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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄


𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙸𝙸𝙸: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚁𝚒𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕

The parents of Gomchen Tashi were among the people who came for the ritual.

“Ama, we had been good neighbours for many years and we will be happy to be good to each other for years to come. I am ready to accept your daughter as my daughter in-law”, his father spoke loud enough to be heard by all the people.

“She is a good girl and we know her well. She can be a good wife and good daughter in-law. I will be happy to have her as my son’s wife. I feel that my son is old enough to get married”. His mother was excited about her son’s marriage.

When she told us about the age of her son, I had to think about how old I was. I was just fifteen and he was two years older to me. I went to school and he had been Gomchen since he was six. Tashi was considered as one of the brightest gomchens in the village. Even Azha Lama was proud to have him as his student. 

Gomchen Tashi became capable of performing ritual by himself. He had inherited all the skills and traditions of performing a ritual from his master. He had been in gomchen for eleven years.
 
Everything was happening under my nose like watching a Bhutanese movie where parents arrange a marriage for the good of their sons and daughters. I have watched those few to the end. Some had beautiful endings and some were not. I was not sure whether I will have a beautiful ending or worse. I just accepted for the good of my mom and myself. At that moment, I only prayed for good things to happen. Prayers are not certain as well. They are sometimes answered and sometimes not.

Azha Lam started murmuring some prayers. I looked at his grey beard and golden teeth. He folded his palms.’

“Gomchen Tashi, I would like you to get up. Lhamo, I would like you to stand up as well”. Azha Lam announced from his throne.

Both of us were on our feet near his throne. Slowly, he reached out for two khadars. Soon, khadars were on our neck. 

“From today until their death, I pray for gods to watch these young couples. May the gods give you wealth and happiness. May store be filled with grains. May you be the most beautiful couples that our community have ever seen”. Azha Lam added few prayers again. 

Each person from every household stood up with one khadar each. I have realized that our marriage was already planned by my mother and his parents. He was not surprised as I was. 

“I wish you a fulfilling life and long lasting marriage”, one of persons said after offering us khadar.

About next thirty minutes, I was listening to the same prayers over and over again and receiving the same khadar. I was already tired by the day’s activities of serving people with food and tea. 

“From today, we announce and accept that Gomchen Tashi and Lhamo are husband and wife. As married couple, you should fight the struggles together. You must be good to your parents and for your neighbours”. Those were the last advice Azha Lam wanted us to be.

“Tashi Delek to Lhamo and Gomchen Tashi!” all the people in the house shouted congratulating us for our marriage.

On that day, there were two rituals. One was performed by monks and Azha Lam followed by marriage of Gomchen Tashi and me. 

After our marriage, there were group of villagers who stood up to dance. It went till the midnight. People were getting drunk and children were dozing off. 

“Lhamo and Gomchen Tashi must get up and dance with us!” one of the neighbours dragged us to dance and sing along with them.

I felt shy but I joined them because it is one of many things that happens during the ritual. For marriage, it was a compulsory for people to sing and dance. 
On that day, I ended the road to education. I didn’t know when I would be becoming a mother. I just married my childhood friend.

As the night advanced, number of people kept on decreasing. They were leaving for home to sleep. Few left were the closest neighbours. Among those were parents of Gomchen Tashi and himself. The last one to leave for their home.

“Azha and ama can sleep here”, my mother was requesting them to sleep with us.

“We will go today. We are family now. We will have plenty of time for this. Tomorrow, we have got lot of works”, father was telling my mother of not sleeping at our home.

“Your parents have lot of work tomorrow. I think you need to go today and come tomorrow”, I whispered in the ears of Gomchen Tashi. 

He was just smiling without a reply.

“Gomchen Tashi can sleep here then”. My mother waved goodbye to Tashi’s parents.

“I will go with you two today because I need to help tomorrow”, Tashi told his parents.

“Your dad and I can handle the work. You can stay here tonight with your wife and mother in-law”. His mother gave him the permission to stay with us. I stood there, like a log of wood. Without the power!

“Lhamo, you can make your bed in the apartment. I will sleep here!” My mother shouted from another room. She was taking care of sweeping the floor and rearranging those things scattered on the floor.

While I was preparing for the night, Tashi helped me by picking up pillows and blankets. I still didn’t feel him like my husband but the friend I have known for many years.

Finally, we settled for the night. Till the previous night, I slept with my mom but that night, I was sleeping with a boy who was two years older to me. I was tired and I was sleepy. 

“Lhamo, in few months, let’s go to Thimphu”.

 Gomchen Tashi was whispering in the deep night.
I thought that I was having a dream and let myself to sleep peacefully.

Both of us were shy. I was facing towards west and I told him to face towards the east.

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𝐖𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬!

𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬  𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧  𝐖𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐩 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐬  𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬  𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 ...

Chapter VIII: The Most Painful Departure

Did you ever experience how fast time flies when you are to depart with the person you love truly? Although our marriage has failed, we stayed together like college days. We met every day after my school hours. We would talk for hours like we were into relationship for the first time. The joy lasted until it was time for Tashi to depart for India. It was a decision made for him by his father. It was harsh for me but, like all parents do, his father thought about his son. He thought about his future. It was heart-breaking and a huge frustration for a person who fell in love with him but I had to understand. A cold wind below the valley sent a sad song all over my face. It was a song of departure! A Goodbye! It was the first time in three years that we will be staying away from each other. We will not be seeing each other. May be over phone calls and video calls. There will be no hugs and no kisses. Like attending someone’s funeral, we were standing on road in the early morning...