His Majesty's Address at the Graduates’ Orientation Program, 23 August, 2011

“This is Jetsun Pema. We will be married soon. When the third King was Paro Penlop, he married in Ugyen Pelri and Paro dzong on the 1^st of October. My father married on the 31^st of October 1988 in Punakha. So I decided to set my date on the 13^th of October. I have known Jetsun for many years. We will, as you all know, serve you and the country throughout our lives. I am happy to introduce you to her today.

Now, as we gather together today, I want to use this opportunity most effectively.   I know you are all aware of most of the things I am going to say. Nonetheless, it is with the hope that it might be of benefit to you that I will state these things again. If you have questions, feel free to ask.

At this profound moment in your lives, standing poised to begin your careers, you carry the weight of your parents and your families’ pride and hopes in you. From me, you have my good wishes, my faith and trust and above all, my happiness in your success until today.

Today, I want you to reflect on the blessing of being born in Bhutan. I have travelled across the country and am truly amazed at the beauty and spirituality of our nation. It is a jewel born from Guru Rimpoche’s blessings.

Fundamental to the strength and beauty of our nation is our cultural heritage – our traditions and customs - the bond between children and their parents, teachers and elders. The trust and faith among friends, neighbours and the community. These are unwritten and unspoken values passed from generation to generation for centuries. These values are inherent in all of us. Yet, it takes proper reflection to truly understand and nurture them in this modern world.

With the coming of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, each era has brought a leader of destiny to safeguard our nation and our heritage. Some nations around the world have lost not only their independence but their cultures and traditions and way of life. In our hour of great uncertainties and challenges, came our third and fourth Druk Gyalpos. With their far-sighted leadership, the steadfast friendship of India and the hard work and dedication of our people, this modern nation has been born. And the greatest fruit of all these labours has been the birth of democracy. Now, the duty of carrying this special nation to a brighter future falls on us.

Do not be complacent. In this day there are so many graduates. I know that most of you will know the importance of working hard. So to the few of you, who might feel that being graduates, everything will happen for you, I must warn you. You will be left behind. If you do not have the desire to learn, to work hard and to show determination, I am afraid you will be left behind or at best outdated. One day you will suffer for this complacency. If there is anything your heart desires, anything you want to achieve, the time to start is now. Don’t be afraid of challenges and obstacles. There is no merit, for an individual or a nation, to avoid or hide from challenges. As we move forward into uncharted waters, we must find solutions to challenges with foresight, wisdom and tact. Therefore, these age-old values that we inherit from one generation and pass on to the next will be fundamental to our success.

In talking of our age-old values let me say a few words on one aspect of it - our Drilam chhoesum – our cultural traditions of etiquette. Many educated Bhutanese today might say that these are the little things we do such as lowering our heads, or our kabneys and standing in the presence of higher authorities. That is not true. It is neither subservience nor the currying of favour that some people have reduced it to be. As you go forward in life, you will, as individuals, need two things more than anything else – education and character. There is a Bhutanese saying that one can make a living from having good character.  How do you speak to and treat others? Are you easy for your colleagues to work with? Do your supervisors find it convenient to place responsibilities on you? Do your friends and family place their faith and trust in you? These are very important things to consider. If you place all your hopes for your future in the education you have, it is not enough. You must also know the difference between good and evil, between right and wrong, between compassion and self-interest. You must know how to live a live of moderation and balance. No matter how well educated or capable you think you are, you must also make it easy for others to appreciate you, to offer you work, or to place important responsibilities on your shoulders. In the west, they sometimes refer to it as emotional intelligence. Our drilam chhoesum simply applies our age-old values to our daily lives and ensures that as we pursue individual goals and ambitions, we do so in harmony with others - that our individual successes will build a strong, united and harmonious nation.

Lastly, because I am King and I take my duty seriously, I have no aspirations or ambitions for myself. It is your aspirations and your hopes that I adopt as my own and I will spend my life trying to achieve them. So you must have great ambitions and hopes for yourself and for our country.”

Off the tourist trail

This time I let my pictures tell much of the story.

Clouds envelope mountains over Dawakha (Paro) 

Magnolia blooms in Athang Rukha.

The dreadful Thrumshingla (actually Phrumshingla) divides the Eastern Bhutan
with Central Bhutan.

