Amidst the alarming and heavy
doses of news of deadly corona virus, I survived a severe flu just within four
days. Perhaps the local virus shied away sooner than usual this time. As I laid
on the bed and held similar precautions as needed by the c-virus patient (except
I was not completely isolated and did not get the media attention) that were
advised by millions of experts through varied news channels and social media, deep
inside I was wishing I was not the first Bhutanese victim.
While there is hardly any space left in the
social media for any other news in last couple of days and since I also have no
access to any other media like radio, TV or print for the last few weeks, I have
a lot of time to look around the vicinity. As always when I am here at this
time of the year, Tulasa and I go for some walk especially on the dirt roads
(avoid busy and narrow highway), passing through the beetle nut trees and small
houses, which are quickly getting replaced by larger mansions. The ground is
flatter, the open plain below is scenic and beautiful especially when you see
from distance, and the temperature is generally soothing. However this winter there is complain about
the lack of enough sunshine. Local people blame climate change and the trans-boundary
pollution for this prolonged gloomy winter. I tend to agree with them on both
reckonings. Everyone else also say that this winter had been exceptionally
cold. Did I hear this last year and also in the last to last year? Whatever may
be the truth, my short escape from the chilly Thimphu to supposedly warmer
south has not been as cheering as it could have been.
Of course life is generally quiet
here (no stray dogs), people are busy with some agricultural work, though this
is somewhat a lean season. Every household also has few cattle, goat, chicken
and pigs to rear. Work never gets over in a Bhutanese village and they will
never be able to shut the house completely even for more than twelve hours. So
the entire family cannot dream to go for holidays or pilgrimage, even if they
could afford. Someone has to look after the house all the time. In the last one
week or so when I am here, I see parents of school going children are particularly
busy as the schools are about to reopen after a long winter recess. Despite hopes expressed by few stakeholders to
delay the reopening owing to Wuhan crisis, silence from Ministry of Education was
loud enough and the schools are opening as scheduled. Perhaps those posts were
from some teachers who have not finished their winter chores or this aspiration
could be from lazy students who wanted to enjoy the ‘freedom’ a bit more. But I
am sure the parents, who are tired of managing untamable kids during the last
two months, would not like to be a party to this conspiracy. This reminded me of some hopeful calls that I
receive from my staff and students in the early mornings of first snowfall in
Thimphu!! Thanks to our culture of declaring first snowfall a holiday.
I hear that quarantine services
at the only airport in Paro has intensified, and our Chinese brethren are
targeted, not here in Bhutan but throughout the world, as if they themselves
are the highly contagious virus. Here down-under we have open border, and thousands
go in and out every day. As the schools are about to reopen hundreds, if not
thousands, of Bhutanese parents are visiting the towns across the border for
last minute shopping. With the new relaxation of five years old getting
admissions from this year, the excitement is running high with both parents and
kids, while the shopkeepers across the border are having the last laugh of the
season! Just in my family here, there are two boys trying to fit into new ghos,
and their older siblings helping them put the covers in their tiny notebooks. I
think this was much needed change. Unlike in the past, living conditions are better
today and there are fewer kids to care of in the families. As a result they are
physically healthier and mentally smarter and therefore ready to start learning
early. I see both these boys in this village house are comfortable operating
smart phones; they download games and engage for hours in all sorts of fun that
they find in the virtual world in this small device. Young parents who are
mostly school drop outs have no idea as to how this is destroying their kids’
tender brains. So this new decision from the government gives everyone some
comfort that at least now in the schools they will use their time in learning
and divert their attention to textbooks and reduce the exposure to these
dangerous devices that we all have also become victim of.
Until the Sun shines brighter,
adieu!!
