Travel by Bangkok Sky Train (BTS)

It is my normal time to get up at 5 AM in the early morning to prepare the breakfast and chanting prayers to the Buddhas of ten directions for their empowerment and blessings for all sentient beings. The sounds of my prayer fills my room with burning incense sticks  even though I am alone and hidden from other people completely. It is mysterious and enigmatic even to myself for I don't have any directions in life. I move my life accordingly to time and tide but not systematically and strategically. 

Having done and filled my stomach with plate of rice supported by fried eggs. Time and tide waits for none. I need to rush with my dress up for the departure to my work place at Ekkamai,Sukkumvit 63, Chiva-Som company. No time to waste away in wandering thoughts but rush for the bike service  to reach me to the Bangkok Sky Train station at Victory monument, Annusouri. Riding on the scooter for about 15 minutes reached me for another type of transport services center in Bangkok to speed up my travel towards work place. Every minute is precious for me in this modern world to achieve my dreams. Having reached at the BTS, I approached the ticket counter for coins in an exchange. It is my normal dialogue to the counter as please can I have coins for " Ekkamai". Immediately she/he will say, 42 Bahts and handover the coins to me so that I can buy the tickets from the machine. Without wasting my time, I pressed the machine for 42 Bahts and put my coins so that machine issues me the ticket for Ekkamai immediately. 

Passing through the gates after insertion of my ticket and climbing upstairs to board on the train. Oh! The line is so long and passengers rushing like an ants for their agenda to meet. I am also one of the travelers who always rushes towards my agenda for the day. The train that I see with signals of " To Bearing" is approaching towards the station for us to board on. As soon as the train is stopped, we all rushes inside the train rubbing our shoulders and bodies very hard. It is terrible, I never get the seat but have to stand on my feet for long travel towards Ekkamai. The train is fully packed and loaded with passengers with different faces. Everyday I see different faces and shapes of people but never know what they are thinking inside their mind. Some passengers are busy with their IPhone playing games  in the facebook, listening musics and moving like robots. 

It is common process that I hear the cabin crew announcing" Please move inside the train and do not eat" and the next station updates and cold air conditioning kissing my body softly and cooling down from the heat of human breaths. The smelling of different people is terrible and disgusting experience that I share always. The dizziness that I get when the break is applied is another horrible experience that I get from BTS services. Seeing and hearing that many people are dying from train accidents chills my nerves when I board on the BTS. Will I reach my destination safely is the most hammering question occurs in my mind? And will I see her beautiful face again is another quest?  I saw her face so beautiful but never to see again travelling together for short time. This teaches me the uncertainty and fleeting Nature of life. We attach too much to this fleeting Nature of life to be with us and suffering great pains when gone. It was just my wild dream to see her face again but I am crossing the truth and suffer from agony and sadness if I continue longing for it. Sorry! It was another blunder that I committed after long practice.

 The same process is followed by me always to fulfill my agenda for the day. I know everybody in Bangkok is very busy like an ants to earn their life and to fulfill the dreams of becoming rich person one day. May all the wishes of passengers be fulfilled instantly by the blessings of Lord Buddha. May their life be useful and prosperous with showers of wealth and Happiness. It is another dream that I am going through in this samsara to complete my cycle of life here in Bangkok. There is no end to my frightening dreams and pains until and unless I am completely enlightened and lifted from this world. 

Mindu Wangdi

The Night Club

On the evening of 21 March 2014; I did join the night Club at Ekamai, Bangkok with my Soft Skills Development group members at 9.30 PM. The main reason for joining this first and last night club was to make movies and interview about myself by our group friends for our soft skills development project to be presented soon in the class. We want to be different and remain quite mysterious always as dreamed by our group members. Moreover, I want to move away from my "comfort Zone" and discover the blue oceans of life on this earth to understand the daily party goers mentality and intentions for spending whole night rocking their body and mind with drinks and thundering musics blown out inside the hall.

