Sherab Tenzin's Blog

When I met her for the first time, she wasn’t one of those strikingly beautiful girls I have seen in our neighbourhood. Nothing of her was out of ordinary. Her parents are just little above poverty line. Her family is huge. She has four sisters and three brothers. The only employed brother works as a driver. She is a class ten drop out.

But as time flipped by, I became friendly with her. When it comes to socializing with opposite sex, I have always been very awkward. But I found something different in her – I never found that uneasiness ever since I first talked with her. Whenever I was bored of being locked up inside my room, I used to go out and talk with her. I used to find her free most of the times. She didn’t seem bothered by it.

This gradually fed me with more stories of her; stories that weren’t anything extraordinary - how she was being betrayed by her boyfriends when she has trusted him all her life and how her in-law-sister added more loads on her already down-capsized emotions. Yet most of the times I will be found deeply involved in her stories as if I was reading some sorts of classical drama scripts.

However, I didn’t have time for those stuffs. May be I was egoistically naive. Being a college going boy, I thought stake from girls will be there for me. Moreover I was with a thought – you’re looking just at one in the sea of thousands. When I was in college she used to call saying she loves me. But I took her words otherwise. To be frank, I used to feel irritated and more often I used to just ignore her calls. You may not believe it. I even put her number in reject list. I was busy with other stuffs – which I thought would matter to my life more than her. Moreover those girls-related things have had me put on edges several times before. I was like - an old donkey shouldn’t stumble on same rock twice.

Photo source: Google

However, she remained same all along despite my consistent slide. I completed my graduation then. And she was still there waiting for me. I was surprised to discover she has those same feelings for me. This gave me a different feeling. It was then I started sensing sliver-linings in her. I was still a wandering boy not tied to any woman’s heart. Only few can live single like moon and sun. And with some of my selection procedures, I took her in my life. We got married after few months.

She is my present wife – Tenzin Dema. And today when I look back the day, on which we first stepped together in our new apartment with just few kitchen utensils and mattresses to be called as my own, I have been married with her for more than a year now. Time has flown so fast with her. And today I have found park being with her. Within this short period, we have many got things. Our home has grown bigger now. But still I feel guilty of putting her under lenses and judging her for more than a required times. When I confessed this to her recently, she said, “Mistakes made in the service of love are pardonable.” This made me grow taller by a yet another meter!

So this is my story. And if I were to tell it once more:

A caterpillar was getting married. His friends, relatives and parents hated him and his quick decision altogether. They even tagged him as being doomed. But the caterpillar on other hand became a butterfly, surprisingly got a pair of wings and then he was able to fly.

It was one of those phases of my life when my wallet was flaccid without even a penny. It was 2013 winter when I was holding a degree certificate but was eagerly waiting for a place where it will prove useful. I was staying with my cousin brother. At last I was called for an interview by one of the organizations. I was glad. But as I said, I didn't have any money for even a city bus fare. I was worried. Yet once again I opened my wallet. It was sadly flat without anything that would take me to my destination. My cousin brother and his wife went to office. I didn't know anybody nearby to beg or request to be replaced later.

When time went by drawing me near to my reporting time, I scampered in my cousin's Choe-Sham (altar), made some prayers and hesitantly picked up a 50 Ngultrum note. Though this reached me to interview and then back, I was worried the whole day. I was like 'how can I confess such malicious act of me to my cousin at evening when he comes home.'

When they reached home at evening, I didn't know why, both of them appeared tired and serious. Though I have mentally rehearsed to confess it, I couldn't do so. I walked around them to make them say just 'what' to me. They just remain gloomy. So I failed to confess. I was mentally getting drown. Just to escape from it, I excused myself from the circle and went out. On the way also, my foot appeared just senseless. I was just wondering what my cousin brother would say on discovering an absence of 50 nu note from his Choesham.

I again rehearsed steps and memorized words as on how to go about this confession. When I became little confident, I turned back and went to their home. This time they were watching TV but still serious. I sat nearby and said, "Today I was called for an interview" if that could at least gain their attentions. The cousin brother didn't look at me but said, "How did you do?" I was sad again. He missed the step I wanted in which I could have made the confession.

Photo source: Google

I then said, "I did my best but..." This time he slowly yet sternly turned his face to me and said, "But what. What happened?"“I…I….didn’t have any money. So I picked up 50 Ngultrum from your Choesham.” He stared at me. Worried that he’s gonna shout at me, I didn’t raise my face. But he laughed – invariably for few minutes. That was the first time I saw him laughing. He lowered his voice-pitch and said, “You should have told me that already. I just thought you have money.” More than anything, I was relieved. I could sleep well that night.

The next day, when I got up, he was near me in his well-ironed Gho – may be ready to leave his office. He took out his wallet and two yellowish thousand notes descended on my hand. “You should tell me if needed rather than stealing from the Choesham.” He laughingly left. I was more than happy. Since then I didn’t face any money-related problem wherever I went for putting up applications, write written exams or to face interviews.

