Water and food security...

Students and teachers of Thimphu’s schools came together in Changangkha to commemorate World Water Day on 22 March. The celebrations included a wide array of well-thought-out presentations and entertaining performances highlighting the importance of water. I was given the opportunity to talk to the students. So I told them a story, one that is relevant [...]

Public works...

Thimphu’s main roads are fairly good. They are not necessarily beautiful, but, in spite of limited resources, they are, by and large, smooth, wide and well-managed. The smaller roads, however, tell a different story. Many of them are narrow, riddled with pot holes, and have not seen any form of maintenance for years. Naturally, many [...]

Family strength...

Here’s another picture for my ‘father and child’ series: Tobgay and his wife, Sonam, with their children occupying a vantage spot at the Chukha Dzong courtyard. The family had traveled from Bjabcho to attend the consecration of their dzong, and had made sure that they would enjoy a clear view of the folk and mask [...]

A role model...

Civic sense. Do we have it? Sangay Dorji is one person who does have good sense of civic responsibility. I chanced upon him fixing potholes on the road to Dechhenchholing. He collected soft rock, gravel and mud from a nearby landslide to fill the larger potholes. And within minutes, even before he was finished, vehicles [...]

Devika Darjee...

A winner Almost 200 of you took part in the poll to decide who would be our sportsperson of the year. Thank you for voting. And thank you for your many comments. I closed the poll at midnight on the last day of January. The race was close. Ugyen Yoeser (cycling) and Devika Darjee (cricket) [...]

Hospitality business...

Shebji is Sombaykha’s northernmost village. And, civil servants, especially Dzongkhag officials, traveling to Sombaykha normally spend a night in there. After walking continuously downhill from Tergola (at about 4000 meters) through alpine meadows, giant rhododendron forests, and subtropical jungle to Shebji (about 1500 meters), most travelers are happy to rest their tired knees in this [...]

Changemaker Chencho...

Ashoka Changemakers have announced their winners – the three most innovative solutions that radically rethink mental health to achieve individual and community well being. And Dr Chencho Dorji’s project, Promoting Mental Health in Traditional Bhutanese Society, is among them. Dr Chencho’s project has won. Dr Chencho is an Ashoka Changemaker! Well done!

Dr Sanga Dorji...

Lighting candles

Dr Sanga Dorji, Chief Physiotherapist, JDWNR Hospital, on 3 December 2009, at Hotel Taj addressing his guests who had come together to celebrate International Day for Persons with Disabilities: Honorable Tshogpon, Honorable Lyonpos, Honorable leader of the Opposition, Honorable Thrizin of the National Council, Honorable members of the Parliament, Representatives of the International Organizations, Dashos, [...]

Biking in Bhutan...

Mountain bikers

I’ve recently started cycling again. So I was happy to bump into Kuenga Wangchuk, Pasang, Singye Tshering, Amier Mongar and Nima Palden. Kuenga is a bike technician with Yu Druk, a tour company that specializes in and promotes cycling in Bhutan. Pasang owns a tour company, Singye and Nima are guides, and Amier is a [...]

Farmhouse lunch...

Sonam

We had lunch today at Aum Sonam’s house. Aum Sonam, who was a member of the last National Assembly before the introduction of parliamentary democracy, served us a sumptuous meal of kharang, sikam, aima datsi, mushrooms, farm eggs, cottage cheese and papaya. I enjoyed Aum Sonam’s cooking thoroughly. It was clean, wholesome and traditional. So [...]

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