New Man In The Town

 

Our forefathers might have defended themselves from the wild animals in the caves. Slowly, they evolved to be superior and feared their own species instead of animals. They became more defensive and egoistic in the ever growing World. The boundaries in the brilliant minds resulted in different castes and different belief system in to religions. The awakened ones left their legacies and the rest are still confused in this momentary world.

We were looking for a solution of open and better world for tomorrow but none of us were willing to change the mindset we probably  inherited from our forefathers. The fear of opening to outsiders and the outside world. Fortunately, our visionary Monarchs and forefathers opened up to be in this modern era of the 21st century. While many  of us still live in the past centuries with those mindset of hiding and defending.

Our ancestors feared that any outsiders even if they are from the next village would put them to suspicious thought of theft or robbery or exploitation of women and children. We lived in constant threat of fear and still continue to live with it in one or other ways from our own inventions and discovery. We became the victims of our own mind of power and politics into wars. Today, we are looking desperately for anti-virus for our own creation. It is on the top list of our fear next to war and terrorism. We are constantly hiding and running away from the virus and one will be a "New Man In The Town" for visiting other places.

I became one in my recent official tour to Eastern region of the country. I was taking refuge in my friend's place after necessary covid-19 travels and health protocols guidelines in place. The nationwide blackout periods for seventy-two hours w.e.f 16^th January, 2022 extended till the end of the month with more community cases across the nations. I was trying to escape this hiding and running game with my birding passion in and around the residential colony. The authority and the community in no time became alerted of my presence taking photographs. The loyal security personnel who allowed me in and out the colony for a week suddenly stops me at the gate. He interrogates me, " Sir, where are you heading? We have a complaint of you taking photographs in the areas". I had to explain him that I am a birder and was taking its photographs, nothing else. Further, I disclosed my identity and informed him that I am a colleague of one of their officers. He then, finally let me go.

I thought I was no more "New Man In The Town” and to my surprise after almost two weeks, I was again interrogated by their officer with the same complaint of taking photographs in the vicinity. I again explained him that I am a colleague of his colleague here and staying with him. Then he recalls that he was informed by my colleague earlier and I suppose the security personnel forgot to report him of my presence. He leaves me there stating that they ought to know who all be new in their area. I was little confused that, was it really because of the virus they are afraid of or are they still with our ancestral instincts of New Man in the Town even after being informed of the man.

The similar incidence took place few years back when I was exploring limestone deposit with my team in the jungles and mountains of lower Kheng in Zhemgang. The villagers became suspicious of our presence in the community for a week. They suspected us to be Khegpa-Head Hunter and decided to arrest us and handover to the authority. The Gewog Administration came to our rescue before they could execute their plan as we gave prior notice to the Gewog of our New Man In The Town tag.

We could have been easy target for the suspect of property vandalism which use to be  rampant in the past. Sometimes, the New Man In The Town comes with tough interrogation and unfriendly situation which shall destroy the charm of the new place and the people around. Thus, one should always have a local guide or companion with prior notice to the authority of your visit to any new place. This is a sad reality of our society today and the law we made for our own security. We are obsessed with our own insecurity and building the walls of ignorance in this temporary world.