No rule can bind a man if he desires

During my High school days. we were not allowed to use mobile phone in the school. We were not even allowed to bring it in the school. This situation added further up to the worst one when one day my principal read a circular from the secretary for Ministry of Education, in the assembly. Such news came to many of us, who had just seen mobile phone, as an Import sanction by India to Bhutan. I had just started using phone, then. When I qualified for class eleven, my parents bought me one phone. Until then, I had just seen how mobile phones were but never had an opportunity to use much.
It was announced in the assembly that if anyone of us possessed mobile phone, it would be ceased. Yes it happened that way. Even some phones were broken on the spot by the principal. Those phones which were ceased remained a mystery? Wasn’t that cruel act? How can a school’s Bye-law forbid the constitution rights of a citizen?
I feel the school could have framed a flexible rule in which phones were collected on weeks and allowed to use it on weekends? What harm would it do if it was done that way? After all how can the human right be violated to that extent?
However, despite such restriction could school stop people from using phone? Never! It couldn’t! There were many students-friends of mine who used phone every day. Among them was I, who used phone almost every day. I took it during the assembly time also. Such rules were there, but it never could touch a single strand of hair of mine. Similarly there were many who escaped such harsh consequences if seen. I browsed facebook, played music and made calls at my own will. Such rule made me feel the specialty of phone. It was the sweetest moment ever in life .No rules can ever forbid if we desir

A tribute to parents

The first happiness we give to our parents is the time when a mom after nine months of pregnancy delivers us to the world. How a couple will have been waiting for a child to call them mum and dad! A mum, as she carries a child in her womb undergoes a vigorous health problem-at times feeling nausea, at times giddiness and at times succumbing to sleepless nights. How painful that frame of time would be, is beyond our insight and realization. The time when a mum struggles to deliver us is not more than the death experience.

When we were small kids, barely able to crawl on the ground, our mum used to watch us and applaud to herself for our growth. When we were thirsty, we just would cry and the mum would understand it. Be it hungry or sick just screaming loud and crying was enough for her to care for us. At time, when she used to be in deep slumber after a heavy day’s work, we would cry and disturb her. She just would sacrifice her sleep and let us suckle her breast. When we would urinate on the bed sheet at night, she used to change it and make us comfortable. Just because of us, our mother had to change her dress every now and then.

We would visit markets and shops holding the hands of our parents. When we wanted to eat something we would point at it and jerk our legs until our demands were met. That moment when we did not have to carry a purse but just ask parents to buy what we saw as we walked through the shop used to be the best one. Those times when we liked to play see-saw or swing, how our father would make them ready for us!

As we grow up into adolescent, we tend to drift away from the reality of life. When our legs and hands are able to function independently, we set out for a journey of our choice. We don’t need our parents much then. Some people want to chase their own dreams. I know there is no harm in chasing our own dreams but what if we go against our parents in an attempt to fulfill our selfish dream?

Mine is a custom where caste system plays a great role. My parents expect me to marry a girl among our won caste. I know, dividing society based on caste is not good. I am not for it but what about our parents who have been waiting for us until today? Is it an acceptable thing to trample the dream and expectations of our parents just for the sake of our desire? I know falling in love isn’t a problem. We could fall in love with anyone. It is a human right. Nonetheless, we will be blessed only when our parents are happy with what we do. Love is blind they say, but we should not be blind for a love. Caste system harms no one until we mind our own business. If we atleast remain alert and try to be better son, I know we will never fall in love with someone our parents would never accept. We will never  be against our parents.

Contrasting features of life

How lucky today's children are. As soon as they are born, their parents make all kind of efforts possible to give the best to their children. Toys, dolls and what nothing! Video games, PS  and other innumerable stuffs that I have not even heard of keep their lives so advanced.

Times were different in those days when I was a child. It was even worst during my parent’s time.

I am among those generations that have undergone livelihood that the mere imagination would make today’s youth vomit. We were not different from today’s children except what time had presented a unique design of life style.

The cradle made of roughly chopped woods dangling on the bamboo piece slid under the ceiling gave the sweetest sleep. No matter how we slept, no matter where our head rested, our parents wouldn’t mind. (That’s why back of my head has an irregular shape that many people notice). I have been among those children whose mother prepared food in a ladle (Daru,zaru) and fed with the hand washed with plain water. Countless time toddlerhood has grazed the knees on the floor plaster with cow dung. Picking the butt of local cigarette thrown by grandma and grandpa and putting into the mouth was a fun. We never knew what it was not to swallow dried cow dung that was at our disposal. Playing with the pet like dogs and cats for an hour and taking meals without washing hands was never an odd thing in life. I am among those poor children who, as soon as winter vacation would start, used to turn socks into a ball. I have also the experience of taking chewed doma that my dad would keep on the table.

