Monday, May 7, 2012

Bhutanese Women playing Khuru-My take on the issue.

In recent years, there has been new trend of women playing khuru in Bhutan, a game traditionally played only by men. However, as expected, in a country where culture and tradition form integral part of every day life of people, this trend has been repudiated as not being in line with our age old tradition and culture. This trend has been assailed with plethora of unfounded criticisms in many online forums discrediting the fact that women in Bhutan too have fundamental rights. Therefore, it is high time that we start asking serious questions about our culture and tradition and our fundamental rights.

We can't hold on to the tradition for the sake of tradition and patriotism; we have to study what is good and what is bad for everyone. We should love our country intelligently, as HM says. I have highest regard for Bhutanese tradition and culture like respect for parents, teachers, and elders. I also believe in our traditions like helping each other in communities because these traditions have undying values and merits in them: they keep our society strong and happy. But, traditions like not allowing women to play games like khuru is not worthy of preserving at all.

What about women's fundamental right? Can we deny women of Bhutan the right to joy and sefl-fulfillment provided by playing a game of Khuru. I don't think it's a profanity in anyway for a women to play a game of Khuru.They are playing because it is an enjoyable game. Why should only men have access to this beautiful game of Khuru? Can't women have the liberty to play this game if they wish and desire to do so? Can we restrict their access to game in the name of tradition turning a blind their rights?  

Another question asked by those you oppose women playing khuru is: who is going to dance during the matches? Well, to answer this question, I don’t think all the women in Bhutan will play Khuru en masse. About half the population of Bhutan is women; so, those women who do not play khuru can participate in dancing and singing if they desire to do so. But I have one reservation about this tradition of women dancing during the games of archery and khuru: my hunch is that it was an ingenious trick set up in the past by exploitive powerful men to lure women into something bad-readers will know it. In fact, this tradition of making women to dance during private ceremonies of powerful people, and during the traditional khuru and archery matches is an outright exploitation of women in Bhutan. Therefore, it is important that we change our mind set and be wary of things going on under the veil of tradition-exploitation of women is happening!

Other assertion made by people opposing the trend of women play khuru is that it is not a Bhutanese tradition. Going by this argument, then Bhutanese men should not be working in kitchens? This is because traditionally women were those who did the cooking and cleaning in the kitchens. But this is not the case now: there are many top male chefs working in hotels in Bhutan earning handsome salary. So, should we ban male chef in kitchens from Bhutanese hotel? Are men ready to give way to women because it is not our tradition for men to work in the kitchen?  I am sure the answer will be flat NO. What?! Are you kidding me? Have Bhutanese men forgotten our precious culture and tradition in the face of money and glamour of working in a posh hotel? Tradition is important-but not if we can earn money and fame?!

So, the fundamental questions boils down to this: can we deny women of Bhutan their right to do what they desire, just because these things were not done in the past. Don’t the apostles of the orthodoxy that women should not play khuru have any other worthy justification other than tradition and culture to restrict our women from playing the game they enjoy?  This to me sounds totally rubbish!

All citizens in Bhutan have fundamental right to freedom of expression which is a constitutional right. These freedoms are restricted only if exercising of the right is a threat to security and sovereignty of a nation. Letting women to exercise their right of freedom to play simple game of Khuru is not even a threat to our security. Therefore, it is very unseemly to assail our women with criticism for enjoying their constitutional and god-given rights.
So, let us not worry about women playing khuru or any other damn game played by men, but let’s worry about domestic violence, and about some husband playing archery day and night not tending to their kids and wifes even after office hours. Let’s not preserve the  culture of beating women because of their inherent physical weakness; let us not create a culture where husbands stay all weekends playing archery and dice in neighour's lounge. Lastly, let us break up this social menace of denying our women their fundamental rights to liberty, justice and freedom in the name of preserving our culture and tradition.


Thursday, April 26, 2012

Fortunate to be beaten by my teachers and parents.

The schools in Bhutan have banned corporal punishment-but I doubt whether this will do any good to our students and the nation at large. Though I hated and dreaded corporal punishment when I was a student, later I realized that reasonable level of corporal punishment was a saving grace for me: it kept me grounded, and molded me into a responsible person. More than anything, it made me to learn what I was supposed to learn as a student.

