𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚅: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝙳𝚎𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎

As a matter of a family, I had to take part in discussion. But, I had to think it over. I dropped out from school to be with my mom and help her as she was getting old. My husband as a Gomchen, didn’t have a better option to earn a living. We would be parents of our own children soon. Then, we will have a responsibility of taking care of our own children and our parents who were getting old. 

“The probability of earning is better in Thimphu. It is the biggest city of Bhutan”, Tashi added.

I thought for a while and replied, “If it is for the benefit of everyone, I am willing to accept everything. As long as we can survive ourselves and help our parents, I will be appreciative of what you are trying to do”.

“But, remember, as soon as we earn enough, we should be back to the village to help our parents”, I added.

After saying those, I looked at my mother’s eyes. She was giving me a beautiful smile. For me, nothing was more fulfilling than seeing my mother smile.

I had never been to so called, the capital city of Bhutan. From one side, I was excited to see those tall buildings and hundreds of vehicles. From another, I was getting worried about my mom who would be left home.

“Mom, what about you?” I asked her.

“This had been my home since I was born till today. Even, I have married to your father, we took the responsibility and taken care this home. There is nothing precious in here. We don’t even have enough money. However, my heart is still attached to this place. I want to grow old and die here. I don’t have regret”, my mother explained to me about how attached she was. To nothing but old home.

“I am rich in my own ways. I have good neighbours. I have friends. The only thing I lack is, your father. He loved me Tashi loves you. When I see other married couples, I always miss him. I still do. We were also arranged by our parents. Just like you, we grew together as friends”. She added. I came to know why she selected a boy for me to get married. 

Finally, we decided that Tashi and I will be leaving to Thimphu for the good of our future. For our parents, for ourselves and for our children.

After three months, we were set to go. Tashi saved money he earned from here and there. We packed the necessities and we got two bus tickets.

On the road, my mom and Tashi’s parents gathered to bid farewell. They were departing from the precious gem in their family. I was the only child to my parents and Tashi was the only child for his parents.

 

“Tashi, you are no more a child. You are married and you are soon going to become a father. You have to take the responsibility like a married man. Tashi, we will always wish you a good thing”, his father was chastising him.

“I have nothing different to tell you. Just like what your father told you, be a man. You must take good care of your wife. You are her husband, her brother and her father. Be good to her like you had been till now. We will always miss you, our son”. His mother was becoming emotional. 

“Dear daughter in-law, we are happy to have you in our family. We consider you like our own daughter. You can tell us whenever Tashi behaves differently. We will be there to guide you”, Tashi mother’s hugged me.

“Don’t worry parents. We will always do our best and we will always keep the promise of wife and husband. We might return in a year or two. Till then, we bid a farewell. We will miss all of you”, I hugged everyone.

 Before I realized, I was crying a lot. Tears were almost like heavy rainfall flooding my cheeks. 

I closed my eyes and thanked my home for giving me some beautiful people. As we rode on the bolero, our parents were leaving behind when the distance widened. From the far, like the image of ants, we saw our parents waving a khadar. Seeing them waving a khadar made me cry even more. By nature, women are soft-hearted. Their hearts are broken by a small matter. I saw it in the eyes of my mother and Tashi’s mother. 

Soon, we were at Tashiyangtse Bus Station. Tashi and I were to ride a bus since we could not effort travelling in taxi.

I was worried of travelling a longer distance. It was the first of my life travelling to a longer destination. From the eastern part of Bhutan to western part of Bhutan! 

I reached out in my wallet to count the money. Tashi did well in saving the money. There were some add-on from our parents. The total was twenty thousand ngultrums! And I was counting that much amount of money for the very first time. 

When we sat in the bus, Tashi told me, “You can sit towards the window. You won’t feel sick. If you feel like puking up, you can do easily from the window”. He had travelled to lot of places with his master. So, I agreed to sit near the window.

Tashi was right! As soon as bus started the engine, I was feeling sick. I felt like world was turning at a faster speed. Trees were moving in the opposite to the direction of the bus. I vomited countless times.

After halting a night at Chamkhar town in Bumthang, we were at the capital city of Bhutan the following day. When we descended down the Dochula pass, I could see Simtokha Dzong, the first dzong to be built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. I learnt about dzongs in Bhutan History.

We took the turn from a point where there were few buildings and in the middle of road was a huge prayer wheel. I saw several old people turning the wheel. Soon, we passed by a group of buildings to upper side.

“This is called Lungtenphug Army Colony”, Tashi whispered to my ears.

After few minutes, the engine of the bus halted after making a loud noise followed by few puffs of dark smoke. It was parked among thirty buses. There were hundreds of people shouting, “Wangdue, Punakha, Phuntsholing, Tshabtshab” many more. Later, I realized that they were taxi drivers.

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 💚! 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞!