Life at GWU

My LL.M classmates  

  I have been in Washington almost four months now pursuing LL.M.  I have already completed my first semester and I’m confident that I have stayed long enough to make a just review of my life here as a graduate student in the George Washington University Law School. I could vividly recall my first day in Washington.  I arrived to U.S on August 27, 2015 afternoon.  It was a sleepy day all because of long hour flight and jet lag. I was already late to school by 10 days and I had to rush to school from the very next day of arrival without much rest.  I was required to  report on August 10 but all because of never ending bureaucratic hurdles I could not come on time.

 First day was never easy walking to class without any orientation or briefing. By the time I joined, other international students we re already settled and classes were already in full swing, while I had to still figure out everything step by step. I missed orientation which was actually the most important thing to familiarize the school and interact with my new classmates from different countries. Thanks to my kind host, they dropped me to school and picked me up after school for few times until I was ready to go on my own. My association with the Dean of International Students long before I joined here, made me lot easier to get into the school system. She introduced me Professors, school, classes, and many more. After weeks of struggle figuring out places, people around, and school system I adapted with the classes and the new school environment. That was when I could feel I was already a student then. 

Back in the mid of 2007 when I attended my first class in the law school, India, I found the classes quite different from Bhutan. But here the classes are even more different from India. I should say more professional and definite. The timing, syllabus, and reading requirements are already prescribed in the syllabus. We are required to read as per the syllabus and be thorough on all that concepts that will be discussed in the class. In the class, students are randomly called on to either answer the questions or to brief the cases for the class.  If we don’t read for the class and if we are called on, we are screwed.  By any means we have to read for class, no matter how bulky or long may be the pages or cases prescribed.   No wonder, we can see in every study room in the school that students are so busy reading as if like having exam next day. If we have three classes on the same day, late night reading will make you crazy.  We have to pick and choose the courses in the beginning of the semester, in such a way to avoid many classes on the same day. Otherwise whole semester will be like exam every day. Although on the same day I had maximum of two classes, nevertheless, in the beginning I had tough time reading those complicated cases. With time, I adapted with everyday reading requirement.  

Studying business law in U.S will drive you nuts. Out of my interest, amongst many other specializations available, I chose to specialize in Business and Finance law. I think I had my share of challenge and difficulties. As complicated as U.S commercial law is, I wonder if any other countries have such a complicated commercial regulations and business organizations. An approachable and friendly nature of Professors made me lot easier to digest those complicated U. S business concepts and regulations. U.S business organizations goes on partnership, Limited partnership(LP), Limited Liability Partnerships(LLP), Limited Liability Limited Partnership(LLLP), and corporations.

Generally, the students here seem quite independent and they don’t care much what others do. Unlike in Bhutan and even in India where I studied only before exam, here all students are serious in their studies and they study continuously through out the semester. On the other hand, there are students who already know about Bhutan and aspire to visit Bhutan. To many of students and people whom I met, Bhutan is known for being one of the happiest and most beautiful countries. With American students, it all depends on how far we can interact with them; they are not serious as much as they look; They are friendly and helpful too.

The international students pursue LL.M in U.S mainly for jobs in U.S.  Many of them look forward to give New York bar exam with a hope to practice in U.S. They look for jobs in U.S.  When it comes to job I don’t have to look for one, but once I thought I would try my luck in bar exam.  But even if I get through also I do not find much use to me. I won’t be working in U.S after graduation and even in future I won’t afford to come to U.S to practice law.  And moreover the bar exam has many course requirements which I thought that taking those mandatory courses will just cut off my interested courses. I gave up and decided to study what I am interested.

When it comes to exam I see their exam is more advanced and practical approach. They simply want student s to act like an American lawyer. Exams are all open book. We can use everything except human being and internet. Whether you take your notes or not, it hardly makes difference. If we are not thorough with legal principles, there is no time for us to refer notes in detail. Despite open book exam, sometimes within a limited time it’s quite hard to recollect relevant rules and write answers with comprehensive legal analysis. The best part of the exam is that we don’t have to quote any particular sections or cases. If we know the relevant principles that is worth enough to fetch some points. I never believed in reproducing accurate sections and cases in the exam. In reality we can always refer sections and cases as long as we know relevant principles and concepts. The other good part of exam here is that they give option to type or write.   

