Rupee crunch: Felt longtime back

From google images

Rupee crunch, it came suddenly like a wrathful storm which has already affected and still affecting our country. Unless effective rescue measures are in place it will keep on screwing our economy. It has also generated enough limelight from all across the country except from village folks. The village folks being illiterates may not be knowing this crisis and what is going on around the country these days, but they must have felt already the effect of its pinch as, may not be rice, but for all other necessities they depend on all imported products from India .In some places like Trashigang has already started hiking the vegetable prices(Kuensel). Very soon we may hear the same news for other imported products from India also.

For I have little knowledge on Economics and Banking I really don’t know what could have prompted such a dreadful crunch. Might have happened before such crunch, short of foreign currencies in Bhutan, but I did not remember whether I heard such crunch in Bhutan. This time I’m hearing for the first time ever. May be because of too much import and less export or other contributory factors for such crisis. Whom to point the finger? I really don’t know but one thing I knew it long time back. Might not have felt at large in the country until recently but I thought Bhutan has started feeling the crunch long time back. If not, at least I felt the crunch long time back. Could have been my ignorance failing to locate the proper source for exchanging Ngultrums for rupees but with all afford and possible ways still I felt the crunch as early as five years ago, ever since I started travelling to India for studying.

“Go to Banks for exchanging Ngultrums for Rupees”, many said whenever I reach to Phuntsholing for coming to India. But the reality was different .On reaching the exchange counter in the Bank; cashier would say “Rupee stock is over come in the morning”. Go to morning same reply most of the time, no rupees. I still remember sometimes I used to go to Banks again and again only to get the same reply, no rupees. Some said rupees would be available in the BOD (Bhutan Oil Distributer) most of time. Unlike in the Bank, they would say “come in the evening”. Even from BOD most of the time same reply like Banks, no rupees. But few times I got few hundred at the most one to two thousands only. I must have gone on the wrong days or I was rather unlucky or the seed of crunch was already started to swell by then but just able to ripe its fruits fully recently only. Whatever may be the reason, for sure I felt the crunch. In last five years, whenever I leave for India though I tried first option to exchange from Banks in Phuntsholing but I did not get even once also. So I had to resort to last option, buy rupees of same value paying extra. Sometimes for every hundred rupees I had to pay Nu. 10 sometimes Nu. 15.

Though I paid extra even for exchanging the currencies of same value, but considering  the current situation that many Bhutanese folks are living with, looking back  I don’t remorse rather I feel i was  lucky at least i had alternatives to exchange. If ever students face same fate like me, today go to Jaigon, forget about paying extra they won’t allow exchange also. Even if  they allow also,  they would charge almost 30 % of the total exchange amount as this has been reported already in the Kuensel( Nu.30,000 extra for exchanging Nu.100,000)

RMA’s rescue measures are already in force, hope the situation gets back to normal soon  or  remain as DPT government's  farewell for the country .Lets wait and watch........

Next week is never coming....

I know very well why I’ m here in the foreign land, miles and miles away from home land.  I’m here only for one purpose, to study.  But am'I always up to what am'I supposed to? Why am’I here? Sometimes I ask myself.

It’s been almost two months since I joined for this semester but what did I do in two months? Did I try doing something related to any of my assignments? I try to recollect but no I have not done yet anything in two months. By this time I’m supposed to complete at least one assignment, if not alteast I should be somewhere halfway. I see on my table many topics lying as is allotted. Nothing has done yet but I see due dates are approaching. I know I’ll feel like dying when I need to work on all assignments in tandem. Still then I’m so relax. My conscience still does not prick me to be on work.

I remember the days back in High School where I used to rush to do homework as soon as teacher assigned. After completing all homework only I used to relax. Even I used to work on during intervals and lunch breaks thinking that I may not complete it on time. One thing that prompted working on homework could have been because of fear of teachers. If we are found in the class without completing homework then we used to get sometimes slap. Sometimes terrible scolding. But in college it’s just topsy-turvy. I relax first and then go for working in the last minute. Even for exam I do not feel like studying until few days before. Back to High School i used to start studying at least one month before. Working beforehand never enters my mind. It may not be because of all these some dub college life as golden life.

