Saturday, March 31, 2012

Greeting without kabney!

One of the first local Tshechus commenced yesterday, the Bula Tshechu. There was  Mewang(fire blessing?) in the evening supposedly attended by 100s of people, notably the young folks. But i missed it delibrately. Not that i have become old with arthritis but because i have my early-warning systems which i respect much. Last year, after the Mewang two groups of youth impishly indulged into into fights which later came to be known as "Gang fight". I thought that could have been a tough fight whatever.
Well, losers do gang up and form associations. Valiant fight alone. Gandhiji fought alone in his early years, Mandela fought 26 full years , alone from the prison in Robben island. Closer at hand, i have been fighting peptic ulcer for almost a decade now..just alone! No worries! One fine day, it would recover and i would be munching on fibers of international strength! For the timebeing i survive and depend for my calories from the cheap potatoes that choden prepares with all her heart. I defy the dictum from medics against eating chillies for ulcer patients since i admire chillies for their "hotness"!:)
Honestly, i have reduced my Doma supply. It is almost time for me to advance my life with robust health. Less Doma, less drinks, less chilli, less hurry,less worry and ofcourse a good curry. In one of the lectures, years ago, we were taught how hurry,worry and curry aggravates stomach disorders. Ever since i have tried to handle my stomach with care!
Well, i hinted you about the Drilam Namzha sessions in my school, didnt i? So yesterday, we were trying to learn about how to greet our king and Royal family, Lyonpos,  MPs,Dashos, Drungpas etc.
Mind you,Without kabney! In a sacred place like ours, you cant simply run after the MPs and ask for their autographs. That stupid act of yours might land you in the District prison for a week!
Greetings first!
What if you suddenly had to greet the HM and you didnt have your kabney? Please dont imagine that i knew all these trifles without schooling. And again, i did borrow a book on Driglam Namzha from a lopen and memorised all those steps before i taught them.:).
"Your right leg to the front followed by your left leg and bend yourself with your arms in the front. Bend as much as you can till your fingers and your ankles are at par!" I demonstrate to them. That looks like simple kungfu training. Lol.
 "Dont bend your knees! Dont stare up!", i correct few of them. Now mock session.
I line them in a single file and tell them to imagine that Lyonpo SY(that is me... he he) visited their school. So i march: head held high, hands swinging more than a shiny pendulum, and with steps dutiful and  hopeful for the next vote!
They all fall in for the greet(ChagWang..as in Dzongkha). I take a pause. They are all standing in front of the legend and with heads bowed as low as possible. That is like a good drilam namzha!
 "Leshom bey ra yoed ka?", i ask them in Lyonpo Thakur-like tone! "Yoed la", they whisper back bowing thier heads more than ever. "Pro...blem mey ga?!".
 "Med la", they respond back in sanctity! Hmm..that is all, i thought. No problems at all.

"About turn", i yell at them. "Disperse!!".
THANK YOU. :))

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