When I look back to this incident today, I feel it’s something to be laughed at. But when situation forces, you’ll be excused if you confess it to the right person on right time. That’s why I got Nu. 2,000 from my cousin brother. Otherwise I would have remained in traumatism for god-knows-for-how-long. I didn’t thank my cousin brother yet. So today I am thanking him. Since he’s one of my regular readers, I am sure he’ll come across this note of realization and acknowledgement. Once more thank you brother!

It has been for quite a while I haven’t updated my blog. I was busy in my own ways. My parents are with me. This makes me busier. I have to spare some times to be with them. I haven’t done any praiseworthy or noticeable thing though. I was busily lazy – lazy with my parents. But it’s all worthy. When I am with them, I am able to know their desires and wishes. This in turn has been helping me to learn more about them as much as they might be feeling my love and care for them.

When we’re busy, our brains also seemed to have turned stale. When I wasn’t able to post a single article in my blog till now, it seems my brain has also turned stale. When I see inspiring new articles posted by my fellow bloggers, I was wondering what must be helping them so much to remain that much updated. Sometimes I felt envious. However, I must remain not being bothered by it. We never know. Sometimes annoying traffic jams provide a good time in listening soul-lifting songs. Life itself functions on a series of priorities.

Photo source: Google

However, it’s my hope that all my readers have been fine. We have come a long way together. This year has been good one for me. Sharing our views on communities and many more things beyond our reach, through this platform of blogging has always been rewarding one. The end of 2014 is almost near. Therefore, this will be an appropriate moment for me to thank all of you for being with me. Some parts of you will always remain with me. Hopefully some parts of me may remain with you. This itself should measure more than a victory for us.

Therefore, I hope you all will remain together – blogging – sharing your views on various subjects and also helping me grow in it through different modes of suggestions and criticisms. I also wanted to wish MERRY CHRISTMAS for my readers who are from the country where this festival is being celebrated. May Santa fulfills all your wishes and bless you with good health and abundant wealth in coming year of 2015!

I don’t remember how many times I have requested my section head to transfer me in one of our regional offices. No sooner I was recruited than this request repeatedly came up from me. I don’t know whether my boss must have felt annoyed of me.

I know you have developed different feelings for me. But this doesn’t have any link with the natures of my bosses and colleagues in head office. They all are a bunch of good people I can ever have in my life. I don’t know the reasons. Still I always had this urge to work just in semi-urban places. I did my undergraduate in Thimphu. I was here for past five years. So my urge to work outside Thimphu became more evident.

But my request couldn’t bring any positive result for me despite being so consistent. I didn’t get anywhere – making me think whether my boss must have at all delivered my desire to the management.

Courtesy: Pema Dakpa

However, on my part I never gave up. I kept on requesting. It was today morning our management has given me a transfer in Central Region - Gelephu. In few days, office order will be released and then I will be in Gelephu. Once I am there, I am planning to do many things. My village is comparatively nearer from there. So I can promise my sisters and brothers back at home to show my face more often than before. I am quite happy.

My childhood friend Sonam Dorji who was being placed there by his company last year was as happier as me to hear this news. He was immediately suggesting a list of programs for our time passes down there. Therefore, I am looking forward to 2015 – a year when I will be taking yet another step in a hall of new people under new boss.

I was with a thought that there is nothing in this world I can claim as mine. Everything around me belongs to others. I have come in this world without anything. I haven’t created anything different which can be related to my hard work and passion. I couldn’t do anything good to any person so that at least that person will remember me when I am gone. As much as my birth wasn’t celebrated, my death wouldn’t be noticed. I don’t have any achievement in my name. All along I have been living just like a speck of dirt in the society.

I am surrounded by a bunch of people now. They might be readily providing me with their helps when I am down, shoulders to cry on when I am heart-broken or their times when I am in need of someone with whom I can share my aspirations and stories. But technically speaking, they also don’t belong to me. Principle of impermanence has taught that everything is subject to disintegration. Some of them may change minds and move away; some may realize that they aren’t meant to be with me and some may get ushered by eddies of social waves and move away from me. Moreover it’s being said that good people are needed everywhere. Some may get glided from my hold by situational demands.

Courtesy: My Collections

Therefore, this took me to a thought that I will be leaving this world empty-handed like a trader returning his home financially broke and emotionally shattered. But it was only then I came to realize that at least I have got a blog; a platform created in my name and nurtured with love and care thus far. Therefore, for an ordinary lad like me, it seems this blog can be the only achievement. Anybody can create a blog in their names. But it isn’t everybody who doesn’t let their blogs die prematurely. Many of the bloggers whom I know when I started blogging are hardly blogging now. This gives me a reason to consider administration of Sherab Tenzin’s Blog as the greatest achievement of my life.

