A cover up on Tribute
Walk and Tribute Exclusive Night: first
time a rural souvenir in the history of education in Sarpang Dzongkhag, in
commemoration of 60th birth anniversary of our fourth Druk Gyalpo
Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
Leading my way off from my rural school home
ground to the centre of the Dzongkhag for tribute walk and exclusive night was
something my children and I stood up for. My project didn't begin with big
endorsements or budgets and it only began in the place frozen with time, with
numerous call I had to be frequented with in earnest request for fund, with the
little hope we had, believe in ourselves
that we can, the passion that we pursued and the small dream I shared for combined team effort. It didn't happen in one day
or two and it took a series of months to get to this point of dream actualization.
The journey through times has been adventurous pickled with fun and it taught
me lessons beyond time.
Background
Taraythang
Primary School, located in the extreme east of Sarpang Dzongkhag came into
shape in the mid of year 2010.The civilization began when the new resettlements
took their share of land. The place and the people are growing with time yet
the distance and the difficulties still remains a hurdle. To a normal adult
he/she would have to walk 4 hours, 5hours to get to this place separated in
between by pugnacious and ravenous mow chhu (popularly known as mow khola). The
students here live under isolation from the rest and there are many children
who have never been to the nearest town, Gelephu. The educational outlook and
their broader thinking perspectives have become a thing of concern to us,
teachers. Located in the periphery of the bordering Indian town, Assam the
people lives in constant fear of incoming insurgents and the need of instilling
gratitude to monarchs and preservation of culture has become crucial. It calls
for a time to unlock their ignorant minds because they are the citizen in the
becoming. We firmly believe that the way we shape them determines their
destiny.
Weighing up their torment of ideas in the midst of climbing
wisteria stirred their blood. The perpetual synergy of the team is on
tenterhooks nearing show time. Though they look whacked out, giving all ears to
them made me believe that they are dynamic in their thoughts. The hungry eyes
aligned against their inquisitive on looks are what it keeps the team up and
running. This item festooned with national flag (not the national anthem
though) will break the silence and steal the charm of tribute exclusive night. What
is so different of this exclusive night is there will not be a superheroes or a
superstars, celebrities or a cinema stars and all it would show up would be the
true heroes who have fought the bitter colds of rural life. The one with the
flag is the limb of my team and he too will take whatever it takes to get it
done alike myself. These children are no different from the kids of
townspeople. They do dream big, they do believe in themselves, they do believe
they can, they do have fervent will to succeed, they do have purpose and focus
and they do have plans to do big things in life. All they need is someone to
pat, someone to push from back, someone to lead from front and tutelage every
time. Be that someone. Be the change!
Off in my noble pursuit: walking by the golden
gate of San Francisco, not of comparable magnitude to it though. The dawn broke
and the fireball woke up and rose above the never ending triangular mountains
spreading its splendor and spark over the horizon. The trees seemed pasted
against the hill and the multiplied number of birds tweeting heralded the opening
of my sight to a whole new day. This bridge serve as a gateway for all the by
passers to the main town and it is in this bridge i gaze to its height and length and speak
within myself that human minds when intertwined can create wonders.
Weighing up their torment of ideas in the midst of climbing
wisteria stirred their blood. The perpetual synergy of the team is on
tenterhooks nearing show time. Though they look whacked out, giving all ears to
them made me believe that they are dynamic in their thoughts. The hungry eyes
aligned against their inquisitive on looks are what it keeps the team up and
running. This item festooned with national flag (not the national anthem
though) will break the silence and steal the charm of tribute exclusive night.
What is so different of this exclusive night is there will not be superheroes
or superstars, celebrities or a cinema stars and all it would show up would be
the true heroes who have fought the bitter colds of rural life. The one with
the flag is the limb of my team and he too will take whatever it takes to get
it done alike myself. These children are no different from the kids of
townspeople. They do dream big, they do believe in themselves, they do believe
they can, they do have fervent will to succeed, they do have purpose and focus
and they do have plans to do big things in life. All they need is someone to
pat, someone to push from back, someone to lead from front and tutelage every
time. Be that someone. Be the change!
