Expression from an Idiot by birth:

Whenever I deliver a talk on conservation to farmers, monks, nuns and sometimes even the educated lot, I m normally questioned to justify why would one spend money in conserving when nothing as conservation existed during our ancestral days and there were no recorded problems. My first answers would generally be, "our ancestors weren't greedy like we are now and didn't care of their wealth". Okey! on a serious note, I cover two main topics to justify myself to the question I get viz. Hydro-power and Human Wildlife Conflicts. 1. Hydro-power: How on earth is conservation connected to the economic generation potential of hydro-power? I am not going to touch on the controversial idea of the relation between number of trees and water volumes. But, I would like to touch from another angle here. We all know the important role ROOTS of trees and plants play in binding the soil and rocks thereby preventing soil erosion, but very few might have realized the pressure of rai...

Writing has always been my weakness and I am sure that it is never going to take even gradual improvement let alone exponential improvement. However, I have a passion for reading and writing: probably helping me to certain extent in whatsoever ways it might be helping me. I have been not able to post any during the last many months, not because I didn't want to write any, nor because I m not interested to blog anymore. It is all because of the crazy life I have been through for the last one year and a half- it is because of the 14th International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE) Congress. It is after I took over as the Chair of the organizing committee of the 14th ISE congress. Congress Participants with HRH Ashi Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment (www.uwice.gov.bt) under the Department of Forests and Park Services organized the congress in collaboration to International Society of Ethnobiology (www.ethnobiology.net) 14th ISE Cong...

I have not been a good blogger since I started blogging. I tried to wiggle around many topics and here I am again. This time I am trying to take my passion for plants forward. I will constantly try to post flowering plants along with their name. 1. Scientific Name: Vaccinum nummularia Clarke.   Family: Ericaceae Epiphytic shrub, young shoots pubescent and leave obovate. Corolla barrel-shaped and constricted towards apex.Generally seen growing on wet rocks and trees in evergreen Oak and Hemlock/Rhododendron forests. Recorded from 2440 - 3200 mtrs above sea level. This plant was photographed in 3000 mtrs of elevation (above Dhur) while I was hiking towards Tleygang to collect Rhododendron samples. 2. Scientific Name: Ligularia atkinsonii Clarke Family: Compositae Erect perennial herb. Plants are 47-90 cm tall. Basal leaves reniform to triangular. Leaves on stem are 2-3 and much reduced. Capitula yellow. Generally seen growing in marshy area from 2300-4400 mtrs a...

Being a Bhutanese citizen, it is the sole responsibility of every Bhutanese to be able to read and write fluently in our National Language, Dzongkha. It is of utmost importance, and I think every Bhutanese or even people around the globe would agree to my statement. Having said that, we should not forget that there are major chunk of Bhutanese in remotest parts of the country who can’t speak and understand Dzongkha, our National Language. While we understand the importance of campaigning in national language in common forum for our election processes, we should also keep in mind if our messages are getting conveyed. I’m trying to refer to what I observed in the Bhutan Broadcasting Services’ television show. I know that all the aspiring candidates are well qualified and will surely benefit the people of our communities and nation as a whole. But, what is surprising is, some of our aspiring candidates can’t even speak the pre-written statement, forget conveying the message if as...

This is the time when majority of the Bhutanese are glued to their television and radio services of Bhutan Broadcasting Services trying to listen to what their National Council candidate (s) has to say. Many feel that listening to their debate will ease them to franchise their precious vote to deserving candidates and candidate whom they feel would benefit their community and country as a whole. Many Bhutanese seems to not understand the clear boundary that National Council members and Member of Parliament shares. And many of our interested candidates contesting for National Council seat always seems to stress on making new laws and refining the existing laws. I am not sure if these are all they do. After the coming of democracy in our country, I am starting to realize the intelligence of Bhutanese in making various laws. We made countless number of laws. Some seems good but some does not seem to make slightest of sense to general public. I know that civil servants working...

Being a human being, an “intelligent” creature on earth we have an ability to think, decide and choose what suits “best” for us. We can clearly define professional and personal relations. We can clearly differentiate family from others and consider our family as closest to us. But, have we really been great husband, great wife, great son and daughter, great father, great brother, great worker...the list goes on and on. It is a question we should ponder upon and if need be, take a step or two backwards and look back with genuineness. Face the truth; I know many of us will be forced to bow our head. We may even start to hate ourselves. Now, what is PROFESSIONALISM. I define it as, any work in office or outside office where professional services are required, where professional debate occurs, where professional criticism are required. And, all these activities are either accepted or defended. PERSONA-‘LISM’: a relation one has with peers, families, elders etc. There seems to be shall...

I have been a bad blogger ever since I ventured in the world of blogging. It was not out of choice but out of the added responsibilities I have now. With this article, I am again trying to revive my interest in writing. Quite recently, 20 th January 2013, my second child came into this “wonderful” world as a healthy baby boy. It was one of the most joyous occasions of mine. I am now a father of two, a daughter and a son. My daughter who will be turning 10 years in April 2013 has younger brother now and my wife became the mother of two. Only those who have been parents or who are parents will understand the joy that one would have while holding your newborn baby for the first time. After my son joined our family, life seemed to have changed totally for my wife, daughter and myself. My daughter, whom I now address, as elder sister is happier than she used to be and also seems to understand where and when to render her helping hands. My son is today 54 days old and I f...