Stoically Sits The Buddha

These days early morning vehicular traffic gridlock extends from Lungtenphu RBA camp to all the way to Luntenzampa overhead bridge. And while you are waiting to untangle yourself from the snarl-up, your attention is drawn to the following scene on the hillside across the river to the left of you:

Kuensel Phodrang as seen today - littered with make-ship blue plastic sheet tents

The impassive Buddha Dordenma sits serenely – mute, eyes half closed and lifeless – unable to raise a finger even as his domain is desecrated with close to a hundred makeshift blue plastic sheet tents set up by His staunch believers seeking a fast ticket to Nirvana.

Kuensel Phodrang was/is supposed to be a sanctified space of prayer and worship – a sphere of unhindered greenery. In June 2 of 2015, this green space saw the setting of a world record - Bhutan entered the Guinness Book of World Records when we planted 49,672 tree saplings in an hour.

Just for the Guinness Book of World Records

In June of 2021, yet another initiative saw the plantation of few thousand tree saplings by a voluntary group called the Bhutan Forest Restoration. I was so taken up by the initiative that I wanted to help build water tanks in order that the plantations can be watered from time to time. I even started to work on a Global Grant Project in the USA and the UK – for the supply of 2 mobile Water Tankers. Sadly, I was informed that no structures constructed with manmade artificial material (plastic/cement/metal) would be allowed to come up within the periphery of the plantation area.

The next best thing I did was donate an automated mechanical Earth Auger Machine that could dig 3 sapling holes into the parched earth of Kuensel Phodrang - every one minute. The idea was to make the process of digging less laborious, and to hasten the speed of digging the pits for planting the saplings. It cost me close to Nu.70,000.00 of my private money.

German made STIHL Earth Auger Machine donated to hasten the process of digging the pits

And now - what do I see? - another example of the mindlessness of the Bhutanese people. How could they have allowed setting up of plastic tents in such a holy place that has seen repeated greening efforts?

The plantation at Kuensel Phodrang overaken by human dwellings made of blue plastic sheets

Can you imagine the state of the plantation in Kuensel Phodrang? It is enough to make you want to cry in helplessness!

Bhutan’s Press Freedom: Why Speaking Out Is an Act of Patriotism

Some 16,000 kilometers and a dozen time zones away, in a distant land called the United States of America—a country considered first among First World nations and populated, we are constantly reminded, by highly educated and knowledgeable people—the electorate chose a proven nutcase as their President. At our ostensibly safe remove, we watch gawk-eyed at the ludicrousness of the American people’s choice.

Closer to home, we are rattled by the news that India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, in retaliation for its role in the cowardly murder of 26 Indian and Nepalese tourists in Pahalgam, a town in the Indian state of Kashmir.

And now, as if we did not have enough to worry about, comes the shameful revelation that our beloved country’s press freedom ranking has plummeted a stupendous 119 places—in just four years!

This is simply incredible. Article 7 of our Constitution explicitly grants us “freedom of speech, opinion and expression”, including the “right to information”. With all that going for us, what the hell are we doing scrapping the bottom of the ladder? My hunch is that it has to do with the League of the Three Monkeys.

The First Monkey and leader of the pack:

The footloose Dasho who thinks he has the power to supercede the Constitution and decide that he can interpret press freedom in a way that makes it convenient for him to cover up his own failings.

The Second Monkey:

The foot soldier and the custodian of the Fourth Estate who is so feeble that he allows himself to be trampled all over by the First Monkey—effectively surrendering editorial independence to rank outsiders with vested interest.

The Third Monkey:

The self-righteous Bhutanese who prefers to stay muted, under the mistaken belief that self-censorship is an act of patriotism and loyalty, and that remaining hushed is a sign of maturity and wisdom.

It is sad. We have so much potential, nature has been so bountiful to us, and our leadership toils tirelessly and with unflinching hope and faith. Yet we squander our good fortune through cowardice and aloofness, because being truthful is mistaken for being courageous. In today’s Bhutan, frankness—being forthright and speaking boldly—is considered dangerous. 

