NB
This piece was written in 2012 when I first joined Extension Services in the Dzong. With this I sought reasons as to why I entered Dzong after working almost one and half decade in the protected area systems. It was posted in my earlier blog which was removed and I reproduce here without any changes. However, the story now changes as I have come back to the protected area system.
The first and the last Dzong that I served in between February 8, 2012 to May 31, 2016
I am an honest individual in my own way and I don’t care what others say
and yes, this is my blog and I can only exploit myself as exploiting others
could result into circumstances that are undesirable. And I am one who hate
problems of any nature, especially if that originate from me. I don’t
want any problems to me and I hate to create problem to others. Similarly, I
expect no one to create problems for me. I live on the simple principle “not to
harm anyone and to help anyone within my capacity” which to some or many (if
anyone reads this blog) may appear ridiculous because people with such
principles aspects more magic things to happen to their life than anyone else
and I am an indifferent person. As always, what I write here is for my record
and it should make no sense whatsoever to anyone who reads it. I have no
intention to harm anyone with what I write in my blog nor am I looking for
rewards. It’s just about passing my time.
So, the main story goes here. My work in one of the beautiful wildlife
sanctuaries began in April, 1999 and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the
management. Life went on the way it should and being a senior individual in the
group I had opportunities that others did not have. I am grateful to my senior and junior colleagues for everything they did to me. I have been lucky that
more good things happened to me than others. An assessment of my immediate
superiors could be interesting but since I write only true stories I might
trigger unhappiness in them which is against one of my principles. They were as
cool as ice, as hot as Bhut
Jolokia chili, as caring as mothers and at some points like a pumpkin in the
book. They were highly knowledgeable, they knew nothing, they were such great
humans and they behaved like the wild animals. My bosses were also brilliant as
well as laggards; they knew how to do their things and did not bother what
others think about them. To put in a sentence “they were as ordinary as
possible,” dancing to the tune of their bosses and situations. Well! Who in
Bhutan is extraordinary? So, no surprises at all. Look at the diversity of
their characters. Aren't they amazing? So, having worked with people of such varying characters, I enjoyed both boon and bane. Boon because I looked at their
positive sides as an example and shun the negative side of their behavior that
gave me chance to reflect once a while and to look at the world holistically.
Bane because many times their negative behavior forced me to ideologically
challenged them, cheat them and even threaten them. Whatever the story, I felt
it as an enough experience to continue with them and opted myself out of the
job in my own terms. I thought I should live better under the shadow of bigger
tree than being under a same lean and thin tree with occasional sun rays
hitting my body parts, a torturous one at times. And this is one of the several
reasons that I chose Dzong. I have served under the same condition for fourteen
years and it is not such a short time for a life not more than seventy five
(that if one can survive). Look at my logics. It is interesting. One must
diversify the works. Trying a change for good (if it turns good). I hope the change does not give me experience that's painful or worthless.
The other reason is
quite and quiet personal. In my past job, that beautiful fourteen years, I
thought I just existed. It meant that I did not live. My language teacher, now
Education Minister, during my pre-university study at Sherubtse (1994 - 1996)
told in one of his classes that stones exist and that we as people live. I did
not understand the actual meaning of this statement and even today I do not
know much about what that meant. But, I concluded myself that people who do nothing just
exist (like stones) and that people who positively help the society in whatever small or bigger ways live.
Taking this example, I felt that I just existed in my past fourteen years. So,
to live myself I thought I should explore new areas where I can make better
contributions to the society in whatever small ways. I started weighing all the
available options that offered me to be closer to helping the society. Of the
very few choices I had, I liked the idea of working in the Dzong, the centre
for developmental works for the society in Bhutanese context. Hence, I gave up the idea of rejoining
my past job right after completing my forced by circumstances Bachelors degree. I did not find any charm in territorial works (though I do not
hate it) and I dispised research largely due to the lack of support while being in
Thimphu (functional divisions). All these small but impact producing things really does not go well with my thinking. So, the Dzong emerged as Hobson’s choice.
