"Bhutan Ice-cream" Celebrates His Majesty’s Birthday.

Choling Yargay Daytshen, a farmers group of Singaygang village under Sipsu Dungkhag (Samtse) commemorates His Majesty’s 34^th Birth Anniversary distributing their own ice-cream product to the teachers, students of Peljorling Higher Secondary school and the local residents who gathered Friday at the school courtyard to witness the celebration.

After the speeches were made and the cultural items organized by the school were presented, it was the moment for the Bhutan ice-cream boxes to uncover their goodies. The Principal and the teachers got in line to taste their share and they were followed by the students and the local residents.

Standing in front of the Banner ; Chairperson Gauri Sharma

The Farmers Group which comprises of 25 active members organized the free distribution of Ice-cream. Each member contributed two liters of milk to manufacture enough ice-cream for the important day. ‘it is a moment of joy for us to be able to contribute on such a day, we wish our King a happy birthday and pray for his long live ’ said the Group’s chairperson Gauri Sharma who also initiated the move.

The Group Members with Local staff from Agriculture and Animal Husbandry departments

The Ice-Cream Machine

Bhutan Ice-cream is the only ice-cream brand in the country. The manufacturing plant at Singaygang village was made possible with financial aid from GEF,small grant program- UNDP and is supported by Ministry of Agriculture and Forest. The plant was formally inaugurated on 22^nd December, 2013 by His Excellency lyenpo Yeshey Dorji.

Inaugurating the ice-cream manufacturing unit

The Brand has come a long way from being a homemade ice-cream to a brand worth exporting. The ice-cream comes in both cone and pouches with information label and design. The brand has Five different flavors to offer; Vanila, Butter Scotch, Kesar Pista, strawberry and mix-fruit. Meanwhile, the product is only available in Samtse Dzongkhag due to the limited transport facilities and lack of marketing agencies.

           THEN                        &                                   NOW

Bhutan Ice-cream is one of the products produce by the farmers group. With the arrival of 15 jersey cow and 15 buffalos, the Group would be able to commercially produce cheese, milk, butter and “Bhutan Ice-cream”.  The government leased land which they have been provided will act as a pasture land for the cattle.

Choling Yargay Daytshen is also looking into fishery business and Bio-gas refilling machine which will make the Group self-reliant.

But for now, they are fully dependent on the production of ‘Bhutan Ice-cream’ and some dairy products to sustain the Group where wild elephants rampage the village each night.

# For any queries or order @ 17606108(Chairperson)

A Walk to remember: Our first Wedding Anniversary.

By quarter to 6 yesterday morning, as crystal clear dew on our window glass were just dripping down, I was with a cup of warm milk tea ready to serve my wife. It’s unusual to find me up so early every day. But the importance of the day urged me to surprise at least my wife.

She was still nestled under the warm blanket like a baby. I slowly and carefully sneaked in, tucked her hair to uncover her face and there she smiled.

With wide smile on her face she quickly tightened her hair behind and I hand over the cup of tea. i kept looking at her as she took over and caressed the cup to take the first sip.

But before she took the sip she asked me to close in. I moved. She gave me a tight hug and wished me ‘A Happy Anniversary’.  I too wished her simultaneously with all my love for her.

On the courtyard of the Lhakhang

On our day’s agenda, we had only two important things to do. Visit Dechencholing Lhakhang and secondly to place an ordinary door lock somewhere in the wood near Dechencholing.

Smiling at me

The friendship at the backdrop is alive on the forefront too!

My younger sister had accompanied us on our ‘walk to remember’. We dressed ourselves appropriately for the Lhakhang’s visit, bought some offerings to offer and not to forget we took the lock along with its key with us.

My sister wished to provide refreshment on our journey so she bought some cold drinks, cup cakes and lots of sweets.

Captions not required....simply beautiful...

We entered the renowned Dechencoling Lhakhang. Offered our prayers to the God and expressed how thankful we are for all peaceful and blissful days we have spent all together since our wedding.

As we came out of the Lhakhang, we stroll down towards Dechencholing Palace. The presence of the Royal Palace, blue sky and the empty wide road of Dechencholing made us feel very calm and peace.

We savor each moment down the road till we finally spot a place to briefly settle for refreshment. We sat down on the bare ground. Dry pine needle-like leaves provided enough ease to sit and dine.

The Lock: Somewhere in the woods of Dechencholing.