The much feared stretch of Namling (Bumthang-Monggar road) actually hosts a
beautiful waterfall

Trekking to Kengkhar (lower Monggar).  Even the locals fear doing that 
trek because there are no streams or springs for days.

Minjey (Lhuentse). People wait along the road to see the King.  Some are there
to get a glimpse.  Others to appeal for some help or to seek justice they feel they 
are denied.  

Olep woman, Lower Wangdue.  Oleps, together with their cousins,
the Mongpa are believed to be the original inhabitants of Bhutan. 

A simple and heart-felt offering to the People's King.  These traditional offerings 
are usually made to VVIPs when they visit rural areas of Bhutan.

Chorten Kora (Tashi Yangtsi) - a place where a demon was subdued

Gomdar (Samdrup Jongkhar)  where Nyera Ama river runs through

Gomokora (Tashi Yangtse), one of the holiest places in Bhutan

Tashigang Dzong

Kheng Gongdue (Monggar)

Head of Buddha

The floating statue of Chumphu nye

I had long heard of Chumphu Nye in Paro - about a magical statue floating in the air. And like a typical Bhutanese I waited for the perfect moment to make a pilgrimage there.  That moment never came.  And so last Sunday I decided I was going there and off I went – joined by three of my friends.

Way to Chumphu

At Dop Shari, we ask for direction with a local woman.  "Drive till the end of the road, there is a temple there.  Then leave your car and walk along the river till you come across two rivers.  Choose the smaller one and you see Chumphu Nye above you atop a hill on your left”.  She was an illiterate farmer but could have been a perfect guide to make people find their way in Thimphu where streets still don’t have names. 

The walk is gentle and except for muddy trail that makes the walk little grueling, the weather, the greenery and the sound of the gushing river are otherwise a nice getaway from my everyday life of phone calls, emails and facebook.  And of course there are nyedo all along the way giving us the excuse to stop and read the description. We also find the key and the gates to the Ter (hidden treasure) and so we are also on the right path to temporary enlightenment - giving us extra energy. After three hours we finally reach the confluence of the two rivers.  We chose the smaller one and after walking for few meters, Chumphu Nye suddenly appears behind a mountain on our left – some 3000 feet from where we stand.  An uphill trail welcomes us and we are almost with our last energy reserve.  We push ourselves up till we are at the doorstep of the temple gasping for breath.

Dorji Phamo (Vajararahi)

The resident lama, Namgay Rinchen was giving tea to some twenty-thirty school students who were there before us.  “Tea, tea!  You must be tired.  Have some tea and then I will lead you inside.”  Namgay’s eyes target me and my friends.  After two rounds of tea and some zaw, lama Namgay shepherds us in and starts with a detailed background of the place from the time when Guru Rimpoche first set his foot after Taktsang and meditated here for two months to Gyalwa Sacha Rinchen who built the first temple here.  He continues, “Chumphu Nye is the second tsari[1] – the first one was in Tibet, the famed Tsari Rongkor.  But the one there was prophesied long time back to see a steady decline. Chumphu Nye would then become the main tsari”  Lama Namgay pauses to move his face away towards the main altar. “And the main statue in the centre is Dorji Phamo”.  


We all turn towards a beautiful life-size statue.  “There are two things you need to know about this statue.”  Lama Namgay continues, “First, it is not resting on anything.  It is floating in the air.  That is because the statue is not man-made.  It is Dorji Phamo who appeared in person and turned herself to a statue.  Second, anything you wish for, here, will come true.”  As Lam Namgay continues talking to my friends I am drawn away from the group towards the statue. “Not man-made? Floating? Defying the gravity?” I repeat to myself staring at her face. Suddenly I feel something strange inside me – an unexplainable feeling of deep sadness, penitence and eternal bliss.  At that moment, Lam Namgay finishes talking. “Come!” He ushers the group towards me and the altar.  He opens the lower shutter enclosing the statue.  “Look here! Her foot is not touching the base.”  He slides a Nu. 10 note below the foot to show us that there was a small gap.”  Everyone is dumbfounded, including me.  "Now you can pray and make a wish," Lama Namgay smiles proudly and steps aside.

