Reflection of my days in Kanglung: Part Three

Me During my convocation in 2005

Long  brooding days of  my first year and swift passing days of my second year finally gave way for my  final and third year. The year in essence has indeed been a year of reflection its truest sense for me. 

Every evening when Sherubste rested in peace, I took a refuge in my room to  reflect on the days I spent as a careless fun loving lad. I also reflected on days when me and my friends alike went low in academics and high on love, football and laughter. 

I saw my first year elapse. I qualified for my second year with just marginal marks. A job invariably would demand supremacy in academic performance and not realizing the kind of fight I will have to put up later, I closed my first year chapter.

My second year was no different. I continued going low with my academics. If my first year was a disaster then my second year was mega disaster. The results were declared and to my dismay I stood and scored the lowest ever mark in the history of my academic performance. I failed in my computer paper and couldn't clear my Business mathematics. I scored lamenting 5 marks out of 50 in Business mathematics. Interestingly in the middle of this hue and cry, my consolidated mark sheet said different story all together. It said I scored 45 out of 50 and it obviously shocked the entire class. It became news in the college. I broke the college record in the paper. But that story as anticipated and expected didn't have a happy ending. I wrote an inquiry letter to the University through my department head. The University in turn responded with regret. The letter explicitly told me to read my mark as "05 and not as 45". 

With that note, it was not only  reflection of my merrier days but it was also a dawn of realization. with 2 additional paper to clear, the task called for more hard work. More work with my books meant lesser time for leisure.

I frequented study hall, and that time around it was for different reason. I had loads of books to refer and get myself out of the cobweb and dizzy lost days. I talked less and moved around less. I surely had Mountain to climb and thick socks to pull up.  I would  go out occasionally but would come back quick and fast to continue my  preparation for my final show down. In a months time I lost considerable amount of weight and I saw my self being reduced to a skinny young man with lots of bones on body and beards on my face. I was in to a very serious business and I wouldn't miss my class for any reason. I wouldn't even entertain to proxy for any one.  

Being a class representative, I had the liberty to go straight to our professors and request them to call off the classes. But with each passing day, the fantasy of calling off classes diminished. There was in fact need for extra classes!

Mid way through my final year, the tradition of the college took a full swing again. Tradition of endless dates among couples, endless pair ups and endless break ups, frequent birthday parties and frequent reunions swayed the life in Kanglung once again. Few of our friends were  even happily married and surprisingly even had children back home.

I would often go to my  Best friend cum professor's place to spend my weekends with him  either to help him in his household chores or to feed myself. We would spent sleepless nights discussing on various topics and take a week off from the college and visit my parents in the high up valleys of Shingkhar.  One day he asked me what my future plans were. He then went on to remind me  that in months time I would be thrown in the ocean of life's challenges and that I will have to swim on my own to get ashore. Those were indeed golden words form him, because I remember having no plan what so ever. 

If at all Sherubtse meant something, it was all about excellence. Let there be light and there was sherubtse in Bhutan. Intellectual womb of Sherubtse has produced some of the finest think tanks of Bhutan  and it embodied the "autobiography of our hopes". It was then I realized how fortunate I was to be there standing tall yet with attributes that far fell form what it actually demanded. I felt I was a frog without tongue and snake without tail.

The snake and frog like feeling however made me more manly. It gave me strength to fight back and took me back to the track. Finally I rediscovered my self; -a hard working and sincere learner who had unsataible desire for knowledge. Even though the moments lost could not be mended, I believe I could still live and make my remaining days a worth while one. I started to burn my mid night candle with all my heart. 

That year, one of my closest friend was unanimously elected as our Hostel Councillor and two of them moved to the councillor's room on the ground floor. They had the luxury of toilet inside unlike commoners who used common toilets. I stayed back and two of my nomad friends whom i met year ago joined me. (Jigme Thinley, present accounts officer in ECB and Phuntsho Dendup, present labour officer in MoLHR) we had a harmonious existence then. In the evening when we got together, both of them would have their own stories;- mostly love stories that invariably ended with failures.

