Inside the biggest Buddha

KUENSELPHODRANG If one recently visited Kuenselphodrang, one would notice various construction works around the 169-foot Buddha statue, along with hordes of tourist and locals visiting the place.

What’s unseen is the zung inside the statue.

The zung is being placed inside the statue as its soul, consecrating it as sacred, said one of the members of the project present at the site.

While unable to provide exact details of the zungs that goes inside the statue, [... Read More]

Baffling plan to subdue demon

DRUKPA KUNLEY Before Drukpa Kunley arrived, the Gomsarkha Demon had been just about as bad as monsters get. Night after night, he had raided the houses on the terraces above the river, murdering and eating the people until only one woman was left. From time to time, he paid conjugal visits to his friend the river demon, but his chief occupation was slaughtering human beings.

Drukpa Kunley had heard all about the Demon and crafted [... Read More]

From despair to hope

LAST PAGE About a decade back,  my life was hitting the lowest of lows. Whatever I  said or did turned against me, even when the intentions were good.

Soon enough my wife and I separated. There’d be arguments which had no basis and the separation  had no strong basis either.

Wondering what was wrong, I consulted an astrologer. “There is an item in your possession that is attracting all these negativities in your life,” he [... Read More]

Country’s date with democracy

A brief assessment of the first five years of democracy
COVER STORY Sitting under a pine tree, drops of rain falling on her head before rolling down her forehead and dropping off the tip of her nose, Aum Khandu in her late 60s watches her cattle grazing in the woods.

A farmer of Shengana, Punakha, she usually left her cattle on their own and returned home to her garden and attended to other chores [... Read More]

Undemocratic and ad-hoc

PEDESTRIAN DAY One of the most controversial policies for which the government came under criticism was the pedestrian day, which came into effect in March last year.

The immediate response was how it could be ‘imposed’ without consulting the people? It was immediately termed ‘undemocratic’ and an “ad-hoc policy.”

On the pedestrian day, in general, commuters abided by the rule. Police were stationed at various points from which people were not allowed to drive.

Since it started, [... Read More]

First constitutional case

The two major levels of judiciary

RULE OF LAW Any particular moment of a year becomes easier to remember if there’s an event attached to it.

An event like the first constitutional case will make it particularly easy for people to remember the tenure of the first democratically elected government.

The case demonstrated, the functions of each element in the Constitution, where the opposition leader, having discerned that the government acted unconstitutionally in revising taxes on certain goods particularly on vehicles, [... Read More]

N for Neurosurgeon

WHAT CAN I BECOME The brain and its functions is a fascinating subject. Wanting to understand its complexity itself can be inspiring enough for one to aspire to become a neurosurgeon. But to become one, commitment, hard work and over a decade of study after high school is required. One also has to comprehend the fragile nature of the nervous system, since the life of the patient depends on it.

Who can become [... Read More]

The pressing question

… since the 2004 tobacco ban and Tobacco Control Act has been whether these measures have actually reduced use of tobacco
TABACCO CONTROL Tobacco control measures started a long time back. It happened during Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal’s time in 1729.

In the recent years, in 2004, with proposal coming from the grassroots, it was discussed that sale of tobacco will be banned and import for self-consumption will be controlled in terms of quantity and [... Read More]

Developing bones?

HEALTH & FITNESS I have done some weight training before. My main intention was to put on some mass, which I couldn’t. I am wondering if it’s my small frame. Does weight lifting help develop bones? 
Nima, Thimphu

Hi Nima
Neither weight training nor any kind of sports can develop bones. Our bones develop till we are about 18-years-old.

Growth hormones are responsible for our over all growth including bones. Growth hormones are naturally produced by [... Read More]

“People need to want it”

An excerpt from an interview with Kuensel on the country’s five years of democracy
LAST PAGE We’re still in a transition to democracy, we haven’t reached democracy yet, but again I don’t know what reaching democracy means.

When are you democratic finally? There’s no such point. In fact, democracy is a constant struggle.

Look at what’s happening in the United States, we’re probably in one of the lowest points in the trajectory of democracy than we’ve [... Read More]