Having reached the club house, the guards asked for my identity card to check my minimum age to join the club.  I did show my University card (CMMU Card) and they instantly rejected my entry for it does not speak of my age. Then I showed my driving license after long search in inside the  pocket. Vow! Then they gave me now seal on my right hand and the gate is opened for the club for me. I was just wandering, what are possible reasons  for they go at this gathering that lasts so long with noisy music, drinks, smoking and lighting systems that rock the halls in different colors. Even my hand bag was brushed, searched and monitored by the security personnel for they feel typical guest or customer that I am joining their clubs today. The other friends were let easily go in for they are the daily customers and familiar faces without much check ups like me. Somehow, I could pass the security gate and went inside the club house and welcomed by our teams with soft drinks.

Watching, hearing and observing carefully the dances being rocked by our friends with the fast rhythm musics played by the organizer. I did join the herd shaking my body and hands which I never did in my life with our cameras on for movie clips. The room looks so dark and scary like cremation ground where dead souls are dancing wildly with dim lights and candles on the tables. Everyone is dressed in sexy, fancy  and 95% naked looks with protruding breasts from thin breast cover. That was another experience which I could gain from the generation Y friends at night club. Some are hanging out with their best lovers and companions and room mates. These days, the girls will never say/ declare he is my boy friend or husband  but as a room mate or business partner. The human beings are changing constantly and surrounding too adapts accordingly. 

We need to understand the mind set of highly educated ladies of this twenty first century. They don't want men as their husband with traditional marriages being involved but just as a temporary bed mate or business partners. Moreover, they do not want to have any babies between but temporary services of satisfying sexual urge only with precautions being taken. This is indeed bad news for the single man who wants to have hands with these modern ladies.  Same case might apply even to some modern men who feels marriage and having kids are burdensome and monotonous way of life. Just need for temporary bed mate only. This  is another dangerous trend for that could hamper the generation success in the long run. The world is filled with aged people only now who are unproductive soon. The whole world might reach a danger zone of no supply of the productive youths to replace this generations if no marriages are happening for economic growth and Human Resource development. 

The night club is another form of business model with differentiated market segment  for the generation Y youths and some generation X person like me particularly to cope up with. These clubs are making lots of money every night by imposing the heavy fees ranging from 500 Bahts and above per event. The another reason why our youths visit night club is that they are looking for "Happiness" "Joyous moments" inside the club after long hours of work in their offices. The tensions of job burnout is released here with rocking musics and shaking their body after few dips of wine and beer. They forget everything here freedom is gained. They get short duration of "Happiness" that they long for from elsewhere. But does this temporary Happiness and Joyous moment last for how long?

No way; it is just for that night hours. We are back to same suffering of pain, workload, emotions, rejections, frustrations, anger, jealousy and wrathful until and unless we are fully enlightened from this realms of life. The happiness and joy that we get from this night club is like "licking the sugar coated knife" which might cut our tongue if we are not that careful. one day and pose danger to our life. In the same, we are wasting our hard earned money, energy and precious life for short happiness provided by the night clubs. We need to Self-discover our "True Happiness" inside our hearts and mind but not in the bar clubs without paying any fees.

I would like to urge our youths to understand oneself to get the perfect "happiness" that does not change forever like the night clubs provide us. This is most expensive way of earning and buying happiness from the clubs that last for short duration and bounds back to same circle of pain and sufferings. Know the fact and learn to live with facts. We will be happy always without rocking our body with musics and wine.

By-Mindu Wangdi

The Mysterious Disappearance: Malaysian Boeing 777

It was deeply saddening  and painful to hear that Boeing MH 370 with 239 passenger on board disappeared in the vast space without much clue after its takeover from airport on 8th March 2014. The bombardment of hot news hit every media channels of its mysterious lost from radar still not solved with twenty-six Nations search teams consist of scientific advanced tools and satellite networks, brushing the Oceans for debris and black-box recovery. Who is the main deadly killer is unclear and blame game is now the last option for the cause of fatal accident of the Boeing 777 airplane taking away 239 lives leaving faint hopes of survival and safe landing of airplane in any Country if hijacked.