I was finally in my 8th month of my final year, but I didn't know whether I really deserved to be treated that way. With my 2 second year paper still due meant that I risk being called back for my second year the next year. This created an enormous pressure on me.

The juniors treating the final year people and final year guys delivering their farewell speeches were at its hype. No matter what, I took part if i was invited and I kept a list of people who actually invited me. some 114 people graciously invited me to bid me farewell. Apart from that, first year and second year B.Com people also have the  tradition of  hosting grand farewell dinner for the final year B.Com people. As a senior and in a symbolic gesture of their respect for their elders, we were given a white scarf, which represented purity of thought and purity of action (meaning that all the jeers and nasty comments during their introductory nights were nothing but a tradition) I was touched and I regretted for having jeered during their introductory nites and welcome show. But on the lighter note, it was all about passing tradition and culture down the line, generation after generation. In essence it was about being Bhutanese, I guess.

With all my hard work and preparation, I did my examinations. I thought it went well. It surely did. I got through my back papers. Although it was not officially announced, I even topped in one of the papers of the third and final year. My hard work paid off and it was a sensational feeling of relief and joy. I was awarded  the certificate of B.Com Honors from Delhi University, which I believe was/is one of the best universities in world (because not many students, especially in economics and commerce scored good marks)

That was my life in Sherubtse College.

Reflection of my days in Kanglung: Part two

During my Graduation day in 2005

If my first year  was a year of freedom misunderstood period, then my second year was surely a transition period for me. Transition period because I finally got introduced to a thing called "computer". Transition period because I started learning about what romance in Kanglung actually meant. Transition period because I realized that I had a mounting expectations form my parents and other well wishers.

Talking about my introduction to the computer and IT world there, I would say that computer thing came as a complete  revelation for me.  It was then I regretted a lot for not caring to learn what this computer was all about. I believe we had computers in our High school. (Drukgyel High School In Paro) But I never cared since it was not included in our syllabus.

There were only 6 computers in the library with an Internet facilities then. As a fresher and and a first yearer (one year ago) I remember those days when I rushed and ran to book one. I even remember sacrificing my breakfast at times to get one computer booked so as to write a short mail to my friends in India. Even though the Internet was dead slow, I remember being patient like a spider. Due to unestablished  Internet connection, the net work in the library often remained offline. But that didn't deter me from visiting the library.  I would visit library for many reasons and visiting for sake of using computer used to be my priority.  Even though the computer to me was confined only to Microsoft office and Internet, every single minute I spent with it brought me immense joy and satisfaction. It was fun and enthralling. It kept me engrossed and I often missed my other classes on this account.

Once we were in the library, our librarian meant only two thing, -silence and discipline. Those two things were often over looked and neglected by me and  most of my friends alike, because the excitement and amusement in using  the computers were too much. Some of my friends would even bounce like a pop corn only to be brought down my Mr. Nakchung's  (the librarian), "come down" that would reverberate the room.

As a matter of coincidence, I also met a junior man who had his own laptop and  digital camera. I don't exactly remember how I got introduced to him but we knew each other quit well and got along well too. He would often take my picture in his camera and show me in his laptop, but he would never let me put my fingers on his keyboard. I would stay late in his room listening to his digital stories and return to my room  late with a feeling of enviousness and remorse. I later came to know  that he is Digital Dorji and so was he. I saw him being called with that name all through his college days.

Talking about romance in Kanglung, (form my perspective) It was all about boys and girls, madly in pursuit of each other. It was about proposing to each other with no middleman. In most cases in a drunken state. when the pair finally consents to each other, it was all about moving out for countless evening walks and countless dinners in the corners of Hotel Palas. For a boy, it was also about inviting his girl to the room for a cup of tea/coffee/water and going back to her room for lunch/dinner. There were also rumors that romance was never complete without lovemaking in bush, in small TV rooms or in the toilets.

