Thimphu is Bhutan’s
capital and is like any other emergent concrete mushrooms in the world, at its
crucial stage, at the brisk of bursting its cancerous cells. The capital of
this prosperous and happy nation, its
pulse is rising and running, racing and booming with the demands of modern
life.
For the first timers to
this town, traffic delay has become a part of driving along this busy street
and zebra crossings are clogged with people running to catch their own
destination. The city is on a rush to get nowhere yet seems in hurry. People
walk with varying speeds- fast travelers are those who needs to catch their
destination, window shoppers roam the street with slower pace and slowest are
those who has nowhere to go. And like the roads, drains too are bunged with wastes
and the city is no more clean with words of 'KEEP BHUTAN CLEAN AND GREEN'
everywhere.
Like any other city, Thimphu
city is no more a place of peace and solitude. The silence of the city once
had, has become story of past and peace of the city was exchanged with
modernisation. As I grew up on my parent’s farm, back at Haa valley, I find it
difficult to sleep and walk around Thimphu. Back at home, the cries of the
people guarding their farm lull me to sleep, which otherwise is replaced by traffic
noises and buzzing sounds of busy workers.
Thimphu city has lost
its charm and its unique Bhutanese tradition. I no more see a traditional house
except for few that too are changing. The city has a confusing look and its
roads are way too complicated for illiterate. so are its people with mystifying
appearance. People seem to participate
in a race of unknown destination but the only thing that they are aware of is
there is no definite end.
Since I was born in a
village at Wangtsa, the compassion, sympathy and hospitality that I once had is
lost in the losing city. rather than talking about charity, people seems to be
busy in making money and city is poked marked with people with varing sets of
mind. families are small and so is their income. People are aware of the changing lifestyles
yet hospital is packed with patients suffering from lifestyle related diseases.
Going for a walk is no more about
health. Sadly, it is about the suit that you wear and outdoor gears and other
fancy items that you possess. Society perception of success and happiness is
equated with your income.
I consider myself to
have been fortunate child. This is because I was born and raised back at home,
learning to lit a fire and as high as ploughing a field or taking up responsibilities.
I now enjoy the life of graduate with packets of social norm in my bag of
brain. yet it's hard to live in Thimphu as I have enjoyed my life at
forefathers farm where happiness is real, and materialistic and temporary
happiness doesn't overcome my life.
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