Apart from heavy classes and busy academic life, school has so many social events. They invite many eminent speakers to give lectures on different legal issues. They conduct workshops and conferences very often. In every end of such events, there will networking events with refreshments and food. We get to interact with many lawyers from different organizations and judges from different courts. As many of my international friends say, we have to balance such social events with our class. I would love to keep attending such events and meeting new people if ever we don’t have classes. With classes everyday and such events occurring every now and then, we have to somehow balance all together. 

 U.S legal system has more common law stronghold than Indian legal system. Some international students come from civil law stronghold countries and they find U.S legal system quite different from what they studied before back in their country.  For me, I have studied before in the common law country and that made me lot easier to understand U.S system.  All in all, with few ups and downs in a new place with new people and in the new environment, I had a great semester. I have already adapted with the places, system, people, and friends.  I look forward my final semester more engaging, fruitful, and relaxed.

  

Field trip to Tango

We have a course called ‘Tsema’ which is generally meant for Monks who are pursuing Buddhist Studies. It’s one of the teachings of Buddha which is considered to be one of the most important as well as toughest courses among others. Its’ etymology stands that “it's science of syllogism, logic and philosophy”. According to Gyelse Rinpoche at Tango so called Tsema is a Buddhist science to analyze and differentiate truth is truth and false is false and accordingly follow the truth and avoid the false. The monks being the religious persons are supposed to be committing only good things and abstain from committing harmful things, and to do this first they should know which is good and which is bad and for analyzing and differentiating such things they need the knowledge of Tsema which is also the religious purpose of having propounded  and learning Tsema. But in reality when we say Tsema most of people take it as a debate. Actually debate is just practical part of Tsema. Alike science with experiments, in Tsema also everything is based on proof. Like truth supported by justice to ensure true justice, in Tsema statement should be supported by proof which is conclusive proof or reason. To detect whether the proof is conclusive or not, there are certain conditions and ways and if those conditions and ways are met then such statements is considered as perfect statement.  

Unlike Monks, we the legal professionals have to study to build up our analytical skills as our profession is all about justifying, arguing, reasoning, scrutinizing, etc. Since our lecturer himself declared that he understood Tsema only after studying several times I still doubt how far we can grasp in just six months or else does it really can build up such analytical skills? I really doubt where can those conditions of Tsema for analyzing the proof, reasons, whatever be fit in the court proceedings. I think Monks up there had reason to taken aback as well as appreciate when we told them we are studying Tsema at RIM. For this purpose just to get more exposure on this course and to watch monks’ debate, led by our Tsema Lecture, today we had a trip to College of Buddhist Studies, Tango.

Everyone in the class was supposed to go but only 29 of us could make it and rest 11 could not make it. Unlike Chari Monastery, in Tango there is just one block but inside so many important and historic Nangtens. It was fortunate for all of us to visit there and seen all of it. We were blessed to have chaired the debate by HH Gyelse Rinpoche himself.  We have also seen him participating and debating with Monks. Watching the way they debate and their eloquence in debating and responses and hardly grasping even their topic of the debates we felt we have been just scratching on basics for all these three months. Above all, HH Gyelse Rincpoche was kind enough to even give a talk on the importance of TSEMA. He also gave us golden words of advice on various topics. Most importantly he gave us Jamyang Sel Drab Lung. 

On other front what to say their hospitality, really nice. They have dinning hall like our altar filled with Rinpoches’ portraits. Apart from academic trip we also felt like a dry picnic. In groups who would not enjoy!, Undoubtedly everyone does. Day scholars bought pack lunch for boarders and we really enjoyed their lunch in different dishes from different persons. While I thank each and every one up there for their arrangement for us and Rinpoche for his golden words, and our day scholar friends for their pack lunch, I’m looking forward to so many trips ahead, this is just a beginning ….

