My driver got a Gift

I and my teammates, consisting of a forest range officer, junior engineers, and a driver, were on an excursion one fine Sunday to Chamkhar chu and a nearby small stream. The day was filled with joy. We collected fern and mushroom. We tried our luck to bait trout. Not for killing and eating, but for outlandish study by an engineer! It was a long wait sitting on the huge boulder, eyeing to feel the jerk. There was no bite. 

Crab found in Sibjigang stream

We went on to a small tributary. We left no stone unturned in search of trout to see what it really looks like. I heard it is among the most delicious fish. Finally, we got one. The ranger confirmed it to be snow trout. I photographed it.

In the meanwhile, I posed for photographs with fish on my palm. I directed my driver to focus on the trout on the palm with a blurred background. The fish was stifling without water. After a few shutter sounds, I said, "It is ok, enough. The fish is dying." 

Snow trout found in tributary of Chamkhar chu

After a while we rested under the cool umbrella of a huge tree. We drank Foster and juice to refresh ourselves. I was going through the photos snapped during our course of exhaustive search for fish.

'Where is my photo with fish?' I inquired of him. 'Here,' he pointed to the photo below after scrolling a few.  

A gift or token of remembrance. Simply cool!!

I was like, WHAT?!!!, after seeing the photo. He was simply smiling and said, 'Keep it as a token of long remembrance, sir.'

Bird

Bird

Golden Langur

Mostly wander I swing deprived, missing nearby eatables.

In the golden fur of beautiful covering as raiment.

Jumping madly off the branches with mates

And peaceful rest to feed kiddo makes the wander wonderful.

Profound dark face; golden raiment cover of gold & long extreme tail

You are named Golden Langur.

The Dove

Walking lone silent on the highway befits a solitary smile.

Perch on the seeming rotten branch,

I see the dove.

For that intricate pattern of beauty, what I call,

The stunning dove. 

For your serenity to the adjust of lens onto your beauty, what I call,

The honest.

The praise for the lost shot of thy flapping wings makes me wonder,

My leisureliness. 

Bird

Sunday morning, near my home

I was sitting on the bench idle.

I was waiting for the sun to rise.

I could hear the beautiful chirp.

That was soothing beautiful!

Before the rise, beautiful bird welcome the day!

Thank you. The day was awesome hence. 

The Desktop Background

The passion and desire to be a talented photographer come with challenges and frustrations. Photographing those moving objects is much more exasperating. I was hunting for the best to capture and save it as my screen background on my laptop. Finally, I was able to capture a photo that I consider good, and I hope to add more excellent images to my collection in the future.

Zhemgang is rooted in jungles. These jungles house millions of beautiful flora, fauna, animals, birds, and creatures. Loitering and leisure in that seemingly mundane world are the best. I love to live and see those beautiful, lively aromas of nature surrounding me. Yes, I hold a deep affection for Zhemgang, and I am dedicated to serving the residents of remote villages in Upper Kheng. 

A beautiful butterfly sit on the golden flower

Never knew that time to capture

Yet blind I am to see faith and fate. 

The Desktop background 

Started What I Love to do...

Do the call of what thy passion desires.

Struggle to reach where it might take thee.

Just start and go...

Don't wait for tomorrows to come

For tomorrow never comes!

I started to photograph. Those are a few shots that seem good! I hope I can capture the beauty of heavenly Zhemgang and its richness in the wild.  Wish me luck!!!

She was Beautiful

I want to share about beautiful grandma, who was so jolly and lively at her age. I met her when I was at Lingmethang five months ago. She was living near the Kuri Zampa bridge. I went there to meet my relatives, who are monks at the monastery.

It was a sunny day. I was with a camera hanging from my neck. Far near the bridge, she saw me taking pictures of the bridge and swimming birds in the river. She was waving her hand, beaming with an open smile. I felt the genuine welcoming call that she wanted me to come near her. I went near her.

She looked straight into the lens!

She said, ‘Your camera isn’t worth it for the bridge and river only. Instead capture my beauty and smile.’ My friend was smiling and giggling behind me. I felt, oh! Really? Yeah, she was happy at her age, and she was beautiful.