Right after the refreshment, I took out the lock and the key and went on to search a place where I could place the lock. I found it. Placed the lock and turn the key in and locked it. 

For us the lock symbolizes unity,love and happiness and placing it on the living tree, we believe, will further strengthen our unity, deepen our love and expend our happiness as the tree grows taller and stronger.

The affair was simple and a quite one. But…… a very special for us.   

'Never let you go' kind of snap.

Most importantly, years down the line when the tree plant on which we have placed the lock has grown tall and strong we would have celebrated many more anniversaries. But we will have something to search for inside the woods of Dechencholing which symbolizes many things along with the "togetherness" in celebrating our first Wedding Anniversary.

The Story of Change from Eastern Bhutan

Gangla Khema Primary School.  Estd: 2002

Gangla Khema Primary School under Lhuentse Dzongkha in the north-east part of Bhutan begs First Price at the 3^rd Awards Ceremony of Design for Change Bhutan 2013. Design for Change is a world initiative to empower children around the world.

The event was held on Sunday, 18^th August in Motithang High School auditorium. The Award Ceremony was organized by Early Learning Center, the DFC country Partner. 17 schools participated this year for the contest- 3 from Luentse, 1 from Trashiyangtse, 2 from Chukha, 1 from Paro and 10 schools from Thimphu valley.

Students gathered for a reading session.

Like any other remote school, Gangla Khema Primary School also had a dreadful problem. The hygiene of the children was severely neglected by their parents.  The children were suffering from Itchiness and rashes were plenty on their body, fungal infection on heads and wounds on their legs were a common sight. Lots of lice and its nit invaded their hair and their body and mouth were stinking badly. The children were found having meals with long, dirty nails and being absent were the order of the day. The long distance and the rugged route from their houses to school would make them sweat a lot and the uniform they have worn would get muddy while they reach their school. Owing to these difficulties and ill health the children couldn't concentrate in the class- a problem so important to solve at the earliest hour.

After much discussion with the parents and the students, “Hygiene for Head, Heart and Hand” was taken up as their Design for Change initiative.

Cupboards for students to keep their uniform

With dying need to start the project, the school management used the fund of Nu 5000 which was given by the Dzongkhag Education Office for the school to celebrate World Water Day. The management used the fund to purchase tooth brushes, tooth pastes, nail clippers, soaps, mediker and toilet papers.

The school provided shoe rags and cupboards for the children to keep their uniforms at school when they leave for home after the school hour. The students of class V and VI were paired with class PP and I students so they could help the younger kids wash their hands and legs properly.

From the following day, as soon as the children reached the school then they brush their teeth, wash their legs, head and wear their school uniform. The management has also hung a mirror for the children to help comb their hair and help them dress properly.

Every Thursday afternoon, the students keep aside their learning to take a bath. The senior students help their adopted brothers and sisters to take a bath, trim their nails and clean their ears.

The Principal trimming his student's hair with a hair clipper.

All the boys of Gangla Khema decided to trim their hair short with the help of hair clippers four times a year to avoid fungal infection and keep their head free from lice and nit. 

Boys of Gangla with their Principal

Similarly, the girls decided to apply mediker four times a year to remove lice and nit. After applying this medicine, they massage it thoroughly and keep their head covered by a piece of cloth for 3 hours. Then they comb their hair and wash it with the help of soap.   

Girls of Gangla on their hair/head treatment

To sustain this program the school has started cultivating vegetables at the school campus and start poultry. The school has already discussed with a boarding school nearby which has agreed to purchase the vegetables and eggs from their small poultry farm. And after witnessing a drastic change in the overall hygiene of their children the parents also has agreed to pay Nu 30 each annually to sustain the program.

Students  involved in growing vegetables 

Gangla Khema Poultry Farm

When the principal of the school shared his story of change in the auditorium, i felt for those innocent children    in the depth of my heart. i couldn't help listening to the principal and staring at the photographs shared by him to tell the story.

Gangla Khema is one school among 500 plus schools across the country which has dared to do something and see the change they wanted to see.  HATS OFF to the Principal of the school, teachers, students and the parents for having achieved so much with so little resources and for silently telling us ‘I can and you can, and together we can bring the change in the world'.

Photo courtesy: Principal of Gangla Khema Primary School, Lhuentse.

With the Rolling Trophy and A Projector (First Price) the Principal of Gangla Khema  stands for  a  snap.
Photographers seen in the frame: The principals of Baktong and Dangling Pry Schools from Lhuntse.