Sometimes a day goes off simply doing nothing. Sometimes when afternoon nap takes away few hours of my day I just remorse that I should have not taken rather I should have done something instead. But next day after heavy lunch again it automatically comes. After dinner again feeling sleepy always. Sometimes social networking sites take away the whole day. So day goes off doing nothing fruitful. I kept on postponing to next week and when next week came again postponing to next week. But next week is never coming; it’s been two months now. High time to take long breathe and realize the purpose of being here in the foreign land, leaving behind my sweet home and my beautiful country ever......

About my identity in face book …

Sometimes I wonder. Had our forefathers had not started a culture of naming a person how it would have been possible to identify and know each other? By what, if not by name? We cannot be known and identified based on our complexions if ever there is no name for us.  There may be so many people with similar complexions and looks. If there is no name, how can I say I have a friend who is in white complexion with short height? How should I identify if I meet another friend of similar looks. Should I say I have another friend in white complexion with short height? How many times ‘another’ I should use if I go on meeting friends of similar looks. No, no, without names it is very difficult.

Hail to our ancestors for installing such a rich culture of naming a person, although the names which they assigned during those olden days were not as good as what we have today. During those days most of persons were named based on the names of objects, trees, places and so on, which we find it quite hilarious. And, most of their names are short unlike today. But thanks, at least they knew it the importance and installed such a rich culture.  If we check out our grandparents’ names we’ll realize how funny it is. I don’t know how far it is true to you folks but if I disclose my parents’ parents names I’m sure you guys would laugh. But I don’t want to disclose here and make you laugh. I feel most of the names what we have today like Sonam, karma, Dorji, etc, might have developed latter only. I don’t see any names which our forefathers used to bear, on today’s kids. Rather, today giving three names has become every parent’s preference. Even I feel naming the domestic animals for identification also as old as naming of human beings.

Getting down to the nitty- gritty, my identity in face book. Like every mankind as soon as I was born I was named. But in the social networking sites I’m not born with my real name. I create my own nick names there. So in social networking sites I’m always born with nick names. It’s not that I hate my real name or I want to do something mischievous hiding my real name under my nick name. I don’t know why, I always like to be in different nick names as if like my hobby. I don’t know who blessed my name. It was not from any of the great Lamas.  Some told me it was given by one of my uncles. Whoever may be the person, I simply love it the kind of name I am given for this life. If ever really mean it the meaning of my first name, immortal, and then everybody would have rushed to be called my first name, Chimi-immortal. Before, in Hi5 I used to be as immortal.

When I was in hi5 as immortal none of my friends questioned me about my nickname. But in face book as Time pass whenever I chatted with new friends for the first time , the first reply I would get would be why time pass? Many asked me, why time pass? Your nick is so funny, some said. For first few minutes I would be  debating on my nick. But I never failed to justify my stand. Face book is my time pass, I used to defend. This justification used to shut the debate absolutely.

When I signed up in the face book it suddenly came into my mind and I started my membership as Time pass then. With this nickname as my identity there and with my profile picture in long hair, I sent friend request to many of my old friends. Some did not even figure out that timepass was me. So, some of them even rejected my request. Some randomly accepted my friend request without knowing timepass was me. When I said ‘hi’, some of them replied, who are you? Even my old school mates did not figure out timepass was me. Subsequently I changed my nick to my real name and again sent the friend request. That was better all of them knew it. I think some of my friends might have seen another time pass after I changed my nick to real name, so they accused me of having two accounts. Don’t fool me? What a blow from some of my friends. I had tough time convincing them that I ‘have only one account and I’m no more ‘Time pass’.

After adding all of my friends ,again I changed my identity back to Time pass. This time it was better. Everybody knew it I’m time pass. But, recently I wished one of my class mates here on her birth day, after few days she commented, no chimi, don’t change your name…It seems she had tough time figuring out time pass.

I think my nickname cracked enough heads. It is enough now. Being in false name in the social networking sites seems not a good practice. I have learnt enough now. Other than disadvantages I did not have any benefits being in false name. I got to lift my bad habit as soon as my browser works…..

Ragging; is it the only way available for interaction with juniors?

This picture is lifted from google.

