2009 – Page 6 – BIIB Blog

Traditional sports – A pastime of the past

In the face of an explosion of modern games, thanks largely to cable TV, Bhutan’s traditional sports – despite the government’s pledge to promote them – are on the brink of extinction.

Traditional games, such as soksom, degor, jigdum and pungdo, are barely heard of, let alone played. The only ones surviving the onslaught of changing times are archery and khuru. Archery exists because there is a heavy dose of modernism in its equipment and status. People rarely play archery without imported bows and arrows these days. That way, observers say, the sport is becoming more modern and less Bhutanese. Continue reading Traditional sports – A pastime of the past

Two new trekking routes

UPSCALE TRAIL – Lodge-based trekking routes will minimise litter at least

The tourism council of Bhutan (TCB) has identified two additional trekking routes in Wangduephodrang and Bumthang. The Dhur tshachu in Bumthang and Gangtey in Wangduephodrang, TCB said, would give tourists both natural and cultural visiting experience.

The trekking route to Dhur tshachu, starting from Dhur village, about 30 km from Chamkhar town, would take three days to the hotspring on foot. The whole area falls under the Wangchuck centennial park. The Gangtey trail starts from Gangtey and covers four villages (Phobjikha, Gogona, Khotakha and Rubisa).

The Dhur tshachu trail in Bumthang will benefit Dhur village, while the Gangtey trail in Wangduephodrang will benefit five villages (Gangtey, Phobjikha, Gogona, Khotakha and Rubisa). Continue reading Two new trekking routes

Michael J Fox-The “Incurable optimist” in Bhutan

IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS – Coming to terms with a concept in their own ways

Canadian-American actor, Michael J Fox, is currently in the country shooting a documentary entitled, ‘Michael J Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist’. The documentary follows Fox as he travels the world in search of happiness and the reasons that make people happy.

“I’d read about Bhutan. I was really intrigued by the concept of gross national happiness, and I wanted to see if it really was what it was reported to be,” the star of such worldwide hits as the ‘Back to the Future’ trilogy told Kuensel. Continue reading Michael J Fox-The “Incurable optimist” in Bhutan

The low priority library

The only public library in town is so cramped, one has to worm one’s way around

A few steps away from the massive and modern Taj Tashi hotel, across the noisy six-lane upper Norzin Lam, lies an aged one-storied building. Its significance and, at the same time, unfortunate obscurity, becomes apparent after reading what’s written on a small sign that hangs over its door: “Jigme Dorje Wangchuck Public Library, 1979.”

While larger modern buildings, that house snooker rooms and bars, video game parlors, video rental stores, dance clubs and other social entertainment venues sprout all around it, Bhutan’s sole public lending library continues to languish in the same building it has occupied since 1985. Continue reading The low priority library

No takers yet for domestic air service

GUINNESS RECORD PROSPECT? – Once operational, Yonphula airport may qualify as the highest of its kind

Will Bhutan have its first domestic air service by October this year? As far as the civil aviation department is concerned, they have not as yet received any proposals.

Drukair, however, is doing a feasibility study on operating a domestic air service within the country.

Drukair’s managing director, Tandin Jamtsho, said that the present aircraft could not ply in domestic airports because of shorter runways. Operating from a place like Yonphula requires smaller aircrafts and special pilots.

“We’ll have to look into the cost of operations,” said Tandin Jamtsho. The feasibility study would be done by June this year, which he said would determine if Drukair could participate or not. Continue reading No takers yet for domestic air service

Japan backs Bhutan GLOF project

With global warming on the rise and glacial lakes filling up fast in the Lunana area, Bhutan seems ill prepared for the dangers of glacial lakes outburst floods, what with an acute lack of funds and technology, or even know-how.

All that could change with the recent agreement between Japan and Bhutan to start a project that would study the glacial lakes and fortify disaster management efforts in case of a glacial flood. The project, worth around US$ 2 million and funded by Japan, will see Japanese experts in science and technology studying Bhutanese glaciers and training local glaciologists as well. Continue reading Japan backs Bhutan GLOF project

‘Three Cups of Tea’ author finds new mountains to climb

WASHINGTON — Globe-trotting humanitarian Greg Mortenson, co-author of the best-selling memoir Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace … One School at a Time, keeps a reminder pasted to his bathroom mirror back home in Bozeman, Mont.: “When your heart speaks, take good notes.”

Mortenson’s own heart started hollering 15 years ago, when the exhausted mountaineer lost his way in northeastern Pakistan’s untrammeled Karakoram Range. After stumbling nearly 60 miles down a glacier to the Muslim hamlet of Korphe — where he was welcomed as the first foreigner the 400 villagers had encountered — he watched local children substitute mud-coated sticks for pencils in an apricot orchard that served as their only classroom.

Inspired by his parents’ work to start a hospital and school on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, and by fellow climber Edmund Hillary’s charitable work in the Nepalese Himalayas, Mortenson promised he would return to Korphe to build a school.

But unlike most well-meaning tourists touched by encounters with Third World poverty, Mortenson delivered on his pledge. Continue reading ‘Three Cups of Tea’ author finds new mountains to climb

The thirsty dzongkhag

Pemagatshel Dzongkhag has put up a proposal to the Gross National Happiness Commission to pipe water all the way from Khaling in Trashigang. Preliminary studies have been conducted on the possibility of piping water from Wamrong but the idea was dropped after finding it unsustainable for long term.

During Lyonchhen’s visit to the dzongkhag in January this year, he said that, since the Khaling stream was said to be receding, there was a need to find a sustainable alternative. He suggested that creating an artificial lake on Oori stream, which is about 1000 m above sea level, for distribution of water to some nearby villages would be a better option. Continue reading The thirsty dzongkhag

Agriculture Ministry returns about five acres land to landowners

The land occupied by the Paro Valley Area Development Project was finally handed over to the landowners today. It was handed over by the Agriculture Minister Lyonpo Pema Gyamtsho to the Member of the Parliament from Lamgong-Wangchang constituency in Paro, Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuck.

The land was acquired by the Department of Agriculture in 1990 from 13 farmers under Shari geog in Paro to establish the Paro Valley Area Development Project. The Department of Agriculture paid the farmers Nu. 653 per decimal as compensation. But subsequently, attempts to change the land ownership failed due to disputes over the provision of access road to landowners along the project boundary and demarcation and fencing of the land acquired by the project. Continue reading Agriculture Ministry returns about five acres land to landowners

The little Buddhas

Clay tshatshas in a cave near Taba in Thimphu

They are in caves and beside lakes, on chortens and near lhakhangs. They are flat or conical. Sonam Rinchen finds out more about tshatshas.

Once seen on every conceivable ledge and crevice along footpaths and around religious sites, tshatshas have now become less known and rare.

Derived from Sanskrit, tshatsha literally means copy or image. A form of Buddhist idol worship, tshatshas are clay impressions cast from a mould with an image of a deity or a sacred symbol engraved into it.

Tshatshas are made to be put inside prayer wheels, statues, chortens and monasteries, or to be laid out in caves, on mountaintops and rooftops, or even to be worn as amulets. Buddhist practitioners say that in Bhutan, tshatsha’s meaning is limited and generally confined to cone-shaped images usually placed in caves and crevices. Continue reading The little Buddhas