The Miner's Diary

  The world never expected that a Bhutanese Film Industry would tell the story of the small Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan in the Oscars. The Bhutanese Drama Film made to the much awaited Oscars nomination 2022 final list along with other four films from hundreds others. It is the first ever Bhutanese film to be nominated for the Oscars award in the history of Bhutan and there are every chances that the trophy would come home. Source: https://asianews.network/  The journey to the nomination for 94 th Academy Awards was challenging right from the registration phase where Bhutan was not even in the list of countries applying for the nominations. The versatile Director & Producer of the film, Pawo Choyning Dorji shares in his interviews that he had to wait until the website was updated with our country name and language (Dzongkha) details at the final hour. While, the film has so far entered in 12 Internationals Film Festivals to winning The Audience Choice Award at the 31 st ...

  I was invited for a talk on my new bird species record to Bhutan by Bhutan Birdlife Society (BBLS) that was scheduled on 18 th March, 2022 evening 6:30 to 7:30 pm BST. The Webinar Series- An Evening for a Bird was initiated by BBLS to exchange knowledge and information among the members about the birdlife in Bhutan. It is to promote citizen-science and environmental stewardship of the members through networking and friendship. The platform was conceived by the core members in 2020. It was an honor for me to be the first Guest Speaker of the Webinar Series hosted by BBLS. I was excited and nervous at the same to share my story. The patron of BBLS Dasho Benji graced the Webinar. The Webinar went well with much appreciation from Chairperson, the members and the participants. The BBLS Project Manager, Mr. Yeshey Dorji welcomed all the members and the participants for this first ever Webinar Series Talk followed by the facilitator, Mr. Tshering Phuntsho on the background of this ...

Dear Women out there,  Men would have been nowhere, Had it been not your all time care. We owe our precious life to you all so dear. Your greatest gift of our birth, Was a destined miracle on this earth, No men could ever match your pure heart. We owe our life for your undying support. Not your love on us end there, Even when we treated you unfair, But you came more strong in our love affair. We owe our life for your extraordinary avatar.  We are the blessed ones here, Keep us in the power of your love forever, We shall one day hopefully liberate altogether. We owe our life for your unconditional affection. Hatreds be gone in men, By the compassion of women, For the future of our beloved children. We owe our life in fighting for the freedom. Photo source: www.latestLY.com

  This tiny bird with its sharp and loud call yet considered large in its family often hangs upside down sucking the nectars with it long curved black bill. This active bird with black streaks mostly and greenish-yellow underparts love more nectars than its main diets of invertebrates like spiders which must have been probably named after. Thus, this bird’s name must have been derived from its diet rather than after discovering ornithologist or scientists which often happens in new species naming in animalia and plantae kingdom. But this bird may definitely love nectars more than spiders for its sweet taste. Sweet is always preferred over bitter by all and so is the irony of our lives.   The local name for this species named Streaked Spiderhunter (arachnothera magna) in various regions must have been undoubtedly after the banana flower. So, its local Lhotsam/Nepali name is Kayra Bunggay meaning Kayra-banana,Bungga- banana flower. Similarly, in Khengpa it is called Chib Bja ...

  The Sony Entertainment Television (SET) latest popular reality show on the screen was the Shark Tank India. As such, SET is famed for screening the premier reality show from KBC to Indian Idol and India's Got Talent. This recent show the Shark Tank India took the Sony TV customers to different level unlike other earlier reality shows ever hosted by the firm. It overwhelmed both the young and old minds with its first ever season with 36 episodes which was premiered from 20 th December, 2021 to 4 th February, 2022. It ended too soon for many viewers like me and already anticipating its next exciting season episodes. The reality of the show itself for its short episodes is satire for both the Host and the Sharks over their respective high end business deal. The seven dynamic Sharks in their forties made their debut in this striking business reality show as the investors/judges making the viewers already a fan for their respective personalities besides their entrepreneurial empir...

  Kitchen gardening is not only my hobby but it is where I was raised from by my humble parents. They told me, “This is what we do for a living”, when I was young to understand the matter. Yes, now I fully understand that human need food for survival not stones. If there are any spices in the garden of a farmer, it would be Ginger next to chillies and other vegetables. One would not miss it especially in Rai’s garden for it plays vital role for their Shaman. It serves more value in the power of his mantra than simply a spice for all. The myth of people’s fingers and limbs getting bend after entering Rai’s ginger garden need deeper knowledge of the experts like Shaman and elderly family member. Thus, my neighbors and In-laws don’t step in my Ginger garden and I feel safe. Yes, Rai does special puja called Mangchama/Pitra during its harvest time. In the past, our parents practiced chicken offerings to the deities (Pitri) and enjoyed chicken dish called Wachipa with local brewed a...

  Three years of run and hide from the Virus made the world tired but the small Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan is tireless with the least number of COVID-19 death (6 only) among the pandemic hit nations. Bhutan is still holding on to its only first antidote called lockdown to break the chain and eliminate the virus while many nations started to live with it. We prayed and hope for the new year (2022) beginning but the existing variant Omicron proved to be more infectious among all variant to all age group of the population. Though considered less lethal than earlier variant Delta but the world is yet to know even its first variant itself. If not, we would have been already eliminated by now. Thus, this variant has crippled the world further and to expect another super variant would be no surprise to us. This variant too didn’t leave me to escape the lockdown for the third consecutive year and that too away from my family. I decided to take a bolder step and started an official tou...

The young teenage boy gets enrolled himself in the school at the age of fourteen. He starts his school as early as 4 am in the morning and gets back home by dusk in late evening or sometimes at night. He does his best and completes fourth grade. He discontinues his studies despite being a bright student to help his aging parents at home. He then joins his eldest brother to earn some money as laborer in Agarwood business somewhere in Assam boarder and Nagaland in India. He promises some gift to his young bride on his return from the forest far away in foreign land. This is the brief story of my hardworking father. His Agarwood stories of experience in the filed as young man use to thrill me. It was like horror movie story telling when he shared that they once shifted their camp in fallen dried logs to find out later it was a giant anaconda sleeping for long time to capture its prey. As I recall now that I was not matured enough to understand the details of the Agarwood business they d...