We prostrate three times to the seat of the Lama and three times towards the altar.  I say a few lines of prayers I know.  When we are done, Lam Namgay suggests us to visit the small lake (actually a pool carved into the rocks by a beautiful waterfall), which we do.  It is just ten-minute walk above the temple.  Another mind-blowing place!

The key to the sacred place

When we return to the temple, Lama Namgay offers us more tea and suggests we stay for the night.  I really wish I could.  But I have to get back to my work and to my life of phone calls, emails and facebook.  But as we were leaving I suddenly turn back to have a word with him.  “Look Lama Namgay!  I had a strange feeling when I was inside there - in front of Dorji Phamo.  She nearly made me break down and cry,” I ask him.  “It happens,” he replies solemnly.  “But only to few people.  You must be a special person,” Lama Namgay looks to me admiringly.  “Noooooooo!” I deny his offer. “I think somewhere deep inside me I was repentant of all my sins.  I think my subconscious was asking for forgiveness from Dorji Phamo”.  I joke. “May be!” Lama Namgay replies.  We both laugh.  “You must come again.  And next time you must spend more time here.  And if there is any prayer ceremony I could do here, just let me know.”  Lama Namgay makes me promise I would return.  We have instantly become friends.  This is Bhutan.

Chumphu Nye from the lake

It starts drizzling when we make our descent from Chumphu Nye.  The path is slippery and so our progress is rather slow. When we reach the confluence I look back at the temple above me and as rain gently waters my face, I fold my hand, close my eyes, imagine the face of Dorji Phamo in front of me and I say my prayers and this time I also express a wish.  I then take leave of Chumphu Nye.

As we hit the trail along the river again I begin to reflect on an amazing day i just lived.  I realize that it was not me who was special.  It is people like Lama Namgay and places like Chumphu nye that are special.  People like Lama Namgay who offers tea to pilgrims irrespective who they were and Chumphu Nye that emits divine power in this day and age.  These are the things that help to keep our country unique and strong.  After all, there are more beautiful rivers, higher mountains and greener forests elsewhere in the world.  Had it not been for the blessings of these places and the dedication of people who maintain them, this country would have been just another place on Earth.

The lake above the nye

NB - 
1.  Photography inside the temple is not allowed.  Hence the above is just a painting of Dorji Phamo - not the actual statue in Chumphu Nye.


2.  Chumphu nye can be a day-trip from Thimphu.  Wake up early, leave around 7am, get at the road head at 9am, keep four hours to hike there and two hours to hike back. Leave at least two hours to visit the area.    

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[1] Tsari – means pure crystal mountain – abode of Dorji Phagmo (vajrarahi in sanskrit). 

Convocation of the Royal University of Bhutan, Thimphu, 15 July 2011

Transcript of the royal interaction of His Majesty the King with the  graduates where His Majesty started by saying, “It is a tradition that I speak frankly and directly. I always tell you the truth however unpleasant or painful it may be.”


The start of democracy and its future in Bhutan:

“On this issue, I can only repeat what I recently told the newly elected Gups recently. Our main priorities are the peace, prosperity, security and sovereignty of Bhutan. Towards these goals, we must all work together in first safeguarding our strong foundation of unity and harmony. In our small society, divisions and cleavages can manifest themselves in very destructive ways. We have seen this in other larger countries and the great price they have had to pay. Ngalop, Sharchop, Lhotshampa, Christians, Hindu, Buddhist, me against you, us against them – some people might resort to such useless and irrelevant classifications in their work and dealings with each other. In today’s world, it is more important that we worry about haves and have-nots – economic disparity. I always say, in the past, we were all equally poor. Today, with growing prosperity, we in Bhutan must be mindful of the threat posed by economic disparities within society. Its unfortunate and lasting effects can be seen in so many nations around the world."

"I think the beginnings of democracy in Bhutan have been very successful. However, it will take constant work and commitment to make it a lasting success. It’s a long process during which we must deeply contemplate each step so that we do what is right. Mistakes we make today will be irreversible. We cannot falter on our path to a vibrant democracy with an equal and just society. There is no room for divisions and disparities in society.

We must always remember that the ultimate goal of all Bhutanese is the peace, security and sovereignty of our country. I am not speaking only of the physical defense of the nation. (The armed forces, without hesitation, will sacrifice their lives to protect our nation and your security. I am confident of this). I am speaking of the peace and security that comes when we, at all times, are united in our love for our country through an abiding respect for our culture, values, laws and the national interest. This is the unique unifying Bhutanese character as individuals and as a nation, which must be nurtured for all time.”

