About My Self

This article will be soon published in submenu of my newly born blog titled as About My Self. Therefore I would like to earnestly request Mr. sherub and Ugyen to provide constructive comments with regard to the post. Mr Sherub and Ugyen has been my only blog audience since it's incubation day, which took place just few months before.
Thank you Ugyen and Sherub.

 Here it goes.

Name: Norbu Wangdi.
Village: Radhi
Block: Shingkhar
District: Zhemgang.

Brief Introduction:

Norbu Wangdi was born to Father Sangay Dorji, a humble farmer from Radhi under Zhemgang District. The tiny village was located above gorgeous Chamkhar Chu overlooking the stunning villages of Thisa, Shingkhar, Wamling and Bardho. The son of poor peasant was brought up and nurtured along with other four children by his own biological parents feeding with maize flour porridge, Kharang (cooked beaten maize) and supplemented by dairy products like cheese, butter, curd, eggs etc.

As his home town was regarded as the least burgeoned gewog of the Dzongkhag, his parents were never bestowed with modern facilities like road, electricity and telecommunication etc. Traditional farming and keeping of degenerated domestic animals were the main occupation practiced to earn their living. Having zilch modern facilities in place, it was never an easy task for his parents to raise and nurture fifteen of them, within a short span of time. In fact the poor couple underwent through unbelievable, immeasurable and unlimitable painfulness when ten of them choked and bade farewell to other family members. Had there been health facilities and road connectivity in his village like many of the western villages, He would be definitely leading a football team to play in Changlingmeythang stadium comprising his own family members. Yet things were never out of predicament.

Out of five survived, the second eldest Norbu was bit serendipitous to get access to modern education. After completing his primary education in his gewog center, he went to Yebilaptsa Middle Secondary and later completed his higher secondary education from Zhemgang Higher Secondary School, one of the oldest schools in the Kingdom, built in 1961 by Father Mackey an educationist from west. Currently he works in Bjishong Middle Secondary School, under Gasa Dzongkhag, after having graduated from Paro College of Education in December 2009. He loves reading, writing, blogging, facebooking and tweeting. Playing traditional archery, khuru, (game of darts) and singing of traditional ( Boedra) song were also some his enthusiasm and interest which eat away his leisure time. His passion in outdoor games includes tackling of football but he was never skilled like Lionel Messi of Argentina and sometimes he used to spike volleyball too. He also enjoys playing badminton, Table tennis, carom and chess as indoor games.     

 

 

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My daughter's Joie de vivre Day.

“ Apa I nearly shrieked, when MC(master of ceremony) called my name as Jigme Yeshi Seldon” said my little daughter as I enter the first door of  my quarter, while I am returning home after having done with the duty of the day. Unlike other days, I was bit late as I have been handshaking, talking, discussing and debating with the parents of Class VIII A, pertaining to the issues like student’s academic performance, non- academic matters, ethics and conduct, values and ethos, that would immensely shape the lives of students in multiple ways.

“What evoked you to cry my dear daughter”, I enquired as I giggled. She just responded, “Apa I could not control my shyness and nervousness while facing such a huge throng, as it was completely new event in my life time”. I rather liked her rationale behind her timidity and embarrassment, because I know that, it was her first opportunity to appear in front of weird and an unusual gathering to receive a token of price for having topped among preprimary students.

“Apa you should have acted on my behalf” she murmured annoyingly. “Of course my dear, but for how many times, I am going to perform on your behalf? If so when you are going to boost your confidence, talents and learning that are indispensably needed to navigate in this twenty first century. My dear you must unlearn to be shy and nervous while exploring your talents, there is no short cut key to foster and propel your self confidence and self esteem without condemning inferiority, low self esteem, shyness and nervousness. It is just matter of practice my dear” I answered politely.

Amazingly she had flabbergasted me this time, when she finally admits her argument by nodding her head for several times, depicting the sign of acquiescence to my little advice. Usually she never submits any debates easily owing to her stubborn character, yet today I have convinced her.

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The legendary Chorten.

If one is determined to ride towards Gasa from Thimphu, it is just a matter of six hours to reach at the site of the legendary Chorten(stupa), commonly known as Gasa lamey Singye Chorten. The tiny artifact which was purely built in Bhutanese traditional design was located on the crest of a tiny hilly pass, overlooking gorgeous Goen Damji Village. Our History says that this true romantic story had sparked from Bhutan’s old capital Punakha. 

AP Daw, (Septuagenarian) from Goen Damji, had narrated this story to me in 2010 as follows: 
Singye an exuberant man, belonging to a humble family, from Gasa went to Punakha in search of a good fortune to promise his livelihood. His fortune was ultimately diagnosed, when was bestowed with an opportunity to serve Royal Druk Desi Tashi Dorji, as an attendant.
Galem the stunning queen of Changyul was believed to be the picturesque lady of Punakha. She was born to father Penpa Tashi, the native Punap originated from Chanyul Village.

