After months of futile attempts at sounding knowledgeable and informed about what ticks Bhutan's tourism, I allowed myself the rare opportunity of a diversion - I made a trip to Chhukha Dzongkhag - to scan the areas for birds for an upcoming book.
Historically Chhukha Dzongkhag ranks among the most relevant. It was the most important trade route to, and out of, the Indian plains in the South. Majority of the Western visitors and missions, other than Ashley Eden's mission in 1864, entered Bhutan through present day Chhukha Dzongkhag.
Written records confirm that a village - although in my view wrongly named - has the distinction of being the first village in unified Bhutan to receive potato seed for plantation.
Zhabdung Ngawang Namgyel also received his first silver and gold coins in Chhukha Dzongkhag, although of foreign coinage, in and around 1619AD which he melted down to build a silver reliquary in Chari Monastery, to house the ashes of his deceased father.
The following are some of the images I captured during my three days trip to the Dzongkhag, and areas in the periphery.
ENJOY!
A unique geological formation at a place called Lama Lamani under Dagana Dzongkhag bordering Jemichu in Chhukha Dzongkhag
One of Bhutan's rarest birds and a lifer for me - The Beautiful Nuthatch (Sitta formosa)
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Grey-chinned Minivet (Female) (Pericrocotus solaris) - also a lifer for me
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Grey-chinned Minivet (Male) (Pericrocotus solaris) - my third lifer in a single day. With such abundance of sightings, Chhukha is all set to be elected the new birding capital of the world!
I was dealing with life-changing events in my family. My father, loved by the people he served as the Dzongdag, was kicked out after serving the country for 35 years. Can you believe it – after 35 years? That’s more years than I am alive! Some of those years, he did not have time for his family, because he was in community meetings or visits to remote villages. He brought change to the places he served, and even to this day, people from his old jobs come to visit him. But, earlier this year, he was unceremoniously let go by RCSC. I wonder if they knew he served his country with love and dedication; or that he prays to the triple gems and the portraits of our kings on our alter every day. He isn’t the most fluent English speaker, but scored top marks in school, and is one of the smartest people I know.
ReplyDeleteWe were at a loss as to how my family of six, who all depend on my father’s salary, would survive. Because my father is a dependable hard-working man, he thought he would join politics. His friends try to cheer him up and say that he might come back as a minister. But, we didn’t realize that that one assessment has deemed him unfit for any livelihood option. Just because you fared poorly in one assessment doesn’t mean you are hopeless in all aspects of life. I have never heard of such a thing – that you can be damned from life itself.
I would get into late night arguments with other foreign students who said Bhutan was becoming like North Korea because there is no transparency and everything is controlled. There is no diversity. I always pride in the fact that democracy was forced upon the people by our loving king, giving power back to the people. But I have many reasons to ponder now. Many friends and cousins have left for Australia and Canada as they say they have no hope to make a decent living in Bhutan. I refused to believe that for a long time. Now, I am thinking twice. How did we become such a cruel country? I believe my uncle who said that all the good people who cannot game the system and play the kiss-ass game have long gone, and the back benchers are now running the show. What would you expect, other than myopic half-baked ideas?
I still have faith in my kings and their vision for a prosperous kingdom founded on compassion and caring for society. Otherwise we could end up like Singapore – materialistic and callous, but rich.
Heard all the Dzongdas were given two years salary so while we empathize with your father losing his job, your family’s financial situation wouldn’t have changed. I question your motives in writing this.
DeleteI think Pemberton along with botanist William Griffith entered Bhutan via Dewathang in 1837.
ReplyDeleteThere were a number of routes through which chilips entered Bhutan... first being the Portuguese Fathers. I could give you a listing but right now I am in Khomshar where the net is not s efficient.
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