I have been told repeatedly by readers that I am “brave” to write the things I do—a sentiment with which I completely disagree. To bite one’s tongue when one’s country is facing monumental challenges is unconscionable. The result of our free-floating and often baseless anxiety is that Bhutanese citizens are too afraid to claim the right to express themselves freely.

I myself have experienced unjust treatment in the hands of those who took upon themselves the role of moral guardian. In 2012, BBS TV silenced me because I was speaking the truth, on camera:

https://yesheydorji.blogspot.com/2012/05/too-much-unrestrained-freedom-recently.html

Years later, during a media gathering, Kuensel management urged me to contribute to their paper once in a while. I agreed, although I pointed out to them that since they are the mouthpiece of the government, they may not be able to handle my unvarnished views. They dismissed my worry as rubbish, assuring me that they could handle whatever I write. Within days, I contributed an article and, true to their word, they carried the piece in the print edition of Kuensel, dated June 29, 2024:

https://yesheydorji.blogspot.com/2024/07/a-funeral-for-bhutanese-tourism.html

Two days later, however, a reader overseas wrote to tell me that my article had been removed from Kuensel’s website.

To this day, Kuensel has not told me why the article that they saw fit to be published in hard copy was scrubbed from their website. Personally, I don’t care. But it is heartbreaking to realize that after 60 years in the business, our national newspaper is clueless about the central role it plays as upholder of the nation’s conscience. 

In my view, I do not believe that there is a need to feel petty indignation at our feeble press-freedom ranking. Instead, it’s time for serious introspection.

Redefining GNH: Lump The 9 Domains And 33 Indicators - Apply Common Sense

Sangay Dema, whoever she is, spoke my mind. The following is what she wrote in yesterday’s Kuensel:

Exactly my sentiments!!!

I have said this for years – that the Bhutanese society is not a thinking society. Our whole focus is in sounding good and looking good. We excel in the art of verbosity – but we are simply INCAPABLE OF THINKING. As incredible as it may sound, we simply do not bother what may be the consequences of our thoughtless actions.

In her above article in the Kuensel Sangay Dema quotes four examples of our mindlessness - I can give you few thousand examples how unthinking we are. But I know you do not have the time to read through them all. Likewise, I do not have the time to write them all out. But just to give you an example of our mindlessness, I leave you with the following:

A year or two back, the CSO (Civil Society Organization) Authority came up with a rule that required every registered CSO to maintain a captive fund of Nu.4.0 million in the form of a Term Deposit in a bank.

I was aghast! I mean, what kind of idiots could have thought up a scheme that would make it mandatory for a CSO/NGO to keep Nu.4.0 million locked up in a bank – when the fund could be used to do good in the society – to help build shelters for the poor and the destitute; to finance the education of few rural children, to help farmers protect their crops from wildlife predation, to provide safe drinking water and improve sanitation?

I mean, don’t they know that the money that does not serve a useful purpose is useless money?

In any event, what makes the CSO Authority think that Bhutanese CSOs are so rich that they have Nu.4.0 million of idle money to be left languishing in a bank vault???? 😡

Kuche, please GROW UP!!!!

An Incomparable Honor for Bhutan

His Majesty Maha Vajiralongkorn the Rama X of Thailand does Bhutan proud. We are told that it is His Majesty’s first foreign trip after being crowned King in 2016. This more than validates the respect and esteem in which His Majesty holds our own Monarch. As a subject of a Monarchy myself …. I offer His Majesty my deepest gratitude for honoring us thus.

It is our hope that His Majesty goes back home with fond memories of the King, the Country and the People of Bhutan … happy in the thought that no other Head of State has ever been lavished with such show of love and respect, as was evident during His Majesty’s visit.

May He live long and keep good health, always.

It is simply amazing!!!.... It transpires that their Majesties the Thai King and Queen piloted the airplane that flew them into Paro aiport:

https://youtu.be/fzPXisR7bi0?si=tkBvckGDuY7L3nEh

Obviously the Royal Couple are exceptionally competent aircraft pilots as well!

