Tuesday, July 14, 2020

FIRST REPORT ON THE OCCURRENCE OF MONESES UNIFLORA IN BHUTAN



Introduction

Bhutan is home to many flowering and non-flowering plants. This report intends to provide a basic information on one species of flowering plant Moneses uniflora for the first time from the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan.

Geographical Distribution

Moneses uniflora is reported from China, Japan, North Korea, Mongolia, Russia and is known to be widely distributed in Northern Temperate and Sub-Arctic zones, particularly Europe (Flora of china at http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200016134). However, this is the first record of this plant in Bhutan from Chelila. The author found this plant on 25th June 2015 on his first plant search in the particular area and again on 1st July 2018 from the same spot on his second plant expedition at an elevation of 3430masl within the geographic coordinates of 27°23’19.00” N 89°20’52.04” E.
Moneses uniflora
Field observation 
 
It is a single white nodding flower herb with 3 or more whorled simple deep green leaf, alternate at base and tooth/serrated at the edge of the leave blade. Flowers symmetrical with 5 petals and 5 sepals. Stem glabrous erect and not branched. Roots are long, slender and branched. It shares its habitat with wild Frageria nubicola, Iris sp, Orechis foliosa and Rhododendron shrubs grown on decaying needles and mosses of dry spruce forests with open slopes. It is also found in slightly disturbed areas along the road sides on moist soils. The flowering time as observed in the field in case of this particular location is from late June to July. It has been observed in east or southeast facing slopes (aspect). The soil type preferences need to be assessed in future.  
 
Literature Review
 
Linnaeus in 1753 named it as Pyrola uniflora from the specimens collected from Europe. Later in 1843 Thomas Nuttal renamed it as Moneses reticulata as mentioned by Richard Salisbury on creating a new genus of Moneses in 1700s. The current nomenclature of Moneses uniflora was given by one Asa Gray in 1848 (https://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com).

The flower of the plant is said to be used as medicinal remedy by native American tribes for the treatment of skin rashes, cold, throat pain and analgesic (Flora of North America; http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200016134). The plant is also used for the treatment of bunions and corns in humans simply by bandaging the flowers on the affected area (http://www.borealforest.org/herbs/herb25.htm).

Description
 
The evergreen perennial herbs grow 3-10 cm in height (Borealforest.org) and is 0.2–0.6 mm in diameter (flora of Pakistan). Leaves are finely toothed and is round/oval shaped, arranged in whorled and opposite at the base. Leaves are light green colour underneath and shiny green on the upper surface and is 6-22x5-20mm in size (Flora of North; America eflora.org). Flowers are single with leafless stalk, white coloured with 5 spreading petals and 10 stamens. Stigma are usually lobbed (5 no) and appears in mid-summer (exact time period of field visits of the author). Fruit are spherical with erect capsules measuring 6-8mm cross, contains many tiny seeds which matures in late -summer (http://www.borealforest.org/herbs/herb25.htm). It grows in cool and moist woodland, preferably with deep mosses of mix-conifer forest 
                                                         Location map of the species


Flowering time: June to July

References
Flora of north America; (Accessed on June 5th, 2015 at http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200016134)
Flora of China. Accessed on July 5th, 2018 at: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200016134)
Flora of Pakistan. Accessed on July 5th, 2018 at: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=200016134
Borealforest.org. Accessed on July 5, 2018 at: http://www.borealforest.org/herbs/herb25.htm
Wild Flowers. Accessed on July 5, 2018 at: https://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/White%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/moneses%20uniflora.htm

Authors: Gyeltshen Dorji and Jigme Tshelthrim Wangyal, Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve, Haa
Suggested citation: Dorji, G. and Wangyal, J. T. (2020). FIRST REPORT ON THE OCCURRENCE OF MONESES UNIFLORA IN BHUTAN. https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4186552794921548147&useLegacyBlogger=true#editor/target=post;postID=7652056258630057142;onPublishedMenu=settings;onClosedMenu=settings;postNum=0;src=link


IMPRESSIVE LIFE EXAMPLES


Who said you should always be systematic? Random numbers sometimes do wonders! So, I picked some random numbers from here and there and I am putting it here, just for me. Those who read this, please be informed that these lines impressed me so much that I became so tempted to steal and thus I stole!
Someone who told her problems are solved because she does not fight!
 