 Oh! The dirty hands of Pilots, the Terrorists,  Girl friends, Crew members, Passengers, Politicians, Ground staff and airliners' Competitors  must have done the criminal acts of diverting the plane from charted routes to crash intentionally are the points to blame after the damaged is already done. We are crying over the spilled milk.This is another failure of Science & Technology which we all rely on so grossly to make our life comfortable and easy. Many lives are lost due to failure of science and Technology in the world with an accidents and mechanical failures added by human intentions.  Even the small mobiles can kill the human beings if our life force is finished and such huge planes are deadly killers too. The sinking of huge cruise ship Titanic too killed many lives on board. Therefore, the truth of our life is so fragile and destroy-able by any ill forces.  

The lord Buddha said that" Human life is like a candle light placed on the windy and stormy area." which can be put off at any time by the forces of wind and storm resembling of very low survival chances. The good forces of living is very little as compared to the deadly killers surrounding us to end our life force like the candle in the air. Our own property, wealth, cars, planes and ships will turn into deadly killer one day by hiring the hands of Lord Yama. There are tens and thousands of ways that we all human beings may die suddenly without any notifications received from the Lord Yama and leave our parents, relatives, friends, sons and daughters with heavy heart. This is the truth; we all should learn to accept it with gracefully and happily instead of clinging to have answers and solutions. After all, we all are not going to live forever on this earth. 

Let us live happily instead of running into disturbed emotions and turbulence for the lost lives. The very moment we are born, we are bound to die.  The schedule is different to all of us. That the is the truth; accept it and learn to live happily in turbulent times. I know it is not that easily said and done but we should think in positive way of life and uncertainty is the truth. Rejoice the the candle light for few years with its limited good attributes. The wind  of death will blow from any directions even to us which had happened to our loved ones. Be prepared for the worse and rejoice the current moment with available resources that we have. Never try to built the house in the sky; that is impossible and unrealistic dream that we all dream as a business minded people.

The only last contribution that we all can make to our lost lives are dedicating our sincere prayers and merits for their swift rebirth into Pure Land of Buddhas and Bodhisattva. Deeply pray and hope to meet in the next life as same family  members in the next generations. I have my layperson's simple and humble prayers to those who lost their lives due to any causes that we are looking for to reach Zangdoperi and join the entourage of Guru Rinpoche. Life is full of mysteries;  this is another mystery that human beings are facing in this modern age with frustrations. I also share the burden and sadness that faced by the family members round the world. May you all live long and happy life. May your misery and sadness be reduced. 

Written by: Mindu Wangdi

The Dead Body

The Dead Body

Who is ready to die on this earth with smiling face when the bells of Lord Yama rings on? We all want to live forever  and wants to achieve more and more within the short span of life on this earth. But the truth is that we all have to pass through this so called the gate of "Death" to complete the circle of life in this samsara.  Having visited the Thimphu cremation ground many times for the death rituals of my relatives and family members remind me of one day I have to follow the same path as they are doing in front of me. Sleeping in the icy cold rooms and waiting for many nights in the cremation ground due to some inauspicious omens sent from astrological calculations along with dead bodies line up to be cremated by the monks stationed as free service to the public by the central monastic body. Seeing the tears rolling down from the eyes of relatives for the lost soul and mind. Hearing loud noise of deep cry in front of the dead bodies melted away my heart into pieces. However, I tried to keep my emotions controlled in front of the crowds. From the deep of my heart, I am also crying along with the relatives and family members for the dead ones. I know, it is really painful moments in our life to face with. 

