Along Phuntsholing – Samtse – Tendu Highway

Covid pandemic has caged physically and the academic workload has sealed mentally within the boundary of college campus. The craving to go out was impatient. Wander within the campus was adequate and bored. Finally, rays of hope risen with drastic drop of number of positive cases and college relaxing the containment mode.

Overhead signboard at Chukha - Samtse boarder

Casually, the idea to go out to a place never visited before popped up; the name of the place – Samtse! Discussion further enhanced to stretch until the furthest – Sibsu. Yet, the final destination was to the extreme end – Tendru.

Namlakha 

A moment break at Namlakha, the highest point on Phuntsholing – Samtse highway enlightened on various places the highway passes through and the view of lowland was wide and clear. Far into and through village unknown, the view of beautiful mountain ranges ease from the rays protected by blanket of clouds.

Mesmerizing beauty of green paddies from Chengmari until Tendru made the day on top of the newly resurfaced road.

Beautiful paddy on the way

The halt at old Gola bazaar and the taste of Puri breakfast with local special curry was yet another memoir to remember. However, Changmari cake that is said to be the first homemade cake in the country was the best.

Gola Bazaar Puri and Chengmari cake

Journey to and fro from Phuntsholing township development site until Amochu bridge was gruesome and rigour. Hot weather with cloud of dust is not a good combination.

Backed into the campus, the same old work with new perspectives and energy, the wander begins yet again.

If you want to gain enough of the subject – Construction Management, College of Science and Technology is not a wrong choice. I am proud first batch of students studying Masters in Construction Management; 6 years of gap after my undergraduate from the same college. Welcome to pursue Masters in Construction Management. However, profound disclaimer is, unlike Australia and other universities of foreign countries, there is no handsome remuneration or part-time job, but you get the full monthly salary if you are government and corporate employee. 

You are likely to be rich enough with subject knowledge after 18 months! 

College campus

 

Go, Go, Gone~

In those colors of maroon and saffron robes, I see the dharma breath high and varied.

Flapping through the zigzag path to the hermit top, I flap my ears—I hear

The bounty-rich religious cymbal enticingly entangle my thoughts.’

The thoughts of a worthless lone being mystified in an arena of Nirvana beyond concept. 

At Terday nay and Nabji Lhakhang

I sing and sing until thy hear my song.

The song that was composed for the selfless.

Come, little butterfly, at your pace, you carry my message.

Well, the river shalt be fast, or else I sing to the wind, the fastest.

I am deep into the emotions; emotions unveil the laconic of my song. 

Fortunate was I to visit Terda Ney (secret place) at Nabji under Trongsa Dzongkhag. I hope I can visit more such places in the near future. 

I am frequently away to the places where it is worth being. Bloggers, I plead for mercy in failing to read your updates. 

Thank you

~Sangay

From Shingkhar, Zhemgang

It was a long journey on bumpy roads. It takes six hours from Tingtibi to reach my site office at Nimshong. Again, it takes two hours to reach the actual work sites. It is tough and tiring even in a vehicle on those far roads. Gewog road construction is going on for Shingkhar and Bardo gewogs under Zhemgang dzongkhag. I went to sites for handing over formalities to complete. 

I was asked to be careful with work since the area is politically sensitive. I don’t understand why. The only thing I know is that I am taking charge of the services of dear people. Roads are necessary for the development to progress. I never expect people to disagree and nurse a grievance. 

 

come to consensus~ Image from http://www.wikihow.com/Reach-a-Consensus

It was inspiring to see laborers, machine operators, site supervisors, and Junior Engineer work hard to reach the road to destiny, gewog centers.  The very tiring work of drilling and blasting that rocky terrain is dangerous. Despite their hard work, they are not happy to hear those hard words of people’s disagreement. They become demoralized. 

I plead, people. Please come to a consensus. Let us construct and build for your own benefits. Work is getting delayed day by day. 