I really feel fortunate and thankful that my teachers and parents beat me; had it not been for their kind and compassionate beating I would have gone astray. So, through my personal experience, I am not really a supporter of "ban of corporal punishment in schools" A certain degree of corporal punishment is very necessary in schools until students attain the age of reasoning and contemplation.

During my school days ,whenever there was a class test, I  studied really hard not because I wanted to secure best results in the tests but because I feared my teacher would beat me if I did not do well. That positive fear instilled in me value of hard work which later culminated into taking good personal responsibility. This forced learning also helped me to discover my intellectual potential as youth.

When I was in my teens I didn't steal fruits from neighbor’s farm not because I knew it was wrong to take "what is not given or what is not yours" but because I feared my father would beat me if he knew I was a thief. Later as I grew older I knew it was fundamentally wrong to steal.

These two important lessons in my life-taking personal responsibility of hard work and being truthful- I learnt from my teachers and my parents who used to beat me if my actions were not deemed fit for a good student or a good son. Though I resented my teachers and parents for punishing me, the resentment withered away as I came to the age of reasoning. Today as I reflect back on the actions of my teachers I am filled with gratitude to them for disciplining me and forcing me to learn my lessons properly.

Today, I have become a firm believer that our teachers and parents punish our kids not because they want to inflict pain on them and make them unhappy, but to instill in them some fear, which is necessary for youth, to make them learn their lessons for their own good. Actions of our teachers and parents are because of their immense love for our children: they want our children to grow up to be a responsible and useful citizen for our society.

Therefore, we should not altogether ban corporal punishment in schools simply because schools in the western world have done it-lets have the courage to be different for the sake of our children and for our country. Some sense of fear of punishment is necessary to make our students learn their lessons and to discipline them: the answer to this is corporal punishment. However, teachers and parents should know the degree of corporal punishment, and when to apply it.

Lastly I thank my teachers and parent for punishing me with rods and whips when I did wrong as a student. I hated you then, but now I love you all for you care and kindness.


Sunday, February 20, 2011

Facebook Conversation with Nima Wangchuk.

 

We feel very compassionate when we see on the TV, tigers eating other animals. What would we do if we were tigers?
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Nima Wangchuk This is what I Understand to be the LAW OF KARMA!!!
Yesterday at 11:00am · LikeUnlike
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Tshewang Dorji I guess we should be compassionate to both a tiger and the victim of tiger, not only to the victim. What do you say?
Yesterday at 11:02am · LikeUnlike
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Nima Wangchuk I am Pure vegetarian, their is a butcher selling the meat, what if my son is not a vegetarian? am I not responsible too???
Yesterday at 11:12am · LikeUnlike
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Tshewang Dorji You would be responsible for making your son. More than that, if your son chooses to be non-vegetarian even after your advice, i dont think you are responsible. He can choose his own way, but good advice is must. Beyong that, what can we do?
Yesterday at 11:17am · LikeUnlike
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Nima Wangchuk Just like butcher killing the life of an animal, in a same way he/she can stab his/her EGO and son too can adopt the same!! rite???
Yesterday at 11:48am · LikeUnlike
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Tshewang Dorji He can do it for himself if he wants to, but you cannot do own his behalf.
Yesterday at 11:50am · LikeUnlike
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Nima Wangchuk Every word carries power in their own way and same is with our mental process... at the least or at the highest we can pray for his/her purifications.. (MOEN-LAM) there will be EFFECT for every CAUSE!!! Shall we do that?
Yesterday at 11:56am · LikeUnlike
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Tshewang Dorji That could be done, but i dont know how powerful and genuine my prayers would be.
Yesterday at 11:57am · LikeUnlike
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Tshewang Dorji The deeper I go inside my system of thinking, I see something fishy going on inside me- something selfish is going on in the name of doing good. This is my experience with my thoughts till now.
Yesterday at 12:02pm · LikeUnlike
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Nima Wangchuk The best thing we can practice is, Don't be tempted to do good coz it looks good or try to avoid doing bad coz it seems harmful or sinful... The funny thing at the end or very BASE is their is no GOOD or BAD!! its mental game! its my experience.. if u think then have a try over it...
Yesterday at 12:07pm · LikeUnlike
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Tshewang Dorji The greatest difficulty for me is to go beyond " good and bad". This my problem at present.
Yesterday at 12:10pm · LikeUnlike
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Nima Wangchuk let me give you one example, Stool might seem awesome smelly to a fashion and model lady and she might reject it by saying "oh! what a smell, i really hate it".. BUT to a creature like pigs and even beautiful rose it is delicious for them or it is necessary!!! Do you think that a lady is rite to claim that it sound awesome????
Yesterday at 12:22pm · LikeUnlike
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Tshewang Dorji I can sometimes get the feeling that there is nothing as good or bad, but to prolong experience is something that I am unable to do.
Yesterday at 12:22pm · LikeUnlike
Tshewang Dorji We might say that "shit" is neither good nor bad, but in reality do we have the courage and guts to eat shit with the same feeling as we eat chocolate?
Yesterday at 12:29pm · LikeUnlike
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Nima Wangchuk i am not the rite person to answer your profound and genuine inquiries, u can alys approach lama.... He is near to you.... its time u clarify it...
Yesterday at 12:31pm · LikeUnlike
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Tshewang Dorji This is my problem. Though I get a tiny glimpse of "nothing is good or bad" I am not able to free myself from choosing what is seemingly good from what is seemingly bad.
Yesterday at 12:31pm · LikeUnlike