The passing away of my beloved father in my village taught me the greatest lessons in my life to accept the death as natural process even though we really feel uncomfortable as said and done.  Watching my father passing away in front of us was  really painful  and tearful moment. Huge crowds gathered to moan with me but we have to no choice but let him go away from the family life. Thinking of such events really makes me tearful and chokes my breathing. To accept the truth is very painful and beyond our human level. Everyone crying for his sad departure made the my house looked like cremation ground. Oh! my father, though you passed away many years back but I still remember you in heart and mind. My sincere and humble prayers are always with you to meet once more as son and father in the generations to come. With your deep wishes and prayers, my dreams are fulfilled and I am still gearing towards the success in life which has of no use when I follow your path. Will I leave any legacies behind? My success could be like the castle built on the sky? My father, you have taught me the greatest lesson in my life to accept the truth which I am not used to it. 

The reality in this life is that we all human beings are afraid of dead bodies to touch and feel it. It creates lot of fear and terrible events to watch on even. The real fact is, when we are alive, we love our body so much and cared with many cosmetics to look beautiful and handsome. Due to the aging and misfortunes, we have to depart from our body. How come that we cared, tendered and loved so much suddenly becomes our fearful object known as "Dead body" who has no life on it. From where does dead body come or erupted then? From the heaven or hell? No, it our own body that served us well when it was healthy and strong. It was our lovely home for the mind and soul to rest during the brief stay on this earth. There is nothing to be afraid of dead bodies, but we should pay our homage for it served us well before we get departed due to the exhaustion of life force. There is thin line between alive and dead body. Just a matter of breathing makes us alive as human beings and the moment breathing stops, we are declared as dead and gone clinically.

Watching the dead bodies being burnt with angry fire engulfing rapidly in their respective pots downsizing the bodies into ashes after three hours. The movements of monks throwing different ritualistic items on to the fire followed by prayers chanted by a Lama of the dead ritual. It was another dream that I was dreaming; since there is nothing left out of my dead ones when I realized. Everything has turn into ashes and black coals that we collected to be thrown away into the rivers with heavy hearts. Such is the truth of our life that we cling so much and toil to become rich and successful not knowing one day we have to leave everything behind and turn into ashes. If it is the case, what is the point of struggling to become rich and successful person? Will I see you (dead ones) again in this human form? For you have lost all your bodily identity being burnt into ashes. The smile that I have seen before you die was the last memory that I could carry now as my relative in the form of human life. No where to point out and catch hold of you, even now the ashes are gone with the rivers. The legacies that you left are like the scripts written on the sand banks washed away immediately.

The so called our human life filled with wrath, jealousy, angry and sloth ends with leaving no traces to be seen when it is snatched away by the powerful Death. Did we really lived the happy and contended life or we wasted out life completely in the process of searching for wealth and power? It is just a food for thought to all human beings to explore oneself and realize the facts of life rather than racing to become business tycoon and famous leaders with power for few years. The choice is in our hands to make it happier or doomed our life in the quest of wealth, fame  and power which has little value when it turns into ashes?

Written by: Mindu Wangdi

The power of smile.

The power of smile.

It was wonderful and memorable event to recollect  in my life for a brief stay with you my mysterious  damsel with your blazing smile and gentle hugs. You left huge imprint in my mind to think that you were the best and wonderful girl ever I met in my life with the gift of kind heart and love that is unconditional you can shower to the sentient beings like female Buddha Green Tara did. The real qualities of Green Tara is in your innate heart and mind to be shared to such a ugly man like me who is wandering in this Samsara for many generations for I did lose the track to my original home.

The moments of our stay was like a dream state which suddenly ended up with a pain and agony to depart away forever due to the forces of karmic wind and fate. The truth of life is we cannot control the karmic wind or fate. It brought us  together just for few months  supposed to be fleeting and momentarily happiness. The happiness and lovely atmosphere that you provided me for that fleeting hours were just unexpected and mind blowing. The deep and resounding memories were left out so that I can shed my tears when recollected in times of sadness, worries, happiness, pain and sufferings. It rather adds salt to my wounds. The blazing, enchanting smile and kiss that you offered me were the loads that I carry on at my deep heart to be fleshed out time to time for rejoicing with sufferings. 