As for me, romance was all about liking my good friend -head over heels. I liked her. The obvious reason could be that simple thing called love. May be I fell in love with her. You see, how tender and easy it is for us to fall in love!  We initially met each other in the study room. -Totally stranger to each other. Although it was not in my habit to use study hall for studying purposes, I started visiting it often.

It was there, we discussed things other than the contents of our text books. We talked about our family and past school life. It took us us all through the night. When we got late, I would boldly reach her to her room and return alone frightened, scared and lonely.

I didn't like movies, but with her, I found it was OK to refresh myself occasionally. It was even OK, if i didn't understand anything at all. In our lighter moments, we would sit together and play chess. I still remember how enraged she became when she could not win the game.

I remember inviting her to my room. Probably many time but for coffee and tea. But she never accepted. Not even once. On the other side, I frequently visited her room either for a cup of tea or for a lunch. Her potato curry with cheddar tasted yummy. It still makes my mouth water. It really do.

One thing we never shared to each other was our feeling of intimacy. A feeling which is way deeper and profound.  We were good friends (or did I think we were more than that) but there were things which sadly remained within ourselves (or my own self). Even in my  most drunken state, I fell short of guts to "propose her". Perhaps it was infatuation at its best. My Kanglung romance was anything but a dream I continued dreaming, I call it a beautiful dream.

With this, I was finally half way through with my second year; -the climax. The Business Mathematics, Cost Accounting, Cost Control Analysis, Taxation policy, Company Law, Micro Economics Theory II and Business Data Processing were my main academic subjects that year. The primary subject; -the academic part, which otherwise required primary concern, became a matter of last minute fancy and sadly because of this, not everyone in my class made  to second year.

Talking about the expectations and anticipations of my family, It was simple and plain. They were of the opinion that job for me was thing of 'guarantee'. Mid way through my second year, I even had a call from my father in which he asked whether, I could become Teacher the next year after. For him it was like, I am  completing class 14. I was also told that my toddling nephew wanted to take credit ride on bus, because he thought that the payment could be made later when his uncle gets tolop; 

Apart from these events, life in Kanglung was normal, men played football all week long in the ground which apparently looked like murky paddy field. Occasionally few ladies came to witness either the game or a fight resulting form the game.   We were served  bread  and butter/jam on every Wednesdays and Fridays and zaw and suja every evening. Very often the college baker and mess In-charge (Lop drimpon) would go home enraged by the voraciousness of our friends.

That year, our group broke apart in terms of the hostels we stayed. Few continued to live in DH 4, while me and two others decided to shift to newly created DH5. We lived more independent lives. This at times worried me. Sometimes I would remain  alone in the room listening to 'kabi khushi kabi gham' song all through the night played on my friends panasonic radio. It was solitude, but no bliss. It was during that time, I started living like a nomad; -away from my group, only to be joined by another two nomad-like man. They were a year junior to me and I was like  'big brother' for 2 of them. I called them my  little brothers.

I also met many people with whom I started building strong emotional attachment. One person I still remember is a professor of zoology and botany. He was more of a friend to me than a college professor. (I would love to share this in my next segment)

Finally the exams were over and friends have all left the place. Buzzing and busy college merely looked like an abandoned place with haunted and inhabited houses everywhere. I thought I would be the last person to leave the campus but luckily, there was one person who fell behind like me. ( Dawa Tshering, blogger who currently blogs on www.cholachorus.com). We stayed a night together in Kanglung and Trashigang before I finally reached Shingkhar.  I remember enjoying the the best eggplant curry  and basmati rice being cooked by  Dawa. 

Reflection of my days in Kanglung: Part One

goole images

It was sometime in July 2001 that I journeyed to Sherubtse College, -the so called premier institute of learning and the laurel of the East to continue my studies. After class 12 results were declared by the Bhutan Board of Examinations,  I applied for B. Com Honors course and when the selection results were declared, I saw my name somewhere in the middle of the list. There were 90 of us who qualified for the prestigious course. Having missed so many classes and lessons in the class when i fell sick, it was something that i have least expected.

