1000 Prayer Flags for His Majesty the 4th King

As a pie to mark His Majesty the 4th king's 60th birth anniversary the people of Ngangla Trong and Panbang Drungkhag staff came together to hoist lungdar at Ngangla Trong temple on 22.02.2015. I was fortunate to join the team to do something great as a token of gratitude towards his majesty the king for whatever he had done for what I am today.
     The flag poles were ready and prayer borne cloth pieces too. Exactly at 9:00 am the volunteers gathered around the Temple. Stream of smiles were exchanged at the meeting of both the known and the unknown, the familiar and the unfamiliar. It was one perfect get together of the Dunkhag staff and more importantly with common mind, that to pay a tribute to the great leader.
     To begin with, Dasho Drungpa reminded the gathering the aim of hoisting prayer flags and delegated the works. The digging, cutting, hitting, tearing coupled with laughers and talks began under the warm sun. The team had to hoist 1000 lungdars. Going by the common gratitude and dedication towards the leader of destiny the work would not take long time. Moreover with fun and laughter already running around, the work would finish within short time.
     The refreshment of tea and juice served in interval kept us going. The bond among the staff was further bonded. Indeed it was great feeling to know more people.
       Towards the end of the work some women of the Ngangla came up with local beverages, tea, eggs and wild potatoes. The flowing in of this refreshment was great sigh of relief after tiring yet fulfilling work.
     In the meantime, the lam of the lhakhang performed the consecration rites of the prayer flags. The elderly women served the gathering with their local beverages and tea in their traditional manner. The culture was alive still. Every sip of the refreshments further inspired the talks and laughter albeit some misbehaviours of a couple of drunk people we had to tolerate.
      Finally the lunch and then seeing off of each other.
     The 2nd holiday of HM's birthday was well spent. To me it was worth a day having got an opportunity to do something worth as a token of gratitude to the visionary leader of ours when I cannot do something on my own to mark the King's 60th birthday. Thanks to the Dungkhag administration for the great initiative. 

My 5.1.2015 Happiness

I was on my move to watch pheasants in the nearby jungle towards the evening. Usually pheasants appear when the sun begin to withdraw its rays. I asked my sister whether there was any pheasant and her response was yes. I was hopeful then. The sun was sinking far behind the mountain. I entered the jungle and at my entrance I heard some creaking sound sand saw a blur run of a pheasant. I couldn't capture it in my camera. It disappeared in the bushes. I looked here and there hoping to capture a pheasant or two. One made its brief appearance but ran away at the sound of crackling sound of the dried leaves and bushes under my feet. I climbed up the cliff in search of a perfect view of a pheasant or two. My mobile phone dropped out of my pocket and slid down and dropped on the pilled up pine leaves. I felt tried to climb down and get the phone. I left the phone there itself and continued my move, the move to search a clear view of pheasants. To my every move the pheasants move deafened. I could get their picture but only sounds of their move. I moved further into the jungle and felt splendid sense of peace and joy. The jungle was clean and fresh. The pine leaves were all collected for making manure by my sisters last winter. I took a walk and enjoyed everything that flashed in front of my eyes. The Daphne plants were beginning to bear flowers. Most plants were naked yet beautiful with some winter birds visiting them. Few small birds sucking juice from the drying flowers of a thorn plant made me to froze. In an instant I put on my camera and zoomed the small birds into my camera. I didn't dare to make a step further thinking that the birds would fly away. The yellow capped small birds moved form twig to twig of the plant to claim the juice of flowers. I took several shots before they flew away at the bent of my knees to get better view of the birds. A flush of guilt rushed down my conscience for disturbing the birds' tranquility. I waited for few minutes with a hope that the birds would return for the nectar. They didn't. And I moved away and moved towards the path where my mobile phone dropped. Nothing had happened to my phone. I searched deeper into the dried bushes thinking that I would be again  greeted with a view or two of the pheasants I missed to view fully. Yes the pheasants were still in the vicinity. I stepped towards them but to my every move they receded further onto the bushes out of my teach.
      Finally I moved back home with happiness. Although I couldn't enjoy the perfect view of the pheasants I was wow having seen some small birds on the thorn bush sucking nectar.