She smiled and said to me “I started succeeding when I started leaving small fights for small fighters. I stopped fighting with those who gossiped about me, I stopped fighting with my in-laws, I stopped fighting for attention, I stopped fighting to meet public expectations of me, I stopped fighting for my rights with stupid people and I left such fights to those who had nothing to fight for. I started fighting for my vision, my dreams, my ideas and my destiny. The day I gave up on small fights is the day I started becoming successful. Some fights are not your worth your time. My humble request to you is please stop fighting, be it with your husband, with your children, with your in laws, or with your servants at your home. Please never fight. No matter, how big your house is, no matter how huge your bank balance is, no matter how recent your car is, no matter how powerful your position in life is, at the end, the size of our grave will all be the same. So, please remember that the most important lesson for all of us to learn if you want to become successful be it in your family, be it in your career, be it in any walks of life; shed your egos, ego is killing mankind. If all of us can shed our egos, I’m sure there will be peace on earth and there will be progress and prosperity.

That girl you call fat, she is starving herself. That guy you made fun of crying; his mother is dying. That boy you pushed the other day, he could be abused at home. And that old man that you made fun of being deformed, he fought for our country. We think we know what everyone is going through, but the truth is we have no idea.
Don't blow out other's candle!
 
Blowing out someone’s candle does not make yours shine any brighter. And if you are trying to pull people down, you are already below them. And for those of you being put down, bullied or pushed back, recognize that if someone is making you feel you are not good enough, you are allowing them to do that. See, when someone says we are beautiful, we believe them for like a moment. But when someone says you are ugly; we believe them for a life time. Our mind constantly tricks us into amplifying the negatives and minimizing the positivity. But it is our choice not to let that in. 
India's greatest man
 
It was Gandhi who said that “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.” See, we all have a choice to let things in; whether it is energy, words, feelings or emotions. It is our responsibility to keep our space the way we want it to be. And we will have to recognize that our words and actions have impact on others. There are so many people today dealing with so much that even the smallest action can become a huge trigger in their personal life. And remember those who judge will never understand, and those who understand will never judge. 



Sunday, June 7, 2020

PRAISING THE LORD OF WISDOM


Obeisance to the Divine Protecting Lord and Teacher Manjushri,
 
Whose Wisdom shineth forth gloriously, free from the two-fold mental gloom – like the sun free from clouds,
 
Bearing the sacred volume against his heart to symbolize His perfect knowledge of all Truth in its very reality.
 
Regarding those who are still in the captivity of the ocean of existence, enveloped in ignorance and its attendant suffering,
 
As a mother does her only son, and calling on them with his divinely sweet voice possessing the sixty vocal perfections,
 
The deep thrilling and thunder – like resonance of which arouses them from the deep sleep of ignorance and frees them from the fetters of Karma,
 
Bearing the Sword of Wisdom for cutting the weeds of suffering and lighting up the gloom of ignorance.
 
Pure from all Eternity, endowed with divine attributes of those who have passed beyond the ten degrees of 
 
Perfections, O, Thou, chief amongst royal princes,
 
O, Thou, dispeller of the gloom of my heart, adorned with the hundred and twelve beautifying ornaments, obeisance to Thee.
 
Let the radiance and glory of thy Wisdom, O, Loving One,
 
Dispel the sloth and gloom of my heart.
 
Graciously bestow on me the light of courage and intellect,
 
That I may understand the sacred words and scriptures alright.

Jitsun Jampelyang - the Lord of Wisdom, it is time that you give me all your blessings!
Ugyen Guru Rimpoche - An extraordinary man from Swat Valley, don't leave me alone even a minute.


Saturday, February 8, 2020

ADOPTING TREES FOR SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT FUNDING

BUT ARE THE PEOPLE BUYING THIS IDEA



        
Jigme Tshelthrim Wangyal and Anoop Hingorani

Proposing tree adoption for sustainable forest management funding for Bhutan!