You are cordially invited: All through my way
to the Dzongkhag headquarter and leaving behind my little school 68 km afar, I
have carried like my blood and piled like stack of coins, the invitation card neither
complained of thirst or nor did it compromised with its hunger and sat
compressed in my backpack. It started to get thinner as I made rounds in the
thromde,Dungkhag,NGOs and offices in the dzongkhag, until I found none left in
my bag. Thank you email for you made me possible to send this card to all
22schools of Sarpang Dzongkhag and some of the institutional heads. The card is
simply designed with an underlying message of you are cordially invited.
My design materialized: The shirt and cap I have
designed took me more than three months to come into shape. Here I am back in
place to where my roots are grounded and getting ready for takeoff in the day
break. At the moment am happy that everything is happening as planned. Thirty
two students, five teachers would wear my designed cap and shirt while the six
parents would be given a cap each. My design would travel with us to Sarpang
and one designed shirt and cap would be offered to
our chief guest Dasho Dzongda. My design would also go to my two sponsors,
Tarayana Foundation and Menjong Foundation, for you two made it happen. Every
time my children see this shirt and cap, they should remember the historic
small walk they have undertaken, they should pay tribute to our fourth druk
Gyalpo,they should mark themselves for being the first rural children to show
up for exclusive night at Sarpang, they should understand that we can go beyond
borders, they should learn to celebrate every small achievement, they should
learn to share the common taste of being a Bhutanese and they should learn to
lead the masses. Never did I design clothes up until now and always did I wear
the clothes other people designed. There is feeling something worth special if
you have had given your hand and heart.
At the
heart of Sarpang HSS: Away from my distant school, I and my two friends have
reached SHSS for stage preparation. Feeling thankful to the Principal and
staffs of SHSS for their support they have offered on this exclusive night. We
are overwhelmed by their approval to grant us lodging and fooding for the team
on board. It is going by my plan that 4th and 5th till afternoon would be used
for stage makeover and duly return to school after lunch on 5th,only to start
the tribute walk, the very next day on 6th.While I
came to this school carrying a good will from my school, my mind is still on my
children back school. The thought of them brings into me the journey they and I
have taken and how many a Times I have taken their precious Saturday and
Sunday, how many a Times I have made them sweat through practice, how many a
Times I have been strict and particular, how many a Times I have shared that
it's only uniting together that we can, how many a Times I made them realize
that I am always there for them, how many a Times I repeated how important it
is our responsibility as a team representing the school to make this tribute
journey happen and how sacred and satisfying it is to lead and do things never
done before. All I can say is you children are wonderful the way you are and
you are creating a history by being the first rural children to show up for
tribute night in Sarpang Dzongkhag. Our muscle works proved its worth. In any
way I wanted this dar nye nga to be hung on the stage but did it required a lot
of thinking over against the sky high ceiling.Eventually we conquered the
height, so things are happening my way.
Open invitation: The first of its kind and
never done before, the TPS is all set to show up for the small tribute walk and
tribute exclusive night at the heart of Sarpang,first time a small rural souvenir.
located in the extreme rural east of Sarpang Dzongkhag,it's a first time rural
initiative in commemoration of the 60th birth anniversary of our fourth Druk
Gyalpo. The tribute walk would entail a journey from Taraythang PS to
Gelephu.The walk would begin at 7:00am from
Taraythang PS on 6th of November and the team tribute walk would pass by Umling
LSS,Chuzergang PS,Norbuling MSS,Serzhong LSS,Losel Gyatsho Academy,Gelephu HSS
and Gelephu LSS up until Gelephu.The team would make a round in Gelephu town
and then will board on Norbuling MSS bus to reach Sarpang.On the highway, it
will drive pass Jigmeling PS,Dekiling LSS,Choekerling LSS Samtenling PS,Sarpang
LSS and eventually reach Sarpang HSS.On the same evening the tribute exclusive
night would begin from 5:30pm at the Sarpang HSS.
Hearty welcome: Umling LSS serve as the bypass
and gateway to our school and it is the first closest school of nearly an hour
walk from my school. Beautifully as its name Umling sound, located
strategically on the hills of Umling festooned with a number of flora, the
Principal,VP, teachers and staffs here too coexist in harmony with shared commonalities.
