Cockscomb it is! Looking into the past

 Today unexpectedly, out of nowhere, I thought of cockscomb flower also known as Red Celosia. I like it's red velvet color and the pattern of the flower, its showing some labyrinth form of evolution. I could vividly remember its image attributed to the time I spent some time taking picture. But somehow, I couldn't recollect it's name, I thought for sometime but it led me to nowhere near. There, I was digging my files for the photograph, particularly aiming the photo-files with place's name in the south Bhutan. 

Captured somewhere in south of Bhutan in October, 2013. 

It's really a worrisome for me, if I don't remember the name of a plant/flower or even if i don't know it. It is kind of difficult to keep my mind at peace. Flowers keeps lingering and shouting in my head as long as I work my ass out. There are times that I give up but doesn't forget the flower. So, after going through for about an hour I came across what I wanted. You know the feeling, I was like on top of the world, my mind completely settled down. With picture came the name as a package. 

Close-up picture of cockscomb (Celosia argentea)

An Experience of Earthquake in September 2011

September, 2011 in Bhutan is an unforgettable moment for me. My team who visited the remote and tiny Shebji village in Haa district will always remember this trip. Our team consisting of Stig Dalstrom, Thomas Hoijer and officials from Ministry of Agriculture and Forests begun the journey from Thimphu towards Shebji, Haa to explore the orchid diversity in the region.

Well, we planned our journey on 17th the beautiful morning of September but couldn’t make it as our team member Stig had severe backache and was bedridden and could hardly move. He was referred to the hospital and while back in the hotel, a pop sound from his back warded off the pain away. To our surprise he was completely back to normal and he eagerly wanted to start the journey at the earliest. Thus, we began our journey towards Haa, where we halt a night. While at Haa, some more foresters joined our team and had really good discussions and planned our adventurous journey into the wild.

It was a fine morning and I could hear the birds chirping. Well, we were all set to travel towards Tegola but unfortunately our car ran out of fuel. So, we headed towards the fuel station only to find electric power shut down and the station didn’t work. Hence, our driver went around Haa town and managed to get few liters of fuel from private drivers. Once again we begun the journey.

Road construction has just begun and it was still in its first cut and was filled with muddy bumps and it seemed be have rained all through the night. We stopped halfway since car couldn’t travel further due to slippery road surface and waited for the horses to arrive. So with the horses, we started to walk down the hills. We walked down the hills for nearly 6 hours on a rain-wet trail. We were all split up and I was somewhere in the beginning with Bakta and Sangay and horses somewhere in the middle.

Shebji Village

It was beginning to get dark and I just climbed to a hill in Shebji from where I could see Bakta about to get nearer to an old traditional two storied house. I was just staring at the house and all of a sudden I could hear ghostly loud sound commencing from an old house and in the blink of an eye the whole earth beneath me shook. I could hear boulders fall, tree branches breaking and some animal noises. That feeling could resemble the near to death feeling. I was completely blank and I didn’t know where my mind was, I was just standing there. Within few seconds Sangay shouted at me to stand in the middle of the open field and I saw him shouting to Bakta as well. Bakta too was just standing and staring at the old house. Within seconds, three of us were standing in the middle of an open ground and after few minutes everything was calm. Some of the villagers also came out running towards us and we all stood in the middle of the ground for a while.

It was so frightening and the worst part is when some of the team mates are still missing. Immediate thoughts like “where are they? Are we going to make through it? How can I rescue them?” were arising spontaneously. So, we all decided to get into the old house and after few minutes few of our mates arrived, still few were missing. After some 15 minutes, Thomas along with some horsemen arrived making some loud noises as usual but the noise he made that moment sounded so aggressive and terrified. We laid him down near the fire and let him have warm soup, he felt very cold. Some of us started to hand pick numerous blood sucking leeches from him, his body had full of it and shirts blood stained. We were told that he was all alone when the incident happened. While he walking, the trail just was washed away, so he jump upwards and laid down for few seconds but he felt hundreds of leeches climbing on him. Finally, he managed to climb on a tree upon which he was spotted by some horsemen and was brought down. Horses were without luggage on its backs yet looked so terrified. Luggage were placed somewhere on the trail, since the horses started to fall down as the tremor occurred.

Bakta, Guman and few horsemen went to look for Stig and friends after spotting a tiny light from far away in the dark from other side of the slope. We could see them responding to out lights. Finally, we were all altogether but very scared. I heard that Stig and friends during the thunderous earthquake they were all set to face any consequences that would fall upon them and decided to spend the night in the forest at some safe spot.

Now that everyone was well aware of the aftershock after some local people heard from their friend through telephone and radio. Unfortunately, both telephone and radio didn’t work so well, it was just not working though. Hence, we spent the night out in the field for few days.

Still the memories seem to be fresh; I can feel how 2015 Nepal earthquake has effected the people.

