𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚅𝙸: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝙻𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝙲𝚒𝚝𝚢

As I have told earlier, I grew up in a small village in eastern Bhutan. Suddenly, I was there among thousands of people. Back in the village, I knew all the people. I called them neighbours. There in Thimphu, I had to call everyone in general. I had to call men ‘uncles’ and women ‘aunts’. I didn’t know their names and they were complete strangers. 

Luckily, Tashi had his own uncle who grew up in Thimphu. He was there at the bus station to pick us up. We got into his car and we were leaving to his house.

“Uncle, do you stay at the same building you had been staying for last couple of years?” Tashi asked.

“Yes! I am staying in the same house. How are parents doing at home?” Uncle returned the question.

“They are doing well so far”, Tashi replied

“Who is she? Is she a student?” Uncle again asked about me.

Tashi laughed as he heard the question, “She is my wife. I am married to her recently. She has been a student but she had to give up on going to the school. She was getting sick often. Her mother had decided what’s best for her. So, we are here to try our fortune of making our life better”.

“It is good that younger people like you are thinking of building your life. But it is not easy here in Thimphu. Everything is talked with money”, uncle warned us that money is everything. I was worried.

When I realized, we were at the uncle’s home. He was staying in one of the giant yellow buildings. That part of the town was called Olakha which is several kilometer from the bus station. 

We were greeted by aunt and his three children. Children looked younger than me. 

“Tashi, I heard the reason from your mother of coming here. I am proud of you. She is your wife right? The daughter of Aum Pem?” Aunt asked him about me as I remained silent. I was shy.

“Yes aunt! She is the daughter of Aum Pem. We married recently. It has been few months”, Tashi replied.

“You can have tea now. It is ready”, aunt said.

Soon, our table was filled with seven cups and few packets of biscuits. Seeing those, I remembered about my school days. Group friends and I rushed to the school kitchen with a bottle each after attending the daily evening prayer. Immediately, we would run to our hostel rooms and settle on the floor. Some would take out zaw and some with biscuits. We would share them equally among friends. However, the fattest among us would have a larger cup which demanded more quantity of tea as well as snacks.

I smiled as I took a sip of tea from the cup. Everyone was already busy chewing biscuits. Children were showing off their biscuits to each other as the aunt signal them to keep quiet.

“How much class did you complete?” aunt was asking me.

“I could complete only class nine, aunt. I often got sick in the school and finally, I have decided to marry with Tashi”. I spoke respectfully.

“There is a belief that some girls keep on becoming sick and as soon as they marry, they are recovered. I have heard of stories as well”, I was surprised to see that even the person living in biggest town of Bhutan was orthodoxic. 

“I don’t know how far it’s true but I have heard of some stories as well. My friends in the school would talk on this”, I tried to support her.

“You are going to settle here in Thimphu?” She turned her head towards Tashi who was sipping his share of hot tea from the cup.

“No, no, aunty. We are just here to try our fortune of earning. As a Gomchen, I cannot work for money at our village. The number of households is less. I could see a great opportunity here for earning. Lhamo can be recruited to some works of her caliber”, Tashi reasoned.

“What about the house? If you can’t find one, you are always welcome with us. Lhamo can help with my children while you go to perform rituals”. Aunt was welcoming us to be with them.

“For a month or two, we would be grateful if you could accommodate two of us. As soon as we find a house for our own, we will move out”, Tashi again told her about the future plan.

“These are the parcels my parents have packed for you. I didn’t know what’s in there as well. It’s yours, aunt and uncle. We could not bring more”, they smiled as Tashi offered them parcels from a remote village. They were sent with love.

The next day, Tashi was called by group of his friends to perform ritual. For weeks and weeks, he became the busiest person. He came home late in the evening. After a month, there was enough money to move ourselves out.

“I have got a house and we can easily move out now. I also figured out zakar and tomorrow is a good day. Let’s talk to aunt and uncle about it tomorrow morning. Today, they are already slept”. Tashi informed me about moving out.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬? 𝐒𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐢!🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️