Nima Wangchuk i am not the rite person.... U can ask to lama, these doubts are genuine, i think so... please get clarification from lama...


Thursday, February 17, 2011

WHAT EXACTLY IS GNH?

Whenever I read papers on GNH, I often get bogged down with so many versions of GNH. The only common thing about GNH by different people is the four pillars of GNH, but that is also understood and interpreted in different styles by different people: the pillars are the same but the ingredients with which these pillars are built seem to be different to different people. In a same way, not surprisingly, I also have my own miniature version of GNH based own my own little understanding and contemplation.
GNH is not a dogma as some people tend to interpret: it is not a dictate about how to live our life. The concept of GNH goes beyond its four pillars. GNH is all about living well, in harmony with economy, our natural environment and with our community. And yes, GNH is about elevating our spiritual, political and social consciousness so that we create our own happiness and the people around us. Thus, to uplift our basic consciousness, the role of the state has been considered to be very important in facilitating the creation of environment in uplifting these consciousnesses. Therefore, the target of any government at anytime, while doing anything, should be to bring about positive changes in our society so that the people become happier than they were before. Thus, the happiness is the GOAL of GNH.

Now, having said that happiness is the ultimate goal of GNH philosophy, we need to understand what is meant by happiness. Happiness is a very subjective topic. It would mean different to different people, in description and in experience. For example, Buddhist concept of happiness would be different from other major religions of the world. In fact, Buddhism teaches about transcending both happiness and sadness. Therefore, Bhutanese people’s idea of happiness is very much shaped by Buddhist teachings and the environment in which we are brought up.

Some of the questions that have been nagging me about GNH are: In GNH, are we looking for ultimate happiness as from the Buddhist point of view (I mean nirvana), or is it some kind of physical pleasure accompanied with some mental contentment? Are we talking about happiness in Bhutan only or beyond Bhutan? Is it acceptable to try to achieve GNH through means that are not in consonance with GNH principles? Who has the authority to interpret whether the actions of citizens of our country are aligned with GNH principles are not?

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Corruption: Destroying the soul of Bhutan.

