Through LENS

An advertisement on a social site reads, “When thinking of affordable good-featured mobile phones, Nokia is the brand that comes in mind at first. Nokia is one of the most popular and reliable mobile phone brands all over the globe.”  Ahhhh! I thought. The fashion of carrying such mobile phones is no cooler today.  I-phone and galaxies has taken its toll in the small nation. Our GDP is just the 16% of the world’s average, yet our consumerist thought on gadgets are developing at a faster rate than the per capita GDP growth rate.  Definitely you must have heard the stories of people selling their ancestral land to buy a Prado that rules the road in the modern world. What about the children nagging and tormenting their parents to acquire a branded latest fashion mobile phone? Yes, we undeniably heard the stories but never had we realized that the hard earned money is going waste into such an unpretentious yet unsolicited gadgets. The basic functions of a mobile phone is to communicate

Happiness is a desire of every human being and it's the ultimate goal of every living being.  While people may be suffering from a disease of lack of happiness in their organs of social system, Bhutan is not far from happiness. May be one can consider gross national happiness as a utopian idea but happiness does exists in our country and in nerves of every one. We had strong social bond and families were extended with size of almost five families of modern world. That created a sentiment to shoring up each other at all times and taking care of others while they are not very well. Am neither a social scientist nor an enlightened being who can unfold all the knots of social complications and philosophies that of community vitality. I venture to submit the facts that we are undergoing in the era of globalization. I live in a traditional house casting our unique Bhutanese architectural design in the heart of a harmonious village. Its stunning landscape and natural splendor lull me p

We are losing our agricultural land at a very fast rate. Driven by GDP and propelled by ever increasing population, people moving towards the town and cities are increasing at a very fast rate.  Government is planning for larger cities but it comes at the cost of our valued agricultural land. Bhutan has only 3% of its land under arable conditions. Others are mountains, slopes higher than 30% gradient and forest covering more than 72%. Yet people are enjoying a prosperous and happy life in the land of GNH. More than 80% of the population happily works on their ancestral land inherited generations to generations. But it seems we are losing our minds of propelling towards self sufficiency. Bhutan is a landlocked country situated between two giants in term of population, size, power and economy. Country depends heavenly on neighboring countries especially in the south due to advantage of geographical and political situations. Our plans are toothless without funds from India and we are

Individual's quest for happiness, inner and outer freedom is the most precious endeavor.  It follows then that society's ideal of governance and polity should promote this endeavor of the individuals. The royal government of Bhutan and his majesty the king continues to guide towards the fulfillment of cultural and political changes that drive our country to the future. Bhutan begin its developmental activities since 1961 and by the end of 1990's, king devolved full powers to its people.  Since then Bhutan entered an new era of governance and in 2008 we successfully entered democratic constitutional monarch. It has been two terms with different government yet same Bhutanese that rules our government. A modernization is taking huge thug on to the lives of people in our country. Quest for urban development and expansion of towns ( thromdeys and yenglag thromdeys ) taking quick run along the path of development. It was decided in the parliament and we are all set to develop

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 be

General Information 1. General Information of the Respondents From the total of 12 villages covered from 3 gewogs, 62.5% of the respondents were male and female respondents which constitute 37.5% of the 40 respondents (Table 1). The highest number of respondents were from Bjee gewog with 23 respondents. Respondents of Katsho Gewog consists of 27.5% (n=11).  Table 1: Respondents from each Gewog with their gender Gender                 Bjee Katsho Esu         Total   Male                  35% 20%       7.50% 62.50%   Female                  22.50% 7.50%    7.50% 37.50% 2. Yak Rearing and its Trend in Haa Yak rearing is main income source for the people living in the highlands. The yak population in Bjee and katsho Gewogs increased to 3,227 and 1,093 in 2013 respectively. However there was slight decline (from 575 to 501) in the yak population in Esu Gewog from 2010 to 2013 (Department of Livestock, 2014).  Total hh depending on yak was 13.33% and 1

Day 1: Head office to Tshabjona Our day started from the office to the kajena village from four legged full option high land transporters leads the way with loads of ration on their fragile back. The great words of Shakespeare, “But be not afraid of greatness; same are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them” proved true upon travelling with the great learned staffs of JKSNR. Each has their focus on a certain areas and all specialized in a particular area. Learning the names of birds that were on the way and identifying the plants that stands on the path was joyful. As expected, the pristine nature of the highlands and alpine meadows stands pristine with sacred mountains in the distant. The freezing nights could be a nightmare for the travellers through these areas. The felling for a cold and freezing night in an open tent could be awful experience that no one could get to enjoy. Yet, dry winter months provided