Oh! The mystery of karmic wind or fate is something that I could not understand at all. The more I dig on, you seems to be as deep as an ocean and as vast as sky expanses. The power of your control on my life was magical and beyond my understanding. You separated my darling from my soul and hand it over to someones else to be his partner in front of my eyes. How painful it was when the rejection comes from your trusted and beloved ones being forced by the karmic wind or fate. With deep sadness and low mood, I crouched in the corner of life when the best person is gone forever that I may not see her again with her smile. The hope and expectations in life is crushed and nullified. The world looked so dark and blacked out when she is gone. Left wit tears and sobbing, wandering around the forests in the hope of consolations never to be heard.

The life is crippled when things does not work as we wished to and  followed by alcoholic consumption as a depressant. The truth of playing love game is another form of pain that Lord Buddha taught us to refrain from but which we all cannot avoid. Since, the karmic wind will blow from so far and near places to stage our brief love show to the world. It might bring me some sought of relief and satisfactions when I recollect at my old age or will that be taken as a lesson by the coming youths to be careful of such incidents which is very harmful to our life and it derails our career tracks. May the universal lovers know the facts of life and ill effects of the love game. It is my pleasure to all youths of the world, not to take love game seriously when things does not work at all. Just let it go away as it is and accept new ones as provided by the karmic wind or fate. That is your true and faithful lover or life partner who can benefit us truly and try to live compromising life. Life is full of compromises and sacrifices if we want to succeed. Participate it and drink the taste of love rejections and acceptances for fun.

Written by: Mindu Wangdi

Can Bhutanese People Afford to drive Nissan Leaf

Can Bhutanese People Afford to  drive Nissan Leaf

It is very charming to learn that that "Nission Leaf" costing approximately Nu.12,00,000 when converted from the dollar exchange value. This electric car will hit on Bhutnases market segments supported by our current government as their "Go Green Plan" and zero emission cars to ply in the Bhutanese roads. How wondeful it could be if we have noiseless cars like Nissian Leaf moving on the roads like Tigers preying for their victims without much noises being created through the cities. We could have sound sleep during the weekends.

The car being run by lithium battery which can give us 160 kilometers of mileage approximately when  fully charged battery,  placed underneath the passenger seat without much worry to ride on by watching the battery meter. If my estimate is not wrong, this eight hours  of fully charged battery of "Nissian Leaf" will reach us from Thimphu to Phuntsholing without wasting another 30 minutes on the way for recharging with some snacks and tea with chat. The Bhutanese people can really save our money for refuelling the cars in fuel depots if it is succssful to roll out if the market accpets well. The threats may be felt by other car dealers too.

We all know that the "Nissan Leaf" is meant for the premium market segment, sgignifying that only few rich people can afford to buy this soundless car with many options to use. Therefore, I am just wandering, will "Nissan Leaf" really succeed in Bhutanese market where the customers are not that affluent to drive that luxury cars based on their disposible incomes. What pricing strategy will Nissan Leaf implement for Bhutanese common buyers?  Is Nissan Leaf aiming  to replace the old government pool vehicles  and city buses only?

The market segment of cabby drivers  are left out. Since these  cabby drivers are not that rich customers who can afford to buy that premium cars for taxi services in Bhutan. Nontheless, the market segment of low rank civil servants too is left out. Mostly, this low ranking civil servants own the private cars for their family duties in Bhutnaese market. Did Nissan Leaf CEO and marketing team really studied the market compositions of Bhutan before they launch their premium car which might back fire if wrongly predicted?