CHIMI'S ADIEU ACT,2012

It was on 28th April I had my last exam in college and ended my college life. After exam everyone was relieved of academic pressure and excited to go home, but equally they were depressed too, realizing no more they would sit in the same class room and shout and laugh together. That was when all of my classmates who had been together for five long years bided adieu and wished each other all the very best of luck for rest of their life. I too wished them all but in a different way, in a written form through drafting a small Act which is titled as CHIMI’S ADIEU ACT, 2012. Here goes the copy …

                                             CHIMI’S ADIEU ACT, 2012

For the 10th Batch NALSAR, passed in the Room No. 119 of BH-I to be entered into force on the 28th day of April, 2012 at 2..am, when CHIMI leaves NALSAR gate, corresponding to the 7th Day of the 3rd Month of Water Male Dragon Year of the Bhutanese Calendar.

Section 1

(i) Chimi means immortal or deathless

(ii) Tashi Delek means Congragulations in Bhutanese Language

Section 2

I offer my heartfelt Tashi Delek or Congratulations to all of you for your successful completion of five year integrated B.A.LL.B (Hons) Course. We did it!

Section 3

It has been really pleasure meeting you guys and studying together for five long years. I shall thank you all for all the support and help in whatever way you guys have rendered in the last five years, mainly the following;

i. For some voluntary taking remedial classes before the exam

ii. For some contributing their painfully written notes in the class

iii. For some doing the service of Xeroxing and distribution

iv. For some making my name known to all in whole NALSAR and reciting every now and then.

Section 4

I shall surely cherish Five years of my life with you guys as one of the best parts of my life. Hope I meet you guys in future, before too long somewhere as following great legal luminaries:

i. Some as next Dhanda Madam(s)

ii. Some as legal or judicial activists

iii. Some as eminent professors

iv. Some as justices and eminent jurists, and so on and so forth…

v. Some as stud corporate lawyers

Section 5

I may not miss those lifeless buildings in NALSAR but definitely I shall miss you people.

So, lastly, wherever you go and whatever you do ahead, I wish you very best of luck guys!

GOOD BYE GUYS!! ............................

Never learn to become old

By mid 80s of his age my grandpa must have been agonized and frustrated of living in old age. He could have thought to do many things if ever his body was as young as his heart. But he knew it the realities and agony of living in  old age and his body cannot function as he thinks like once upon a time when his body was as young as his heart. For the fact that mind never grows old whilst body grows older day by day which becomes less functional and workable for every needy purpose, he would very often say “learn everything in life but never learn to become an old man”. “We don’t have to learn to become old but it’s a destiny for all that automatically one day or other we all are destined to become old, the only difference is just a matter of time”, as I either help him to stand up properly or accompany him for his late night natural calls and respond him the old man whizzing his few left tattered teeth would broke into chuckles.

He was 86 when he had his last breathe on this beautiful world on 26 December last year. He was an old man but despite being aged he had been far more active, dedicated and committed in whatever he did than many of us, we the grandchildren. No matter how many times we compel him to stay free at home he would not dare to listen. By dawn he would have already gone for firewood and by the time some of us still struggling to wake up he would have already reached one load of fire wood. While freed from collecting firewood he would be seen basking the sun outside busily engaged either waving the handicrafts or doing other things. He would not be seen free most of time. So hard working grandpa he was who has been always inspiration and motivation for all these years of my life.

Ever since he was born in 1925 he had spent almost half of his life herding cows in the jungles alone most of time. For all days of my childhood it had been always fun and pleasure to accompany him through the jungles helping him herding the cows. Even on weekends and vacations I would not stay home I would be always gone for helping him.

Under the sweltering heat or under the cool shed sitting by his side and listening the folktales and narration of various incidents and hardships he had gone through in late 1950s and 1960s while contributing compulsory labour to the government and while travelling to and fro Samdrup Jongkhar and other places for transacting business and other purposes, it had been really entertaining and interesting too, as much as today watching movie in one of the best theaters here. Not only entertainment alone, in all days of my childhood he had been guiding, directing, and putting me on the right path and teaching me all qualities and skills that every villager’s son posses.

One of urges that drives me to rush back home every vacation has been to meet him. Nothing back home had been as interesting as sitting by old man and chatting nonstop. Alas! No more now. This time when I departed for college I knew it I would not see him on my next vacation and forever for he had been bed ridden for about two weeks who was almost in last breathe. I was right then he passed away towards mid night on the same day I left for college.