“Hey junior, go to the mess and get some food, get some water, take my key and get cigarettes from my room, act it, how do you shit and pie in the train, how do you take shower,….” goes on, the commands and demands from seniors to juniors. Except outside the University campus, within the campus it happens everywhere, in the mess, in the hostel, sometimes even in the crowd. Do they enjoy? Certainly yes, they enjoy it. I see them jeering, laughing and so on. They direct juniors to act all kinds of nasty and hilarious actions for their entertainment, time pass, pleasure, whatever. But deep within I don’t know how many of them realize they are doing  at the cost of juniors’ embarrassment and adversity submitting to them under their compulsion only for one reason because they are “first years”. When a first year boy is encircled with all senior boys, being a junior naturally he gets frightened and automatically becomes submissive to submit whatever he is directed to act. Thereby he is used like an object, don’t you think? His voice is cut off. He can’t utter a word against their direction.  Say, I don’t want to act, he is dead then. All seniors will abuse him and treat him so terribly.

At this time is a season for such menace when many new students join to college as first year students. That is the only greatest fear the new students must be having other than their excitements of being into the college for the first time. On other hand that must be the only entertainment the seniors are looking forward from the juniors other than their eagerness to see different faces of juniors. I don’t know whether raging is still prevailing in the colleges in Bhutan. When I was plus two many narrated how seniors rag juniors in Sherubtse College, Bhutan. I was fretted I would be ragged if I get to go Sherubtse College but fortunately I was escaped. Even if there is ragging in Bhutan I’m very much sure our Bhutanese seniors will not rag so gravely and ruthlessly like Indian seniors do to their juniors. Last year there were many cases reported in ‘The Times of India’ where a student hanged to death herself after she was made to dance without clothes. To that extent I have not seen in my college. But they let them act all kinds of actions. I should say we Bhutanese students here are so fortunate we never get ragged plus when I was in first year I was always protected by Bhutanese seniors. They would not have tolerated if ever they saw us ragging. So do I today if I see them ragging our Bhutanese Juniors. I don’t think we are here leaving our country to get ragged. Some of my friends told me they got ragged in first year and when they reach to second year they get chance to rag others which I hate the both. Neither getting ragged nor ragging others. I’m totally against it.

When my batch was in first year ragging was not an issue at all. The University did not care much, neither gave attention to it. As a result, except us the Bhutanese students, others in my batch must have got ragged a lot. They were in same hostel with seniors. Very often I used to pass by my batch mates in the middle of seniors. Sometimes even in the class in front of the crowd during the break. But today the condition is far better. The University is very strict on ragging. The juniors are kept in separate hostel with a security guard. In the beginning of the academic year everywhere in the campus posters with, ‘no to ragging’, are seen pasted. The Anti Ragging Act is already in place, in pursuance of which University has regulation in place for combating the so called ragging. All seniors student are made to sign the undertaking ‘no to ragging ‘subject to the condition that if they breach the undertaking then liable for both administrative action as well as criminal action. But who cares? Side by side, one way or other juniors are always subject to ragging, but at very minimal level. Despite all these mechanisms in place, ragging here is still not debarred absolutely as I can still see these days some juniors in the middle of seniors, but yes, at least it’s been controlled to greater extent. However, the best part I see in my Indian mates as far as my University is concerned is that after ragging they become friends no matter however they were ragged. I know if ever our Bhutanese are ragged like that in Bhutan,  forget about becoming friends, rather  that would become their lifelong grudge against the senior who ragged them. But here it seems they accept it  as a mode of interaction and a part and parcel of their college life which actually happens very often only for the first few months.

