The soul of the nation

National Day is a day of reflection as a nation. It is a reminder of who we are as a people and a day of introspection for individuals about the sense of national belonging we possess. With globalization, urbanization and the exodus faced by all countries – including ours, National Day has recently taken on more importance in the life of our country.

Like many Bhutanese, I watched the 117th National Day online. I was traveling for work. And like many, I shed a tear of joy and hope – particularly touched by the words of His Majesty the King that he would have his young children working on the sites of the Next Mindfulness City project.

The King-People link

Recently I watched a movie – Taking Chance. This low-budget film, based on a true story, had a simple but powerful storyline. This shows how Americans honor their people who make the ultimate sacrifice for the country. The respect, homage and honor paid to the fallen hero, as the casket returns to his hometown, is considered the soul of America itself.

As a Bhutanese, I have often asked myself: what is the soul of Bhutan as a nation? What is this sacrosanct thing that should be dear to us?

During my doctoral work, I discovered that among many national symbols and beliefs, it is the institution of monarchy that emerges at the top. The king-people bond – as in the love and care the king has for his subjects and the true respect and gratitude the people have for the monarch goes beyond the simple dynamic governed by the ruler. Rather, it is a parent-child relationship, in which every family in Bhutan considers the king as an extension of the family. It is the soul of the Bhutanese nation.

The fact that some Bhutanese in Perth quit their jobs to attend the event to see the king and videos of people queuing for miles in freezing temperatures in Thimphu on the eve of the national holiday are testament to this. The tears they shed were tears of immense joy at seeing what we Bhutanese call the king. drink ghi phama (parents to whom we owe). The fact that His Majesty crossed the oceans to meet his subject is unheard of in the history of humanity in general. Therefore, this sacrosanct soul of the nation should never be tainted, compromised or broken. No individual or institution should come between the king and the people.

The Call of Duty – and the Golden Generation

In the life of a nation, each generation receives a call to duty. For my generation, it was about enrolling in modern schools. Then when we finished high school, the smartest ones were sent on scholarships to study science and engineering and came back to serve the king, the people and the government. We did it. Some did more, some did less, but every Bhutanese of my generation who benefited from a government scholarship returned home and did their best. We have built modern health services, RNR extension centers, public infrastructure and communication systems such as radio, television and the Internet.

For Generation Z and Generation Alpha, the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) project is calling. However, my generation is also not exempt from this call, as no generation is better equipped to understand the magnitude of what we are about to create, its benefits to future generations, and its value in our journey towards nation building and sovereignty.

My generation has seen the country evolve from struggling to meet basic economic needs to Prados and smartphones – and everything in between. We come from the school of hard knocks, where we survived bedbugs and hunger in poorly resourced boarding schools and had to fight for the last scoop of broth in the school mess. Most of the time we went barefoot, where even Bata slippers were a luxury. Then we traveled abroad, flew in the latest Airbus 350 and tasted the so-called Western cuisine and lifestyle. We brought the world to Bhutan and brought Bhutan to the world. We made them fall in love with our commitment to happiness.

On the other hand, this hybrid generation has also learned the ways of our elders and ancestors, harmoniously embracing science and spiritualism and believing in both Maxwell’s field theory and Buddha’s four noble truths. The experiences of living in the best of both worlds make us the golden generation, who are now called upon to perform one last song. As I joked with someone at the Bhutan Innovation Forum, paraphrasing a line from one of my favorite films, some people will talk and others will have to dig. So we have to put our helmets back on, dust off our rubber boots and show up with “axes and shovels” – as a Bhutanese adage says.

Our generation must not only lead and inspire the next generation. Those of us who have a sphere of influence in government or public life must shed our selfish and often corrupt and bureaucratic past. Instead, we must open our eyes to the new and immense possibilities of the royal vision and rally firmly behind it. In this way, we would give back to the country that has given us so much.

What can you do? A lot

Her Majesty’s royal speech moved us, but taking inspiration and doing nothing gets us nowhere. “To know and not to do is to not know” – so says an old Bhutanese proverb. However, it must also be recognized that as a society we are accustomed to asking permission for a bathroom break or waiting for instructions for every little thing. It’s not that people are always passive or indifferent. So, when it comes to the Mindfulness City project, here are some concrete steps you could take.

First, you can donate your time or resources to Vajrayana centers under construction or in the future. This is the easiest way. As they say in Bhutanese, it’s time to pave the way for your next existence. Remember that whether you take action or not, you will grow old and it is better to grow old by looking back and seeing the things you have done rather than looking back and saying, “I should have done this or that.”

Secondly, for those working abroad, the official bank of the GMC – The Oro Bank, invites you to make term deposits in foreign currencies. The capital raised will be used to develop basic infrastructure such as airports and bridges. After ten years, your money will be returned to you with interest.

There is, however, something deeper in this Oro Bank initiative in favor of the Bhutanese diaspora. In my opinion, it is about making those living abroad feel part of this ambitious project and establishing a connection with our country, Bhutan. It’s more than just a question of money. It is about restoring the feeling of belonging and ownership of the destiny of the future Bhutan. It is not necessary to answer the call to duty by returning immediately, but by supporting the initiatives in our country – financially and morally.

Third and most importantly, let’s learn to love and support each other beyond our social status and profession. Let us admire those who are better than us and care for those who are less endowed and resourced. For people of my generation, as I said with two instructors from Desuung Skill Centers, we must train the next generation, nurture them, guide them, scold them and set them on the path of livelihood and righteousness. Otherwise, who will? Consultants come and go. But one day we will have to hand this country over to our children. They must be ready to receive it and carry it forward by honoring with integrity and pride and with all that constitutes the glorious nation of Pelden Drukpa. The duty to uplift our people and communities and truly care for our country falls squarely on us, the Bhutanese.

Nation building is a work in progress. And by nation building, I am referring to the sense of national belonging and that sense of unity as a people – not highways, hydroelectric dams or hospitals. Unless citizens have a common dream and goal, unless there is unity, solidarity and harmony, a country with a physical territory consisting of humans, animals and nature cannot does not necessarily guarantee peace, prosperity or progress.

The GMC project responds to this common goal and a collective dream envisioned by our King, who unites us as a people and as a nation and whose bond with the people has stood the test of time.

May the sun of happiness truly shine on us – as a phrase from the national anthem says.

Contributed by Dorji Wangchuk (PhD)

Professor, writer, engineer

(The opinions expressed here are personal)