I would not see his smile while I go home and sad face while I depart from home for college. I would not see him coming to see me off with few hundred notes and wishing me a safe journey back to college. I owe you so much but the fate acted so cruel at this time just on the eve of my graduation. Now name alone stands tall. I will not see you at home henceforth but will be in my heart always and forever. You were a great and special grandpa of all times. It was really a great lost to our family and will remember you always. May your soul rest in eternal peace! OM MANEI PEMAE HUNG THRE..

.Death, who escapes actually? All are destined to die…So! no matter what, life goes on and it must go on…….

The day that began a new beginning of my life.....

Ever since I started my schooling I saw many unfortunate students weeping so terribly and leaving, either amidst the class or the morning assembly sometimes, to home when they heard either their relative or parent was gone forever. Whenever such tragic incidents took place nobody, neither their relatives nor their friends were informing truly thinking that he/ she, whoever could be the victim of such death, would not be able to face it. I saw them simply saying, your father or mother at home is seriously sick and you need to go home immediately, only to break their heart when they reached home and saw either their father or mother lying dead. For some students, their parents would not inform even thinking that their studies would be disturbed unnecessarily.

Right from my primary schooling I prayed with others for either death of any of the relatives or parents of the students or teachers. I watched helplessly others mourning for either of their parents death. I saw some with one sided parent while some without both of their parents. I saw others consoling grief ridden hearts with all possible ways. I saw how sadly and sentimentally some students weeping when they heard such news. It was really touching and emotional. Sometimes looking to them in such a situation weeping like anything I could not control the real manhood in me. Seeing others crying, automatically tears rolled down on my face too. I knew it nothing would be as sad as the news of somebody’s death.

When I saw others living with such a tragic incident, though my heart never stood in peace contemplating about their grief and agony , but  I think I did not have thought that one day I would also turn to that ‘unfortunate student’. The day was not very far for me then. Whatever I had seen and watched helplessly on others over the long years had unfortunately come to me then. It was on 9^th August, 2004 when I was in tenth standard.

I woke up normal. I washed my face and went to morning study which used to be around one hour. The day was sunny, so bright. When I was in the class for morning study I could vaguely remember about an unusual dream I had on the previous night which struck my mind every now and then in the class amidst the morning study. I did not share to any of my friends. I did not give much heed to it as I was busy studying something. I tried concentrating on what I was doing. The morning study was over then after which we had to go for breakfast. We headed to kitchen for breakfast with our plates. We reached to kitchen and I was in queue to fetch the breakfast. There appeared one of my friends hesitantly. He walked to me and said, come with me’. I followed him where he took me to one of the cooks who was my relative only. The cook hesitantly murmured, your mother is seriously ill, you have to go home. Who told you?, I asked immediately. Some people came from village and they are at my house, take your breakfast faster and go with them, the cook replied. I was dumbfounded then. Forget about taking breakfast, I could not do anything for a moment. I rushed to hostel and made one of my mates to write application for me as I was not in a position to hold a pen even. As I went to warden’s residence I saw my class mates in groups seemingly whispering something amongst them. When they saw me they just dispersed and acted normal as if nothing happened.

When I saw them acting like that I knew it something was awry. I got permission from warden. How could I have believed that she died? It was not even a month since I left home after midterm break. I was still struggling to get rid of the grief of my maternal grandmas’ death three months ago. Only few days had been passed since the completion of her 49^th’day ritual.  How could I have expected again death in the same family? I knew it something was really awry as I thought that if my mother was really seriously ill they won’t call me to home. They would call me only to hospital after getting her to hospital which was just a few kilometers away from the School where I used to study.

After getting permission I directly rushed to the cook’s house to check out who were the ones who came from our village. But to my dismay there was one there. By the time I reached there they had already left for some other places. I did not know they came as errand. If I had met them I would have asked them clear cut information. Without knowing what exactly happened, with full of doubts, confusions, nervousness, grief, and tension, I started the 6 hours journey for home then.

As I went on and on towards home tracing through jungles, steep slopes and cliffs, many feelings walked into my mind. As a result naturally tears started shading from my eyes. I had to walk alone weeping. I could meet many people on the way whom I know them. I asked every people but none of them told me the truth. Some said when they met my mother on the other day she was fine. When they told me she was fine then one way I thought she would still alive. But my tears never stopped shading. On the way I came across snakes and even I came across couples fighting each other. I knew it that was bad omen.