I wanted to thank all my readers for being a part of my achievement. Without you all, I won’t have realized my passion; I won’t have known my stand in blogging. You guys have remained inspiring all along. Your suggestions have made me grow and your criticisms have made me look within myself. I have always loved criticisms. They make me think irrespective of being baseless or not. At the end, they help me to map my flaws and strengths. Thank you for everything. May God be always with you!

Sherab Tenzin’s Blog has achieved the first century pageviews today. I have longed for this moment. Reading its pageviews in six digits for the first time came as an additional accolade for me for being in blogging for this long. Though it will not be of much significance for others, I have already felt like to celebrate and give a toast for it. I have always taken pageviews as a yardstick to judge the coverage of a blog and perhaps the size of the readership.

Courtesy: Photoshopped photo collection. But I am still too far from being one

But I may be wrong to take it in that way. It may not be good on my part to equate my blog’s readership with its total pageview readings. At least 30% of it must have got topped-up by its bounce-rate. Many readers must have reached my blog by accident. However, some people have remained as active readers all along adorning it with beautiful feedbacks which in the process had accelerated the pageview readings. I want to thank all for your visits no matter whether they were accidental or intentional.

But this is just one of many milestones. It can be taken as a herald that I will come across many of wonderful moments in my journey of blogging. Indeed I should expect it. Therefore, with this I promise to remain in blogging bringing you my baseless articles, silly jokes and boring poems. Hope all of you will also remain connected with me through this platform – Sherab Tenzin’s Blog. Thank you all!

Thank you Amrith Subba, Sherub Pelmo, Ugyen Tenzin and Langa Tenzin for nominating me in your lists of ‘Very Inspiring Blogger Award 2015.’ To be frank, I felt reluctant to accept your nominations just because I wonder whether I have really inspired you all. ‘Very Inspiring Blogger’ itself appears very far to-reach-adjective for an amateur blogger like me.

Photo source: Google

However I will consider it and take as an opportunity to make myself more known to my fellow bloggers and also to thank you all for making my existence in blogging known to other bloggers through such chained-award nomination mechanism. Thank you.

If I were to stick just on the rules of this award, following are the seven things that will closely describe me as a person:

I am from Thrisa, a very small remote village in Zhemgang. I haven’t moved out of my village until the age of 14.
The first time I saw cars was when I reached Zhemgang Higher Secondary School in 2004. This has helped my friends in creating joke about me where I was accused of remaining awake near a window watching cars plying the road.
When I was in primary school my ambition was just to become a driver. When I reached high school, I felt I can become more than just a driver. So I changed to an Engineer. In ninth standard my dislike for chemistry has turned into a Planning Officer. In eleventh standard, I changed it to Finance Officer as I heard Planning Officer was only meant for Arts Students. In college I loved banking business so much. So I changed my ambition into a Banking Officer. But at last I became an Accounts Officer.
When I saw mineral water for the first time, I bought it thinking it was some sort of colourless juice. When I realized it to be water, I silently cursed shopkeeper for even selling water in bottles.
I tasted ice cream for the first time when I reached Zhemgang High School in 2004. When my friend told me that cup that holds ice cream was also an edible, I thought he was trying to fool me and never ate them for first few purchases.
My hobbies are reading books, writing articles and then going for fishing. I love watching wrestling in WWE very much. I can still remain awake the whole night watching wrestling matches.
I am a lazy person. If I at all get blame from any of a person who loves and cares me, then it will be due to my laziness. I am so lazy that it will take quite a while for me to stand and run even if a lit bomb falls beside me.

When it comes to nomination, I won’t nominate those bloggers who were already being nominated by others. But it doesn’t mean they didn’t inspire me. So my nominations for the same award are:

Sonam Tobgay - And there is more to Life
Tandin Pem - As I like It
Chhimi Dorji - Chimmi's Collection of World
Bishnu Kumar - Creative Donkey
Sonam Dema - Facts and Figments
Sonam Dorji - Sonam Dorji's Blog
Tshering Chekii - My Bizarre World
Namgang Chejey - My Little Views
Singye - Singye's Blog
Sonam Dorji - Living Through my Life
Sonam Wangdi - Sonam's Diary
Thinley Choden - Striving for Happiness
Tempa Gyeltshen - The Eastern Sun
Norbu - To Teach and Learn
Gayatri Bhandari - Diarification

Hope you all will accept my nomination and then continue this chain of inspiring other bloggers. Thank you!

I recently read this Parable. It was given by Osho during one of his talks. But I would be sorry. I couldn't use the same language.

A man was struggling through a thick forest in the middle of night. He lost his torch and then his way. Yet determined he kept crawling through night thinking that if he can at least move little farther from there.

Almost completely exhausted, he reached a river bank. As he couldn't even trace a clue from which direction he actually had to go, he sat there. When he sat his hand felt a sack of gravels.

courtesy: Sherab Tenzin's Blog Collection

Depressed, exhausted and bored, he sat there throwing those gravels one by one into the river. By the time he almost completed throwing all, the dawn broke out. And then when his eyes could really see, it so happened that those gravels were actually jewels. But unlucky was he, only one was left inside the sack.