On Kidu for the weakest sections of the population and on Land Kidu:

“People must feel ownership over democratic growth. Public apathy is a democracy killer. However, for ownership to be nurtured, our people must have a stake in it. Land ownership is the ultimate share or investment that a person has in the success of his or her nation. From this can be built his or her future and the future of their children. It is for this reason that I have since my first address to parliament, always worked on land reforms in rural Bhutan."

"For the future, due to the limited land available and growing urbanization, I feel we must shift focus from land ownership to home ownership by families. Creating equal stake in the country for all our people will be the key to the success of democracy.” 

On the system of Kabneys and Patangs creating inequalities in society:

“The solution to inequality is not in doing away with the kabney and patang. To understand the system of kabneys and patangs, you must first understand that our nation is a unique, small spiritual nation where our forefathers viewed their responsibilities to their fellow citizen and the nation in a special way. They were deeply connected to each other and to the country. They thought of service for the greater good as their duty. Thus, into such a nation, was born a unique system of kabneys and patangs based on merit. The kabney is the namza of the Buddha, of saints. It serves to remind the bearer of the need to carry out one’s duties with humility, compassion, justice and integrity. The patang is the tool of a warrior signifying the pledge that one has made to sacrifice oneself in the service of the nation. This is the tradition of patang and kabney I believe in, and the one which I hope inspires those who wear them. Being based on merit, kabneys and patangs are important in recognizing duties, achievements and values. The system is fine except for one small problem. In general, kabneys and patangs represent the office and not the individual, yet, some people continue to wear them even when their term in that office is over.

"The problem of inequality is a much greater issue which should be addressed through bridging economic disparities at the national level, learning to respect one another irrespective of wealth or status at the individual level, and through the great social equalizer - education.”

On the importance honest and frank communication between young Bhutanese and His Majesty:

“Your views and thoughts are important to me. I want to know what they are, not change them. And while my advice and guidance to you may not always be pearls of wisdom, they will always be the truth.”

On building their future:

“As young citizens, all of you must be contemplating with excitement, the future ahead for yourself and for Bhutan. The future of the nation rests in the hands of her individual citizens.  Each of us must first be able to stand up and realize our own potential as individuals. Then we must fulfill our obligations to build loving, united and strong families."

"Further upon these, we then build our higher allegiance and commitment to society and the country. There is complete interdependence in the relationship between these elements of a nation. Whatever goals you set for yourself, as you go out to fulfill them, do so with the right values – values that enrich your own life and the lives of those whom you touch on your journey. Gain the wisdom to achieve your personal goals and ambitions in harmony with others as they strive to achieve theirs. Acquire the right skills and knowledge but remember that learning is a lifelong process. Utilize the experience that comes from your personal efforts as you go but do not forget to use the vast experience that exists in history. I hope these words will be of use to you at the start of this new chapter in your lives.”

Royal Address to the Local Government Leaders, 12 July 2011, Thimphu

“I say, with happiness and great satisfaction, that in the few years since 2008, we have conducted the general elections, adopted the Constitution, and formed the houses of Parliament, constitutional bodies, and the Supreme Court. And today we have accomplished yet another milestone, in establishing the first local governments under democracy. We have, therefore, laid all the founding pillars of democracy in Bhutan so early in my reign, as I fulfill the vision of my father, HM the fourth Druk Gyalpo, of a vibrant democracy.

Today on this most auspicious occasion, let me take this opportunity to share some of my thoughts with you.

It gives me immense pleasure to congratulate the representatives of the gewogs of the 20 dzongkhags and to thank them for having come forward to serve their communities. I am also grateful to the Election Commission of Bhutan, civil servants, armed forces and volunteers. With your hard work and the prayers of the Dratshang, we have conducted the historic first local government elections under democracy. I appreciate the efforts made by many people to travel and vote in their constituencies, in the spirit of democratic participation.

As a symbol of the independence and importance of local government, I am awarding your kabneys from the Throne. However, as you carry out your duties, remember you are not there to seek status, wealth or fame. Your primary goal is to serve the people without prejudice and bias and to always hold the interest of the nation above all. As citizens of a spiritual nation, be compassionate and fulfill the aspirations of the people with the highest standards of integrity.

