My late Dad made his first Rs.100.00 – working as an interpreter to the 1st Chief Engineer of Project DANTAK – Colonel T. V. Jaganathan - at a humongous monthly salary of Rs. 10.00 per month, less Re.1.00 for meals he was served in the common Langar.
Exactly 62 years later, his son - yours truly - accompanied the 27th DANTAK Chief Brigadier Rohit Gupta - not as his interpreter - but as his Man Friday - to Bhutan Bird Festival in Tingtibi, Zhemgang.
Frankly, I did not see the Karmic connection, although, now that I think of it - there is no denying that there really is one. I went because the Chief is a passionate birder and bird photographer and he wanted to attend the Bhutan Bird Festival. He asked me if I was going. I said I wasn’t sure since I had a friend in town from USA. But I told him that I would see to his comfortable stay - given that I am a Bhumiputra from the areas.
Little did I know that there was no accommodation to be had. Berti Ecolodge was fully booked and I did not fancy the idea of the Chief staying in any old shanty. So, I made a decision to accompany him - to ensure that the man who heads one of Bhutan’s longest and most meaningful development partners has a comfortable stay while in my ilakha. DANTAK has been building road communications in Bhutan since 1961. The least I could do – by way of a citizen’s service - is try and show appreciation by being of some small service to the Head of the organization that keeps our road communications flowing like a well-oiled engine!
Happily, I managed to get him a special accommodation to stay in and made sure that he had safe meals while there.
I am not sure if he had fun at the festival - but one thing is for sure - he sighted one of his "lifebirds" during the trip - the rare Rufous-necked Hornbill. That should have given him joy enough to compensate for any failings that he may have experienced during the trip!
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