My Speech at Award Day -Design for Change 2013.

More than 25 MILLION Students across the globe is saying “I can”. Wow! That’s a huge achievement in itself for the Design for Change world initiative. And for your information the three word slogan “YES WE CAN” is what our DFC students have been saying for quite some time now.

At Druk School, Our guiding philosophy of Excellence in body, mind and speech strives to achieve excellence in body conduct, in thoughts we think and in the language we use to communicate with the world. Having these principles in place, we have been feeling, imaging, doing and sharing Design for change stories since 2011.

“No BG vehicle” A DFC program started in 2011 is an initiative to reduce corruption by discouraging parents to use Government owned vehicle to drop and pick their children from our school campus. “Kindle a flame” which started in 2012 is about educating our housemaids and babysitters. Both these programs are being continued and are getting stronger. These programs are changing mindsets, changing lives and have been reducing an ounce of Government Budget each day that otherwise goes in purchasing an extra ounce of petroleum for those extra trips.

This year DFC program in our school was also dissected to class levels.  And by virtue of being the talk of the town my 7^th grade student’s story of “Active Citizens” which relates to democracy and politics got nominated to represent our school here this morning.

Ladies and gentlemen, my involvement in their story of change as a facilitator made me realize that DFC Program brings about “Urgency” for action. The children hunt for the problems that bother them the most; then they list down the solutions to solve it, and then they execute their action and finally they share it with the world to inspire others to make the world a better place to live. They feel, they imagine, they do and then they share. They take all that matters in their own little hands!

It also came to my consensus while helping the children that the DFC program also indirectly teaches them about “designing” or about the “planning process” involved in creating something. The designing of a clothe, for instance, requires the designer to feel about the need for the cloth, then he imagines the fabric, design and the texture of the cloth, and then he cuts and stitches the cloth pieces together and finally sale it to the world.

Planning a dinner at home for friends would involve the same process. I should first feel the need to throw a party to my friends. Then I would imagine the menu and then I would invite my friends and have dinner. Finally, I would share with my other colleagues in my office about the dinner I hosted for my friends the previous night. Interestingly, the talk about the dinner in the office would then inspire another friend to host a dinner in the following night.

Personally speaking, DFC is changing the way our children think. With its FOUR stages of FEEL, IMAGINE, DO and SHARE DFC is teaching our children more than the stories they have in their minds to share with us today. Getting our children involve in this noble initiative will only make them more humane, visionary, smart planners, elite executives and above all a responsible future citizen.

To sum up, the story that my students so proudly want to share today with you all might not make you click your tongue or might neither garner compassion from all the Connors of this Assembly hall….because it relates to democracy and politics- the least admired topics currently…….but it’s righteous enough to say that these children have become more responsible citizens and have certainly curved a small space for themselves in the history of our young democracy by being an agent of change in their own little ways.

In the mild cold of Darjeeling

Picture Perfect Darjeeling 

The following piece of feeling was penned down during my college days. This lyric (hope it sounds correct for the write up presented below) was meant for a music video which could never be filmed. i guess i was too busy in other stuffs. 

But this morning i found it tacked between my academic certificates. And going through it i felt happy for being at home but gradually my happiness was tainted by realizing the tremendous upheaval in Darjeeling (in the recent times).

This write up, call it a poem, lyric, you name it...but i wish to offer it as a sincere gratitude for letting us (foreign students) learn and grow in the mesmerizing beauty of Darjeeling. It also aspires to be a prayer that would help fulfill the 'aspiration for a separate state' and bring peace and happiness back to the Hills of Darjeeling; the place we would love to visit again.    

St,Joseph's College, NP, Darjeeling

Under the shadow of our college

Surrounded with mountains and hills

With people so kind and loving

Their culture so rich and pleasing

Darjeeling town

All it makes us feel

We are back home and living

It really churns out such a feeling

In the mild cold of Darjeeling

Under the banner of humanity

People live in the cream of harmony

Takes immense pride to celebrate

Their rituals with great excitement

People of Darjeeling

Whenever we close our longing eyes

We feel you are by our side

Whenever we see the blue sky

And feel the cold breeze blowing by

Our heart shed tears inside

“Miles apart” when this we realize

It really churns out such a feeling

In the mild cold of Darjeeling

Our heart keeps on missing you

As we are living far away from you

So we long for you each night and day

And there is emptiness in each day

In the shape of you

Oh! My Country; Bhutan you!