INTRODUCTION
Our hypothesis is that many people across the planet are aware of the global warming problems and understand the necessity to preserve trees that cushion the earth creating home to millions of living and non-living beings. However, they are unable to contribute to tree conservation owing to various reasons such as lack of space, political willingness and modern concept of life. We see that wealthy people enjoy visits to clean sea shores, mountains and never explored or less visited nature-based destinations, an indication that they like fresh and free air. Therefore, it can be assumed that they will be willing to contribute to nature conservation without reservations. Their ability to pay a lot of money for visiting places that make them happy and fresh can be used to multiply by giving them opportunity to make them own the nature itself by encouraging ideas such as tree adoption. Because they understand the importance of nature and trees, we can bank on their willingness to contribute in endeavors such as this because by any logic they would not hesitate to contribute any amount for the sake of saving the mother earth. Therefore, creating opportunities for the rich people to conserve nature is very important for conserving trees and subsequently saving the earth.  

Even otherwise, the intention with people in general is to contribute to nature conservation in any format. But we see that they have either been deprived of the opportunity to contribute or there are very little avenues for them to participate and donate to nature conservation. They do not have space or easy access to such initiatives. Hence, creating opportunities for people from all walks of life is vital at this juncture, when materialists have taken over many opportunities to expand their businesses.

One of the best opportunities to save trees and subsequently nature is by allowing people to either adopt or sponsor a tree or more. This might sound weird, but this will work. People with good values are expected to come forward to adopt or sponsor trees. With this opportunity being opened, people from all level of life, very rich, rich and not so rich can come forward and adopt or sponsor any number of trees in Bhutan. Ultimately, this will help in reducing the effects of global warming.

WHY
Why should people Adopt/Sponsor a tree? People willing to contribute to nature should be explained the importance of preservation of the tree and its contribution as a carbon sink and generation of precious oxygen required for natures cycles. This way the person shall be sponsoring oxygen supply for self and family.

Good Karma
There are instances of many people contributing to temples and to charities supporting good causes. Similarly, contribution towards tree adoption or tree sponsorship is a similar kind of approach for gaining good karma.

SCHEME FEATURES
         Allow people who are interested to contribute funds to adopt or sponsor a tree for various duration.
       One-year duration – 100 dollars
       Five-year duration – 300 dollars
       Life time duration – 700 dollars
      Family life time duration – 1000 dollars (Group of 4 or 5 trees are named with all the family members).
     The people who contributes funds get to have their names displayed on a fully-grown tree. (The name can be written on a cloth and then tied to the tree or any other method that does not cause any harm to the tree or the environment).
     The tree should be part of a forest reserve with access to people who have contributed and view his name displayed on the trees.
    This forest reserve where the trees are named after various people, shall become a tourist destination as many tourists would like to visit this as a place of interest.
       A tourist visiting the forest reverse, should be able to adopt or sponsor the tree on the spot.

WEB SITE
    A dedicated web site would be required to store information of the people who adopts or sponsors a tree.
      The website should have a photograph of the person along with his details.
      The website should contain the duration of tree adoption or tree sponsorship.
   The website should be able to send reminder e-mails to sponsors who have taken annual adoption or five-year adoption for renewal.
   The website should display certain information of the person - like Nationality, period of sponsorship, start date of the sponsorship, date of birth etc.
  The website should have credit card payment processing options for people to directly contribute (if they wish) and are unable to visit the forest reverse. The website should allow people interested, to upload their photographs on the website as a contributor.

FUND UTILIZATION
      Fund generated through this scheme should be utilized for the day to day maintenance of the forest reserve.
       Part of the fund should be utilized for planting new saplings for future trees.
    The fund should be utilized to generate compost etc. and all other natural boosters for the growth of the trees.
      The funds should also be utilized for all the facilities for tourists (like washrooms, Tea/Coffee and Snack counters) who visit and would like to spend a day at the forest reserve.
      All the information of funds collected, and funds utilized should be displayed on the website to establish transparency.