When I was almost approaching to home I met a lady from my village. She directly told me the truth. She thought that I already knew it.  After knowing the truth I felt everything shattered like whole world has ended. I felt it was completely dark around me, could not see anything around me then. With shattered heart and dead agony, weeping awfully, finally I reached home. There I saw many people gathered at my home. My father and all my brothers and sisters were around mother’s corpse sobbing so terribly.

My little brother who was on breast feeding that time was on father’s lap not knowing what was going around.  My mother,36, was gone forever then, leaving six siblings traumatized who were although too young to face such a tragic death but the cruel fate never allowed as we wished. The fate is always ,not doubt, cruel to everyone, not only to me alone. It was then totally a new beginning of my life, a life without mother. Today, it’s been exactly 7 years since I lost her. Still then deep within my wound is still fresh as if  it happened yesterday. If ever I were to bless one wish then that would not be other than retrieving my mother’s life. ..May her soul be in eternal peace forever!!!!To be continued as ‘life without mother’.

My bike accident exprience

It was only in 2007 I could breakthrough my long waited dream of visiting Thimphu for the first time ever. Until then back in the school we used to mock each other that we haven’t been to Thimphu for last so and so years (based on our age) which means we have not been to Thimphu ever since our birth.

I was for orientation after completing plus two. By the time all selections interviews for both in country tertiary education as well as ex-country scholarships were over it was already spring then. I would have been around three months in Thimphu. Still newbie in Thimphu. I could barely locate the favorite visiting hubs of Thimphu because of which I had to confine most of time at home before television.

How beautiful is Bhutan especially in spring with green environment and full of varied colours of flowers blooming all over Bhutan. Thimphu, being capital far better than all other places surrounded with apple buds and flowers especially in spring. At least to newbie like me I could view so beautifully. That time I did not know that Sang Gang is a rendezvous for love birds as well as favorite place for people to have bird’s eye view of Thimphu town.

Timely, few days before I left for home, let’s go to Sangay Gang ’, my friend phoned me on one of the weekends, to which I agreed blindly without knowing where that place could be.

After some time he came to pick me up with his bike. Through Zelukha with one of his friend we were heading to Sangay Gang. I was riding with him on his bike but his friend was alone on his bike who was speeding ahead of us. We were following him at a normal pace, not that speedy. By the time we crossed the crossroad that leads, one way to Motithang and other to Sangay Gang, his friend was nowhere seen, far ahead of us. We were speeding then.

Just before reaching the zoo where there is sign board about Takins, from seeable distance of that board, there is one small right turning while going towards Sangay Gang. We were wending through this turning. Meanwhile he was talking with me every now and then turning back at me which he was not supposed do it. And also while we were going up we were supposed to be on left side. But we were heading on right side of the road.

As we moved on and about to cross that turning, my friend was still talking with me side by side. By the time we crossed that turning it was already late. The Maruti car from the opposite side was already close to us from the right side of the road. We did not see the Maruti Car coming as we were busy talking as well as travelling. As we were on wrong side, seeing Maruti car very close my friend did not do anything. He was confused, he went on same side but Maruti car tried to go left side but no way to safe, it was very close. Instead of pressing brake the Maruti car driver pressed accelerator. As a result we were knocked down and thrown to right side  of the road. Fortunately, not thrown to left side of road. If it had we would have gone off the road.

By the time I realized that we were thrown by a car I was lying on right side of the road. Thank God! It was not against the wall. I could see the car about to veer off the road but that small rock safe it. Our bike was crushed especially front part. It was lying with leaking the patrol and with patrol stains on the right side of the road. My friend was also sitting with blood stains on his right leg.

I checked out all my limbs but it was all stable except with few scratches. I tried to stand up but I could not lift my right hand properly. Then I saw my right hand was hurt.

I looked at the car. With almost dead face, with full of annoyance expression, a middle aged monk and a gorgeous girl of early twenties slowly came out of the car. They looked below the road and seeing quite steep I saw them sighing, Oh god!!.If there was no rock surely they would have been either injured gravely or died.

Being Sunday, by the time we all came outside the road there were many cars lined up from both the directions. What happen?, many asked. As if nothing happened we dragged the bike aside and cleared the road for traffic.

You were on wrong side, you have to repair my bike,  my friend demanded..

