Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering

Lyonpo Ugyen in his former days.

If at all I knew anything about Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering, then I knew his simplicity and humbleness. As many Bhutanese put it, I knew him as "simple Lyonpo". To me, Lyonpo resembles one person in Bhutan. Rare and scare just like himself. Late Lhalung Thuskey Rimpoche of Bumthang and Lyonpo Ugyen are to me, the Kings of simplicity. They are the rarest. A one in a million species. 

Thanks to BBS and Mrs Namgay Zam, I am today able get more insight into the lives of an extraordinary being who, I think has put all his heart and soul for the cause of our nation. Physically challenged and weakened to bottom by a deadly parkinsion, it is inspiring all the more to hear him share his dreams for future Bhutan. It is unfortunate that such a deadly disease crippled a man who have lot in his mind for his fellow country man. I am humbled to the core.

Listening to him, I felt reconnected with our past. I realized how Lyonpo and his group pulled our nation to its current glory. Step by step. Those were the people responsible for our peaceful existence today. I would highly recommend every Bhutanese, both young and old to watch this clip. Lyonpo has spoken his heart. I  am sure this will be of immense help for all of us in understanding our history, our culture, our foreign policy, our democracy, our freedom and our responsibility towards our Tsa wa sum. 

To me Lyonpo's dream Bhutan with rope ways looks very promising. If properly thought about and then implemented, I think it has the true potential or rescuing our economy, which at the moment is heeding towards a dangerous direction with billions in debt. This is because rope ways means less fuel import, less car import and altogether a less money going to road which are difficult to maintain. Besides this, Lyonpo's dream of revolutionizing the use of Information Technology are far far captivating. 

I fully agree with Lyonpo, on not rushing up things with impatient China. We indeed are like a child in the field of fostering foreign policies with mighty China. I also agree with Lyonpo that we have lot to learn from China in other fields through the goods and services that are already available in our country. As Lyonpo said, Bhutanese people are indeed "valley people" and not "mountain people" as proclaimed. No doubt about that. We have lot to learn what is behind the mountains! Perhaps, miles to go before we rest.  

I thank Aum Patricia Tshering for giving our Lyonpo the most deserving care and affection in his most needy time. Perhaps that's why women are called the better half of men. I personally feel sorry for this. Our Lyonpo's family sincerely do not deserve such a tragedy. I pray to Buddha of medicine for his quick recovery... .

Midnight Thoughts

Yesterday evening I saw a comment on Facebook. It immediately caught my attention. It had a reference to the Election Commission and their responsibility in monitoring social media during the upcoming elections. To be precise, the head line read something like this; ECB to strictly monitor social networking sites before election. Since I saw the head line in "Social Democracy in Bhutan" page, I somehow felt compelled to share my opinion. Following were my comments:

I think Monitoring Social networking sites wont make any difference...it would rather add extra burden to already over loaded ECB......How many people in Bhutan actually have internet access by the way? I am doubtful. I hope ECB is not doing this just to control perople like Ap Drukpa and Asha Gup.....ha ha ha ha .......All the best ECB....If that is what you call rule of Law...I think it should prevail...only time will tell..whether benefit was really worth the cost....

The came the answer from the Chief Election Commissioner himself. Following were his response to my comment:

Mr. PSN it helps sometimes to be broadminded than being synical. A journey of a thousand mile begins with a single step. Tenzing sherpa did not drop at mount everest he went up step by step. If u had anything that was ever useful u should have commented it when our draft was out in pulic for comments. Now when adopted you pretend to be the know all and care all follwing likes of wakleys. Hope ever heard la apagi bewa da jamtog tog and to aie gi zou da zhimtog tog.. Wether we can monitor or not is our responsibility. I have fairh all the sm user except may be few that by mow we have a fair idea as to who these are. Note if there is will there is way.