MARKETING STRATEGY
      The scheme should have approval from the highest level within government agencies
   Tourists visiting the country should be provided information for Tree Adoption or Tree Sponsorship on all flights to Bhutan.
     There should be information of Tree Adoption or Tree Sponsorship displayed at all the hotels throughout Bhutan and tourist locations.
     Tree Adoption or Tree Sponsorship information should be displayed at shops where tourist visit for shopping.
     Tree Adoptions or Tree Sponsorship fund collection centres, should be included at local banks or post offices (this can be finalized later after the response of the first year).

TERMS & CONDITIONS
     Trees offered for adoption or sponsorship are and shall remain property of the forest reserve (or any government department it falls under) and the person adopting or sponsoring the tree has no legal ownership of the tree.
     Trees offered for adoption or sponsorship are susceptible to various natural threats like floods, earthquakes, in such cases the functioning authority shall not be responsible for any destruction of the trees. Forest reserve authorities shall try to accommodate the names of sponsors again once the trees are re-grown or use another location to assign the names.
      Forest reserve authorities shall replace the names of the sponsors from one tree to another one in-case the trees are removed due to any emergency situations and the sponsor shall be informed through email.
 
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.

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

TRIBUTE TO THE GREATEST WOMAN OF MY LIFE


We knew each other in 1990 as students in the same class in same school. Then we never thought we would make our life together for a long time. I wish I have you with me now but I am sure I would not write this story if you were here because as a normal common man, I must not have felt your importance the way I am feeling now. But I think that’s normal and I know you would never mind for not giving you much importance. But I have no shame in confessing you now, that my life without you for the last twenty-four months have been not quite normal. Sadness dominated happiness, inconveniences fared better than conveniences, failures took over successes, losses made better than profits, more inhumanely things happened than humane ones, got salt where sugar was required, and the list is infinite.
The lady that mattered most to me
Without you, the house is empty, and I still don’t want to return home after going out for my official errands. I don’t think I have a home now. I just don’t. I feel it so difficult to put the mess of your absence into order like you left me yesterday although it is (exactly) already 24 months today. I see no reason for you to leave me at this stage of life. I really don’t see the reason. Thank you John P. Read for writing the following poem for me, it gives me such a pleasure.

“I still say I love you
But there is no reply.
I always feel your presence
As if you never left my side.

I remember your comforting voice.
Now there is not a sound.
Only echoes from the past
Follow me around.

You are always by my side
But I can’t hold your hand.
The reason why God took you
I find hard to understand.

Summer days seem much shorter.
Dark nights just linger on.
Dreams turn into nightmares
When the one you love has gone.

But real love never fades.
It still burns like the sun.
Although they are far away.
Those memories go on and on.

Her spirit will never die.
It shines like the stars.
I know you are sleeping in heaven.
But you are living in my heart.”

And yes, as you asked, I have kept your girls at the school you wanted them to study. I am doing your anniversary ceremonies at the place you want me to do. My love for you hasn’t changed although you are not around. Love does not die. Love is not like us who die for sure at some of point of time in life.

Saturday, February 9, 2019

JACSON DRUKPA AS PERSON

I am a naturalist and my understanding about life surrounds around nature. It is easier for me to know when trees shed their leaves and when wild animals breed for speciation to continue than other things in life. Thus, outside nature what I write is all amateurish and they don’t necessarily make greater sense. However, if any one ever read this note, it is about how Jackson Drukpa is better than many others in the political fray or in the affairs of human life. This guy intrigues me beyond my subjects which I seriously studied at the training Institutes, Colleges and Universities. As such, I find him very interesting and enterprising. I for one would not mind giving him a chance to be politician at whatever levels, the national council, national assembly, Throemdheys or even the local government. However, to keep away critics who might suspect my connection with him and who might assume that I am popularizing Jackson Drukpa, I wish to clarify three things.