Our group finally reached Kanglung, where Sherubtse College, -the then only college in the country is located. I remember seeing a banner welcoming us to the college. some of our old school mates came to receive us and they even offered  us the welcome tea  ( to Me, Dorji Dukpa, who is the present accounts officer in High Court, Sherab Wangchuk, who is the current research officer in Ministry of Agriculture and Galey Tenzin, who is the current marketing officer in the Ministry of Agriculture). Initially we are given room in the Degree Hostel One (DH1). We were told that we  will be accommodated in DH1, only if we are a versatile football player. since four of us were like jack of all and master of none  kind of footballer, we were given a room right next to the stinking toilet. The very next day four of us silently moved our beddings to newly created Degree Hostel Four (DH4). Although we had a noisy neighbors, we found life more pleasing in our new room. 

My First year experience
We were called the freshers and so called the freshers were introduced to various college traditions. Some of the traditions were weird and even awful. It began with the so called introductory nite. we the freshers, both male and female were made  to walk to the stage and introduce ourselves with our  names and the schools we have earlier attended.  i have seen Seniors sitting in the front and passing varied opinions. They either told the fresher to have a hair cut or learn to wear gho properly. For a pretty and good looking lady fresher, a male seniors were seen slyly saying "you are good looking, and I welcome you" 

in a weeks time we the freshers were invited for a welcome show by the oldies. the show comprised of few dzongkha dance and few English songs sang by seniors. we were also invited for a welcome dance party.  The dance party in particular was so alien for me and my friends. I wondered that such a thing called  party existed where people called it a party but ate nothing.

With that the ball was in our court.  We the freshers were asked to stage a return show. We were 240 combined so staging a return show wasn't a problem for us. I participated in a Dzongkha welcome dance. 


Then came the blind date. -The most outrageous yet hilarious tradition of the college. Poor fresher boys were seen moving around with the elderly ladies. They were also seen carrying big umbrellas to keep their date dry and clean just in case it rained.  In the evening, as tradition demands, freshers both male and female were seen treating their dates in the restaurants and hotels.  I considered myself lucky, because there was no date fixed for me and it saved me from spending for a stranger. -I thanked my seniors silently.


Those were the days, during which i became reckless in spending time. No morning studies, no evening studies and no lights off signal in the night meant that we can rise and lay down at our own whims. it was a freedom misunderstood period.  


Our class room session used to be very interesting because there were so many amusing characters in our class. To supplement this, our Dzongkha language professor would always have something interesting to share stating from his biography to biography of lam Drukpa Kinley. there were also other professors who would come to our class with full of zeal and humor. The chief ones I remember are the smooth flow of micro economics class, drowsy and sleepy business law class and busy and fast moving statistics and financial accounting classes.


Once we are outside class, we were expected to behave like a juniors. During our evening walks, I would only take a walk on the edge of the road. Many a time i have returned to my room with messy shoes with a crushed dog shit. Every time i went out alone, the phobia of being ragged by group of seniors lingered in my mind. There were times I got very mad (internally) and irritated about the system of ragging. Even though I never got ragged myself, the news of a group of seniors having ragged and slapped on one of my closest friend got to my nerves.

with each passing day, different events kept on unfolding. the events like the inter hostel competitions like football, volleyball, basketball,  drama, dance, singing, quiz, and many more took place. our hostel always came last in most of the events. But surprisingly we came up as winner in inter volleyball competition in which I also took part. 

so the life seemed very busy and fast moving. Even the back breaking bush cutting sessions on weekends didn't seem to bother us. 


I remember joining my friends for a walk every evening towards view point. sometime we would often extend that walk till kissing corner which is in close proximity to suicide corner. we would finally retreat to our room after praying in zangtho pelri lhakhang.  Other times we would remain in confines of our room simply gossiping, singing or doing our assignments.

Then there was one last thing without which  life in Kanglung was considered incomplete,-the arra session. Once the exams were over, we would all go out together for a relaxation. Rongthong side used to be our favorite destination. We would all drink and come back drunk. there are instances, where  beginners puked all over and  fell sick for days.