We - elected officials, government and the King – are all here to serve our nation and people.

I must remind you that in democracy there are no winners and losers. Those who are capable and desirous of serving their country and people should come forward and stand for elections. Those, whom the people choose, must then serve without fear or favour. If we can do this, then democracy succeeds and the nation wins.

Democracy did not come to us overnight. It was a carefully planned process full of hard work and sacrifice, led by HM 4^th Druk Gyalpo. Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogdus were established as far back as 1980 and Gewog Yargay Tshogchungs in 1990. Decentralization and empowerment of the grassroots has been a constant process, culminating in the transfer of powers from the Throne to the people under democracy. In the exercise of these powers, local governments are invaluable to the people.

That is why, first of all, I want to dispel a false perception. Local government is NOT the lowest level of government; it is the nearest and closest level of government for our people. For rural Bhutanese, local governments are indispensible avenues for participation in democracy and development. In the long run, the success of democracy in Bhutan will be determined by the success of local governments.

We are a small landlocked country, and our highest goals are the peace, prosperity, security and sovereignty of our nation. It is an important responsibility of Gups to ensure a harmonious and united society. In standing for elections, you sought the votes of the majority. In carrying out your duties you must gain the trust and faith of all the people. You must have intimate knowledge of the daily lives of the people in your constituencies; work in constant and close interaction with them and nurture cooperation, consensus and close-knit communities. In a largely rural country you are important not just in carrying out vital duties towards achieving development objectives of the people, but also in bringing about a harmonious and united society.

You might think that I have detailed your duties and responsibilities and the importance of local government, but have said few words of felicitation and praise for your success in the elections. Your work is yet to begin, and praise will not solve any of the problems facing our people. If, after five years, I find that you have served your constituencies well, that you have worked hard and without prejudice, and that above all, you have not hurt the sentiments of my people, I will be the first to commend and praise your achievements.

Farewell my friend

(Chimi Rinzin a former broadcaster with BBS died in a tragic road accident on April 6, 2010)


Chimi was my associate producer when I was working in BBS.  He was smart, intelligent, humorous and talented.  He was one of the best newscasters and host we had.  Chimi was also fiercely independent - a trait that other seniors found it somehow difficult to deal with. But I understood him better, took him into my unit and gave him the space and flexibility he needed and for that he respected me unconditionally and he delivered. However, he never spoke against anyone, respected his seniors who earned his respect and led his life and days on his own terms. When he put his heart and mind on work, no one among his peers could even come close to him in style, presentation and substance.

The best part of Chimi was his zeal for life and his humour.  He never had one bad day and was always ready to make others laugh with his endless supply of jokes and mimicries.  When there was any tension at work, he would crack one of his classics and the tension would immediately disappear.  We would then get back to rolling our cameras with lots of smiles and laughter.  Over time, I realised his mere presence in my team lightened our mood and the atmosphere around us.  Together we produced some of the finest works, which are still shown on BBS TV today. Even after our career paths long diverged we kept in touch mainly through facebook.  If fate had not been so cruel with him, he would have done wonders some day and made us all proud. The Bhutanese media fraternity has not only lost a friend but a talent in him. 

Farewell my friend, and thanks for all the smiles and laughter you have brought to us.  I will miss you very badly. But every time you come back to my mind I promise - I will always remember to smile.  That's the way I would like to remember you.



(Chimi's sudden demise shocked the entire Bhutanese media industry.  He was only 32.  When my wife met him recently he said he was looking forward to leaving for Australia soon)

Memories of Bangladesh

I must be honest. In the past when I came across Bangladeshis mentioning that Bhutan was the first country to recognize Bangladesh in 1971, it never occurred to me that it meant so much to them. I would just smile and give a standard reply. It was only this time, accompanying His Majesty to their 40th Independence celebrations, that I realised the genuineness of their historic claim.

It was on 26th March 1971 that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared independence from West Pakistan (so called because Bangladesh was till then referred to as East Pakistan). Some nine months of bloodshed ensued where over 3 million people were killed and over 10 million people displaced.