Bon betta, Horlicks and so many supplementary nutritious foods that I have never heard of, never saw me. I did not know that they existed nor do I know now. (Even now I don’t know name of many food items whenever I am to do shopping).What would make us grow healthy was never a question of nay parents. Simply feeding carbohydrate rich food like rice and curry of potato which of course is carbohydrate only, would satisfy mum and we. External micronutrients intake was never thought of.

What was Iodine salt then? Crude mustard oil and stale food laden with flies and cockroaches made our ingredients. We were not aware how important hygiene was.

On the other hand, today’s children fear of cow dung. They hate the mere sight of it. Outworn and torn cloth is immediately rejected. It is just the otherwise of what I have experienced. (I used to stitch pocket on a thin shirt and wear.

The distancing of two ones

“Fate cheats”, they would say,

And yes it did to them

To me,

To us

And few others.

What prophesy has to unfold

In a silence of our life’s movement;

What almighty directed the innocence

Of greedy convictions

Of thousand souls that abandoned

The land that they were born

Give birth to stupid children of curiosity.

Into their departure from their cradle

Dwells my hopeless hopes

That preaches me their perpetuity of departure.

Of one parents

Of one family

We were the children

Of the country

Yet we are no more ones,

As time goes by, our distance lengthens

And the road we are connected with

Loosens into stretchable long one.

When at times, I miss those souls

Whose history no one wants to read,

I look for them into imaginations

And there they gather:

Into family

Into groups

And into hopes.

Thus our distance fades

And they are born to the nations again.

An evening walk on CNR road

As I trod through the blacktopped road

For a walk as I used to, often,

I was disturbed by some sentiments:

Gone are those souls, who I used to see:

Walk in group,

In pair

And alone.

Gone are those times when I would see them:

Walk in cap,

Headphones

And earphones.

Gone are they who used to walk in:

Half pants,

Full pants

And skirts.

Gone are those souls who used to walk in:

High heels,

Myriad type of shoes

And  slippers.

I visited the nursery

To see if anyone lived,

But a silence of the site

Scared my sentiments;

I gave binoculars-like look

Down the gate

Towards the junction

And almost everywhere;

I saw those people in the emptiness

Of their presence.

Feeling the loneliness of air

In thoughts at once

I missed those people who resided

Among us through a brief time

Of life.

In memories shall they live,

In memory  now shall I live,

And when flashback flashes

There shall we all meet again,

With the lovely moments

And to see you all

Walk on the black road of the CNR

 In the same manner I used to see.

Meeting-a parting in disguise

Life is just like that; it isn’t a new phenomenon nor can we change how it should appear. Meeting is a departure in disguise. Meeting is the end of beginning of parting and, parting, the hope to meet again. In life, I have seen meeting, union, reunion and parting but of all, I used to fear meeting. While parting just would leave me sad, meeting always made me fear. Each minute, each hour and each day, I count time left as soon as meeting. Parting has sorrow leaving its presence to rule the aftermath, while meeting has a restless peace and hopes getting faded with each dusk fall. It is always better to have a sorrow alone than to have fun that disturbs the inner peace with each passing moment. The moment of meeting, I compare it to imprisonment of an innocent with delicious meals and lively facilities while dying within of the inability to prove he is not guilty. Of what good does it serve that kills us from within? Parting leaves sorrow, but disappears as time goes by. Time heals the wound that leaves us injured.
My life has this feeling: I like the moments when I just get excited with the feeling I am going home. Like a sparrow that weaves its nest in the corner of a roof, I weave dreams, make plans and fantasize of what I will do after reaching home. Reaching home and being with parents do not give as much pleasure and excitement. A soon as I see them, a pain starts knocking me now and then. The pain that would someday, as day and night alternately roll over each other push me away from heavenly feelings and experiences. I can’t withstand the detachment that takes my half soulful self. Perhaps, I often forget to live in present. Perhaps, this is a mistaken phenomenon of life. I am like this with life, forgetting to grasp pleasure from present. I tolerate parting in life. May be because I believe in, ‘out of sight is out of mind’ philosophy at times, I appear absolutely opposite to what the reality should have been.

"I will serve my country"-another hypocrisy

Often times we hear some people say,"i want to serve my country". Do they really mean it?Perhaps they are misguided by their thoughts.The people who say they will serve the tsa -wa -sum are the real parasite who feed greedily upon the government money.They claim for TA/DA and high salary.If they are to serve the country,why don't they just let their fake TA/DA go as money to the poor?Can they forgo it?Never!And still you think they are patriotic?Infact those who say this statement want to get a Bigger job and thus land us having country serve them.
The ones who really serve are the people in the lower position-Road worker,sweeper,technicians and caretaker.They don't get much salary yet survive the way big people do.They stand where those people who claim for TA/DA do.They have children and wives like the people in the position do.