Bhutan Is Home to Two Of The World’s 15 Most Gorgeous Moths

“ ……….. Got back from Sektena surveying tour. BPC officials will prepare a detailed report and present it to their authorities in the next couple of days ……….. “

“ ……….. so what does this mean they will realign or business as usual ……….. “

“The survey team does not have the power to decide. They will report the findings and it will be decided by authorities in Thimphu la ........ ”

“ .... and what the authorities in Thimphu decides will determine if there is any meaning at all ... in how desperately some of us care for our natural environment .... on the other hand, it will show to us if the powers that be give a damn what the citizens feel about what they do ... ”

Wed Apr 23 7:07AM

The above is a short chat that I sent out to a Chat Group early this morning …. in response to a report submitted by a Member of the Group …. expressing my sense of helplessness over an issue that we care deeply about but are powerless in determining the course it will eventually take.

It was then that the website AOL.com notified me, as if on cue, of the selection of the world’s 15 most beautiful moths. I went through the 15 images listed on the website … and was happy to see that Bhutan is home to two of them – it is possible that we may have all of the 15 moths – waiting to be discovered!!

Brahmin Moth photographed in 2024 at Dangrena, Dechenchholing, Thimphu, Bhutan

Luna or Moon Moth photographed in 2014 at Zomlingthang, Punakha, Bhutan

The world recognizes Bhutan as one of the ten most important global biodiversity hotspots. It is for this reason that some of us try so hard to help save our environment because we recognize that when the environment is gone, nothing else matters. No justification is justification enough!

Guarantor for the Terminators

“Dad, do you know any gold smugglers in Bhutan?”

“No, I don’t - but come to think of it - I did know few silver smugglers in my life”.

That abrupt, out-of-turn exchange of conversations transported my mind to the misty past - to a time when I was, willy-nilly, drawn into a situation that was truly - out of normal.

One morning sometime around 1991 - 1993, my phone rang (those days there was no mobile - we used the landline). From the other end of the phone line, I was asked ….

“Hi … is this Yeshey? Police SP Maj. Indra Pradhan here”

“Oh Hi Dasho … yes la, this is Yeshey”

“OK good … can you please come to Draduelmakhang RBP Headquarters?”

“Gachibey?”

“You have been identified as the surety/guarantor by one of your good friends currently under remand here at the Draduelmakhang”

“Remand??? Who? What for?”

“Come to the station … you will know everything”.

Bloody funny …. I did not fancy the idea of going to the police station – only criminals went there – or get taken there!! Anyway, I went.

At the police SP Indra Pradhan’s office, I was explained that my friend Neng Neng Dorji was taken into custody - for smuggling silver. There was a total of about 16 or 19 of them remanded for the same supposed crime of silver smuggling.

Regardless, either because of the wrong application of the written law, or because there was no law against carriage of silver into the country, or if there was any - there was no clearly defined punishment for it, or as a consequence of intervention from higher up, the RBP was ready to release the Terminators - upon paying fines or fees or penalties or duties - I think there was huge confusion as to what they were liable for - even of the fact that whether what they did was a crime.

Anyway, it seems that it was decided that the remandees would be let go - upon assurance of payment of some set amount of money. All that the RBP asked was that someone worthy sign a document - on behalf of the remandees - that in the event of non-realization of the amount, the guarantor signing on behalf of the remandee would make good the payment.

That is how good old Q Yeshey was drawn into the scene.

Ofcourse, I agreed to sign on behalf of my friend Neng Neng Dorji - not as an act of validation of his probity - but for the sake of our friendship that spanned over quarter of a century.

That settled, the police SP suggested something totally unexpected:

“Yeshey, come to think of it - now that you are here and are agreeable, why can’t you sign the document as guarantor for all of the 16/19 other Terminators who are held here for the same reason?”

I gawked!!

“Dasho Indra - are you suggesting that I am worthy of standing guarantor for 16/19 of the country’s biggest smugglers? Am I that good?”

“Yeshey, do not worry - it is merely a formality - we need the paper work”.

“But what if they decide to scoot and do not pay up? - my goose would be cooked, No?”

“I can assure you - you have nothing to fear. These guys are loaded to their eyeballs - you are in rock solid company - take a look here.”