40 years and the scars of that liberation war still remain deep. The mere mention of their freedom struggle brings back painful memories. There is not a single person in Bangladesh, whose life has not been affected by that tragic period. Once this context is clear, one then understands the deeper meaning of Bhutan’s action in their defining moment.

The show of gratitude was overwhelming. On 26th March 2011, when our King who was the Guest of Honour entered the National Stadium, the entire crowd cheered. When PM Sheikh Hasina, in her Address to the Nation, told the people that they should never forget what Bhutan has done for them, the entire stadium applauded again. Everywhere people went to great lengths to make sure we were well taken care and every little detail cared for. A café owner in the hotel where we were staying even offered free espresso to me every morning. “How many times would your King visit us anyway? It is on the house,” He said with pride and gratitude.

Apart from enjoying free espressos and official receptions I couldn’t help but also develop a great sense of respect and appreciation for Bangladesh and for the wonderful people there. In every media reports I had come across in the past, Bangladesh was considered a young, poor, over-populated and a disaster-prone country. I now have a different view. I see a nation of 160 million with centuries of history and with a great future. A beautiful country with humble and hard-working people who can build ships and satellites and not just ready-made garments and jute carpets.

Bhutan’s support for Bangladesh in 1971 was historic. As Bhutanese I felt proud of the visionary move by our Third Druk Gyalpo. Now to add to that, His Majesty the King, in his State Banquet speech this time, has offered “a life-long friendship and steadfast support to the government and people of Bangladesh.” It is obvious that Bhutan would always find a friend, ally and good neighbour in Bangladesh. Such developments augur well not only for Bhutan and Bangladesh but also for the peace, stability and prosperity in our region. As people we should now work towards nurturing this special relationship so that the mutual trust, goodwill and confidence would translate into actions and benefits for our two people for all time to come.

The Bangladesh Navy had planned to fly us to the Sundarbans and boat us around. When that didn't happen, they ferried us up and down the Buriganga with great sea food and cultural show. That evening the Admiral of the Bangladesh Navy was seated by my side at the Official Dinner where I thanked him. "Oh, that's nothing. If His Majesty had come to Sundarbans, you would have really liked it."

State reception at the Airport by the President of Bangladesh

The Strength of the Rising Sun

March 11, 2011 - I was at a lunch in Akasaka (downtown Tokyo) with two of my friends, Sakitsu san of the NHK World and Ogawa san of the Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) when suddenly the building started shaking. Mildly at first. “It’s normal,” one of them reassured me. But the quake only intensified and things started falling down around us. Some people started screaming outside. Sakitsu took out his phone and was rather shocked by what he saw on the mini-screen, “It is a big one. It hit Fukushima. Tsunami alert along the Pacific Coast.” There was an emergency. Immediately he excused himself and rushed off. Ogawa, seeing me little dazed, asked me to follow him to his office – the TBS building, which is probably one of the safest buildings in Tokyo. I followed him. In the streets people were running all over the place. A big earthquake has just hit Japan.

The 9.0RS earthquake has released an energy that was equivalent to 30,000 times to the atomic bomb that was dropped in Hiroshima during the World War II. But more than the earthquake (because Japan was prepared for it) it was the tsunami it triggered that devastated the north-eastern coast of Japan. Scenes of cities beings washed away, like in the movie Day After Tomorrow, were flashed on TV news over and over again. At the time of posting this article, over 3,000 people have been confirmed dead, as many were still missing and over quarter of a million have been left homeless or directly affected.

The response to the disaster was quick. Over 1.2 million people were evacuated within minutes after the tsunami alarm went off along the Pacific Coast - from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu islands in the South. Relief and recovery teams went into action even before the first wave of Tsunami hit the Iwate prefecture (which was closest to the epicenter). Trains, airports and subways were suspended and elevators in every building in Japan were disabled with clockwork precision. The Self Defense Force (Japan’s army) was put into action and the Parliament suspended the debate and the session to allow the government to deal with the crisis.