 No, you were on wrong side, I was on my side, the monk reacted back.  Fuss went on for some time. But luckily no traffic officers were turned up.

The monk admitted that the girl was driving the car without license .Actually she was learning driving and the monk was guiding her which is why he did not want to call traffic police. He was afraid he would be fined if my friend calls police. But he did not know my friend did not have license too. He did not mention anything about license. He was afraid only because of the girl was driving the car.

My friend went on insisting him to repair his bike. I knew it we were on wrong site and it was our fault. But I did not say anything. I was troubling a lot with pain on my right hand. I did not care about his bike. I was just sitting on the pavement. The monk was arguing a lot but the girl was silent she was still frightened and she did not say anything. But she was beautiful. When they were having hot debate I was laboring with so much pain but still then I did not spare to look at that girl. So cute, she was. Guys’ eyes so crazy.

After much argument the monk finally agreed to bear 50 % of repairing cost of his bike.

After that we dispersed .My friend and I went to hospital. His leg was severally hurt. If there was no helmet on our heads I don’t know what would have our heads been up to..

That day was on 1^st April, 2007, fool’s day. But, had we been crushed to dead that would not have been worked as a fool’s day. We were not fooling each other it was a accident, no intention.

Latter only I came to know that most of the Thimphu residents go to Sangay Gang for learning driving.

Today I still fear to  ride  on two wheelers. Still then sometimes I ride it, as some say that if we were to die then we‘ll die even if we stay within four walls of our room..But I ride with care and cautious always………..

Occassional agitations..