First, the readers of this very article must understand that Jackson Drukpa is not my close friend or a relative. We first met at Kolkata when both of our wives had to undergo treatment at the same hospital and attended to our wives together, shared meals and stayed in the same (building for once) colony in the neighbourhood apartments. When people suffer, we get to see their true colours and it is down there that I saw the guy to be really big-hearted, complementary, persevering, helpful and hard working. He does not see class, levels and boundaries in the society where more respect is given to people with wealth, position and good looks. Therefore, what I write about him is not to promote him, neither to make him famous, which he already thinks he is, and I believe he is, but to note what type of person he is by calling spade a spade. This note will also serve as a record about how I feel about him. It is simple and straight forward. I just want to record what I feel about him, nothing more.

Secondly, Jackson does not make any sense to many as much as to Election Commission of Bhutan who had to reject his party registration. If many don’t see him credible, then why would I? However, I must confess that by looking at his activities, he is one guy with lots of humanely ideas. Have a closer look. It is worth seeing him in detail. What he thinks is pure and serene. No one can instigate or manipulate his thoughts. We should be looking at him as a social leader if it is not about political leadership. When we put up together down there in the same building at the Kolkata's New Town’s Soosoo Gardens, he and his wife moved out to a next building which was bit cheaper than the one we put together with the same facilities. Not because they could not afford but Jackson was perhaps exploring better place for his wife at reasonable rates. Besides, I saw him visiting all the sick people living around the hospital on rented apartments and the supposedly Guest House provided by some kind rich people but not worth living with diseases that are already life threatening. I remember him lamenting the kind of rooms many of our sick people were putting in and was regretting about his inability to support them although he wanted to. He would often buy few edible things for the sick people and escorts and visit them as and when his wife allowed him to move out. He once told me that he would like to run a charity home down there for terminally ill people from Bhutan. But without resources, his idea has remained a dream. I wish someone takes his idea seriously. If I had authority to certify how humane people are, I would first certify Jackson Drukpa and I mean it. I have seen him well through the problematic phase of his life and I saw such a nice person in him. I know I have no bragging rights about him, and I don’t mind even if you (my readers) don’t believe me like many of you who can’t believe Jackson Drukpa and even try to stop him from forming a political party, an infringement to his basic rights to go ahead with whatever one can within the constitutional framework. Some people criticize him heavily in the social media and I see him giving befitting replies. 

Thirdly, besides my admiration for his humanely actions and thoughts, I am not his fan at all and readers of this note (if any) must not connect me to him and conclude that we are friends and that positive things are being written about him to make him popular. Further, I do not intend to cling to his popularity (he believes he is popular and rightly so) for any gain of sort. I just want to put things straight and express what I feel about him after thorough scrutiny about what he is doing as a common citizen. It is worth mentioning here that I have seen many people following his posts in the social media which vividly indicate he has followers, either good or bad. Good followers alone is not good, we need even the bad followers. So, Jackson moves on.

Jackson Drukpa aka Chheku Drukpa

With this background, let me give a few reasons why Jackson Drukpa must be given a chance to be a political or social leader. For the sake of introduction, Jackson studied bachelor’s in civil engineering from Motilal Nehru Engineering College in India and Masters in Transportation Engineering at Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. Otherwise, I don’t think I should write his biography since everything about him is available online, free and transparent. I must rather focus on what type of person he is. 

He is very much one of us, common, simple and down to earth. Thus, trying him for a leadership wouldn’t be a mistake any way. He has everything (quality, qualification and interest) required to enter politics, including the humane factor which is more important than other conditions. However, his modern approach to politics seem to receive only a lukewarm support due to the classical and medieval outlook of most of the people here. Otherwise, Bhutan can seriously experiment him. Coming from a small village in Nanong, then Trashigang but now Pema Gatshel due to political delimitation boundaries, Jackson Drukpa knows what things happen in the remote villages like many of us who belong to rural Bhutan. So, he understands what to do where, why and how. Why shouldn’t we try him for once and let him be a leader. We should put him in the centre and test or taste him at least once. Who knows he might give us the best. He talks so. 