But what really amazed me was not the Japanese efficiency at work. Rather the courage and the dignity with which the Japanese people, those who were directly affected, dealt with the tragedy. It is often said that the worst of times brings the best and the worst in us. In the case of Japan, it has brought only the best in their people. Although left with nothing for themselves and for their family, people lined up in the usual orderly manner – to get some food, buy some supplies or to make telephone calls from public fixed lines. The sense of community was simply moving. For all their technological advancements the core value of Japanese society, the social harmony, is still strong. Usually emotions run high and looting and riots take place where desperation sets in. This has happened in recent tragedies and turmoils all over the World. But not in the Land of Rising Sun. I couldn’t help but admire my in-laws (my wife is a Japanese) more than ever before for their great courage and the highest sense of civility.

On 13^th March I boarded my flight for Seoul as scheduled from New Tokyo International Airport in Narita. Life in Tokyo had almost come to normal after two days although the after-shocks and the threat from the Fukushima nuclear plant kept coming. I called up Ogawa, Sakitsu and my sister-in-law, Junko, for taking care of me and sending me home safely. As the flight took off from Narita airport, I bid goodbye, for this time, to this country that has given me so much but was going through, what PM Kan described as, the worst crisis since WW II.

As we climbed higher I looked out of the window and saw the earth moving away and clouds slowly covering my second homeland. A deep sadness engulfed my heart. If there was one positive thing for me out of this incident, I realized how much my friends here and my in-laws cared for me and how much I have become closer to this country. I also realised how unpredictable life could be - for individuals and for nations.

But just as the aircraft turned left on its final trajectory towards Seoul, a bright light appeared in the horizon. It was Mount Fuji, beaming with the winter snow still covering its summit. Standing above the dark cloud that was now covering everything below us, I smiled tearfully at the sight and offered a little prayer. “Yes, Mount Fuji,” I thought, “You are the spirit of this Nation. Rising above all adversities."

Whatever destruction or despair Mother Nature may have thrown on this Land, suddenly I felt confident that like Fuji san (as the Japanese refer to their favorite mountain) the people here would stand tall, rise above the situation to rebuild their nation and move on. They have done that in the past. They will do again this time.

That is the strength of the Land of the Rising Sun.

Walking the Impermanence philosophy

Last-minute rush is a trademark of the Bhutanese people. And I am a real pro in this. One of my former bosses used to call me ‘the last minute genius’ because I would do most of my work at last minute and, more often than not, I would do it well.

As age caught up with me though I became a little wiser. “How about making my weakness into a strength?” I thought one day. I reversed the scenario. Instead for being pressed for time, I pressed the time. I did by doing things as if it were the last minute. I tried a few times and I found it was doing a lot good to my performance and output. For years now when I work or carry out an assignment I do as if it were another last minute assignment. Now I have made this hypothetical situation a habit. The habit has now become a philosophy. The philosophy is of course not new. It is rather an age-old theory and one of the core teachings of Buddhism – impermanence. Having said that I do make plans too and some of my plans are real long-term. My dictum has therefore become, “work as if it is your last day. Plan as if you will live forever.”

Remembering that everything is impermanent and thereby working as if there won’t be another day makes you achieve more and make the best of your time. It makes you passionate about what you are doing and you are focused to complete it rather than leave it for another day. Impermanence also makes you cherish every moment of your life and appreciate everything and everyone around you.

The impermanence feeling also humbles me. When I am upset with my colleagues, it helps me to be in total control. Because it could be your last day at work. When I have temptations for anything it reminds me of the transitory nature of events and objects. So might as well not crave for it.

The law of impermanence has also been the basis of many simple actions in our society. For example, while in the West, cups and plates (cups especially) are stored in the kitchen cabinet facing up, in traditional Bhutanese homes cups are washed and kept facing down. This practice comes from Tibet where Buddhist masters would go to bed saying their last prayers every night. They would carefully clean the cup and place it facing down. You never know if you would wake up to use it the next day.

The law of impermanence also detaches you from things that are real temporary – like power and position. Talking to a group of young reporters in one of the newspapers, I was showered with praises for being very approachable and they hoped that I would remain the same. “Don’t worry,” I told them, “I have to realise that I won’t be in this position forever." They smiled. I contiuned, "One day we all leave this World anyway”. They all laughed. But that is the absolute truth. A former ambassador to Kuwait once told me that there is a beautiful saying inscribed in gold on the gate of the presidential palace there – one of the most luxurious residences of one of the world’s most powerful people. “If power was permanent it wouldn’t have come to you”.

So the law of impermanence is divine. You can only find different ways to walk it.