How would It Be ? If it was.....

It's great to know that Bhutanese Film Industry is growing at it's best and the movies are also produced using better techniques as compared to those of past days. These days more than 20 Bhutanese movies are released every year but this is too small as compared to that of other countries. But this number is best suitable for the population of our country.

It's great to know that the number of movie theaters in the capital, Thimphu, are increasing leaps and bounds. Due to the shortage of cinema halls in the capital the producers were to wait for the completion of the on-screening their movies. But this is no more a hurdle now. It was just a great news to hear that two new cinema halls were to entertain the public with great comfort which adds up to make up total of six movie theaters in the capital.

But on the other hand though our country's population is high in the capital as compared to other parts of the country, it doesn't necessarily mean that there should not be cinema halls in other places. This is what I see as a drawback of Bhutanese Film Industry. While just for an instance there isn't any theaters screening Bhutanese movies in Tsirang. I would not assure of as much number of audience as in capital city but there are so many of people who are  dying to watch Bhutanese movies there. They need entertainment as much as the capital's people. This would not only entertain them but would help in Dzongkha development too. And definitely add to more revenue. 

And the other drawback of Bhutanese cinema is that if the movie is released today in the capital, then it would exactly take a year to be showcased in some other parts of the country. Moreover here the audiences are waiting too anxiously to get a glimpse of it for so long. As I would suggest if there were movie theaters in all parts of the country the movie would go down on the floor at the same time for whole population and that might hike up the numbers of viewers also. And it would be better if the movies would release on a particular day like it does in India. That is Bollywood! 

It's a point of view of how I feel while my stay in India have enhanced the knowledge about the Cinemas and how it would work along with entertainment and income of the film industry. Though I hail from a small city in the state of Karnataka but it's a pleasurable moment when I visit a movie theater which show the movie on the same day of release. 

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FEMEN- Naked protesters

FEMEN is the group of women  who protest  on various issues ranging from political issues, religion to right for women. Their main display to protest is by going half naked.

I would upload some of the photos which speaks thousand words. And leave to the readers to comment upon it. This in some ways remind how fortunate are Bhutanese women. There is no gender bias in Bhutan-equal opportunity for all. Despite having said so, still number of men predominates women in any field. When our women have the rights, we expect more women contesting for upcoming election. But it is quite sad to know that some of the capable women who did serve our country for many years on various platform are deciding to draw back from 2013 election.

I uploaded this photo and about this issues in no intention of making it public inhumanely. I am doing it just as a news to my fellow readers and let you all keep informed about what is happening in other part of the world. And it speaks a lot about Women's right. They have their rights as much as men have. 

Till then I would keep up to my readers to comment!

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The lost heritage- Wangdue Dzong

This architectural euphoria was standing on the hill for four centuries. It has its own history, its own glory, and its own celebration. It was built by the father of our Nation to unite the Bhutanese people, and has been administrative center and religious resident till now. It was always joy to see it standing there. When I travel to Thimphu from Tsirang I used to feel so blessed to see it stand there. Just before fire started engulfing this treasure, I and some of my friends were talking about Wangdue Dzong as we saw it printed on the cover page of my photo album. We always feel so proud to talk anything about Bhutan especially when we are away from our home.

Wangdue Dzong standing with history

It was just fifteen or ten minutes ago that we (Bhutanese students in Raichur) talked about Wangdue Dzong and one of my friend shouted that  fire is engulfing the Dzong (He knew it through social media). I could not believe him and I rushed to check it out in the facebook. I was so dishearten to see the blaze of fire burning our history into the ashes. Out of desperation, I ran here and there. Those of us who talked so proudly of this heritage bend our head down with gloominess covering our face. I saw tears brimming in their eyes. So patriotic! yet so helpless and useless we felt.

Fire fueled by the strong wind of Wangdue consumed our precious treasure. We may renovate it, and rebuild it, but we can never regain its originality. We lost the treasure forever. History burnt with the fire of 24 June 2012 that started at around 4pm. I wished that I was seeing this terrible nightmare, but I woke this morning just to know that it really happened. 

It touched our heart to know that His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo and His Majsety King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck rushed to the scene as soon as they heard about it. We are really proud of those who tried their best to save the jewel. It touched my heart to know that everybody tried their best- salute to those monks who  saved some Nangtens despite tremendous heat that can be felt to the opposite valley too. I salute those firefighter who risked their life in mission to save the relic. That made us feel proud. We could not do more than to pray and wish the fire cease without much destruction. But our prayers and wishes remained unanswered. 