Therefore, we humans are like him. However, some discover it long before they throw all. Some realize just before throwing the last one. In my case, I am so unlucky. I have thrown everything that was inside long before dawn descended. When my eyes could see, my sack was just empty.

But I should be equally happy right now because for certain I can't tell whether they must have been jewels or just real gravels that had filled my sack. Not a single was left to tell whether everything inside my sack was jewels. Should I realize it just like this man, I would be long gone crazy man. It has not happened. So I should remain happy!

A man once had a cup. The cup was so special that if a tear is being dropped in it, one will be blessed with gold, money, food and everything that will make prosperous.

The man wanted to become rich but without others knowing the main reason behind. So whenever he wanted anything he used to drop his tears in the cup. He will be then blessed with whatever he wanted.

But as days passed by, bringing down tears from eyes started becoming more and more difficult for him. He couldn’t cry as much as he wanted to become rich.

Therefore, he prayed Gods for situations that will make him sad and cry. He wanted his tears to fall freely without having to be forced. After having prayed repeatedly for many months, Gods understood him and took away his only loving son and caring wife from his life.

Love is greater than wealth. Photo source: Google

He wasn’t sad that much initially though the lost could bring some tears from his eyes. He was with the thought that this lost however will be compensated with abundant wealth.

But as days passed by, he started feeling lonely and depressed without son and wife in his life. More and more tears came from his eyes. Gradually he was rich, very very rich. His riches could fill even his backyards.

However, a cavity created by the absences of his son and wife from his life couldn’t be filled with those wealth. He was then not wishing for more and more wealth but for the return of his son and wife in his life. But it was too late and things have already gone irreversible.

Therefore, just like this man we shouldn’t forget people who love and care us in the process of going after wealth. At the end of the day, the basic need for any human heart is love. Love can bring wealth but wealth cannot bring love. Thank you!

When Thimphu remained bone-wrenchingly cold for past months, I wondered why people around the world and Bhutanese for this matter are complaining about global warming when it’s locally cold. During my past years of stay, Thimphu was never that much cold. I have remained near a heater slouched like a cat most of the times this year. This has soared my monthly electricity bill as high as Nu.3,000. Luckily for office heater I don’t have to pay the bills.

I also didn’t shave my beards for almost two months to see if that can also help me to fight the winter. When my beard became dark and long, my friends started passing new comments. Some said I look like a Bhutan’s Strongest Man 2014 contestant from Bumthang. Some were saying I look shabbily old. But I didn’t care. I told them winter is a season of men. So we must celebrate. Keeping long beard is one of the available ways for me to celebrate it.

Spring flower outside my office. Photo taken on 02-03-2015

But Thimphu didn’t receive snowfall this year. It’s quite strange. Now February is already gone. Then March, it’s very unlikely snow will fall in spring. The temperature has also increased. Now it’s getting warmer. I also thought of shaving my long beard. I am tired of my wife’s comment. She wants to resign from being my wife if I don’t shave my beard. Jokes keeping aside, I was trying to say that Thimphu has become warmer. Fresh buds in otherwise dry plants are visible and spring flowers are showing their faces.

I overheard one of those street porridge sellers saying that people aren’t buying their porridge much these days. She was saying that people must have not yet got their salaries. She must have not realized demand for her business being seasonal. It is quite unlikely that people will buy hot porridge when temperature has become warm.

But then no sooner I completed writing this post than weather has become cloudy and cold again. I could also see light rain outside. When the temperature became bearably warm, I packed my heater. But no choice. I had to take it out again. May it’s a nature’s ceremonial way of welcoming spring. If snow falls, it will be quite strange. But for snow lovers it will be a matter of fun. So welcome the spring. I had read somewhere that spring is the only season where nature says “Let us party”. It's when life in everything becomes alive again. So have fun enjoying beautiful spring.

Nu.250 for that small pamphlet like book? My wife casually asked when I came out of Junction Bookstore holding La Ama - a new novel from Bhutan authored by Chador Wangmo.

This is the attitude of many of us. We only look at the size, thickness, cover designs and then of course price before buying any book. Contents don't matter much for Bhutanese readers.

Since I am also one of such readers, I also thought its price is little bit higher. The size is small with not more than 200 pages. It won't hold much so as to reach my Nu.250 worth. I thought. But this view remained with me until I started reading it.

The author, through the life of Dechen, has uniquely brought so much of our society that deserves re-programming in our attitudes, policies and also our social norms. Dechen, just being a girl, didn't receive justified treatments from her parents, kinsmen, relatives, cousins, teachers, boyfriend, husband and then society when she had placed so much of her hopes and trust on them.

She didn’t receive parental love and care as much she deserves. Indeed she had never seen her father. In school, she was unwillingly made to offer sex to her teacher. When all the things turned away from her, she went to her aunty to seek solace with the hope to forget puzzles she has once tried to solve and unbeatably endured at her home. But again there she turns prey to her uncle. On truths being confessed, her aunty chases her away though it was her uncle who deserves to be removed from the equation.

