thedawaring's blog

The Eternal flame… This incident changed the way I think about the power of prayers. In the monsoon of 2012, I had gone to a place called Mundgod in the south Indian state of Karnataka. I use to go for my college vacations to my grandpa’s place in the same area. One fine morning, my grandpa happened to tell me about a nearby place where there is a hut in which some butter lamps have been burning from some four decades. He said that the butter lamps were lighted by a poor widow many years ago. And the miracle was that the same butter lamps continue to burn till today, till this moment.  Upon hearing this, I felt curious to go and check it out myself. That same afternoon, I told my friend and we went to see the place where the miraculous butter lamps were housed. It took us some twenty five minutes by motor cycle to reach at the place.  The road was muddy and covered with grasses. Buffalos roaming on the way would not let us pass swiftly unless we honked the bike ten times. It s

The idea of going to the beach is way too exotic and excites me to the limit. Now that new tourist season has just begun in Goa, I am looking forward to a couple of fun filled months. Every year I do not miss a chance to visit the popular Calangute beach in north Goa. It is a lively beach always busy with foreign and domestic tourists. There is ample of space to play in sea, sand and sun. There are beautiful shacks nearby to help ourselves with snacks and refreshments. There are boys who offer to make tattoo on your arms. There are girls who offer to massage your back while you lay down on the sandy beach. There are hawkers who sell salted cucumber and pineapple. You can see vendors selling toys and many other stuffs. And of course the beach is filled with beautiful girls in bikini. Hey! Don't be mistaken! I do not visit the beach just to serve my eyes with these visual treats. Over the years, I have grown a fond attachmenmt in my heart for the beach. When I sit by the sea a

Goa...? Not without fish. “…so Dawa, what are you going to miss the most about Goa when you go back to Bhutan?” a friend of mine asked me recently.   “Fish curry, no doubt” I responded him with a grin on my face. He pulled a skeptical look on his face after hearing my answer.   Yes, for the last four years, almost every day I had savored a mouth watering, appetizing and deliciously fried fresh sea fish for my lunch. As soon as the morning classes got over, I would rush to the nearest restaurant serving fish curry and rice. This has been going on for four years now. It has become a habit. Old habits die hard. Due to this, I am at a point where I find food pretty tasteless without some fish items in the menu. Sardines and mackerels top my list. King fish is no less tasty. I love prawns and shrimps too. I have tried my taste buds on crabs but could not like it much. I am yet to try squid, which I will do it soon. In Goa the way they prepare fish is remarkable in a way that

Diwali holidays  I have to admit, I just love this euphoric feeling just now. Fate brings me once again to this wonderful Buddhist Monastery on a Diwali holiday. Blogging from a cyber run by the monastery. The monks play really cool songs in this room. Bob Marley's reggae songs are still loved. As the clock ticks by, the songs being played on the home theater also changes. From Tibetan Hip Hops to Hindi songs, from contemporary Bhutanese songs to K-pop, they play it all. The monks are really happy and contended. They are compassionate, helpful, and always smiling. Every morning they wake up early and proceed for the morning prayers. They are kept busy by one or the other thing. They have really little free time to waste. Its here they make the best use of their human lives. Its here that the words of the Buddha are practiced. its here that peace and happiness is materialized. I am fortunate enough to have got this chance to visit this lovely monastery time and again o