What is corruption?  The definition of corruption to me is very simple: It is doing what we are not supposed to be doing. By the same logic, it would also mean not doing what we are supposed to be doing, be it as a public servant, a private entrepreneur, a religious leader or as anyone in any capacity. To me corruption simply goes beyond the world Banks definition of "the abuse of public office for private gain." Corruption pervades abuse of anything by anyone, not just the public office only.
    Corruption in Bhutan takes various forms; the most prevalent form of corruption in Bhutan are: embezzlement, abuse of authority, nepotism and favoritism, etc. The very recent and one of the most heinous of corruption in our country took place in the Ministry of Health. The officials concerned for procurement of hospital equipments had been siphoning off millions of ngultrum from the public, which is branded to be bigger scam than commonwealth game scandal in India. For an instance, a plastic bucket worth Nu.600 only, was brought for Nu. 7500. This means the official had pocketed Nu. 6900 for their personal consumption. Could any patriot person, who respects his country and the king, have this kind of nerve to carry out this inestimable and astonishing crime? Such people should be brought to justice, and sooner the better. This is one example of corruption of mass scale, and I bet there are hundreds of such crimes committed in the country every now and then.
One of the rampant forms of corruption taking place in our country is that of government officials falsely claiming TA/DA. They either claim the amount for tours that they have never taken, or for number of days more than actual days of their tour. And, sadly, this practice does not look like to get any better in the coming days for I have come across some civil servant aspirants opting for post that has opportunity for most number of tours, not the job that they feel that they can do effectively and efficiently, and, contribute the maximum for the betterment  of our nation. Yes, this is also corruption.
Other form of corruption is a "passive corruption." In this form of corruption, almost all Bhutanese, me included, are involved, except for few people like His Majesty and Aum Neten Zam. This happens when so called uncorrupted people do not raise their voice against corruption. Let alone fighting corruption themselves, I have often come across many  senior citizens, highly educated and with no education, dissuading enthusiastic youths, from joining Anti Corruption Commission. They fear backlash from the society. They say joining ACC will lead to creation of so many enemies in one’s life, and will have to hurt the sentiment of so many people. Yes, this is also corruption. In fact, more dangerous than the actual corruption.
As for creating enemies while joining ACC, I remembered Gandhiji's words of wisdom from his autobiography "The Story of my experiment with truth." In the autobiography , Gandhiji  have said, only the people of Ravana’s thinking could become enemies of Rama. Thus, only corrupted people would become the enemies of people who are fighting against corruption in the country. As for the concern of hurting people's sentiment while fighting against corruption, I remembered Trungpa Rinpoche's word “an idiotic compassion." This kind of compassion toward corruption is not only cowardly; it is also "idiotic compassion" as said by Trungpa Rinpoche. Thus, it is very imperative that we do away with these kinds of harmful idiosyncrasies’, and rally for the big fight against corruption before corruption annihilate our country's peace and prosperity which we have long cherished and secured under the benevolent rule of our Bodhisattva kings.
     Corrupted people are to our country, Bhutan, what terrorist are to the west and the Middle East countries. Corrupted people are terrorist without weapons. They destroy our country, not with weapons like AK 47 and bomb, but with brain (cunning brain of course) and pen. They destroy the country inside out. There might not be terrorist groups like Al Qaeda, Lashkar E-taiba, Taliban, Hamas, etc.  in Bhutan that poses imminent threat to the security of our nation's geographical boundaries, but there are very cold-blooded assassins lurking openly for ambush in every corner of our country, to extinguish the system of freedom and fairness in the country: they are called "CORRUPTED PEOPLE" Corrupted people are traitors who do not respect the three roots of our country, namely, king, country and the people.
The corrupted people have the least gratitude to the government and their fellow citizens. Or else, how could they betray the government after having had invested a huge fortune for their upbringing and education? How could they siphon off millions of money meant for welfare of fellow Bhutanese?! How can they have such obnoxious guts to be so selfish? Most importantly, how can we hate corruption so much and not speak a word against it? Is this not connivance?
      Therefore, it is my invincible belief that to extinguish the flames of corruption, we all need to ostracize corruption in our society. To do this, we need to educate our people as of why corruption is destructive to our nation-politically, economically, and from social point of view. The awareness on corruption needs to go beyond educating people only about penalties and punishment of corruption from legal point of view. In short, we need to educate people as of why corruption is a threat to the freedom and prosperity of individual person living in the country. This much we must do, and the responsibilities lie in the hands of every Bhutanese, not only with the ACC.
     So, let us all cultivate an intelligent hatred to hate corruption in our country. Let us all, with our souls united, have no tolerance towards corruption. Let us all not be compassionate towards few corrupted people for the sake of more than six hundred thousand fellow Bhutanese. May Corruption live short in Bhutan.