Youth and the Zhungdra.

People at the back started booing loudly when a group of students appeared on the stage of Bjishong MSS auditorium to perform a Zhungdra(Traditional Song usually with a long tunes and slow motion). It was during inter house Zhungdra and Boedra( Traditional song which was performed by royal attendants) competition held on 16th of August 2014.

I wonder what awakes these people to boo at our traditional song which is an inevitable national identity, composed by extraordinary human beings and the great lamas (religious masters) of those days. For instance the Zhungdra” tsheden Tshogpai Tshoglu” was performed by the people of Thimphu in 1616 A.D in respect of welcoming the great Dharma leader, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal of Tibet( now part of China).Bhutan has remained an independent sovereign nation after Zhabdrung’s arrival and we can see his great legacy still alive today.

Besides all the characters that Bhutanese people possess, I hate one thing that every Bhutanese does. That is we never appreciate any performers performing on the stage be it in the school concert, street show, musical band show, drayangs( night entertainment) etc. In lieu of appreciation and encouragement we used to pass unethical remarks and always try to defame the performers in the public show.
I think we must chuck all those unkempt habits and learn to respect, appreciate and encourage the performers, because we never know how he or she struggles to appear in front of the crowd. I know it is not a piece of cake for anybody to appear in front of the crowd to speak or act. Even an expert public speaker must undergo through vigorous preparation before he or she plans to speak in the public forum.

4 comments:

  1. Though I love figure of speeches those songs hold, their long unwavering tunes make me less active in coming forward to perform them. I too had many experiences of preforming such dances in primary as well as during high schools. In all I had fun though - not for performing well but at times for bending my body in direction against the team.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well I too hesitate to perform Zhugdra as it bring drowsy numbness within me, but I never forget to appreciate somebody performing Zhungdra and that is what I expect from every bhutanese

    ReplyDelete
  3. Norbu sir, Zhungdra as you said hold significant space in music; from heavily loaded in-depth meaning in it to the great figures as its composers. Audiences booing while performing Zhungdra is common across from the time we were students. I don't know why? But I know for sure many are unaware of the history behind those Zhungdras. Their booing would be muted if they're told of history behind.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sure Sangay Sir, it is the fundamental duty of educators, parents and elder citizen of the country to create advocacy on importance of Zhungdra among our youths.

    ReplyDelete