He placed a leaf out of a bank cheque book on the table in front of me. The cheque was counter-signed and sealed by the Branch Manager of the Bank of Bhutan’s Paro Branch - the box where the amount is generally written was an absolute BLANK!

Police SP Indra gloated:

“See? This here is a blank cheque! This person on whose behalf the bank has counter-signed the cheque is so certain of the smuggler’s financial liquidity that the Bank of Bhutan guarantees any amount that we write on the cheque - just any amount!”

WOW!! Well, faced with that level of certainty and assurance, I had nothing to fear. So I agreed and signed the document - thereby making history for being the only person in the country - to be good enough to stand surety for 16/19 of the country's biggest smugglers!

That is how one hits one’s HIGH NOTE! Boy, am I proud of myself!

NOTE:

• Terminator: I use this term here because it was said that during those days when the smugglers walked in into the arrival hall of Paro airport, they would be noticed walking with the peculiar gait that resembled that of the Terminator – a Cyborg in the science fiction movie “The Terminator”. Apparently, the funny gait was caused by the weight of some 70-80 KGs of silver bars weighing down on them - concealed within their clothing.
• Much later I learnt that I was also on the verge of being pulled in for questioning by the RBP. Given my more than frequent travels to Singapore those days - so much so that Christopher Francis of Druk Air had named me CIP: Commercially Important Person - there was suspicion that I too may be involved in the silver smuggling affair. But the erstwhile senior Customs Officer T B Chettri is said to have assured the RBP that I was unlikely to be involved in the business of silver smuggling, or anything illegal.

A Bond So Special - It Is Supernatural!

Even as I was chasing birds - the feathered variety - in the wilderness of Yongkala in the east of the country …. someone in Thimphu even without so much as a by-your-leave, decided to nominate me as a Member of the Rotary Club of Thimphu that was being formed under the aegis of the RGoB in April of 2012. To this day I have no idea who nominated me – but I remain grateful because, as a consequence, I have grown as a human being - I have met people around the world who helped me redefine my views on so many issues. Even more important I met a hoard of kind and generous people spread across the globe - people with whom I remain connected to this day - many years after I hung up my boots at the Club - people who keep alive the Rotary spirit in me even while I no longer play an active part in Rotary activities.

One such person is Past President of Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunset, Hawaii – PP Rtn. James Ham, MD. Through his support, a Rotary Global Grant Project was implemented in Bhutan in the year 2022 - related to health and safety - in collaboration with Rotary Club of Thimphu and Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences (KGUMS).

In truth, the connection of PP Rtn. James Ham with Bhutan goes beyond his spirit of giving - his bond with the country transcends the normal - it is in the realm of the supernatural! Please read the following why his bond with Bhutan is special:

https://yesheydorji.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-charmed-phallus-of-chimi-lhakhang.html

Master Kinley Jin Ham is now almost 6 years old - please look at the progression of the hulking Drukpa Kuenleg in Hawaii, USA over the years:

I am hoping that he would one day pay a visit to Bhutan.

Dating The Death Of Pemi Tshewang Tashi

Upon his retirement from the post of Trongsa Poenlop in 1867, Jigme Namgyel put his elder brother Doongkar Gyeltshen on the seat as the new 18th Trongsa Poenlop - with the tacit understanding that after three years, the post would be surrendered to Jakar Poenlop Pema Tenzin - elder brother of his wife - Pema Choeki.

When the time came, Doongkar Gyaltshen reneged on the agreement and refused to surrender the seat - resulting in a long-drawn conflict between the two. It went on for years. Finally, it appears that in 1879, matters came to a head and Jakar Poenlop Pema Tenzin made a final push to claim what was rightfully his. Doongkar Gyaltshen sought the help of Wangzop Angdruk Nyim who dispatched his army headed by his most trusted Zimpoen - Pemi Tshewang Tashi - to fight alongside the forces of Trongsa Poenlop.

Image of Pemi Tshewang Tashi conceived by iBEST

Unfortunately, the combined forces of Trongsa Poenlop and Wangzop Angdruk Nyim was no match against the superior numbers of Jakar Poenlop Pema Tenzin’s forces - they were completely routed.

