The Talking Mountain

His Majesty Addressing the Nation on 117th National Day at Changlimithang, Thimphu National Day    is a sacred occasion for Bhutanese – a time to pay tribute to our visionary Monarchs and forefathers for their sacrifices in building this precious nation, and to collectively reaffirm our unwavering commitment to strengthening the unity, peace, security, and sovereignty of our country. This past year, our country was blessed with peace and stability, free from the turmoil seen in many parts of the world. The elections for both houses of Parliament were conducted smoothly, and the new government has successfully launched the 13th Five-Year-Plan. I extend my Tashi Delek to the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, and all Members of Parliament as they take on these important responsibilities. Recently, my family and I had the pleasure of visiting Australia, where we were warmly welcomed by thousands of Bhutanese in Sydney, Canberra, and Perth. It was a bittersweet experience, as on o...

Yeshi and I Catching up with old friends is always a joy—it brings back so many memories and a wave of nostalgia for the good times that we will never quite get back. Throughout life, we meet different types of friends: some are there for lighthearted fun, others drift in and out, and a special few leave a lasting impact and stay close forever. For me, one of those friends is   Yeshi —my high school buddy and   a bit of a ladies’ man . We first met back in seventh grade at Damphu, just two young boys in the old classrooms of   Damphu   Campus. Fate brought us to the same school, both for -education. Together, we set off on that journey, driven by dreams of making something of ourselves. Now, by the grace of God, we are each building our own lives, making our own paths, and writing our own history, just as we had hoped. Whether in person or over social media, catching up with friends is such a great way to relive those memories. Thanks to technology—and the brilliant ...

Google Let me start with a few questions: What is ego? What role does it play? Who is free of ego? Are there any benefits to having an ego? Ryan Holiday's Ego is the Enemy is an inspirational read for anyone seeking to achieve greatness in life, a journey often hindered by the presence of ego.  I had been excited to read this book for a while and finally decided to try the audiobook version. I knew it would be challenging to absorb everything, but I believed it is worth trying. Listening to a 5-hour and 34-minute audiobook takes more than just time—it requires patience, dedication, determination, and focus. One moment you are immersed in the book, and the next, you are up in the air.  It took me two days to complete the book. While I may not have retained every single detail, I grasped the key concepts it offers.  It reminded me of my childhood, when I was both innocent and arrogant—a reflection of my massive ego. This book helped me understand the importance of maintain...

Google I have come across some interesting reviews of the movie -some recent, others older. The feelings shared by these viewers are simply mind-blowing.  The reviews highlight just how beautiful and touching this film is. I haven't watched the full movie yet, but I am already eager to watch it myself. Nonetheless, I will definitely have my own share of thoughts and feelings to share.  I am truly thankful to my wife for recommending this movie. So far, I have only seen the trailer and read a few online reviews, but they have already sparked my curiosity, and urge, making me want to watch it sooner than I expected.    Preeti Shah Review of the Moive "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" is a hauntingly poignant masterpiece that transcends the boundaries of cinema to touch the deepest recesses of the human soul. Set against the backdrop of World War II, this film navigates the complexities of innocence, friendship, and the brutality of prejudice with unparalleled grace...

Salem House. Happiness Kingdom Travels Early this morning, while browsing through my Facebook news feed, I came across an interesting post from " Happiness Kingdom Travels " about a subject that has long piqued my interest— The Galem House in Punakha .  The post offers a beautiful summary of the house, covering everything one might want to know.  " The Galem and Singye House in Punakha is a historic landmark tied to one of Bhutan's most cherished folk tales-the story of Salem and Singye, two lovers whose tragic romance is often compared to Romeo and Juliet. The house, located near the Punakha Dzongkha, is believed to be the home of Salem, and it stands as a symbol of enduring love and devotion. Visitors can explore the traditional Bhutanese architecture of the house, which reflects the cultural heritage of the region. This site serves as a reminder of Bhutan's rich storytelling tradition and its deep connection to themes of love and loyalty ". I can't ag...

My King. BBS I often wonder if there's anyone more handsome, thoughtful, wise, profound, visionary, exceptional, and capable than our King. In a small nation like Bhutan, with a population of just seven hundred thousand, if everyone can adopt the same mindset as our King, we could easily achieve anything and become one of the world's leading nations, even in terms of GDP. There is no doubt about championing Gross National Happiness (GNH) and become global ambassadors of this unique philosophy.  There are countless things I admire about our King, but a few are too close to me personally. I can't help but admire how perfectly our King wears our national dress. If anyone truly showcase the perfect fit of the gho , it would be Him. The curve and the neatness of the lagey , everything is ideally in place highlighting the true beauty of our national dress. Another quality I deeply admire is His command of the National Language, Dzongkha .  Whether He speaks in pure Dzongkha or m...

I have always felt a strong connection to my homeland, which has played a key role in shaping who I am today.  I am excited to see the recent progress in our nation, especially in areas like architecture, education, and discipline—ideas I had discussed with students and friends long ago. National service is, in my opinion, essential to building our country. Although I had envisioned it a bit differently, it has evolved in a more significant way than I imagined seven years ago. Looking ahead to the next 100 years, it's inspiring to think about the stories we will tell future generations about Bhutan's progress. We will leave behind not just a secure and strong nation, but one that is advanced and forward-thinking. The introduction of programs like Desuung training, and now Gyalsung for high school graduates (September 2024), is especially meaningful. These initiatives reflect where we started and where we hope to go as a nation. For a small country like ours, this level of progr...

Many people choose to go to university after gaining some work experience, while others go right after finishing college. I, however, started my higher education a bit later, but I am grateful I had the chance to study at a good university in Australia. The journey from high school to college and then to university helped me grow and think more maturely. Moving from a rudimentary setting to a world-class campus, I feel very lucky to be surrounded by students who share similar dreams and goals. University life, as many say, is fun, though it comes with a mix of everything. You might feel relaxed at first, but it usually comes with a lot of responsibilities and accountability. As part of a unit assignment, I recently submitted a project to design a simple IT infrastructure. We were asked to create a business model, or company that required basic IT infrastructure with cybersecurity at its core. For me, naming the company was easy—I called it " Dodo AutoWork ." While some might ...

The Bhutanese Page Inside Bhutan Page I recently came across an interesting cover about Thimphu  Thromde's  plan to introduce parking fees from   Changilimithang  till the south end. This proposal has sparked a lot of personal opinions. If it is implemented effectively, it could easily generate significant national revenue that would support and sustain essential infrastructure development. I have a few things to share based on my personal experiences and observations. It's crucial that we move towards a more fair and transparent approach to managing this sector, as our traditional methods seem to fall short of national expectations. The current human-managed ticketing system, though providing employment for our youth, is not achieving its intended goals. More importantly, we need to consider the lessons we are passing down to these parking fee collectors. For the present population and the number of vehicles in the country, there are enough parking spaces to be used...

  Mom, Yesha & Reden Mom & Reden I recently found these photos on my wife's phone that deeply touched me. They stirred up powerful emotions of longing and innocence, and I couldn't help but was overwhelmed by how much I missed them.  The images brought tears to my eyes and an intense ache in my heart. It’s heartbreaking to see this captured in the photos, and I can only hope that no other parents or young children have to experience this kind of separation. My heart aches for my two beautiful kids, who are so far away from us. I feel an immense sense of sorrow for what they are missing out on and for the distance that keeps us apart. There's nothing more heartwarming than video chatting with our children, who are thousands of miles away, made possible by the incredible advancements in technology and the power of the Internet. It allows us to see and speak with them whenever we want, maintaining our bond despite being separated for over a year. We deeply regret the t...