As decided by their previous karma, the two youngsters fell into an inseparable love. However their unity was shattered, when Galem’s father deliberately rebuffed at their matrimonial plan, as he had secretly arranged her marriage with the Druk Desi of Bhutan. Refusing to usher and accept her parents will, Galem was thrust out of her home.
Singye who was in Gasa Dzong rushed to Punakha to rescue his beloved journeying though dense and virgin forest of Gasa. After his tedious, tiresome and poignant journey, the lonely Singye decided to sit for a lunch in the shadow of the chorten.

When he was about to position himself for the Lunch, suddenly the vampire of Galem appeared from the opposite side of the Chorten to join him with the lunch. Without much conversation, the lovers decided to ignite their lunch business and as Singye unpack the lunch, Galem just timidly whispered “My dear don’t forget say grace before you start to eat” and following his lover’s instruction Singey closed his eyes as he begin to utter grace as many Bhutanese does. Slowly, when he unzipped his eyes, Galem had vanished stupefyingly like spectrum of a rainbow.             

 

 

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To The Panel.

Sir,

I was deeply saddened and totally dismayed on 2^nd of July 2014, when one of the panel members (Dzongkha) deliberately told me “Mr. Norbu your response for my question is out of topic”. It was in Ministry of Education conference hall at Thimphu, while I was being interviewed by MoE bureaucrats for availing scholarship offered by TICA (Thailand International Cooperation Agency). After having completed my introductory part in English medium with the chief panel, the Dzongkha interviewer had accelerated his question in Dzongkha language to me as follows:

Question: “Well Mr. Norbu, I really appreciate the way you communicate in English, and I have sensed your genuine interest and enthusiasm in learning English, but on contrary, as a teacher can you highlight some of the tangible accomplishments that you have initiated to promote and preserve our national Language Dzongkha in your School?    

Answer: Thank you sir for your valuable and concerning question. In the first place as an educator, I am shouldered with huge responsibilities and duties to nurture and shape our future citizens as best servants of the nation in times to come. So obviously it is my integral duty to educate our children on significance of our national language and other national identities which are indispensable pillars to keep our sovereignty alive forever. Secondly as a citizen it is my fundamental duty to uphold, promote and strengthen our national language Dzongkha. Having realized my duty as an educator and concerned citizen, I have always played a key role in disseminating and creating advocacy on importance of Dzongkha to my students back in the school besides teaching mathematics and physics which I am trained for.

Question: Mr. Norbu, my second question for you is: With an institutionalization of democracy in Bhutan since 2008, how many governments are there in place governing our young democratic country Bhutan?

Answer:   Sir to answer your question, after we have ushered the values and principles of democracy, the DPT ( Druk Phunsum Tshogpa) had instituted the first democratic government of Bhutan headed by 1^st democratically elected Prime Minister Lyonchen Jigme Yoezer Thinley after his party was elected by the first voters of Bhutan on 24^th of March 2008. Consequently under the wise and dynamic leadership and guidance of our beloved kings, the first government (DPT) had successfully implemented the 10^th five year plan in the interest of our people. And today we have PDP (People’s Democratic Party) in power after she was collectively elected by us on 13^th of July 2013. Headed by young and exuberant Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, the elected government is in place currently serving our king, people and the country with utmost dedication in spite of limited resources we have. So all and all we have only a government in place. Suddenly a voice of a Dzongkha interviewer was heard again “Mr. Norbu your response was incorrect and it was just off the track”. Out of my amazement and bewilderment I just uttered Sir I am just confused with your query and would be grateful if sir could make it more explicit. To my surprise the Dzongkha panel told the house, “Mr.Norbu there are two governments in democratic Bhutan namely National Council and National Assembly of Bhutan.  In the due process unwittingly I had picked the debate with the interviewer defending my arguments based on constitution of Bhutan. When I defended my arguments based on separation of the Executive, the   Legislature and the judiciary and no encroachment of each other’s power, the concerned panel member was annoyed. I have informed the house that the National council being house of the review its primary function is to review the matters affecting the security and sovereignty of the country besides legislative functions. So obviously NC does not shoulder any executive matters.

So now I am further confused and I am sure that I won’t be selected for the scholarship as I have violated the conduct of interviewee. As deeply entrenched in our culture, disrespecting for elders, masters, teachers, seniors and interviewers are considered as an offence and for sure my marks will be negative based on my conduct with interviewers. Yet still my implausible mind envisage for the correct answer.

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