To escape the shame of capture by enemy forces, Pemi Tshewang Tashi choose to end his life by jumping off the Thomangdrak cliff – located across the ravine facing Trongsa Dzong.

This is irrefutable proof that Pemi Tshewang died in the year 1879.

The same year, the victorious Jakar Poenlop Pema Tenzin finally ascended the much-coveted seat of Trongsa Poenlop. But he did not seat there for long. In 1882 - just three years later he was murdered - in retaliation for his failure to honor a promise that he had made to one of his staunch supporters.

NOTE AA:  Most writers designate Pema Tenzin as Jakar Dzongpoen. However, that cannot be right. In defense I offer the following reason:

1. The central government in Punakha had to intervene to negotiate a settlement between the warring Jakar Dzongpoen Tsundru Gyaltshen and Trongsa Poenlop Jigme Namgyel - consequent upon Jigme Namgyel refusing to surrender the post of Trongsa Poenlop. Within the terms of the truce - the post of the seat holder of Jakar Dzong was elevated to that of a Poenlop as of 1857. Thus, in my opinion, Pema Tenzin would have been designated as a Poenlop and not as a Dzongpoen - particularly considering that he was Desi Jigme Namgyal’s brother-in-law.

NOTE BB: The reason why this article is listed under "History of Money" is explained in my article posted earlier to this one.

Portion of the Family Tree of Wangchuck Dynasty where Pema Tenzin is clearly designated as Poenlop. Extracted from:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wangchuck_dynasty#/media/File:Royal_Genealogy.jpg

The Magnificent Norzang Phoobchen

In his article titled “Coinage in Bhutan”, the coin collector and historian Mr. Nicholas Rhodes credits Trongsa Poenlop Jigme Namgyel as the originator of the incomparable coin affectionately nick-named "Norzang Phoobchen". These uncommonly large and beautiful coins were hammered in silver as well as in copper. They are among the very few of Bhutan’s hammered coins that bear 100% Bhutanese motifs – 95% of our other ancient coins bear Bengali motifs and alphabets.

Quoting late Karma Gayleg, Mr. Nicholas Rhodes writes that the coins were hammered for Trongsa Poenlop Jigme Namgyel by Muslim metal workers - supposedly captured by him from Cooch Behar. I am not too sure of that – but unless something else more definite emerges, I am willing to accept that it is very likely that Jigme Namgyel may have produced those coins. Also, Nicholas Rhodes goes on to say that Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck (son of Jigme Namgyel) continued to hammer the Norzang Phoobchen at Yudrong Choeling – even after he became King. Ofcourse, that would be until he introduced his own variety of coins sometime in 1909 - 1910 from machine-cut coin dies he had ordered with the Government of India Mint during his trip to Calcutta, in 1906 to meet the Prince of Wales.

The reason for my doubt is that there exists written proof that Trongsa Poenlop Jigme Namgyel DID NOT HAVE A MINT – even as late as 1863. He used to send copper to Jakar Poenlop Tsundru Gyaltshen – for hammering his coins for him.

For now, what I have been able to establish beyond doubt is that the coins Norzang Phoobchen were most definitely in existence during the reign of Trongsa Poenlop/Druk Desi Jigme Namgyel. This fact is validated by the mention of the coin by its name – in the soulful Lozey (ballad) immortalizing the tragic hero Pemi Tshewang Tashi in the employ of the then Wangzop Angdru Nyim. Other characters who find mention in the Lozey and the timeframe during which the event was supposed to have taken place – are spot on!

In the process of doing my research on the subject, I had to read, and attempt to translate, a small section of the Lozey …. which was an eye opener for me. Before I did so, I had never imagined that our vernacular Dzongkha was/is so rich, highly communicative and incredibly expressive! For proof, read the following:

The above is a verbatim reproduction of the section of Lozey from a book titled "Druk-Gi Pawi-Tamzoed" published in 1983, by the Department of Education, Royal Government of Bhutan.

