the worship altar. These nine items of Navapatriva represnts manifestations of nine Hindu Gods and Goddess.

Then, the eighth day of Dasain is called Ashtami. On this day, offering and sacrifices of animals are done to please Goddess Mahakali (a form of Goddess parvati). And the people who do not sacrifice animals offer fruits instead of blood to deities.

The ninth day and also the last day of “Navaratri” is called Mahanavami, “the great ninth day”. This day was the last day of the battle. All the ceremonies and rituals reach to the end on this day. This day is also known as demon-hunting day as defeated demons tries to save themselves hiding under the skin of animals.

Vijay Dasami is the tenth day of the festival and also the most important day of the festival. It is the day of victory of good over evil and gods over demons. As per two different stories, it is the day when demon Mahisasura was killed by goddess Durga and Ravan (the demon king of Lanka) was killed by Lord Ram to rescue his wife. On this day, tikka ceremony is started. The Tikka is an offereing made to goddess Durga for peace, prosperity and happiness. All elders and parents place Tikka on the foreheads of their childrens and younger members along with Jamara, as a tradition to impart blessing and protection to their family. The Tikka is made by a mixture of red vermillion powder, rice grains and yogurt (curd). They also offer gifts of money (known as Dakshina in Nepali language) along with blessing and Tikka. This is the day on which families and relatives shares laughters and delicious food. The people visit their relatives and neighbours receiving blesssing and sometimes exchanging gift. This continues for next five days till full moon. On full moon day, known as Purnima, the festival ends.

2nd Nazhoen Camp in Samtse Concluded

A five day Second Nazhoen Camp in Samtse has successfully ended on 2^nd August 2017. A week long camp was organised by the Dzongkhag Scouts Assosciation. Over 240 Nazhoen, classes ranging from 7 to 12, from 13 different schools have participated for the camp. This is the second such camp organised in the dzongkhag, and it caters to many creative, adventurous and educational activities.

Lyonpo D.N Dhungyel with Scouts leaders

The camp was inaugurated on 28^th July by Minister of Information and Communication, Lyonpo D. N Dhungyel. The participants were energised and boosted the curiosity of camp with the showering of words and wits by the Lyonpo.

Lyonpo with Nazhoen Scouts

Lyonpo shared the history of scouting in Bhutan and its importance in the life of youths of Bhutanese. Lyonpo also enlightened the participants on the importance of scouting put in by our king. 

Scouting is one of the youth engaging activities. It was first started in 1907 at Brownsea Island by the founder of scouting Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden Powell of Gilwell. After eleven decades of its origination, about 28 millions scouts are there in the world. It has lasting benefit to the youths of today. Scouting is based on three important principle:- duty to god, duty to others and duty to self. Through recreation, scouting achieves its purpose of helping young people develop physically, intellectually, socially, and spiritually. Scouting is all about building confidence and self-esteem, learning important life skills and leadership skills, team building, outdoor adventure, education, and fun! It nurture and mould youths to become a responsible citizens. The World Organisation of Scout Movement (WOSM) is an international body that supports scouts across the world.

Scouting is a fun!

Variety show - scouts talent in action

The camp is an epitome of many life skills based activities. Some of the activities that are designed for the camp are creative arts, Driglam Namzha (Bhutanese etiquette), pioneering skills, flag protocol, songs & yells, and adventure base. The camp furthermore helps in strengthening of friendship among the scouts. Three nights of cultural showcase by the scouts depicts the talents that our scouts posses. Their innocent expressions, talent, says lots that “give a child a stage, they do miracles.” The camp provided an opportunity to showcase their talent, build their confidences and times to reaffirm their skills. The participants were also taken for site visit to Big Cola factory. A day long cleaning campaign was also organised around the Samtse town.

Cleaning campaign 

Learning creative arts!

A week long adventurous camp successfully comes to end on 2^nd August. The closing ceremony was graced by Dasho Dzongda. Dasho congratulated the participants for successfully completing a week long Nazhoen Camp. Dasho urged the participants to mobilise the knowledge gained from the camp in their day to day life. “Scouts should be the ambassador of peace, happiness and success. Scouts should not fail in disciplinary context” Dasho said. Dasho also highlighted the youth related issues and common back-hold the Dzongkhag is facing. The second Nazhoen camp made the heart of scouts bigger with the numerous activities and knowledge. They are laden with the scouting skills and driven into the deeper pool of scouting as a life long education!

The camp was finally sum-up by singing farewell songs and prayers to meet in the near future. The contented scouts depart for their respective school. 

Book Review on GYALO .... Written by Major Lingi Jamtsho

The front page of the book "GYALO"

GYALO – a tale of a soldier is an epic journey of young officer, from freshly graduated boy to a young officer commissioned in Royal Bhutan Army. The book journey us through the world of military. The book helps us to realise the reality of hardship and challenges that the arm personnel faces in their life. The toughness, stubbornness and the dark humours that the soldiers display helps them to be strong and hit-hard during the grimiest of situation. The book enlightens us with some of the secret of military world. There are two types of soldiers – the good and the dead. There is no middle path for them. You either be good or dead! There are no runners-up in war and if the enemy is within range, so are you! 

From the book, I came to know that in military the safety, honour and welfare of country come first, always and every time. The honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next. Your own Ease, Comfort and Safety come last, always and every time. In military life sphere there are no rooms for questions and excuses. It should be

“Ours is not to question why

Ours is but to do or die”.

The book also tells you the interesting things about the life in the military: In NDA, there are two golden unwritten rules that they should always know, of course, there are many other such unwritten rules but these two beat the rest hands down.