Being simply a senior we do not become different humanity, after all still human being. I don’t see any herald that a senior will be left as a senior and a junior will be left as a junior through out their life. Other than our fate nobody is capable of seeing where we’ll land in future. It‘s not guaranteed a senior will always be a boss no matter where ever they go. When they just reported to the college, struggling to get adapted with the place and rid of their nostalgic heart being away from home for the first time, most of them, what will be their situation if the seniors welcome them with ragging? That’s where I ask don’t we have a better way of interaction with them? Instead of ragging at this time I think they need so many other comforts and helping hands. When we were briefed on ‘no to ragging’ by our Vice Chancellor he said that in Western Countries in some Universities the seniors instead of ragging they help juniors when they join to the college for the first time ever. I think he was right, in the beginning instead of ragging they need a help.  As a senior, yes, they deserve respect but that should not be demanded rather respect should be earned. I see them greeting to seniors, Bhai ya HI, whenever they meet seniors. If there is any reason that the juniors prompted the seniors anger, still I don’t see a reason to let them act all kinds of actions. They need correction but in a better way, a reasonable one, keeping in the mind that after all they are also human being. No human being is born as a means for others' ends rather, as some jurists said; all human beings are born as an end in itself not as a means for something. There is always  a better way of interaction with juniors to make them familiar with the surroundings, but not through ragging. I suppose it should happen so friendly like the tour guides explaining about the campus and surroundings to the tourists.  

Hindi, will i ever know perfectly?

“By the time you complete your course you will know Hindi perfectly“, said many of my mates before coming to Indian when I told them I’m placed in India. Being I hail from far-flung village they knew it I barely know a word of Hindi, which may apply to all most all students who were born and bought up in the village.

Being  born down to the dust, brought up in the jungle almost like a jungle creature, just merely born as a human creature, no bare minimum entitlements as a human were offered, not deliberately but world itself was like that during 1990s still laboring for globalization, transformation, etc. None to blame. What to say about Bhutan during 1990s it was far behind in everything but today no more Bhutan is at same level it used to be in 1990s, far better today. Everyone knows that. Today, we have road at our door steps, electricity, and lot more. Even in my village some villagers own television.

During my time forget about television, there were no road, no electricity and no solar panels either. To the nearest road minimum we had to walk 7-8 hours. I still remember how we used to rush when our head master wanted any one of us to go for shopping of his necessities or for school party to the nearest town. Because when we get to visit town and see different cars plying once in a blue moon, may be once in a year we used to feel so happy as if we have reached to our dream land. By chance if we get a lift or get to see television then what more we would have wanted to be happy?, so excited we would be.

Candidly speaking I saw television properly only when I reached to Junior High School. Many say they learn Hindi automatically when they watch Hindi serials and movies. That would have been possible only if I were in the town. But sadly I was back in village. I started watching Hindi movies only after reaching here. For some, they learn Hindi when they are in the school through their friends in case if they happen to meet friends who are well versed with Hindi. But throughout my school life until plus two I did not meet any friends of such sort. So how would have been possible for me to learn foreign language in this condition? It was no way then, although I knew it, its importance.

I still remember so many funny things I had been through when I came to India for the first time, for not being able to communicate in Hindi.

The only hope was when I came to India for study. As my friends said I too thought that I would be able to know Hindi by the time I complete my course which could be the only benefit I could reap besides my course, being in India for half a decade.

Do you know Hindi?, asked some of my friends . Not bad, I defended. But it’s been four years in India now, so where am ‘I standing today then? In four fours did I learn something as I expected? Did I really know Hindi “not that bad?

After coming here everything was just topsy-turvy, nothing went as expected. I being placed in the south, it has been very difficult to learn. The University where I study being a National University, students come from all over India. Owing to their diverse regional language some of them hardly know Hindi, but just a handful, not many, although they know their regional language very well which differs from place to place.

 In other colleges I was told that they communicate mostly in Hindi and they were being taught in Hindi as well. Owing to which some of them knew it within a year though they pissed off in the beginning. But here it seems students were born with English on their month. They communicate mostly in English. When it comes to Hindi, sometimes they speak within themselves fully or just few verses in cocktail with English. But whenever they speak their speaking is not lesser than our monks chanting prayers, so fast. I hardly get it. There I lost blinking.

I would be the first person to shout, ‘in English please’, if they make any announcement in the class in Hindi. But sometimes I have to laugh with them without getting what humorous thing they said which is why sometimes I wish I was also born with television.