Who will finnace the buyers of the "Nissan leaf" Cars since vehicles loans are freezed already by the government? The economic situation in Bhutan is not that smiling but always with cloudy mood. The constant problem of Rupee crunch and trade deficits are killing our happiness and wellness. Life is getting harder day by day to earn the basic needs for survival. How can we think of driving such premimum cars like "Nissan Leaf" when our pockets are thin and squeezed?

This is just a food for  thought for the Bhutanese would be buyers and "Nissan Leaf" marketing team to brainstorm before we step in the dark room. It might hurt us later on if not well planned.

Written by:   Mindu Wangdi

The Stars

                                          The Stars

After three hours of Soft Skills Development class  with many activities with stressful mind from this mundane world and endless circles to complete before I leave forever. Passing the trails back to my room was rejoicing experiences with some conversation that we four friends of V.M Mansion always spat on each other based on our critical judgement. To whom should I shall converse with while I was cooking  my dinner for this lonely evening hours inside my room. Deeply silent and dark out side where I cannot even hear the dogs barking either nor the cricking sounds of insects to listen.

There are  no friends around me either but far away in the dark sky I can  see beautiful stars  twinkling  at me with their great lights being on. That was wonderful scene ever I saw before being piled up with loads of assignments and worries in my mind of the future. Cutting the vegetables on the chopping board and peeling the potatoes for the curry that I am wishing to prepare for my grumbling stomach. Oh! Thinking of home makes me feel deeply saddened since I am missing the ready made meals from my beloved wife. No one is there to shower me with love and care but struggles and burden continue to pile on and on. The more I drive inside the real life journey oneself is defeating and mentally stressful to cope up. There is the feeling of total emptiness and uselessness in my life having to struggle for that may repay me little in later days.

In times of hard and pain, you Mr. Stars have understood my sadness and boredom inside my mind while I pursue this useless goals of learning to become better person which may not happen at all. No one can understand my pain and sickness, rather they mock at me when I express. You heavenly stars, with lovely smile and gentle twinkles on your face did shower me with feeling of happiness and befriended. I know you share your consolations and love  that even my families don't do in real life. Who bothers whether I am alive or dead? For they have their own agendas pressing them and bogged down completely. The feeling of rejection from the society, family and friends are deeper and heavier. It is the truth, the forces of past karma is unavoidable and have to be repaid. The blame goes to myself for wrong doing in the past life and undergoing now those repayment processes. Be happy with what you have and what you do Mr. Mindu! That is more than anything as a gift is my self consolatory note.

Mr. Stars, I am happy for your kind smiles and taking away my pains and sufferings acting as the messenger of Buddhas in the ten directions. Though I may not understand what you mean to say exactly, but you belong to the heavenly bodies of gods and goddess. I envy your life above and far away without much agendas like mine. If you are powerful and kind in nature, take me away from this hellish life on the back of you. Dreaming to live life in peaceful and calm atmosphere but there is no way to get on this earth. Bring me the good blessings  of the Buddhas and deities to empower me with their qualities. The moment I see you, my mind can travel and touch you softly but this  ugly body is still left behind with loathe and wants. When shall I fly away freely twinkling in the vast sky without worries and duties? Will I really do that? Will you really help me?

There is nothing more powerful than Nature to console our tortured mind due to mundane activities. You stars are great and lovely families being united forever but I am not. I am separated for many months and still to go ahead before I join them like you in the rejoicing mood. Will that rejoice come to me? Since our life is uncertain and death is certain!. Can any one forecast my schedule for death so that I can prepare well and no more shocks to pound me! Anyway, my dream to join my family back in Bhutan soon like you Mr. Stars having family in vast empty spaces blissfully.  May your happiness be shared with me and take away my worldly burdens and worries. Give me your power and blessings so that I can also join your family one day in the realms of heavenly abodes and do convey my inner messages, to my family and  country people to enjoy the short life, since schedules are different. We may not meet either.


Written by: Mindu Wangdi