A cover design of the book

The vulnerability of illiterate and partially literate women compare to male counterpart was also being addressed. Dechen’s boyfriend though seems to truly love her initially, his love becomes more and more conditional when she confessed him that she works in a Drayang – yet another attitude of us to this line of business and people who work in them.

Therefore, Dechen is always seen as a girl who is being forced to believe woman as a weaker sex. At times we can also compare her to Tshomo – a protagonist in The Circle of Karma, yet another novel from Bhutan authored by Ashi Kinzang Choden. Unlike in latter, Dechen at last finds solaces in the words and advices of her mother and aims to tread the fated path with her new born daughter Selyma.

When I am done reading its last page - epilogue part, I was sighing trying to take back my earlier false-rated views. Like in many cases, La Ama also proved that a book cannot be judge by its cover. Therefore, I feel La Ama is a book that can be recommended for all. Women can learn many things from the life cycle of Dechen and will help you in walking ahead with different strides. Men can realize their own moral responsibilities which till now remained unattended in making this world a livable place for them too.

A Fox was one day chasing a Rabbit for his next meal. No sooner Rabbit saw that Fox running towards him, he became alert and thought that if he don't run as much as he could his life will be ended right there. He didn't want to die. He wanted nothing but just to live his life. So the Rabbit started running as much as he could.

When the Fox saw the Rabbit running away, he also increased his speed to the maximum thinking that if he don't catch the Rabbit, he will remain hungry for yet another day. But as much as his inner desire for next meal burnt his speed couldn't measure up to catch the Rabbit.

When the Fox was completely exhausted and couldn't make even a step, he called up the Rabbit to come closer to him. He promised he won't prey. He just wanted to know secret of the Rabbit in successfully running away from him and that also by many strides despite appearing very impossible for a small animal like him.

Photo source: Google

"Ok sir, now please tell me why you were chasing me so much" said the Rabbit still panting. "I haven't eaten anything for lunch. I was so hungry. So I chased you. But I couldn't catch you. You were running very fast. What is the secret?" asked the Fox.

"See sir, you're chasing me just for a meal. But I was running for my life. A life and a meal, they are different," said the Rabbit. So the Fox accepted his defeat and scurried away from him.

Therefore, our attitudes in anything we do will determine how far we'll go. Many of us (you can include me too) are just like a Fox who start things with plans for short term benefits. This made me wonder where I would be by now had I studied with an attitude like the Rabbit when I was a student and time was also abundant at my hand.

This is just a copy-paste from my Facebook wall. I will be sorry for making you read it once more if you have already read it before!

I have a dream; a dream to own one good digital camera. I love photography as much as I do writing articles. Whenever I come across beautiful things around me, I go on clicking them in my phone, edit them and share in Instagram and Facebook. My phone has been helping me to keep my photography passion lit till now. Still then taking photos using phones and cameras seem very different for me.

Therefore, I have a dream to own one camera. One day. But I don’t know how long it’s gonna take me to get it. Looking at the prices, I think I need to vandalize one of those chortens. Oh, don’t take it seriously though. I don’t want policemen standing at my doorsteps with those shiny shackles.

On a serious note. I love photography. I also love writing articles equally. Sometimes some photos I click turn out to be better than thousand worded articles I write. But I am still a tortoise in them – a blind tortoise who is struggling hard to find a floating log in a middle of vast ocean.

So I will keep my passion for photography nurturing. And also a dream to own one good camera will be kept soaring. In a mean time I will leave some photos I have taken recently with my mobile phone. Hope you’ll like them. Thank you. Wish you with wonderful days ahead!

Peach tree flowers above Tashi InfoComm Corporate Office (Near Thimphu town Petrol Pump), Thimphu

Spring is when everything becomes alive. Early spring flowers above City Mall, Chubachu, Thimphu

One of the beautiful peach trees I spotted above Nima Higher Secondary School, Taba, Thimphu

Peach Tree flowers in Taba taken during one of my evening walks with my friends

One of the beautiful spring flowers available in Bhutan Telecom Head Office Compound

Early signs of spring season arrival above the only National Stadium, Changlingmithang, Thimphu

Plum tree flowers below Langjophakha National Assembly Members' Office Building

Note: I think you have to click on the photos invidually to view them in their original sizes.

It was only after going to Thimphu District Court twice, and that also as early as eight at morning, I could finally process Marriage Certificate (MC). Patiently waiting in line like a pony whose owner is busy taking a meal consistently shifting body weight from one leg to another, bowing to a judge and then of course listening to shouts of a clerk is completed. Now I am legally wedded man.

When all the formalities were done and then on entering a chamber where chief judge is being seated, I was surprised as much as my wife and two of our witnesses were. I felt as if I was attending one of the interviews. Questions were many. But luckily those questions didn’t demand my academic knowledge. They are just to-start-conversation kind of questions. Some of them were even funny enough to bring smiles on our patience withered faces.