The persons we communicate in Hindi here includes cooks, security guards, non teaching staffs and auto drivers. They don’t know English. They are the ones whom we communicate in Hindi most of the time. Even if we don’t know Hindi with them we have to make it out one way or other. So, I have to face it with little I know. Sometimes I find them shaking their heads which seems they don’t understand my Hindi when my Hindi goes mixing with my broken Nepali. Sometimes I try throwing my broken Hindi to my Indian friends which I find it comfortable while throwing to them whatever I know but on return I’m dead, I hardly get what they are telling. There again I lost scratching my head. I surrender then. But with auto drivers I never surrender. They speak kind of typical Hindi here which I can get it at least some part. So, with them my broken Hindi works well.

Before coming here I would not have known even if I were to be sold to somebody but today, after living here for four years, occasionally speaking in broken Hindi with aforementioned persons and watching many Hindi movies with subtitles, I understand at least something as well as I can speak to some extent, at least basics though brokenly. Nobody can sale me now rather with my little basics of Hindi I can even tour whole India. Nobody can ridicule me either, with those Hindi slangs.  Before I never used to go to city alone but today I’m able to go alone.

I just know little bit of basics still then I’m happy. At least, something is better than nothing. I know one day or other I may even get to deal people who speak only Hindi but I’m hopeful that I can handle it with my little basics which by the time it’ll get matured, if not fully at least to some extent, capable of understanding what they are saying and convincing what I’m trying to say. . Long way to go for perfecting ……………

Suicide; is it the only last remedy left in this world? Why not resort to other remedies?

We the human beings on the earth are considered as one of the six realms of rebirth which is only the most possible realm for attaining nirvana. Though being as human being is not in nirvana which is just an en route for attaining nirvana, however still I feel we are so fortunate for having blessed with the proper human life which is so precious than anything else. Many in other realms of rebirth must be craving desperately in need of human life which is so difficult to happen unless be a luckiest of the luckiest that is also only after many years of horrible suffering. Out of hundreds and thousands of creatures in other realms the benevolent god granted our lives to be humans which could be just one time gift. So, being human itself it gives an enough consolation and reason to be invariably happy and proud of even if we don’t have enough material or intellectual wealth as humans to be happy and proud of.

No doubt, having gotten the proper human life without any defect we rejoice with pride and pleasure. Then, what do we care and afraid of losing the most other than life? Everyone knows how important and precious is life which is why we always, of all other things, we care life the most and afraid the most of losing life. When worst happens to life people lament to the extent that ‘life sucks, ‘I’m so unfortunate human on this earth’, ‘I hate life’ and so on. But this happens to everybody given the fact that life is always subject to ups and downs. This does not go beyond our lips. It withers away within our lips only. But not same for everybody, for some people they really mean it. They go beyond their words of hating life with real action.

I don’t know why people hate life to the extent of resorting to real action of killing oneself when there is plethora of remedies available besides killing oneself no matter however grave the circumstances could be that lead to resort such a worst of the worst remedy. Life, as a precious gift from god is supposed to surrender only if god takes away himself in which case it is inevitable which every human being is subjected to. The only difference is matter of time, one day or other naturally we are bond to surrender if god takes away. But killing oneself is too much to parents, relatives and society at large. Even some say that such people don’t deserve proper funeral rites also. From religious point of view, we Buddhist believe that committing suicide is a sin and there are many other beliefs behind this. From legal point of view also, though committing suicide is not crime but attempt to commit is a crime.

I’ was really disturbed when I came across three suicide cases consecutively last month within two weeks in my village. As far as I remember I did not see any such incident before in my village, this was first time I saw in our village though I heard many such cases in other parts of Bhutan. Of three cases two succeeded but one failed and escaped the death. It seemed a rope from which she hanged and jumped was not that strong. As she hanged and jumped from one of the branches of tree the rope could not resist the force of her weight so the rope frayed and she escaped with minor injuries. Another one was a student in plus one standard.