And for time to pass, I wrote the poem after listening to people talk about how Zhemgang and Bumthang are connected. It would be wonderful if I got time to reach Bumthang and Mongar from Shingkhar, Zhemgang, by walking. 

From Zhemgang Shingkhar to Bumthang Shingkhar,

For excursion that seem convivial forth,

Hoping best to explore beyond

It would be time passing great.

I shalt go~

Last day of 2014

The very last day of wonderful 2014 was special to remember and consider. After many years of struggle, finally, yet another goal accomplished and a new journey of life begins. The bygone years – roughly two decades were spent in schools and college. The very last day conferred me the designation of my profession – engineer.

Honorable Dasho Karma Tshiteem, chairperson of Royal Civil Service Commission handed over the appointment order. I am civil servant. I will be working with Department of Road under Ministry of Work and Human Settlement.

Every journey has a beginning. Every beginning beholds its vitality. Vitality must entail the jury of conformism. It is interesting blend of traditionalism and modernism to take oath to serve better with integrity and dedication, the king, country and people. This was the thought that lingered in my head as I repeated the lines of strong oath of allegiance during the oath taking ceremony. 

Finally Hon'ble Dasho held a session on Leadership of the Self for an hour.

I wish all my fellow bloggers and friends a very Happy New Year 2015 and beyond.

Trashi Delek...

I am back~ !

For almost twenty days I was at my hometown. I felt superb indeed to meet my parents, relatives and friends doing good back home after my OJT (On-the-Job-Training) and I enjoyed Losar (New Year) with them.

Everything seemed excursion at rural community. The access road is bumpy and cloudy with dust. Walk everywhere – for the diverse works, the daily routine in field. I enjoyed helping my parents.

Losar (New Year) made everything at ease. People relaxed and enjoy with various games and Ara (local wine).There was archery tournament with the neighboring village. I wasn't a player yet I enjoyed journey to the village about 4 hours walk and the match.

Soon after the celebration, I came back for the last semester. 

Beautiful Lhuntse

History taught me about Lhuntse and its importance. It has brighten my thoughts on how Bhutan is special with little Lhuntse we have. Today I was on my journey to a site at the place of great historic importance. Yet I remember our forefathers Jigme Namgyel and Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuk’s struggle to fortify Bhutan.

Beautiful Chali of Mongar Dzongkhag with beautiful yellowish terraces lead my way. Below and above the road, I can see happy Bhutanese enjoying the daily works for their livelihood. Valleys are incredible. Green Khuri chhu is calm yet it is making its fix way opposite to my journey.

The carriageway is very small. It is not up to the laid standard on the book. I felt like the road actually doesn’t have vehicular access as per the required standard. I never know the exact reason why the system is like that but I grumble on the ultimate reason of budget constrain from the responsible persons. Still it was worth plying on seeing the beautiful historic sites of the country.

Mountains and small towns are almost same. It is decorated with dried shrubbery and constructed with pine woods. And yet I find it is most vulnerable to fire. There is no single firefighting equipment I could see in those little towns. Bumthang and Wamrong town succumbed to fire outbreak few years ago. The same fate would happen to these lined houses of Khoma and Lhuntse towns unless otherwise people are totally vigilant. Locality needs to pine for the fire safety and fighting equipments.

Kuri Chhu is calm and it divides the modern and traditional route. Left bank bears the road access and from the left bank on the same height I can see the shunted traditional route. Bhutan has excelled in travelling amenities. It has to go long way to be safe from fire. Yet forest needs to be saved.

Kuri Chhu

Seeing those routes, I blend my thoughts with how people might have struggled to reach the fortress that is held so high on the peak of the mountain. Still people use these routes. It is beautiful to see and good to visualize how great leaders of the past had faced the harsh reality to unify Bhutan. It is again indeed sad to see the sturdy foundation of the shunted bridge.

Lhuntse Dzong

I yearn to sit beside old citizens of the locality and listen to how the past of the region were.  Yet I desire to visit Dungkar gewog. I have bucketloads of charm to visit again.