Photo source: Google

The first question my wife and I were asked was ‘Are you really a husband and wife?’ Instantly my heart bubbled, “That’s why we’re here for MC.” But luckily it didn’t come out and I could say “enn la” after few seconds. And then the next question was ‘why you’re witness to Sonam Dorji?’ But did I tell you that Sonam was my witness as I was to him. When I was busy mentally preparing for the answer. Sonam took it and gave quite a reasonable answer.

And then questions followed from how we first met each other to whether our parents know of our marriages.

The judge then read the last paragraph given in MC document and handed one MC document for each four of us. No sooner I received my copy than my wife was called upon to get her copy. The judge then congratulated and wished happy married life ahead.

When we were about to leave her chamber, “please stay happy. And be reminded that one can acquire MC only thrice in his/her life.” That was one more knowledge to me. One MC gone, I have two more in line if I were to use my quota completely. I was joking to myself mentally. But that became a joke to four of us on the way to returning our respective offices.

It’s a story of Maria, a young Brazilian girl who was made to believe love being just a source of sadness and frustrations with her unsuccessful first love that leaves her mentally bruised and heart-broken.

On meeting with a man from Switzerland who claims to be one of the foreign employee agents, she leaves Rio with a dream to make money and become famous. But she was just being ill-advised and she lands up as a prostitute in Geneva, not a restaurant dancer as promised.

In Geneva, a prostitute though is given 45 minutes to serve a customer; she was told that it will be just for eleven minutes she will be actually serving a customer. The rest will be spent on preparatory activities. It is from this, the title of this book as Eleven Minutes is most probably being coined.

It doesn’t take her much. She becomes one of the sought-after professional prostitutes in Geneva who not only serve other ordinary customers but also special customers – rich business people and corporate executives. She makes good money.

Photo source: Google

Maria’s attitude towards love is being put to test when she meets a young painter. But she wants to return home after making some more money, enough to buy her a farm. She faces two faces of life; one as a prostitute seeking pleasure just for its sake. And other one in finding her inner self through seeking pleasure through sacred sex – which I guess means to do sex not as a profession without feelings but do it just out of love. Between the two, the author has brought numerous re-conciliatory dilemmas, fears and then risk in the life of Maria.

Paulo Coelho is internationally acclaimed to be a great philosophical novelist. One can relate this with the life of Santiago – a boy in his book The Alchemist. Just like Santiago, a boy from The Alchemist who leaves his homeland in discovering treasures instead discovering treasures within him at last, does Maria from Eleven Minutes also discovers the treasures within her at last? She has also initially left her homeland for money and fame i.e. worldly goods just like Santiago. You can see yourself after reading both the novels.

But on my part, I have loved Eleven Minutes as much I did The Alchemist. Paulo Coelho, in former has used pseudo-diary which helps readers to know life’s outlook from the view of Maria herself as well as from that of author. But I am of the view that author has given so much emotions to Maria making us to sympathize her and psychologically forcing us to love Maria beyond she deserves.

Every Friday of the week now being declared as a ‘Zero Tolerance to Traffic Rules Violation Day’ by RSTA and RBP, I am with the view that this will bring at least some changes in a way the rights of our city bus passengers are being treated. This will surely instill some fears in the minds of those handy boys and drivers. Therefore, I am quite sure that those city buses won’t take passengers beyond permissible capacities at least on this day.

What we have been thinking till now was whether those buses actually have permissible carrying capacities. No matter how many people get inside a bus, they have been willing to take them. By the time of departure, a bus will be filled not to its allowable capacity but at its maximum capacity. This has led to violation of rights of those people who got inside the bus long before its allowable capacity was filled. They are being forced to remain squeezing inside among wailing babies, laughing aunties, stinky uncles and scented students all crammed together struggling to get their shares of oxygen.

People who have entered first and waited till the departure time deserve to travel comfortably to the extent of money they have paid. People who came at last after having allowable carrying capacity was filled don’t deserve to get inside. But there has never been a difference. All face the same fate!

We just want to take a ride and be happy. Not otherwise. Courtesy: Google

I don’t know in first place, why Bhutan Postal Corporation Ltd has allowed it. I think this loop needs some tightening through their administrative strategies. If their argument of revenues generated through those buses not being able to meet even their operational costs stands right, then carrying passengers beyond the capacity and then spending more on their maintenance appear completely irrational. The revenues generated from them will be more than enough to compensate operational expenses incurred if your city bus conductors don’t say ‘Thank You’ when passengers don’t take tickets and also issue tickets to passengers every time. Most of the times, I have seen, they don’t give tickets to passengers though fares were being collected.

We don't mind even increasing bus fare closer to that same-distance-taxi-fare. We only want comforts. We don't want to get completely exhausted while travelling by bus even for barely a kilometer distance. Hope Bhutan Postal Corporation Ltd also welcomes this declaration with necessary initiatives without undermining the rights of the passengers.