Today is Monday, and it was declared National Holiday to observe and mourn the tragedy. Every office-goers wishes if Monday was holiday in succession to Sunday, but for sure they didn't like today's holiday. 

Only the walls remained

This made us realize that our firefighters are still infant. They are brave and patriotic at heart but what help they can render when they are not well equipped. If there was at least one fire-chopper, it would have done a great miracle. Our government need to look into this matter seriously. We need to be well equipped to face the disaster like this. We need fire-chopper.

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My Observation, my opinion.

Ban is no more ban in Bhutan. It is the fuel to price hike of goods. With TCA, a packet of baba khaini which cost just Nu. 1.50 rised upto Nu. 20-50 depending on shopkeeper's wishes. Cigerrates became Nu. 20 per pieces. People didn't tobacco consumption rather they succumbed to price hike. With increased tax on alcohol consumption, a beer bottle which cost Nu. 35 previously became Nu. 60-65 today. It may work well with government servant which goes par with pay hike but villagers whose wage rate remain unchanged for so long are dying. Plastics was banned long ago, but shopkeepers sells plastics bag at higher price. Now, vegetables import ban by government is another price hiker. It was done with good intention of sustaining on our own home-grown products but I am afraid how long the ban would sustain. Not many days after the announcement of vegetables import ban, again government decided the other way round by saying only FCB allowed to import. It so became that our laws are made just to be broken again.  Ban of meat sale on auspicious month did no good either. This month is auspicious but go to any hotels, you will be provided with any kinds of meat menu. HEHE walk died just after its birth and now again tuesday became Pedesterian Day, we just have to watch how long it will live. It will be the fuel for increased vehicle fare. One thing why our laws are not sustaining is that government lacks the consultation with the public. It is democracy, and it is essential to practice democracy democratically.

Prices of commodities and properties are increasing in Bhutan as much as the wild fire in the forest. If it continues, day would come where ngultrum equals the value of plain paper. Nu. 1 note extinct long ago and Nu. 5 is on verge of extinction because we even can't purchase Doma with Nu. 5. Seven months before I used to get 4 pieces of doma for Nu. 5 but now we get 3 pieces for Nu. 10. I can't carry Nu. 5 and walk around. In India, I can go to shop even carrying Rs. 1. I can purchase water pouch atleast. But in Bhutan neither customer nor shopkeeper care to return Nu. 1 for items that cost Nu. 99 and we just pay Nu. 100 and walk off. It is not about getting back Nu. 1 but about the value of the money.
Shopkeepers in India are not tired of showing whole of the items in their shop to their customer. They don't mind even if we don't purchase from their shop. But in Bhutan, shopkeepers takes five minutes just to fetch the item we pointed at. They are busy either watching serials (Women) and playing cards (Men). I don't mean to demean all the shopkeepers in Bhutan but I noticed thus in my one month long vacation in Bhutan. Indian shopkeepers wait for the customers to come in but bhutanese wait for the customer to walk out.

I heard a lot about Rupee crisis while in my college. But I didn't know that it is that severe, particularly in border towns. I withdrew Ngultrum from Bhutanese bank and went out for shopping in Jaigoan. I was shocked that they ask extra 10% if bhutanese currency, previously it was 20% as per The Bhutanese. Hopefully it is decling, but this is just happening informally. RMA was not aware that our Bhutanese devalued Ngultrum. I asked for shaving blade and shopkeeper in Jaigoan clearly focused Rs. 50 or Nu. 55. I took a minute to ask him if Ngultrum really underwent devaluing formally and he gave dirty look onto me. I didn't pay extra Nu. 5 on any case, rather I went to Phuntsholing and purchased the same item though at Nu. 60. I can pay higher price but not as devalued money just in case of Jaigoan. I felt disheartened to know that Bhutanese devalued Ngultrum across the border town where actually Rupee is at par to Ngultrum. This should not be happening as far as I am concernd. People are  as responsible as government in solving Rupee crisis. Oh! not Rupee crisis exactly as per Noble Laurate, but the excessive unyielding reserve of Dollars and excessive bleeding of Rupees.

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