Just barely two weeks left for closing the semester and every one students as well as professors are on rush to wrap up all academic works expeditiously within reasonable time from exam so that students get time for preparation which we normally get hardly half- week time .All professors wanted to wrap up their work as far as possible speedily, even first from other professors if possible which is almost sounds like vying among professors but if they are running short of time who would not do it? Everybody would prefer to clean their head first. One of our senior professors must have been trying to clean her head first. Yesterday in second years’ class she was taking all five classes for presentations which according to her for other professors’ classes she already informed them and consented also.
However, one of the professors might have consent her unwillingly and furiously. Despite he consented I think when it was time for his class still he might have gone to the class and waited outside only to aggravate his frustration when he saw there was no sign of moving her out from the class rather she went on continuing the class. So, the aggrieved professor seemed to have complained to Vice Chancellor as in the midst of taking presentations VC with aggrieved professor directly walked in to the class and angrily yelled at her, get out of the class. She being one of senior and eminent professors in the university did not want to stoop; she wanted to exercise his seniority and eminence. On other hand VC being head of the University wanted to exercise his power, so there was hot conversation going on for some time. She left the class for aggrieved professor. As a result class seemed not moved by VC’s act, So they all came out of the class and shouted on top of their voice, boycott..boycott….
Meanwhile other classes heard it and joined the agitation against VC. As VC tried to make out the way to his chamber through the crowd, the students were trying to surround him from all directions. Some went on shouting, boycott,,,boycott, while some went on shouting Maro..Maro…I did not see it I was in the class but latter I was told that some were throwing slippers, chalks and water bottles. It was worst of all agitations I have seen in our University since I joined here.
When most of the students were looking for reasons to escape from sitting in class in the sweltering heat, all of a sudden this rightly served them the reason for bunking the class. After some time almost all students joined for agitation outside VC’s chamber. They wanted VC to apologies her for being too harsh. So they shouted, apology..apology. Yes he came out of his chamber and agreed to apologies to her but he wanted to talk with her in his chamber but students wanted outside right in front of them. After much agitation finally I was told that he apologized to her right in front of all students.
In India protest is weapon for everything which is actually their constitutional right. This right flows from their constitutional itself. If they have lawful ground they can protest. How far it is good weapon is debatable issue. In our constitution also there is provision but we don’t know how far we Bhutanese people prefer to exercise even if need arises or any other situation necessitates.
For the first time ever I saw agitation live with my own eyes right in front of me in 2009 around this time but it was just simple one. Yesterday’s was really capable of dubbing as real agitation. Being very first time that too happened on very interesting issue which was actually a topic capable to interests me to scribble on it as means for my time pass, So I was moved to record it. I recorded right away as under.
(3rd March,Tue, 2009)
“K. K sir is accused of sexually harassing one of the fourth year girls”, all of a sudden my friend muttered while we were hastening to mess for lunch after class. “Oops!!!!When? Who told you?” I enquired as I was utterly taken aback, “I don’t know they were chatting like that”, my friend reciprocated. Then I refrained from further enquiry as he himself was aware of simply tail of the information. I dumped such rumors at very embryonic stage without tracing the truth further either from other guys or seniors.
A month long was elapsed without knowing anything about the issue but almost after couple of months when I was casually running through notice coincidently found the notice regarding the issue which I actually thought was merely rumours. There it was written what my friend had told to me a couple of months back. The notice in nutshell reads, ‘one of faculty has sexually harassed one of the fourth year girls and for the same complaint is lodged to VC, for which he is given 10 days to take the action’. Only after affected in black and white I believed and thought it must have been happened candidly to that girl. Though SBC has given 10 days to take the action against him as they have already proved beyond reasonable doubt that the said faculty had sexually harassed her but then there complaint was no effect at all even after 10 days.
I did not bother to remember whether 10 days had elapsed since the lodged of the complaint, despite knowing that SBC has given 10 days for the same. But the particular faculty who was accused of the same, when in the midst of his class was going on in our class, group of 4th years barged into the class and without any rationale behind directly uttered, ‘get up’ and only after that some explained the rationale behind asking to get up. But the reason was to protest against administration for failing to initiate the action against the guilty lecturer but who would stoop to cooperative them when the same teacher’s class was going on and in front of him how can we directly protest against him he being a teacher after all and nothing was done to us in person though done to that girl. Majority in our class stayed back for his class while for some they simply got up and walk out of the class for the same. When some still stayed back then they went on abusing, ‘what the mother fuckers’ and even abused the teacher. When our mates asked the rationale behind protest then they simply said ask to your teacher he is right in front of you all, How disgraceful it was to him when they abused like that despite they being taught by the same teacher before.
Luckily when they barged into the class it was almost time for ending second period. When some left for the protest still he took the class about 5 minutes for those who were still back in the class and after that he went away as it was almost time to end second period. After he left then there was lots of yelling and some explained reason for protest while for some they apologized for abusing and these went on about 20 minutes and some even reached to the stage of exchanging blows but luckily did not happen as there were many people who stopped the same. Though there was protest in front of Vice chancellors office but no affect at all and owing to this all decided to boycott the classes until the Vice Chancellar takes action for the same and all boycotted the classes since the end of second period.
The protest in other universities is common and not new thing being a democratic country but unlike other universities our university is totally different which is the top and prestigious law university in India and never happened such protest since its establishment in 1998 until today but this is the first time to be stored as an history for university not as an history to be proud of but as a disgraceful history. Though being premiere university no one would have ever expected such protest to happen but many students justified that administration was not accountable for the students’ decisions and problems, not even once but many times and therefore they were forced to used necessary available weapon.
Who would want such a teacher no matter how fabulously he is committed to his profession if his behavior is unacceptable to society. The very next day after the protest the guilty teacher himself tendered the resignation letter to the administration, which otherwise students would not have left the administration peacefully in any case until some sort of action was taken against the same.