It proved correct when my team tribute walk moved pass through this school, wherein
the teachers led by the Principal and VP made a
welcome gesture to our team. To them it was a small welcome gesture but to me
it meant everything, it meant they are way too supportive for my first time
initiative, it meant the two nearby schools share a special bond, it meant we
coexist in mutuality, it meant we look up to each other as our closest reliable
allies. Thank you UlSS for your team effort in making us feel at home, thank
you for your kind wishes and words, refreshments and a token to my team for it
helped to wet the dried throats of children and Fed moving words to nourish
rural little brains of children. The scattered light rays from the sun forming
a look alike rainbow arched our togetherness and it was befitting for the first
endeavor.
Reaching the only autonomous school: Making our
way through the woods of unending plains finally took my team to the only
autonomous school,chuzergang PS.Mound like a heap of manure, it stands on
hillock overlooking the popular and furious mow chhu. Home for the maximum
resettlements in numbers, the school is flooded with children from these
settlements. The initial few minutes of welcome for my team lifted our spirit
in thoughts and continuing mission. The sight of the teachers and
students in line from the gate to school, the sound of the sweetest word
welcome Taraythang PS from the hearts of CPS family,the touch of the hands for
handshake exchange, congratulatory messages and wishes was some of many things
I marveled at and some of many things I was touched and inspired at to think
over a little how worth my pursuit was. The welcome was accompanied by thirst
quenching juices and water, mind nourishment speeches and messages from the
teachers of CPS. I was also given an opportunity to speak to the students of
CPS and it took me for a while to talk about how grateful we need to be to our
monarchs, our fourth king and how best we should be utilized for good, how
creative and dynamic in enterprise we should be as individual citizen, how
should they invest their time in studies and how responsible should we be as a
citizen to our king,country and people. Though we are distant apart we have
always came together for a common cause resolving our differences and this
shall further strengthen and continue in Times to come. Thank you CPS family, you
gave us joy and reason to continue.
Grand reception at Norbuling MSS:As if like the
barbarians entering Rome, like the superheroes entering the scene in Hollywood
hits, like the samurai riding into village, like the Spartacus entering the
amphitheatre, like the chief guest entering the arena of paramount occasion, like
the return of the Warrior after the hard fought victory and the main
protagonist entering the stage in some classic Shakespearean plays, the energy
and the applause for reception of my team through the gate
was something worth remembering. We never did feel important ourselves but never
done move, tribute walk journey was all it took to get their eyes on us. It all
began at the entrance of the gate with the Bhutanese style of Joenpa
Joenpa,Legso with the offer of Tashi khadar from Principal and the way ahead
was a avenue like the trees grown on either side of the road, the chain of
teachers and students stood parallel in lines up until the MPH. We were showed
way inside the hall and to our surprise we found the students and teachers
seated in the hall for yet another welcome. The principal addressed the
multitude gathering and highlighted our motive. The team on their request
performed three items to which the crowds of students applauded their little
younger brothers and sisters for their presentation.
Fully
drained and exhausted, the sumptuous lunch from NMSS was all it got to get us going.
The moment of togetherness was caught and the Principal floated information
that one article on tribute walk would go down in their school magazine.NMSS,
one of the top ten MSS school in Bhutan with excellent physical ambience and
academic record gave its maximum able support to my team. The school bus, food
and moral support are some worth mentioning and to this I on behalf of my team
would like to extend our high regard for everything and down the line if do I
require such help we would be counting on you. With many things said and done,
here we come Sershong PS...