I don’t know what prompted him to suicide. He was found hanged himself behind his dormitory with his kera. He was by nature very good and industrious person who would not have ever resorted to such act. As a student he might have lots of dreams and aspiration pursuing which in 10 years of his education he might have gone through lots of hardship that every villager’s son as a student goes through. He might have experienced hell lot of trouble in walking to and from the school in rain and in the sweltering sun thinking that one day he would not have to suffer like his parents back in the village in between the oxen and with spats until doomsday. His parents might have tried every possible way to send him school with at least basic necessities by providing whatever they have if they have and if they don’t have enough then lending from others and if they don’t get from lending then disposing little wealth they have or if they don’t have anything to dispose then earning through working for others for months. But not only his parents, during his vacations most of the time he used to be found in the forest and away from home working just to meet his schooling expenses. But sadly all his 10 years effort turned to meaningless and blown off himself uselessly neither helpful to the ones alive and nor to himself rather a blow to parents and society. Whatever, he might have acted what he was destined for. So, that must have been his fate.

The other one was a village girl who phoned almost all her friends from the tree where she hanged that she was committing suicide. When one of her friends went to safe her she jumped off the moment she saw her friend coming and her friend could not safe it. So, people suicide as if they are going for vacation and would come back after some months. Everyone’s life is subject to ups and downs but when there is worst downs in life it does not mean that suicide is only last remedy.  There is always better way out, at least better than suicide. I pray for all of them that, may their souls rest in eternal peace!!.

My patient Lecturer

Tse ..ring..tse ring.., an electric bell beeps after fifteen minutes of break for Drafting and Conveyancing class. Who cares the bell? Majority seems acting deaf, nobody gives a dam shit to it which we were actually mandated to heed it for he being the king of all timings in the University. As far as timing goes he controls all students and all professors right from Vice Chancellor. All knows whose class it is. If its some other professors' class who are the men of manners and disciple and  also never fond of accepting any kind of justification no matter genuine or fake for late coming to give attendance, surely nobody would dare to hang outside even after bell. Then beeping of bell would have been like roaring of tiger. No sooner did they hear the beeping of bell then they would have walked into the class then and there.
Despite the bell still majority of students comfortably hangs out outside jeering, giggling, chatting and so on and so forth, though the lecturer is yet to come. There he walks to class with attendance register and a plastic file in it few scribbled A4size papers definitely notes for his lecture which he holds straight with his left hand in attention position like an army holding the rifle straight to their body and his left hand would be straight to his body in attention position. With his back straight which he rarely bends while walking for which he is sometimes known to some students as bullet, like a shooting bullet he enters into the class and rests before the class.
Sometimes he takes attendance before he begins his lecture but sometimes he takes attendance at the end of his class. To his dismay if he takes attendance before he begins his lecture then he would find only few students at the end of period many would be found bunking his class after attendance. So, given the safer time for attendance at the end most of the time he takes attendance at the end of the class. Above all he is a patient teacher. Drafting and Conveyancing is a course which would not provoke the interest of any interested student to heed it irrespective of whoever teaches in whatever or whichever way. It ‘s completely dry and boring course which consists of formats of various legal documents which does not require that much deep explanation fathomable even if we read ourselves, although it is quite important in practical life for drafting all kinds of legal documents.
He seems to have slogged a lot for his lecture no matter however dry the course seems. He would hold his notes with his left hand and as he speaks he gestures from his right hand. While reading and explaining the formats it seems he is reading from his notes but no he has eaten everything in verbatim he hardly refers his notes. But who cares? No one listens; some instead of facing to him faces back and in groups keep chatting, some reads newspaper, some sleeps and so on, not a single student listens his class. Even if he alerts only for few minutes they would listen again resume their private business in the class. But he never fails to proceed with his duty he goes on proceeding further with his lecture. He has patience but that patience surely would have limit though until now he has not lost his patience to the extent of roaring and giving up our class for ever. But sometimes he goes to the extent of cautioning that course seems very simple but in reality we all would face problem while drafting legal documents.
If this is the class scenario in the Bhutan I can’t imagine what would happen to our Bhutanese lecturers. Though corporal punishment is banned still then I don’t think our Bhutanese lecturers would be that patient to tolerate such kind of class environment, no doubt they would impatiently take action. But like my Indian friends I don’t think Bhutanese students would dare to go to that extent in the class ignoring the lecturer as we always respect to our teachers and I’m sure the bare minimum manner is inherent quality of every Bhutanese folk. So here too when it comes to discipline and respect for teachers we Bhutanese folks never fail to impress our Professors. But Pity on my patient lecturer!!!