It's lovely December once again as I write this piece. I don't understand why I feel like it's the eve of another new year! Unaffected by the freezing cold, and unafraid of the bodily numbness that winter's December causes, I heartily and unreservedly welcome it. With immense fondness and overwhelming excitement! With the same level of appreciation and love. With a profound anticipation and a big dream.
I for one always consider winter to be better than any religious festive occasions. Really!Not just for one reason. But for many! Had it not been for the pandemic- striken time like this, I am sure this winter wouldn't be as less beautiful as others of the past. I have my reason as to why I am always excited by the coming of winter: It's the time that would take me home, my original-ancestral home! Ofcourse towards the diliapidated, old structure that stands beckoning me with its presence but harbouring and nurturing millions of good vibes; to the place my subconcious mind still holds the bygone days flashing in my dreams- my Jomotsangkha!
It's been almost two complete years since I last visited my native village, located some less than 600 miles from Thimphu, towards the extreme East. It was on the occasion of my elder brother's wedding, during the 2019 winter that my wife and I had visited it last. Although there is nothing so tangible in existence to explain why I love my native place so much despite its location in the remotest part, my sentiments just drive me crazy. It's the birth and and my growing-up- moments that took place there that can't stop attracting me, just the way many of people are attracted by their birth place. My spirit still lingers there. Nothing so discouraging as overwhelming distance or frequent inaccessibility owing to frequent road blocks lessens my love for Jomotsangkha. Indeed, the thirst for visiting it again and again is ever unquenchable!
Jomotsangkha Dungkhag has remained cut-off for almost two years, having had the access only people under emergency situations. Except for that, hardly anyone would think of visiting Jomotsangkha, or for that matter, hardly anyone from there would think of entering other low risk Dzongkhags. The reason is simple and apparent for anyone to see it. The seven day long mandatory quarantine scheme while entering the low risk Dzongkhags from the High Risk ones discourages many people(Ofcourse the Government decision to introduce this interim measure is noble and worth applauding). Adding to this hurdle, my concern for the inability to travel home is the physical distance so overwhelmingly long and condition of road getting frequently very risky.
Had it been those normal times like in the past(Pre-Pandemic), it was easy to be home, atleast in terms of condition of road and the time taken to reach home through the Indian Highways (Other reasons like frequent Assam Strike or Goons bullying the Bhutanese vehicle still bother us on a daily basis). The Phuntsholing- Bengal- Assam- Jomotsangkha route along the 600 KM wide and smooth Highway would take us a just a day. Or two if we spent a night in Phuntsholing. Otherwise, it's just less than 24 hours that is enough for me to be home. We also usually took the Gelephu- Assam-Jomotsangkha route as an alternative to the above one. My hope of returning to a better time got shattered as another variant O has taken turn to visit the world.
As a series of unforseen and undesirable development takes place in introducing to the world various variants of COVID19, thousand dreams are shattered. Many people far away from ancestral home, who must have considered dropping home and celebrating the reunion with family members might have been at low. The same feeling of hopelessness creeps in me. Now, if I have to travel home, I have to take Trongsa- Bumthang- Mongar-Tashigang-Samdrup Jongkhar- Jomotsangkha route, making tour of almost all the Central and Eastern Dzongkhags. And adding to the already long tedious journey, the road condition right from Semtokha till Samdrup Jongkhar is unfavourable, with frequent news and notifications of the road being blocked. So taking into account all these obstacles, it feels that reaching Singapore would take shorter time than reaching Jomotsangkha.
Pandemic that has taught us to prioritize health over anything, seems to weaken the desire of reunion with ones family. And many sentimental souls like me might just celebrate in mind the coming of winter and resent the inability to be home. Until better time comes I shall celebrate the time that is winter in a desperate hope to head home some day in future. For a reunion with parents. For a reunion with relatives. And cherish my time with neighbours. I shall look forward to visiting the childhood- preserved landmarks; see and touch the branches and leaves of very old Bodhi tree located below my house and take a sigh of deep relief.