Photo courtesy: Google.

A Crematorium more for the Living.

The coming of a crematorium made my fellow villagers happy because now they will have a proper shelter to cremate the dead. They will no longer have to stay under heavy rain while burning the deceased. The problem of corpse unable to burn completely into ashes will not be a problem anymore. 

But the villagers have been paying the price worth more than their comfort.

Crematorium along the bank of Sipsu River

The crematorium built beside Sipsu River near my village (Hangay) is a story of “Poor Morality”. Why? Please continue reading…..

The location of the crematorium depicts sheer negligence on the part of the concern authorities involved in the construction of the crematorium. They didn't have the basic commonsense or an ability to foresee some negative impacts of the crematorium considering its location.

Needless to say, the cleaning of the crematorium drains the dirty water into Sipsu River. It is the easiest and the only way for the caretaker to deposit the waste.

The river, as a source of drinking water for the villagers, has been a life line for ages. Now people cannot fetch the water for domestic use anymore whenever the water pipes installed by the Local Government run dry.

 Even more scary and sadden aspect of the crematorium than the water crisis is the smelly smoke that invade alters and rooms of the community where touching/eating meat is ethically and religiously unaccepted.

The only logical reason behind construction of the crematorium at the present location might be to make it more close to the main road but Crematoriums are not Hospitals!

The benefit derived from the crematorium has become minimal due to the negative impacts it have on the immediate water source and the sanctity of our small village. The crematorium in all measure is a good initiative by the Local Government but the present location is both debatable and questionable.

The immediate solution I see as a responsible citizen and as a member of the village is that the crematorium needs to be relocated at the extreme end of the Sipsu River.

Happiness doesn't have a place.

On the Happiness Day 

On Wednesday, 20^th March, 2013, HAPPINESS was all ours. We, as a nation, had celebrated International Happiness Day. It was a perfect sunny day. The weather was indeed synonymous to happiness. 

Family dining in a restaurant on The International Happiness Day

Norzin Lam, the main street of Thimphu City was closed for the traffic. The street was filled with activities. The nearby restaurant owners had erected food stalls with “happiness menu” tag posted on the top corner of their menu list. Songs of our latest Blockbusters blared across the street. The dancers entertained the onlookers. The clock tower had its own share of entertainment. And the people of Thimphu walked along the street enjoying the day to celebrate happiness.

The Time Square of Thimphu

The Boulevard of Thimphu (Norzin Lam)

From the innocent villagers of the far flung villages to the elite and snobbish group of people in our capital city, we, as Bhutanese know how to celebrate happiness. That’s for sure. We forget everything when we are in the mood of celebration. We sing, we dance and then we drink a lot! We live in the moment. We don’t make a point to discuss an issue of concern when we are all for celebration. We just don’t worry at all! We just cannot afford to do so because we are happy and would only like to be happier.

Though our country doesn’t have the military strength or the economic might to boost our patriotism but we have enough of other elements to be proud off. We had and have great kings. We have rich culture and tradition, pristine natural environment and we still have community vitality; we still rely and visit our neighbors often. We contribute and support any initiative in a locality. We come together in times of need and we mourn together on our common loss. We have ample reasons to be happy and to celebrate as a nation.

But the recent developments in the economic and political scenario of our country are quite baffling. These are the issues that would not be so easily taken aside. From the gasoline price to the international border disputes in the north, the online viral information about our first set of politicians being corrupt and the economic crisis make up too big a chunk to gobble down. I believe Bhutanese have never faced anything so alarming than the current situation. I believe we were never so worried!

Where have we gone wrong as citizens of this wonderful Nation? “Everything seemed OK before 2008”, remarks my close friend with deep lament. Where did we fail as citizens? Now, all said and done, we are yet again offered a choice to make! It’s the decision that will make or mar the already worsened situation. Coming 13^th of July is the D-DAY for all of us. CHANGE is GOOD and CHANGE is at least certain to come in my constituency this fall.

Yesterday, I received a telephonic call from Lichen village in Trashiyangtse where I was once a community teacher. The callers on the other end were two mothers of my ex-students inquiring about my whereabouts and requesting me to visit their village someday along with my wife. In their limited Dzongkha and with their odd accent they informed me about a list of things they would present us if we happen to visit them.  Unaware of the latest developments, their excitement on hearing about my marriage and then the unending happiness that prelude in their voice simply touched me.