Please meet my Grandma

Still going strong

"My grandmother, like everybody's grandmother, was an old woman," writes my favorite author Khuswant Singh. Of course that's a crude way of describing one's grandmother, but I am sure he meant it well when he wrote that line. I find it so funny and can't get over with the expression.

My grandmother is 87-year young (I borrow the term from Bhutan Youth). She is blessed with a long and happy life. She gave birth to a dozen children of which only eight have survived.

She is a living example of love, compassion and generosity and was loved all back in her village. Always willing to help others, her neighbors remember her for exemplary kindness. As a grandson, I might lie to you, but there are people who know this is the truth. It is comforting to know that she is here with us and still going strong although she complains of a series of body aches and numerous pains. It pains me so much to hear her talk of such pains in her frail body. But I realized that's all I could do.

But it has been almost a few months since she went to Gelephu to stay with her youngest daughter. My daughter misses her as much as I do. And I am happy that she would be coming soon. Last time when I talked to her, she broke down and between the sobs, she told me that she missed my family. It meant so much to me. I consoled her. But the moment I ended the call, it was my turn to cry. I miss her and it was my wife's turn to wipe my tears.

One morning she walked into my room and told me that I should wake up early and go for jogging or just walks. "People who sleep like this won't even be good at archery," she warned. Back then I was so busy preparing a bow. That was like hitting the nail on its head. But I am yet to catch the early worm. Maybe with the coming of another new year, it is not totally gone from my wish list.

Come back home grandma. And may the Buddha grant her prayers!

When they are ready

The Ministry of Education discovered 890 'underage' children admitted in schools across the country in 2019. Thus, the ministry in May 2019 issued a notification revoking the admission for these children. Majority were in urban centres. Desperate, parents and the affected schools requested the government to intervene. They also requested the government to consider lowering the enrolment age to five years. Currently, in Bhutan a child can legally go to school only when s(he) is six years old. And that policy was strictly followed a few years ago to the extent that some schools refused to admit children even if they were short of a few weeks. So, parents, mostly in urban areas, resorted to faking their children's ages. Many parents were guilty of adding years onto their children's actual ages. However, most parents, we are told, managed to correct their 'mistakes' later. Faking a child's age was rampant...

The Vanishing Currency of a Bhutanese Village

Growing up in rural Bhutan, the richest people in the village often had very little cash. They were known as chukpo , 'the ones with cattle'. And no one asked how much money a person had in the bank. No one or only a countable few had bank accounts, anyway. Wealth was measured in fields, cattle, grains, and the ability to carry a family through the seasons. Cash existed, but it played only a small role. Most exchanges happened through barter. Rice for chillies, soya beans for Sichuan peppers, cheese for eggs. I still remember that a ball of homemade cheese was worth two fresh eggs. Nobody needed a calculator because people simply knew. The most remarkable part of the system was the exchange of labour. During sowing and planting seasons, families needed extra hands, yet labour was rarely paid in cash. If I spent three days helping on your farm, you spent three days helping on mine in return. No contract was needed to be signed. No money changed hands. Wealthier households so...

Community of Bhutanese Bloggers Conceived

And finally it happened. I must say that it was by far the most attended Bloggers Meet. In the past we had bloggers agree to attend and cancel at the very last minute. But on June 24, 2015 – almost 100% of bloggers, who confirmed came. I would like to thank everyone for keeping his/her words, especially those who had to come all the way from Wangdue or Paro. Thank you! 35 Bhutanese bloggers met in Thimphu. We were honored to have the presence of senior bloggers like Aue Yeshi Dorji and Dasho Sangay Khandu. The meeting assumed more significance because of their presence. Equally, we were happy to have many young bloggers in whom we see so much enthusiasm and potential. On top of many things that transpired during the Meet, one of the most significant outcomes was the unanimous decision reached to form a formal group of bloggers, a platform aimed at encouraging and inspiring more bloggers around the country. The members decided that we will call it Community of Bhutanese Blogger...

Ngawang Phuntsho

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