And with due respect, I offered my another comment to Dasho. I was of the opinion that Dasho misread my message. So here is my response to Dasho's comment:

Dasho, I appreciate your broad-mindedness and yea, I also know the long journey stuff that begins with single step.. I take it as a privilege, being able to hear it one more time from the chief EC of Bhutan.....to be very honest, I didn't even know that ECB have an act to monitor social networks.. that's because we have too many acts in Bhutan........ and well, that's what I said so..."If that is call a rule of law, it should prevail'........I know you are a man of action and I also know how dedicated u have been all these years in service of tsa wa sum. But i find u so so pathetic coming to my level and saying such a words as "Hope ever heard la apagi bewa da jamtog tog and to aie gi zou da zhimtog tog" As a citizen, I have always had high regard and respect for you. I always felt grateful for having an unwavering statesmanship like you in Bhutan's bureaucracy. But on hearing the above statement its like "Lak drin kha ge seey" 

Dahso I have just shared my opinion in a very informal way.....if u are hurt I am sorry..... If u are comparing me to Whalkey, you are wrong...we are different individuals with different perspectives altogether... Under your leadership, I have no doubt about ECB shouldering that responsibility and I wish u good luck....Just like u, i also desire to see a very smooth and hassle free election in 2013 in our beloved country.......The reason why i made a reference to AP drukpa, and asha gup are obvious. As an active fb user u must have also read their statements.....i forgot to mention you about Bhutanomics........ Dasho lastly...let me make some addition to your closing statement: where there is a will, there are even more ways.......All the best. Dasho take feedback with cool heart...if u find it stupid...just ignore....there is a saying: You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.

And before I could get a response from Dasho, It was some punk, named Ziggy Love on Facebook, who took his turn to respond to my comment. I have now idea who that "Ziggy Love" is. And to my shocking revelation, he gave me the folloing comment:

Peldhen Sonam Nima- you are but an arse to me. Arrogant m'fucker!

 Personally, calling me "asre" is ok, "arrogant" still more Ok. But some one who doesn't even have a face of his own calling me, "m'Fucker", I tell you , it is way too much. If someone call me with that name in my arms length, I wouldn't think twice to crush his skull to powder!....So Wrote my unprecedented reply:

Ziggy Love you may be a Mother fucker yourself, you monkey arse......I don't care a shit abt you ...better be cafareful with the words u use ......mother fucker! if u have a better point to say ..say it....or else shut your dirty mouth.....

But Ziggy had some more words to infuriate me.

A donkey can never sound Nightingale no matter how hard he tries. Peldhen Sonam Nima, you can't take a line of critical (Ofcourse intensed) remark critically and yet have the audacity to go on hooting what ever your immature and frail mind comes up with against the very institution that promotes freedom and liberty in Bhutan. If that's not a arse like, it's my balls sucking time for you! Cheers

From his comment, I could clearly make out that he wanted me to say something unpleasant to Chief Election Commissioner of Bhutan. I could also clearly make out that faceless Ziggy have a problem understanding the concepts like rule of law, democracy and freedom. But that was ok. There are many  coward people like him.  But what got to my nerve is that his "Ball sucking time". I wrote my other unprecedented reply:

Ziggy Love, Looks like u really have issue with me. Oh yea... you Be a man and come out from the veil. show your dirty little monkey face and talk to me like a man. I hope u are not reincarnation of a ghost, I killed long time.....If need me, I don't mind having to kill the ghost in you another time.....Do u atleat have a ball.....They way you roar like a mouse from behind the veil of anonymity gives me an indication that you are nothing but a ball-less wimp, at best mother fucker, arse kisser, and ball cum dick sucker yourself........To understand a "kew lo chok , shew tonglok" creature like u, I don't need to be that critical. I can easily make out that you have nothing to prove except the ramblings that doesn't mean a shit to any one of us here.....now if u insist, bring your balls, i will grind those shrunken ball into powder and spray on your......well your pathetic looking wimpy face.......how abt that..?

After that Ziggy went dead. I waited the entire day for his reply but he never showed up. It is understandable that a wimp like him will have nothing to prove after all. In a mean time I got the reply for my comment from the chief Election Commissioner of Bhutan, which read as follows;

Thanks PSN..I had to be possessive of the institution I represent from some agendas. You and me, may be we have to on same page. 

And Finally, I closed the chapter with my following comment;

Freedom comes with duty ....my duty as a citizen is to uphold the law first and then look for my freedom......Freedom is necessary but not sufficient condition for vibrant democracy......Just my thoughts....I hope this doesn't offend faceless, voiceless, arse kissers like Ziggy Love.

I think I played enough with the pig today, And to all my friends and readers, please forgive me for being so so vulgar. Honestly, I never thought I could be that nasty and dirty, But with people like Ziggy, it made me think that, well I am just another human being.

Have a nice time and yea folks, I have exams coming Monday, so wish me good luck.

