Blessed Rainy day Post (or Thrue Baap Post)

Picture Courtesy: Samten Wangdi

Thrue Baap (or the blessed rainy day) for Bhutanse is a very auspicious and sacred day. It is a day to cleanse both our body and mind from the sins we have committed both knowingly and unknowingly. People believe in taking bath with sanctified water with flowers. Bathing hours are however prescribed by astrologers. It is a day to cherish our bygone monsoon and welcome our much awaited autumn. Its the beginning of bountiful  autumn season! -the season of offering and season of thanksgiving!. All in all, its a day that merits happy celebration with full mirth. In Bhutanese calender, it also marks the end of rainy season for the year.

Back home, besides bathing, my family have a  tradition of visiting a temple on this day and make an offering. And more than that it used to be a happy family reunion too. I used to take my family to meet my relatives and siblings. We eat a lot and get drunk! and come home with lots of happy memories and nostalgic feelings. 

Since, I cound't be with my family this year, I thought it would be worthwhile for me to try and to put up a post worthy of thrue baap for my readers. 

You see, one year ago, I landed in a strange place called Gujarat. Without the slightest knowledge about the place, I felt the total strangeness in both place and the people. Trust me it is not an exaggeration. Hot, humid, dusty, messy and noisy, I disliked the place from the core of my heart. I felt immensely bitter and that I cursed not only the place but also the people who sent me here.  At times I found myself inconsolable and I longed to go home quick and swift. 

I suffered worst, when classes were taken in Gujarati medium. I felt suffocated and lost listening to a language which I knew nothing about. It was the testing time for my patience. But in between, when lectures were taken in English, it brought me much needed relief and respite. So when ever lectures were taken in Gujarati, I considered my self to a sinking duck in the water and to a floating duck when lecture resumed in English. 

And away from my college, people in the street, mall and shop gossip openly about me. Most of them mistook me for a Chinese guy. On seeing me they giggle at first and shout "Chingka" on top of their voice. For once I thought to myself that Chingkas are to most Gujaratis what toys are to kids. So I had that dying urge to learn their language and someday talk to them on equal terms.

Now in my second year here in Gujarat, I have not only learned to communicate at basic level, but I have also made a good progress in learning some Gujarati terms in Economics too. I feel I am not a sinking duck any more. I tell people not to gossip about me on their face. Check my Gujarati -Economics vocabulary :

Sl No	Gujarati Word	Equivalent English Word
1	Arth sans thra	Economics
2	Samtula	Equilibrium
3	Simanm	Marginal
4	Khartz	Cost
5	Mang	Demand
6	Vikas	development
7	Veshnikaran	Globalization
8	Arthik	Finance
9	Jokham	Risk
10	Fer faro	Change
11	Apekshath	Expectation
12	Upathpadan	Productin
13	Vektheno	Individual
14	Jayar Dev	Public Debt
15	Jurwa mati	To see
16	Prayath	Available
17	Esteeth	Neutral
18	Sangkalan	Integration
19	Tika	Criticisims
20	Miriadav	Limitations
21	Purna Harifai	Perfect Competition
22	Ijarat Harifai	Monlpolistic Competition
23	Tafni	Technology
24	Awakath	Income/ output
25	Rajai Sarkar	State Government
26	Dhana	Assumptions
27	Jakatnu	Tariff/ Customs Duty
28	Sudra	Ammendment
29	Jayar Shetra	Public Sector
30	Purna fura	Reallocation
31	Isttam	Optimum
32	Mahatum	Maximum
33	Wage	Vethan
34	Rent	Bhadu
35	Profit	Nafo
36	Saras	Important
37	Juda	different
38	Juno	Old
39	Muko	Put
40	Acho-kas-tam	Uncertainity
41	Policy	Niti
42	Parman	Quantity
43	Samai	Time
44	Purna Rozgar	Full employment
45	Pragati	progress
46	Achar	Constant
47	Bhagani	Exogenous
48	Lamba gara	Long run
49	Phugaw	Inflation

            50               Ochu                                           Less

            51             Vadaro                                     Increase/grow 

These are commonly used words in my class. I can now proudly listen to my professors and node my head in satisfaction.  Believe me, I can also speak some sentences! This has surprised many of my class mates.

By the way, dear friends, I wish you all a very very happy blessed "rainy" day. May you all have a prosperous year ahead.