Her smile was bright!

Even today when I see her photos, it provides me a moment to smile and remember her.  The short converse we had was wonderful, and her dialogue was insightful.

She laughed at last!!

Long live Grandma. My prayers are always with you. 

Typical Elderly

Typical granny at Chali, Mongar

Typical grandad at Lingmethang, Mongar

Bird-watching

Today it was my first time going out for bird-watching. I was following a roadway to Gyelposhing and Sengor. It is in and around the Lingmithang area. I could hear their beautiful melody of chirping sounds in chirpiness. They fly from branch to branch. They are jovial, for they dance together, flapping in the wind and chirping to say so much, which I’ll conclude as innocent yet arrogant to fly away from my camera!

My simple dedication poem for the wonderful birds!

I heard enough bark, baa, bellow...

They are neither pleasing nor attractive.

Yet your chirping is melodious and mellow.

Wonderful colors cover

Your shape, enough splendors

To make me gaze!

You are lively,

With your wings held high,

You put a smile on my face.

With all your power,

You will maintain the trace.

To let me enjoy and smile for you.

That handsome head

With beautiful and mighty beak,

You pick up food and sing.

Your hands are like fists.

Where there should be feet.

Fly high and above…

Sing and dance hard at all times….

For I will follow your way and fly with you in my thoughts…

Back in 2013

2012 ended with much fear. World was feared by the rumor of the bullshit predicted doomsday. Yet the fear went away when fresh new 2013 begun. Still 2012 will be the year for disenchantment with the way people tried for disharmony and dissonance. Little old 2013 embarked upon the endear success and failures that I have to share…

Yes, time and tide wait for none. It goes on and on. Never on its happiness neither off its glee, will dare to wait for none. Time does have an endless and tireless journey of reminders for me. Yet it is my own aide-mémoire to remember in my future.

Starting the fresh beginning of 2013, I was in sixth semester in the college that always taught me the vitality of what time is! The year was new. I have my own share to study the old stuffs once more. For the first time I was alone in a room. For the first time I had to repeat the semester. Engineering is not a cup of tea for me, really! No one is perfect for if we are, you won’t be here on earth and I won’t be too. And nobody will be on earth. That is why I had second chance to fight the battle of technical studies. Finally I won.

Midway through the year, I was in seventh semester, final year in the college. It was the time of joy and bossy boots. Yet it was challenging with the project work for the fulfillment of degree programme. Struggling and wedged between the project, seminar and update of the class lessons, finally I am done with exams and again attached for the On-the Job-Training (OJT). It is considered as a module in eighth semester.

With Jigme at Buddha Point, 2013!

I have visited historic Lhuntse for the first time admitting the genuine addition excursion in the chronology of events in life. It was worth visiting yet dazzling to the erudite book of History of Bhutan. Inevitably I am to-ing and fro-ing between Lingmithang and Gyelposhing in Mongar and thus it ends 2013. Yet I will begin my year visiting the Guru at Tangmachu, Lhuntse. Hope I get the blessings and I will pray for the peace in the world and happiness of the people.

Survey on the Dam, Kurichu Hydro Power Plant, 2013!

I wish everyone Happy New Year 2014. Smile and Be happy!!!

End of 2013 and beginning of 2014! 

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.  

I love photography

I love photography, and it is another enthusiasm that I thoroughly enjoy. It gives me immense pleasure to let myself know and inform myself about that it says a thousand words. The moment of the click and the moment it informs are in themselves the great essence of photography. For the same click and when the output is strange, it gives enormous contentment and satisfaction, for it describes loads of things it has to say. 

 

Ready?

My friend took the photo above when we were on a study tour to Punatshangchu. I never knew about my post as well when I took photographs. It is indeed strange and funny. Usually friends laugh whenever I take a camera and get to shoot them. From that day when my friend showed me the above photo on his phone, I knew why they had to laugh whenever I took photographs. 

It is happiness in itself to let others laugh and to enjoy oneself with them. I love it!!