Trongsa Experience

As I talked earlier, the trip to Trongsa was truly fulfilling. As we queued up, i whispered to Choden about the hand-lens that i brought from the Biology lab,to look at those relics. She glared at me surprised, almost scornfully as if i had committed some grave disciplinary offence. "Those relics are too tiny for unaided eyes, you know", i reasoned with her. "Dont be silly. And now dont you take... those freaking lens out in this crowd!", she warned me and almost shouted over! An hour later, we were out of the other end of the Trongsa dzong. Out of the three sacred relics, the largest(Budhha's) was double the size of an ordinary rice grain! I nearly laughed at the old man just before me who had walked two days to get a glimpse of those relics that were too tricky for his aging eyes to locate it. Any sensible anthropologist could have marvelled at the stupidity of such fanatical response to a mere grain-sized bone, but not me. I took another chance to look at those sacred "Ringsels" and thought i might collapse with awe and respect if i watched it longer! :)

 Later, i thought if Navy SEALs could spare a tooth of Osama on the fourth table as a contemporary relic!After that, Choden wanted to buy vegetables from the Sabji -Bazaar since it is hard to get fresh vegetables in Chumey. Despite being crowded, Trongsa is comparatively hot to an alpine dweller like me. Moreover,i am rather allergic to dust so i offer myself to wait for her to complete her shopping. As i waited for her impatiently, i saw a man walk by. His feet were unable to withstand his body since he used two handmade sticks to support himself and was dragging his feet.He wore a faded Sertha Gho and looked quite young except for his dishevelled hair and the way he dressed up. I thought he must have met with an accident earlier that left him handicapped. Well he came towards me and just as i tried to look away at his struggle, he told me,"Uncle,Nga lu Tiru Ngaa(Nu.5) nang mey". He smelled like AWP factory has been attached to his mouth! "Uncle lo?!".That is cocky, i thought! There are times when i can be too compassionate but those are rare occasions. I told him that i wont be standing there if had the money but i offered him a gauva that i bought from one of the roadside stalls. He didnt want that. I left him alone and walked away....See More