In the rush of our travels to Sershong PS:
setting of an adventurous noble journey, we have always prided ourselves on
confronting all journeys difficulties together. Having walked in the sun, my
children were quite done up and the opening of the view of Sershong PS upon
reaching the bank of Thewar Chu heralded a miracle that stirred a frenzy of
mutinous excitement. The glow emanated from their face of having seen another
school after having walked past Norbuling MSS. Trudging through the hill and
skirting ourselves through the thewar chhu by stepping gingerly over the half
sunk stones, the frozen eyes opened to the interiors of Sershong PS. Looking as
if glued on the hill, the rows of multicolored flowers starked against the
branches, number of prayer flags flapping in the air, line of trees casting
shadow on our way till school, the seated students in rows and columns in the
assembly ground and the teachers led by principal waiting with an already
arranged chairs and tables marked a fitting welcome. Seated comfortably in the
chair after exchange of pleasantries and handshakes, we had steaming cups of
tea and snacks, water and juices that did calm our stomach. A welcome note
address was given by a tiny little girl of might be class three or four and she
was eloquent. She read a message on behalf of her school and few important
lines did I caught. She said, today in our morning assembly our principal
informed us that Taraythang PS would visit our school for a unique mission, tribute
walk and tribute exclusive night. Today we are happy to met 32 new friends and
we wish them all the luck and success throughout till Sarpang. She kept on
spewing forth her good will messages and the turn was given to me by my
Principal to speak few words to address the motive of our journey. As
unprepared as I was, I moved my way to the podium and took a sight of all the
attendees. It's been long time home coming and sershong to us have now become
one of our homes of closest allies. Sershong have always stood for excellence
and we are forever grateful for considering our unique mission worthy. Today
the tribute walk and exclusive night finally came into shape after long hard
preparations and practice. it continued for some time and eventually ended by
saying I thank Principal,teachers and students on behalf of my team for you
have considered my mission unique, never done before in Sarpang and befitting
for the occasion.My children gave three performance as a token of friendship
and gratitude. A vote of thanks was delivered by a teacher of SPS to which he
said,such noble mission, first of its kind in the history of education in
Sarpang shall also inspire them and others beyond to do such in the coming
years, such unique programmes if made shall have place in their school and
thanked the team for making way in their school. Then it struck a chord in my
heart that how worth my pursuit was. An appreciation with wrapped envelope in
along khadar was presented to our team to which we gave a big thank you sir for
everything note. Many beautiful things have happened and I didn't want to let
go off the moment. Click: a snap was taken, Thank you SPS family, for you gave
us the most needed inspiration and the hope.
One e-mail that said it all: clicking on the
inbox was the short explicitly heart moving message written from the Principal
of Dechenpelri PS in reply to my invitation sent to the Principal and staffs of
DPS on the exclusive night. Scanning my eyes through the words and the written
lines, I found a reason to share, a reason to lead, a reason to pursue, a
reason to continue until it gets done. Here it reads: Sir, thank you so much for your wonderful invitation. I know how much pain
you took to make this dream come true. Today you are embarking on your journey
of tribute walk. I know how much excited your children and teachers are to show
their love, respect and homage our beloved 4th Druk Gyalpo. I join with you in
heart and soul along with your team of dedicated teachers and brilliant
students in this journey though I am not there physically. I offer my humble
prayer to achieve your collaborative dream. May you have successful day ahead.
Thank you sir for all your moral support all through the inception of the plan
and I must say you are an empathetic and inspirational leader who truly
understands the process bits by bits, blocks by blocks, clandestine by
clandestine from the start till the end, who truly understands the enormity of
test that lies ahead in doing first of its kind from the rural school to the
centre of Dzongkhag, who truly understands the pain and the pressure, perseverance
and passion one needs to be constantly attached to achieve the set goal. To
many it may seem only a walk and the exclusive night, while deep below, the
whole process up to culmination of exclusive night took months of practice, countless
telephonic calls, numerous written proposals, many request applications and e
mails on varied need topics, number of walks to and from school to the Dzongkhag
and Gelephu, portrait painting and written banner inscription, preparations of
items necessary in the programme list, organizing the plan and executing and
the constant thought of how best my plan would work kept me occupied for all
these times. To many though it may seem small, but it meant giving all I could
to make a small history of being the first rural school to show up in the
Dzongkhag headquarter. I complete it no matter what whence once begun and the
moment I begin I simply become unstoppable. This has all took me to this point
of small dream realization because I always prefer to lead than follow, do it
than just say and lead for something new than lead for many things done every time.