PS: No Proof Read

We spent our few days in this traditional house, sorry near the house.

Silly but a lesson

Desperate friends

Unexpected things are always a surprise! People are good and bad at times. I and my friends were on a ride around the streets of Thimphu at night right after head banging some music numbers. It was a pleasant night with light drizzle. But only to encounter with tire puncture and with no tool-kits in our car to fix the tire issue. We knew no one from the vicinity. Called a friend but to no avail. Finally, stopped several vehicles including taxis just to borrow some toolkit to fix the unexpected but in vain.

Several taxis seemed to be deprived of the tool-kits, requested them but we were told that they got none. After all, money counts for them and especially Fridays and Saturdays are what they expect to earn more than the normal routine of other weekdays and in addition providing helping hands was not their priority. Fortunately, a taxi driver, who is a friend of my friend provided us with some tools but it did not really seem to fix the problem, since the ranges turned out to be larger for our wheel fixation. Yet, we stopped several vehicles and they seemed not to care for the troubled strangers.

Punctured wheel

This reminded me of how the tourists always praised Bhutanese for their kind gestures and hospitality. Our hopes started to decline for just to obtain some good helping hands. Waited for hours waving our hands to the vehicles passing by, only to receive blank and dumb glances. I cannot really explain the expressions of the friends, don’t even know what kind of expression did I expressed.

Police patrolling was on full swing. Fortunately, we managed to stop one of the cop's van after waiting for more than an hour and got the problem fixed finally. That’s when I noticed that my friend’s smiles were just as fascinating as one could expect.  Realized that cops are always there for the citizens even if it’s for minor issues at any time.

This was my first experience, but to many it seemed, it’s just a normal process of their life. I am almost on the conclusion that we hardly receive any help from our own fellow citizens. Thimphu is traveling with time at fast pace and the time is precious too, whether people carry out important or useless tasks. 

Of Love

Rambling around streets

Alone and ransacking

I found love

I found hostility and despair

Evoked to the supreme

Realized the time is traveling

And love egregiously fading away

Generations advancing

Crowds stuck on phones

Conversing the unknowns

Parrying friends around

Observed in oneself

I see lovebirds everywhere

Some with no happy endings

I see parental love

I see children going erratic

Evoked to the supreme

I pondered upon Law of Universe

Wondered what’s wrong

People dying and people crying

Television flashing lamenting news

The world is worried

Love is fading silently

Dwellers start loving!

Reminiscing The Times That We Had

Breaking all my heart apart

I can't see you no more

I am here all waiting

Waiting till I die

Reminiscing the times that we had

I can't bear no more

The pain that's inevitable

Wish you were here forever

In my arms like you used to be

Every thought that I think

With every things that I do

You are always here

Implanted in my heart

At times how I wish

You laying by my side

Holding my arms for eternity

Smiling like never before

But now, deep inside I am dying

Moment of Happiness

 

Happiness is all that every living being desires and I always wanted it. Happiness has sources and various techniques. Dalai Lama seems to be smile every time; he knows exactly knows how happiness is derived. I got very less knowledge on how it is derived.

The moment I set my eyes on my loved ones and things I tend to be filled with love and peace. I suppose love give arise to the happiness, that moment when you feel loved and when you love, happiness is in the air. Laughing even when we are sad scientifically diminishes the sorrows we have. The moment I sit and think of loved ones, I am filled with joys. But the moment of happiness seem to be ephemeral. Wish eternal happiness prevail on earth! 

Losing What We Love

Losing what we love is one of the most saddest part of life. Be it fate or not we have to surpass through it, we have to buoy on it. 

What has taken the toll is that I hate losing what I love the most. Well, every one hates it or may be not! It's like living in a hell on earth emotionally and I get weak and dumb physically. 

Change must go on whatever and the most consoling thought that provokes my mind is definitely the impermanence. Pondering for a while or meditating on impermanence is one good way to hold control of my emotions, though it's really hard. Usually I am on it until I find a better option.  

I Am

I am the shadow of my dreams

I neither live in dreams nor in reality

I would be fading away someday

I am here for a moment

I see that we live not in this world

I also see dreams too fade away

I am not the reality

I am the shadow of my dreams

I am not the dream

I am that I am

I am the soul

I neither live in dreams nor in reality

I live through my body

I watch my body

I am the body to the world

I would be fading away some day

I am not a dreamer

I search for the emptiness

I look for the soul

I am here for a moment

PS: No Proof Read

Far, So Far Away

Life seem to be a mystery

An anachronous dimension

Leading to an unknown destiny

Far, so far away

Can’t turn back the time

Neither can create it

I know it’s not a dream

I know we are living definitely

In a vicarious era

Leading somewhere to graveyard

Disappearing amidst the world forever

Far, so far away