Heavenly Feeling on the Earth

After swigging the gallons of ara or bangchang or singchang or beer or whatever the brand of the drinks, as the case may be, with its effect it’s for sure people change. Except few, many behave differently in inebriated state. No matter how they are in sober but their normality fades away in inebriated state. Some would talk too much; some would become tight-lipped, some would go on acting what not things and so on and so forth. But why the hell the same person acts differently in inebriated sate? Why can’t he retain his normality? I kept on wondering until I tried myself and almost drowned in the very tempting brands of drinks.
Back in the village I remember a decade ago when I went to reach a drunkard old man to his house he told me when he drinks he could feel so peaceful and also sense the feeling of as if walking on the air. So he said, kota you should try once, not too much but few cups, let’s drink when we reach to my house. No I don’t like, I opposed. I knew how he would react to his wife after reaching home. His feeling of so peaceful was source of looking for reasons to torture his wife and kids. That time I was too young to taste it. Never thought I would also one day experience that heavenly feeling on earth.
Do you drink?, college life dude.. Drink..get high , my Indian friend insisted. No I don’t drink I don’t want to drink you guys drink it, there again I opposed. Let’s go party dude, today you should drink it, you will have tough time to pull through even one hour party if you don’t drink, again they wanted to me to drink. Should I taste it? I thought. No guys, I turned down their offer.
There came a day then. It was again a party. This time I was all set to taste it once. Yes, I did it, I tasted and went beyond the mere taste also . Being first time I could feel the very feeling that old man shared to me a decade ago. More and more brands I tried different types of feelings I could sense it. I could feel so heavenly, so peaceful. I could feel as if I’m the only one in this world. So heavy was my head and while walking I felt like fluttering and treading on the air. I could not sense my two foots were on earth, my gait swapped abruptly then. So audacious I was unlike ever other times,. The every word of others was like a bit of venom to me. All I was in was in search of reasons to jeer and fuss. Also, I felt like using only slangs of different dialects instead of those pleasing words.So drunk I was. I was already in inebriated state perverted from normality then.
Next day I did not remember how I came to my room and what all I did on other night. All I saw was that together with my belongings I was floating on the pool of reeking puke. I tried to wake up but no I could not. I felt as if I would die then and there. So severe was headache. I could not raise my head even. I did not feel like taking anything then. What a hangover!!!.I only felt like puking. So, without having anything I landed up puking and puking. For some time I puked solidly and after that liquidly and after some nothing was coming out. Dead hang over. A day was too less to get rid of hang over. When I had almost a dead hangover I regretted a lot despite being the very first time to it why I had gone beyond limit taking almost dozen of pegs of hard drinks. I drank it not those tempting brands drank me. It was I who injected pain, so to me it was an intentional self inflicted pain of such a torturing capacity for days which was preventable. Yes, that hangover deterred me to have another heavenly feeling on earth. Until now it was my first and last booze.

Internship at Paro District Court-II

The internship in the court was my first time ever to explore the pragmatic realities of the course I’m pursuing. It surely afforded a groovy chance for me to experience the realities beyond the ‘law in books’ and procedures to operate ‘law in action’ effectively and expeditiously which would enable to render justice to all people.

Justice knows nothing. It eyes all people from all walks of life equal, no discrimination. So to seek this people from all walks of life and of all ages for different reasons walk to court. Some come with smiling face while some are almost dead face. Some come leaving behind all important works and wait in the court room for hours and hours only to find at the end either their opponent has not turned up or judge or their concerned clerk is absent. With no alternative they return to home with full of frustrations without any achievement. At least for absent of their opponent they get compensation for their long wait but for absent of judges or clerks they don’t get anything other than aggravating their frustration.

The real -live drama is exhibited before the judge. Every litigant tries best of their ability to get the judgment in their favor. They dig all evidences bringing the live even casual talks, pranks and confidential talks they had when there were once best neighbors or friends or couple.

The tragedy sprouts when the case is in between parents and their children. They don’t spare even a bit they go on alleging what not things. They don’t care anything if by alleging in that way get what they wanted. They become a grave enemy and forget about their parent-child bond.

More stern tragedy is on the day the judgment is pronounced. Especially in criminal cases people uncontrollably release their stream of tears continuously when they hear ‘you are sentenced to life or some years’. In civil cases some party walk out with smile in their face while some with frowned face for lost of their case. But right to appeal within ten days serves as solace to their lost which gives some hope to win if they prefer to exercise this right.

One would surprise to see in the courts that some litigants are with casual dress which is actually not allowed in any circumstances. But these are no other than those detained criminals. They hide their hand cuff chain such a way that no body could locate. Unfortunately at the end they cannot hide who they are. Every body gives a glance at them the moment they saw them. For some criminals this stigma itself is a deterrence but for some criminals its nothing it’s just a routine for them. They don’t bother to face this stigma and get punishment escalated especially those habitual criminals.

In Bhutan except the king no one is above the law. So, all are subject to same procedures in the court which I found this thing quite interesting. The list for such sort of incidences in the court goes on and cannot have exhaustive list with every new case with new facts coming everyday. Let’s put my part end here.

I had a great time there though it was just a month long. For the first time I got to deal with people from all walks of life which I found it interesting as well as tiring.

Looking forward to do my coming internship in one of the courts only.