I grew up with an ambition of becoming a teacher. But when I graduated and then various choices where I can put my learning into uses were given, I don’t know how it must have happened; I have not opted for a teacher. By the time I realized it, I was already irrevocably into a different profession.

I have heard enough during my school days as well as during college days what it takes to become a successful teacher. When I confessed my ambition of becoming a teacher, I even had few of my lecturers, teachers and also friends who used to discourage me from aiming for it. But my heart remained repellent to their discouragement all along.

They used to say that career ladder is very narrow for a teacher. One of my high school teachers used to say that being teacher is as worse as being in hell. He said that a teacher is never rewarded enough in proportion to the hard work s/he has put in or sacrifices s/he made in teaching students well. He used to say, “I was in teaching profession for more than 10 years. But I don’t know even how to claim a DSA.” We can make out that he must have never travelled even till a DSA entitled distance.

Therefore, I admire lives of all the teachers. Courtesy: Google

I have always known that being a teacher isn’t that easy. I have read somewhere that if teachers are to be rewarded well; they would deserve all the riches of this world. But do our desires have end? A student smiling just because he could read stories from the books, realized wonders of our Earth and other planets, and then being able to tell others who don’t know till that point will always remain as something that even worth of all worldly riches cannot reach. And this can be brought by none other than teachers. That’s why I have always aimed to becoming not mere successful but a real teacher. But it seems god had seen something required in becoming such teacher absent in me. I have never become one.

It was recently two of my cousin brothers entrusted me to give tuitions to their sons and daughters. I agreed as I am not that busy these days. Moreover I love being with children. It’s on Saturday evening my two nephews and two nieces come to my home and then leave on Sunday evening when their fathers come to pick them up. It was only during this, I felt I have at least something in becoming a real teacher.

I have only four students. The time I devote in teaching and guiding them is very limited. However, everything of me gets tested to make them get what I am trying to say. The saddest thing for me happens to be when any four of them don’t get what I am saying and then getting lost in a daze. However, at the end when their fathers come to pick them up and when they smilingly leave my home saying ‘Thank you Aku. Today I have learnt this and that. I will show to my dad….” is a rare moment I won’t come across even if I remain in my office chamber for a century.

This usually leaves me thinking if I get this much teaching just four students, how much I would get should I embark in teaching many of such young people my whole life. Indeed I can revisit my almost-dead ambition. After all it’s still not too late. I am thinking that though the sun has already risen, it has not yet turned its face to West.

It has been for quite a while I haven't updated my blog. May be I was too busy or may be I was too lazy even to stretch my hands and then type few posts. To be frank, I wasn't fully in either of them. My brain has turned stale - I couldn't find even an idea on which I can blog.

When I participated the recent Bhutanese Bloggers Meet and then on listening well-seasoned views of those senior and prolific bloggers, I wondered whether I am actually blogging in a true sense. On comparing what they had to say on what it takes to be a blogger, I felt that I had been aimlessly driving on my on way scribbling whatever comes in my mind. This is something anybody can do.

I have been posting mostly about myself, my parents, kins and families which don't measure up to call as stuffs of a serious blogger.

Therefore, I think I have to re-design my blogging track - move away from personal matters and then try coming closer to serious issues that deserve attention from me being as a citizen of the country. But I don't know how long it will take for me brush myself up and garner courage to do so. I will try - which is all I can say just now.

When I remain buckled-up contemplating on how I should go about this, let me leave you with some of the photos I have recently taken in my phone.

Note: Please click on the photo to view in bigger size. This will be quite cumbersome. Sorry!

It was during my primary school days – when seeing a town girl even for a glance used to be a good day’s pay for us. We used to look just the hair and face. If a girl has long silky hair and then white face, then that girl will be unarguably assumed as a girl brought up in town.

We used to be in rags most of time. Wearing of shoes, slippers and undergarments? Don’t even think of that. Many of us even didn’t see tooth brush and tooth paste those days except may be heard few times when our teacher explained their descriptions before making us to sing ‘This is the way, way brush our teeth’ in the class.

Therefore, when such girl is seen around we used to feel intimidated to go near them. We used to observe every move of girl from a distance. There used to be so much happiness in it though. Only captains or other influential elders used to rule the season. It was at such times; I often wished myself to reach higher class or at least some teachers make me a captain.

On taking to an event that actually happened in my life, I was somewhere in fourth standard. Academic session was not yet started. All teachers weren’t in present list. By the time I could realize those, name of one girl from another class was on the lips of every student.

I wondered how that girl must be. When asked few of my friends to show me the girl, I was taken aback to see her. She was just like a town girl having all traits we have designed using various parameters of white face, silky hair and clean clothes. How I crazily wished to be with her or at least talk with her for few minutes!