Of Star-spangled Night Skies and Cute Little Mushrooms

In June of 2008 I embarked on a marathon 48 days trek – the trek would been even longer, had it not been for the sudden demise of my 103 years old granny who decided to pass away when I was in Merak, trudging up the mist-shrouded Jomo Kuengkhar peak – supposedly the abode of the local deity – Aum Jomo who, I was told, took on a human lover. The locals are full of raunchy tales of the most unlikely liaison between a Goddess and a human.

I had to break my trek to attend my granny’s funeral which took place at Tamzhing Lhakhang in Bumthang. Immediately after the funeral, I resumed my trek – starting with Dhur Tsachu Trek. Thereafter, I veered off to do the beautiful Gungkhar Puensoom Trek. At 7,570 Mtrs., Gungkhar Puensoom is Bhutan’s tallest peak and the world’s highest unclimbed mountain. Located to the north of Bumthang bordering China, the trek is beautiful but can get rather sloshy during the month of June when I did the trek. The mighty Chamkhar Chu begins its journey at the base of this peak.

While the night skies were breathtaking – ablaze with a few trillion stars jostling for space - days were rather uneventful. But there was something that kept me busy – some pretty mushrooms with unusual colors and shapes could be found all along the trek route. The following are some that I photographed - I wish I had carried along my ball-head tripod head – for sure the images could have been captured with better sharpness!

ENJOY!

March of History: Flight Information Display System (FIDS) at Paro International Airport

History records that construction of Paro International Airport was completed and inaugurated in the year 1968.

Bhutan’s National Flag Carrier - Druk Air - was created in 1981 - primarily as a bold statement of nationhood - but with commercial functions.

Exactly 15 years later, Paro International Airport began to function as the country’s one and only international airport - upon Druk Air starting to operate its commercial flights beginning February of 1983 - between Paro and Calcutta, India.

Sadly, even after 56 years of its establishment, Paro International Airport remained without a Flight Information Display System (FIDS) - thus forcing me to blog about the shameful state of affairs on Sunday, June 9, 2024 under the title “The World’s Most Inhospitable International Airport”. The blog can be read at:

https://yesheydorji.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-worlds-most-inhospitable.html

Subsequently, sometime in August of 2024, the Department of Air Transport announced the installation of the much-needed Flight Information Display System (FIDS) with the following notification:

The announcement of the epochal event of the birth of FIDS at Paro International Airport during August, 2024

My sense of relief that a useful service has finally been put in place after over half a century, was short-lived. On 1st March, 2025, the display of information on the Paro International Airport’s FIDS read as follows:

The information displayed on the top right hand of the FIDS shows that the system has not been updated since 19th February, 2025.

Instead of serving a useful purpose, this FIDS has the potential to misinform and mislead. So, perhaps we are better off without it!

Few of Bhutan's Cute Little Birds

Bhutan has close to 800 bird species. My favourite are the little fellows - they are cute and flighty and tough as hell to photograph. The following are 10 of the cuties that I have photographed over the years:

Fire-tailed Myzornis

Plumbeous Water Redstart (Juvenile)

Plumbeous Water Redstart - Oldman Dad feeding the chics

Rufous-bellied Niltava

Rufous-fronted Tit

Rufous-vented Tit

Rufous-winged Fulvetta

Ultramarine Flycatcher

Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker

Yellow-browed Tit

Little Forktail

Some of these birds are indicator birds - their existence is proof that our environment is 👍

12 of Over 1,900++

Bhutan is home to a staggering 2,000 - well almost - moth species. That is almost three times the number of butterflies we have. Not that I understand these lepidopterans - but I love them because they are beautiful. As a nature photographer, I love beauty - in any form: I see them and if I do not see them, I create them in my mind's eyes and reproduce them in graphic form.

The following are 12 of the moths I photographed in Dechencholing areas of Thimphu in the past 6 months.

ENJOY!

Abraxas persimplex

Actias selene

Brahmaea hearseyi

Timandra correspondens

Erebabraxas metachromata

Deroca hidda

Rhodinia newara

Mesastrape fulguraria

Metapercnia ductaria

Ourapteryx sambucaria

Thinopteryx crocoptera

Tyana marina

The ID of the moths were confirmed by Mr. Karma Wangdi, a published author and Moth/Butterfly researcher at the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment Research (UWICER), Bumthang.