Dorona is the most remote and backward ‘Gewog’ (block) of all the inhabited area of Dagapela that can be logically argued through the availability of goods and services both in terms of forward and backward linkages. It had a dispensary in a two roomed single floor house at Nimtoladara with the staffing of a compounder […]
It was in the summer in 1990 that our father was coerced to an unknown destination by a group of four men who claimed to be the cadres of Bhutan Peoples’ Party (BPP). We were completely unaware whether he was actually being kidnapped. We consider ourselves lucky that we made to the border without facing casualties on the way. It was a terrible journey, but the physical stress was not bothering us any more. After we arrived at the Mudhey, a small Indian town at the border, the police helped us reserve a truck to travel to Nepal. We cried and cursed Bhutan government for being unkind to us. We sorrowfully looked at Bhutan as long as we could, as long as the hills were on our sight […]
The building arts, more than any other forms of material cultures are intrinsically site oriented and speak the volume of facts. This house was an old residence, well built and somewhat ornately decorated. It had a simple rectangular plan and the house stood elegantly on a rectangular rubble stone plinth of about two feet orienting in east-west direction that responded friendly with the climate. It had two feet thick rubble stone masonry walls, mortared and plastered with mud to give the surface a better finishing. East the main facade was given emphasized by elements and its design. The front canopy had free style three paired wooden post, detailed with ornamentation at the upper half that held the beam taking the super-load from above […]
When Jambey was arrested, the whole plot to kill PM Dorji was uncovered. According to his statement to the commission, he and his fellow-friend Doley, were teamed up to assassinate the PM. Doley had even taken rupees 1000 from Chhabda as an advance reward for bringing the plot into action. However, only Jambey was able to shot the prime minister on one fine night. After the arrest of Jambey and Chhabda, murder-accused Sangye Dorji, Bacchu and Doley were also arrested and booked. The six-member royal commission headed by Gyelden Thinley Dorji and appointed by the king, conducted an open hearing where each of the accused was asked to give his statement […]
The journey for the third day was mainly a steep downhill slope, and with a significantly heavy bag-pack, it wasn’t easy to balance ourselves. We knew we were closer to our destination comparatively, but because we were from different villages, quite far apart, our route had to bifurcate at some point. The point, still at a distant, we were convinced that we would not reach there in the day light. From the day we penetrated into the forest, we never encountered a human being, but at least now, we started seeing some cattle graze in the pastures […]
My father had twenty two acres of cultivable land in Chanautay village but my elder brothers were not helping in the farm. I was sent to study in Sanskrit Pathsala in Lamidanda at the age of seven. I studied various subjects of Sanskrit language and grammar until I turned sixteen. Narad Khatiwoda, Devicharan Baral and Dhanapati Adhikari were some great teachers of the pathsala. A temporary residence (hostel) was constructed by Padmalal Baral with local help to accommodate the students. I stayed in the hostel and did all my personal duties like cooking, washing, collecting firewood from the forest besides keeping the study.
Drinking water was not available nearby and it was one of the chores we did very early in the […]
On my way to Gelephu, I was arrested at Sarbhang at 9 pm on 9th December 1990 by Police Officer, Chandra Gurung. When I explained my family situation and asked the reason of my arrest, the officer blabbered and gave no reason. I was taken to the Sarbhang Police Station and confined in a room for two nights and a day – not allowing me to drink water for the whole period. They interrogated me – but I had nothing to say. In reply, the officers would suggest that I knew why I had ended up in detention and that I should confess in specific detail, why I wanted ‘democracy’. As ordered by Chandra Gurung, I gave a written statement about myself to him.
Over 100 guns were fired to mark the event wasting some 60 kg of gun-powder offered to Mahasur as a gift by one of the Mandals called Baliman.
The only thing Chhetri missed during his marriage was the Prime Minister. “I was grown-up in his palace. He used to be as friendly as anybody else with me but I really didn’t know why he remained absent in the function,” he narrates.
According to him, relatives and friends from as far as Nepal and remote parts of India also were present in his marriage. There were Babu Sahebs, Caprasis, Muktiyars, Mandals and general people, among others
There were 105 prisoners at the Damphu jail. The jailers began to threaten us, that if we wanted to stay in Bhutan then our prison term would prolong, or alternatively we could opt to leave the country. When I was asked what I wanted to do, I used to answer, that as three generations of my family had lived on the same land, why should I leave the country, when I haven’t done anything wrong? Enraged with my answer, they use to beat me heavily with sticks or intimidate me showing a piece of hot iron to change my statement and leave the country.
Out of 105, 24 prison inmates were released after they signed Voluntary Migration Forms, to leave Bhutan permanently. The rest of us were transferred to Chemgang prison near the capital, Thimphu.
While I was listening to my uncle’s story, my subconscious mind started flying with lost hopes of despair; I could clearly realize my future distorting and my mind went blank for a couple of minutes. I collected strength and started talking again. I tried from my end to convince them to withdraw the form, but the type of situation they were in –that does not need a mention here – I think I was too young to understand the depth of it. We set the date, for it could not be before the 18th of December, as it took some time for my transition and more over I was leaving permanently everything.