Thimphu valley view. Courtesy: Sherab Tenzin

No sooner I thought about this, one of my friends was crazily head over heels to her. He confessed me that he’s in deep love with her. He had already planned his tactics to propose her and also written a stack of love letters. But I wondered how he would actually get her. She was princess of the school and my friend; he was just like any of us wearing tattered clothes and walking bare-footed. I thought he will remain broken just like that – crying for the moon. I could already feel his failure subliminally.

But my friend was so blunt. I didn’t see him more crazily courageous than that time. He has written a letter which he wanted me to give it to her. To make it more pretentious, he has also tied a set of crayons with it. He was requesting me again and again to give her. But silently I too love her and could write far better than the one written by my friend. But friendship ruled and I lowered my desire to just meet her and get a chance to talk for few minutes. So I accepted to be his messenger.

It was before dinner. All the students were in line. I could see her at far end. I proudly went to her, because I have something to give her and handed that letter and crayons. She took it with much reluctance. Blimey! I could give her. I ran to my friend to tell that. We both celebrated.

But after dinner someone called me outside. I made it quick. It was that girl standing outside my hostel room. I expected a reply from her. But it wasn’t a good reply. She became so furious that letter was torn in front of me and crayons came to my face flying. She was more courageous and I humbly submitted and went inside slouched.

When I look back now, it seems funny. But I have learnt something in life out of this experience. And I remember this today because I met this girl on the way to office this morning. No sooner we came face to face and start exchanging our customary pleasantries, I brought up this topic. She laughed out loud. It’s nice to hear that she is now married with two adorable children. Some moments in life can be a source of fun when remembered in future.

When Royal Bhutan Police listed Paro RICBL Supervisor (I don't need to mention his name) as the most wanted person, we were made to think the reasons. However, we didn’t care. We were like what will be in it for us even if we bring him clipped and hand over to police. We may get the award. But that award will make us happy for few days and may be for a month utmost. And he will be made to suffer throughout his life. Happiness derived from the struggle of others isn’t a true happiness. This is our mentality. We believe so much in working of karmic waves.

This was the area we debated few days ago – among few of my office colleagues. Mr. A thinks that he must be caught and brought to justice. The fund he misused isn’t that of his parents or relatives but of the public. And public is no one but collectively us. This means he has embezzled our money.

But in other hand, Mr. B thinks other way round. Since he has built that bridge, he alone must cross it. There will be fewer things we can do to interfere already programmed workings of his fate. We cannot and we shouldn’t involve in it. Everything has time. Time will bring him to justice.

Mr. C said that he will take a leave from office and start hunting for him. If he succeeds, the amount he will get as an award is so much that even his entire life saving cannot reach. May be he intended a joke. Mr. A came in the scene and said that how he can remain happy feasting on that award money when guilty-proven will be wailing in prison just because he has caught him and handed over to police. This means, he said, Mr. C wants to have individual benefit out of catching him rather than trying to get back the public money he has misused.

Photo courtesy: Kuensel Corporation Ltd

Mrs. D said that we must think what we as a society who care each other could have done long before this problem has come up or at least before it has reached to that magnitude. She said that, someone must have surely felt changes in the living style of Mr. Supervisor or must have seen him pocketing the money. But the design of our attitude must have held back. He must have kept on doing that and people around must have continued keeping their eyes veiled, mouths clipped and ears corked. We never know, some people must have instead joined as partners.

If we were to sum up all the views and take out the essence, we can surely tell that money he misused isn’t his own but that of public. Someone who had seen him misusing could have reported to higher authority long before preventing some people getting into a thick soup. But our typical Bhutanese attitude held it back. In the first place, Mr. Supervisor himself should have worked guided by the principles of ‘Tha Damtsey’ and ‘Lay Jumdrey’. But it seems now those principles are long forgotten from many of us. Yet who have seen him pocketing public money should have informed necessary authority. This would have assured him personal safety and also avoided costing so much to us now – I mean public.

When RICBL guy runs away with Nu. 93 millions, it will have impact on you and me.

One of popular Bhutanese Bloggers, Mr. Passang Tshering has posted this on his Facebook Wall. This is very obvious. One way or other and sooner or later, the cost will hit us. So now we have to think what we can do at individual level to avoid such lethal situations happening in our society and remain harmonious.

The story of my married life

When I stole money from my cousin's Choe-Sham

When I was lazily busy with my loving parents

In Gelephu from twenty Fifteen

The Only Achievement of my Life - Sherab Tenzin's Blog

Thank you all for a century pageviews!

On getting nominated for Very Inspiring Blogger Awards

An inspiration from a parable of Osho

A story on relationship between love and wealth

Hello Spring

La Ama - a mother's call by Chador Wangmo

An Inspiring Fable from my High School Classroom

My dream is to own one good digital camera one day!!!

I have become a legally wedded man from 03-04-2015

Paulo Coelho's Book Eleven Minutes in Review

On Declaration of Zero Tolerance to Traffic Rules Violation Day

I Once Wanted to Become a Real Teacher

My yet another attempt in Photography

One of the funny moments of my primary school days

Public Fund Embezzlement and our Bhutanese Attitude