Some other small
reasons behind my choosing the Dzong include the disorder in my interest. Being
an explorer, I can understand what to do, what I did and what I am going to do. The science records of
the Bhutanese archives carried no information on the herpetofauna of Bhutan.
Therefore, I took up the study very seriously and wrote a report of a national
standard. Out of this very report I wrote an international peer reviewed paper
(I can share a copy if anyone wants it). But as we (Bhutanese) are poor
readers, nobody read it. If such papers are not read and not referred, they are
useless. They are as good as being not written. Some action plans
(biodiversity) did not read the peer reviewed paper and did not mention
anything about the reptiles, despite the fact that the information had been
available from my work. It meant that my work has been useless. Therefore, I
felt it meaningless to continue my research work, especially for my beautiful
country as no one would read and cite. From now on, if I continue this
herpetofauna work it will be entirely for publication and production outside
Bhutan at any cost.
Only a handful of my
friends know that I am a trained Wild Lifer. As I said earlier, being a senior
member of the management for all the time, my office trained me for twelve
months at the Wildlife Institute of India. On the first occasion, it was three
months certificate course wildlife management while I underwent nine months PG
Diploma in Wildlife Management from the same institute in the second time. I
thought I am a good wild lifer and I still believe I am good because I won a Silver
Medal for best thesis (Wildlife Management Planning) and also won the WII
Directors Conservation Medal for being a best foreign trainee. Wildlife is my
passion. I like my wildlife job. But to be dynamic one should move ahead and taste
changes. And this is one of the several reasons that I am in the Dzong.
A few of my friends
(really very few that include my former wildlife colleagues) felt and still feel
that I should work for the sanctuaries and the parks. Yes, they must feel it
because it should be like that. But, life is not as simple as we deem. The axe
does not land in that area where you want it to hit and the wood does not split
the way you want it to (Nosa tarey mefo, thrangdhi shingi megag). I
think it is fair enough that things sometimes do not go the way you want
because the world would be so boring if everything happens the way you desire.
One’s life must include tensions and depressions as much as the enjoyment and
happiness. Otherwise, life would be a humdrum affair. It is based on this
concept that I opted out for something new but I have not given up my hobbies
and interest of wildlife conservation - no, not even a single bit.
Moreover, so many
years of Barababuship is monotonous.
One must learn to take charge of situation at some point of time instead of
being an underdog for the whole life. With so much of education and experience
(I mean wildlife) I am prepared to take charge of any protected area but only
if chances are given. It is a complicated issue and one cannot demand such jobs
and it would be sickly thing to claim oneself that one is prepared for bigger
responsibilities. People in power must recognize your contributions and they
must entrust you with responsibilities. Unfortunately, Barababus do not get cognizance because of the very fact that one
is a Barababu. Here, I do not mean to
say that Barababus have been
overlooked; I just mean that the nature of job is like that. However, I am
thankful to god that at least I had the option to move out of Barababuship for doing nearly a similar
thing. And yes, there must be Barababus,
otherwise it is not the case of everyone being the Boss. There must be someone
to be subordinates and not everyone can become a Boss. Therefore, I do not
question my authorities for whatever they do. But, for the moment, I am not a Barababu anymore. I but have a fervent
hope that my small contributions that include establishments of new field
offices, field surveys, patrolling and a few scientific reports in national and
international journals are seriously taken by my successors in their own small
or bigger ways. It’s note worthy here that I bought prayer beads (Pchems or Mani Phrangmas) for the
hunters of my range at one point of time and I appreciate that some of them
have given up fishing and hunting after that. For this small reason I give
myself a salute because, I have at least saved thousand fishes - not definitely
for conservation but for the life of the animals.
Hope I have not blown
my trumpets to irritate my readers (if any). My sincere apologies. I have given
up my job that goes with my hobbies only for the sake of change and I am
prepared to revert back to my old profession any time.
Disclaimer
This
is my personal thought and anything written here is not intended to
harm or promote people or things mentioned here. No one is authorized to
use the content of this blog for either personal or private purpose.
People mentioned here in are fictitious characters and any resemblance
to anyone with some characters or more are purely coincidence.
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