Freedom in Exile by H.H The Dalai Lama of Tibet

"Freedom in Exile" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama is by far the most touching autobiography ever written. The love and affection he have for his fellow beings are inspirational and are heart warming. Its a story written from the heart with full of emotion and feelings. Its a story of a compassionate Buddhist leader who was over powered by foreign aggression and then subsequently forced him into exile from his peaceful country, often referred to as Shambala (I know there aren't many people who haven't read this book)

One thing that makes this book truly beautiful is its spontaneity, humility and humor. Flipping through the pages, it made me laugh and smile. It made me think that H.H is as much amusing as he is holy and venerable. Flipping more pages, it made me even cry. It made my heart go out for all our Tibetan brothers and sisters who are living under the harshest possible condition in their own homeland. The kind of torture, bloodshed, execution, and imprisonments described in the book are nightmarish and are deeply disturbing. It also arouses a great sense of sympathy to those who are living as refugees around the world with constant pains and pangs of being separated from their loved ones and their beloved homeland. 

More then the story of a H.H, its also a story of how the rest of the world failed to protect innocent Tibet from the clutches of Communist's greed. Its a sad story of how Democracies around the world was silenced by the might of misinterpreted socialism in China under the dictatorship of chairman Mao. When Tibet saw no one with capacity and willingness to rescue its poor self, it was "power from the barrel of a gun" that did the rest in Tibet! The book also gives us an insight as to how Tibet has since then become a place of horror, cut off from the rest of the world and completely dark. 

The book gives us a brief historical account of how Tibet and China coexisted as a neighbor for eons. It also sheds light on those disappearing yet sacred tradition and culture of Tibet. The way H.H describes about the "magic and mystery" in Tibet is hilarious. The kind of patience H.H has shown towards reconciling with  China are true reflection of unmistakable Bodhisattva. 

The book also gives us an insight to the the most regrettable affair of the world. It elucidates about the greatest blunder of a greatest personality in the history. Its how Jawharlal Nehru, the then prime Minister of India, who underestimated the the kind of threat new China posed for recovering and already weakened India (under the British colonial rule) The idealist Nehru was rumored to have died heart broken, when he finally realized that China stabbed him from behind. It has a reference to 1962 war in which India suffered bitterly. "hindi-chini bhai bhai" from thence became Hindi-Chini Bye bye. Sino-India relations remained cold ever since, creating further distrust and instability in Asian region.

Besides those horrifying stories, H.H also narrates a story of his own family. Through his expression, we can clearly understand the amount of love, faith and trust he have towards his family members; -especially towards his  mother, brothers and sisters.The way he bullied his late brother Lobzang Samten is way too memorable and would bring both tears and mirth in any readers. 

Although H.H extended his sincere appreciation and gratitude towards every host country for treating all the Tibetan people with love and care, H.H have also put forth where some Tibetans have also gross injustice in some of the neighboring countries. Particularly in Nepal and in Bhutan. This has a reference to how Tibetan rebel forces were ambushed by Nepali forces in Musang and how some 21 Tibetans "were thrown into jails" of  Bhutan "without proper trials" due to some political problems. 

And the most important part of the book is H.H's five-point peace plan. The most important point in the plan is H.H's intention to transform Tibet into a Zone of Peace. This according to him is only possible if China demilitarized the entire Tibetan plateau. 

Finally H.H ends his story with following words:

"I would therefore like to conclude this book with a personal note of thanks to all friends of Tibet, The concern and support which you have expressed for the plight of the Tibetans has touched us all greatly and continues to give us courage to struggle for freedom and justice, not through the use of arms, but with the powerful weapon of truth and determination. I know that I speak on behalf of all of them when I thank you and ask you not to forget Tibet at this critical time of our country's history.

We, too, hope to contribute to the development of a more peaceful, more humane and more beautiful world. A future free Tibet will seek to help all those in need, to protect nature and to promote peace. I believe that our Tibetan ability to combine spiritual qualities with realistic and practical attitude will enable to make special contribution, in however modest a way. 

Finally I would like to share with my readers a short prayer which gives me great inspiration and determination:

For as long as space endures,
And for as long as living beings remain,
Until then may I, to bide
To dispel the misery of the world. "

It was little past midnight, when I finally finished reading the book. The sky outside was clear and air was much cooler. As I stood gazing at the moon and the stars thinking about the fellow Tibetans around the world, I saw a shooting star. A bright one that lasted the longest. It was then I made my wish. I wished for Free Tibet  and Long life for His Holiness the Dalai Lama.