One important aspect of the guy is seriously trying to form a political party. He wrote the party charter all alone and sought the opinion of the people interested in his ideas through the social media. Even naming of the party was done through votes in the Facebook. When an individual with a different dream like him can do all these, I see no reason for us not to support his maverick ideas. He worked day and night to establish a dream political party while most of us did not give a serious thought other than a handful of youths who saw some vision in his political ideas. All the while, we must remember that he did all his party stuff without any funding which is another aspect of man with determination who see some scope to bring changes in the society. Do we have reasons not to put him in the forefront?

Ask him about why he wants to have a new party while he can very well join an existing party and represent his constituency. He will tell you that his party idea is different from others and that other parties are not his like. And we know for every major issue, be it unemployment, pledges of political parties, international issues, development, education, etc., he has something unique and prompt to comment and challenge the decisions with good reasons. To confirm what I mean in this paragraph about how he challenges certain decisions of the government body or institutions, you can follow his timeline in Facebook which he uses as platform to express his displeasure and pleasantries. To be brutally honest, I find his arguments reasonable every time he puts forth. Thus, Bhutan can give a thought about this guy in the coming years.

He sings in the Drayangs, Karaokes in the Entertainment Halls, dances on the roads and people seem to judge him. Many classic people think that the leaders should not do such things, but he thinks otherwise. He once told me that he lives on his own terms; free, relaxing and impromptu  and not under anyone’s compulsion. He really believes in letting people do what they like. That’s why he sings songs composed by himself or that of others with passion and we can see him doing from time to time in the social media, Entertainment Places and homes. And I think he is right. Why shouldn’t a leader sing a song, dance or compose raps and show them out in the media? Are the leaders not human beings? I see some people making fun of him in the media when he posts video recordings of himself with Drayang and entertaining girls as if the girls there have no human dignity. What if you are the girls working there? Let’s have some respects to the struggling girls who work in Drayang and let’s help them be better like Jackson does from time to time by visiting them. Let’s just not look down at them. I strongly feel that if we have twenty percent of the population thinking like Jackson, Bhutan would be different. Therefore, let’s try Jackson in the near future.

Of many discussions about Jackson Drukpa in the social media, one thing about how and why he is so handsome caught my attention. Many youths seem to like him by the way they are following him. However, we must agree that like any normal people like you and me, he has his own limitations, weaknesses and strengths. I think that’s absolutely normal. He enjoys everything normal people enjoy (I hope he will not beat me up) and of course talks a lot about his party pledges, failures and successes and about all his popular ideas. Looks like a good number of opposite gender dream about sleeping with him (hahaha, he will surely beat me) stealthily and sneakily since he has wife (this is with light heart and is not at all true).  He is of course not a Bachelor. Jokes aside, as much as people find him handsome, his ideas and thoughts are handsome. So, where is the question of not supporting the guy in the near future.

A week ago, I landed up at his second home below the Clock Tower with my friends. As friends we were there to see him and request him not to go too much social in his Facebook pages and others with his new ideas that do not go well with classical senior citizens. But it turned out otherwise, he scolded and clearly told us not to intervene with what he is doing. He told us to mind our business and we had to shut our mouths. But under the influence of some drinks, one of our friends reminded him of how he did not respond to calls and how he remained low when his party was denied registration. Seriously though, we know he took the case to the courts for denying registration. Whatever it is, I tell you he is more humane than many of us. I see this in him. So, let's go with him next.

After few rounds of whiskey, I could not resist my closing eyes and fell asleep on the floor where he sits, sings and posts few things and I realized only when the future prime minister of Bhutan pushing under my head a pillow and covering the rest of body with his gho as quilt. Since where we visited is his second home where he works, nothing better can be expected. He is humane.

This is Jackson Drukpa I know, and he should be tried as our leader since he talks all positive about anything. Let us try him in the future. There are no reasons not to support him... let us go!
 
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 official or private purpose or to make legal claims on the contents herein. People mentioned here in are fictitious characters and any resemblance to anyone with some characters or more are purely coincidence.


Jigme Tshelthrim Wangyal

When we think of Bhutan, we often picture majestic Himalayan peaks, pristine forests, and Gross National Happiness. But beneath the forest f...