My school and community in the advent of Royal wedding

My school is gearing up to celebrate the royal wedding next month. The pressure, no excitement is on. Teachers and students are leaving no stone unturned to mark this joyous occasion.

Two of our lady teachers are tirelessly helping the students to make their own wishing cards. They are also actively involved in teaching our students Bhutanese folk songs and dances to observe the day.

folk dance in progress

The Principal of the school, two other male colleagues, school caretaker and I with five senior boys are passionately putting all our wits and might to master the art of playing Khuru (darts). We are strengthening our arms and sharpening our concentration in our preparation to beat local veterans in the game. looking at the level of our practice, we are hopeful to win and shall dedicate our victory to the Royal wedding.

The tentative program for the celebration will begin with offering of Kadar and fresh flowers on King’s and Royal Bride’s portrait by students, parents and teachers. And it shall be followed by folk songs and dances by students and a presentation of their wishing cards. The celebration shall be carried on in the second day with a daylong Khuru competition.  [Hope I would find my hands still attached to my shoulders after throwing darts for a whole day.]

practice is better than preaching

Meanwhile, in Tongsang; a small village of nine households which is three kilometers away from my school is also full of activities. The people are busy. They are into mass production of wooden plates and bowls. It is, however, a common sight to see but this year the cause for mass production happens to be the advent of royal wedding apart from Thimphu Tsechu and Drubchen which happens to fall in the same month. I wonder how these soft spoken and innocent looking people know so much about market and profit making strategies.  

Third generation but still a craftsman at heart

The vendors are optimistic to sell more products this year so they are not taking any chances.  The men are constantly engaged in sweet-talking [ except the one in the picture above] with their dealers in Paro and Thimphu. And the women who usually under take the task of varnishing the wooden plates and bowls have stopped drinking arra for a month.  [My recent visit to their houses turned out to be more of a meet to discuss on royal wedding than the usual visits to  gulp down that not-so-sweet beverage.....Ha ha ha…] They are of the opinion that this year’s product should be the best they have ever produced.

Amm Tshering; Busy but happy with what she does the best