Rule Number One: A senior is always right.

Rule Number Two: If you have any doubts, refer Rule Number One.

The honour code in military life is the governing principles that determine the code of conduct for them. An officer is always expected to be a gentlman and a man of character first.

You will steal, lie or cheatif you do, for God’s sake, do not get caught!!!

I would encourage and suggest reading this book to understand the indepth knowledge about the world of military. We will understand the sacrifices they make in the line of duty, and how they give away their today so that we can enjoy our tomorrow.

Pelden Drukpa ……..GYALO!!!

Birthday Wishes to My Queen

Today, on 5 June 2017 I join the nation to celebrate the 27th Birth Anniversary of HRH the Ashi Jetsun Pema Wangchuck.

I wish the delightful Queen a happy birthday, a long and healthy life as well as a glorious and happy future.

Let’s get counted

One, two, three, four… Let’s all gets counted. The counting, that has greater impacts on country’s developmental plans and policies. A count that is valued greatly – the second population & Housing Census.

In accordance to the Royal decree, the Royal Government finally planned to conduct second Population & Housing Census from 30 May 2017 to 1 June 2017. It is a nation move, where every citizen is counted irrespective of their age, social status, religions, demographic location,etc.,….

Bhutan has conducted the first Population & Housing Census in 2005 following international standard. Nock and corner of the country is enumerated. This has helped the Royal Government in finding the exact population and housing of the country. It also tremendously helped in generating data for socio-economic developmental planning purposes.

Of two principles of enumeration i.e. de facto and de jury enumeration, the Population & Housing Census is based on de facto enumeration.

De facto population includes all persons physically found and present in an area at the reference time of census enumeration. The total population will comprise all persons present in the country at the census moment and enumerated where they are found at the moment regardless of their usual place of residence. The enumeration is conducted on the basis of where a person is at the census moment.

In most of the countries the Population & Housing Census is generally conducted at the interval for 10 years but in some rich and resourceful countries even conduct every 5 years. The Population & Housing Census is conducted to update the baseline data in the previous census and to study trends in population and housing counts as well as to rate the socio-economic development.

Actually, Bhutan has planned to conduct the second Population & Housing Census in 2016 but due to technical failure it has been shifted to 2017. This year’s census is primarily embarking on to create an inventory of Bhutan’s population size by age and sex, geographic distribution of the population and socio-economic information. It is therefore, important for every Bhutanese to get counted irrespective of geographical existent. This conduct of Population & Housing Census furthermore, provides frames of surveys and other statistical activities.

The census data are mainly used for formulating plans and policies for national development. It has great deals of importance for national growth; every Bhutanese should extend their full support and share the true and valid information. The information and data determine the future plans and policies for socio-economic development of our country. The failing to provide true and valid information lead to imbalance distribution of plan and policies. It has adverse affect to the socio-economic growth of the place.

Our counts are valued for the developmental activities. If we escape from the figure it will cause catastrophic to distribution of resources and policies. This census also helps in figuring the psychological well being of the people. It also tells us the living standard of Bhutanese. It helps the government in studying the rural-urban migration and its cause.

For PHCB 2017, the actual census start from the midnight of 29 May 2017 called the”Census Night” which is the reference time for the census. All household members, visitors, traveller’s staying in hotel, all transient persons – including parking lots,streets, public transports, taxi, religious institutions, tshamkhangs, etc., are to be enumerated . 

About 10,000 enumerators are deployed to the various Enumeration Area (EA) in all over and 205 gewogs including Thromde and Yenlag thromde. The census officials are thoroughly acquainted with the forms and strategic procedures to conduct census during the four days training of enumerators from 22 May – 25 May 2017.

Few hours of our patience and rendering of full cooperation in fetching the true and valid information will greatly helps in carrying out developmental activities and policies. Lets be one and come together to make the Population and Housing Census of Bhutan 2017 of great success.

It is nation counts. Lets all be one to find many! 

Words of adieu to my little scientist of 8A

Dear little scientists of 8 A,

Class VIII A - 2016

We have come together, we celebrated, and we laughed, cried and so on. But the fact that we won’t be starting our day together with those giggles and chuckles that you always used to make during the attendance. It used to irritate me when some of you didn’t listen to me and don’t do your work. Today when I know I won’t have you all around all day, it really hurts from within. Such a feeling had never propped in me. There had been time, when I had been harsh with you, scolded you or burst out my anger. I sincerely apologies for those odd times, nothing personal with that. It was just out of work pressure. I hope you understand a person could emit his anger only on near and dear ones. As I considered you all as my own and had full confidence on you, that’s the reason I felt my right to guide you all. Kindly don’t take my words to hearts.

Students of VIII A participating in the class

My two years with you all has been most enthralling and loving experiences with warmth you have shared with me as your class parent. They say, teachers are the parent away from home. Now I know, it isn’t just a saying, but a reality. Just thoughts of not seeing you all anymore, disturb me. But, no matter where we are, I am always there for each one of you.

Keep in you the words of Eleanor Roosevelt: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” I want to implore you my outgoing 8A to always see yourselves as good ambassador of this school and never allow selfish interest to blemish the integrity you nurtured over the years in this great school. Be kind and good to people you meet in your ways up. Allow the words of god guides you as you journey to greatness. Think big thoughts and be optimistic in whatever you do. I want you all of you to come out with flying colours, get well settled in life; and earn loads and loads of respect and prosperity in your life. “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle” as said by Christian D. Larson. My blessing will always remain with you. Best of luck for your life ahead.