There is soul in doing things first. Thank you Principal Sir Lungten for your
kind words and we are moving our way to the Dzongkhag.
Making
our way through the business hub: we sped our momentum after walking past
Sershong PS and eventually making way through the business hub, Gelephu along
the roads of main town, fully dressed in designed tribute caps and shirts
caught the eyes of passerby and pedestrians, shoppers and shopkeepers, drivers
and the driven, office goers and onlookers, laymen and laborers, vagabonds and
veterans, children and canary and the sea of people and vehicles in varying
shapes, sizes and colors passing hurriedly along east, west, north and south of
town are running after their own individual pursuit. They all did stopped for a
moment to gaze at our tiny little team and did they lent their ears to the
joyful beating of our musical drum lunging out happy 60th birth
anniversary song, a tribute hymn to our fourth Druk Gyalpo. I could hear
whispers and murmurs, could hear some people read tribute walk and tribute
exclusive night, could hear some people call 6oth birth anniversary and my
known acquaintances gave in their hands for congratulation for having took
courage to come to this central focal point. With the portraits and banners
held high against the sky, the team made rounds around the town and to the towns’
people; it did knock some sense of reminder about the selfless sacrifices of
our fourth king. The sweats and water lost in the perspirations was eventually
regained by a mouth refreshing juices from the TEO, Gelephu Thromde and the Principal
of Gelephu HSS. Thank you sirs, you made us feel complete and I am forever
grateful to your kind effort. Never of such noble walk passed through the
streets of Gelephu and my joy knew no bounds for I have set the path first. Let
my small effort to educate the people about the selfless contributions of
fourth king be like the mighty flood of Nile poured from his fount of Abyssinian clouds to fertilize the whole
Egyptian plain.(imagination: wordsword)
Makers of
History: Sarpang Dzongkhag
The bus
engine thundered to signal the movement to Sarpang and the team on board took
their seats. Driving through the high ways of Sarpang, it eventually reached
the Sarpang Dzongkhag. The Principal, teachers and students of Sarpang HSS
welcomed through the entrance of the school gate. We were lead to the MPH. The
team tribute walk was fed tea and biscuits for energy revival. As the clock
ticked near 5:30pm, the people began to swarm in like bees.
By 6:00pm
the hall became packed like sardines in the tin. It was marked by the arrival
of chief guest, sector heads and among the sea of crowds were students, teachers,
civil servants and parents. They all seemed to be waiting for something never
done before and could be called the makers of history in the Dzongkhag. The
welcome speech by the Prncipal was followed by the key note address by the
chief guest, Hon’ble Dasho Dzongda.It is first of its kind in Sarpang Dzongkhag
from amongst the rural school, Taraythang Primary School have become the first
school to host tribute walk and tribute exclusive night at Sarpang, the Hon’ble
Dasho remarked. The tribute exclusive night unfolded with cutting of ribbon for
opening the first tribute show by the chief guest, then cutting of cake with
self composed happy 60th birth anniversary song followed with the
tribute songs and dances, speeches and skits and lasted until 9:00pm.
The
programme was warmly anticipated with cheers and applause and it did revitalize
my energy to anchor the night as MC.
The
clocke ticked 9:00pm and the exclusive night ended by a vote of thanks note by
Mr. Tshewang Ngedup.
Highlight
of the vote of thanks:
We have
fought long and hard to come to this place. Tonight we have made a history of
being the first rural school to host the tribute night at the heart of
Dzongkhag. This wouldn’t have happened without the kind approval from the
Hon’ble Dasho Dzongda, due help from the Dzongkhag Education officer, fervent
acceptance from my Principal and teachers, support from the Sarpang HSS and
Norbuling MSS, my children and parents of the children for giving me the much
needed support for my plan and I am forever grateful.The tribute journey would
have remained just a dream without the fund support from the Tarayana
foundation and Menjong Foundation. I on behalf of my team convey our sincerest
gratitude to these two foundations, for you made this happen.
Down the
line, I do have a plan to continue my tribute journey next year with something
bigger pursuits and I do hope I would be able to get the kind of support like
now from all the aforementioned and beyond.
