Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck, who was born in 1862, took over for his father Jigme Namgyel as the Penlop (Governor) of Trongsa after his father passed away. Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck was the first person to hold this position. He maintained his power base in Central Bhutan and eventually unified Bhutan by vanquishing his political adversaries during a time of civil wars and rebellions that occurred in the early 1880s. He helped…
Author: Sangay Phuntshog
Sangay Phuntshog is a lecturer at Trongsa's College of Language and Culture Studies (CLCS). He has more than nine years of experience teaching in higher education. He has also served as a program leader for the BA in Bhutan and Himalayan Studies Program for the past four years. He teaches in Himalayan Studies, with an emphasis on oral history, basic research methodologies, history, politics, cultural heritage, GNH, and historiography.
He is an anthophilous and religious person who enjoys playing games and hiking with friends and family outside of work.
It’s talk, and it never gets anywhere
Is it possible that I, too, am a gossiper? Or am I just talking and making conversation for the sake of gossip? However, researchers frequently define gossip as “talking about people who are not present.” For me, however, gossip is “something that comes very naturally to us,” and it is an essential part of the conversation, information, information sharing, and even community building. What could be the real reason for…
Trulku Ogyen Sangdag Rolpa’i Dorji’s biography
Figure 1.1 11th incarnation of Drupchen Sangdag Zhadpa’i Dorje, Trulku Ogyen Sangdag Rolpa’i Dorje Biography Trulku Ogyen Sangdag Rolpa’i Dorje is a writer, poet, practitioner, and Buddhist spiritual master from Bhutan. He was born to his father Mani Lama Phento and mother Pechi on the 15th day of the fifth month of the Bhutanese calendar in 1984 in Baling village, Langthel Gewog, in the district of Trongsa, central Bhutan. His…
Thoughts that pass through…
As a father, an adult man, a leader, and a teacher, I have heard enough of many things. I’ve lost half of my life. I also don’t know how long I will use the rest of my life. I have worked hard and been honest without looking for more benefits or rewards from my family, relatives, society, students, my colleagues, or immediate manager. I did what I felt was good…
An Oral History of Choegyal Drimed Kuenden’s Drupchhu at Kheng Panbang Twin Water Fall
Ven. Khenpo Thubten Dorji Rinpoche recognized Choegyal Drimed Kuenden Drupchhu in 2010. Drupchu is highly regarded in several Himalayan regions. The treasure revealers, often referred to as the tertons, claim to be in ter-kha. When the time comes, the Buddhist masters will acknowledge them. Near the twin waterfall on the Panbang-Nganglam highway, Chogyel Drimed Kuendhen’s Drupchu is still mostly unknown. On their way to the Panbang, many people pass the venerated sacred Drupchu. Just a few meters away is the…
Don’t air your grievances
Complaining will just make you feel worse about yourself. There is no way for you to improve your situation, and there never was. Words like “complain,” “moan,” and “groan” imply the presence of negative emotions, which hinder decision-making abilities. They will simply make you feel worse in general. You’ll never be satisfied with who you are, what you do, or the outcomes of your life experiences. If a person has…
Life goes on!
I came into the world all by myself. Are doomed to die alone Because of the vagaries of both time and space, our future holds equal potential for happiness and suffering. Life that goes on. Continuity in joy and wealth is highly prized by me. I attribute my unquenchable thirst to the many people who share same ambition. The pursuit of tranquility and financial success is equally important to them.…
The biggest threat to social science fields’ long-term existence
The importance of the arts and humanities transcends all generations. The humanities and arts teach us a great deal about the past and assist us in predicting the future. When did the value of social science in the twenty-first century become debatable? Understanding the past is necessary for any growth process based on facts and the truth. Without a past, we cannot just jump to technocrats’ talents. The roots of…
What causes our lack of direction?
I’m curious as to where I’m headed. What I am sometimes doing. It affects my emotional state in life. The shift that is beneficial for the country has produced widespread terror among the Druk Yul populace. Did it make people believe it is normal and acceptable, or did it force them to feel the opposition has yet to be defined correctly? It demotivated many public workers, corporate workforces, and private…
What is Oral History?
Oral history can refer to formal, rehearsed accounts of the past presented by culturally sanctioned tradition-bearers; informal conversations about “the old days” among family members, neighbors, or coworkers; printed compilations of stories told about past and present experiences; and recorded interviews with individuals deemed to have an important story to tell. The term has value in each of these contexts. The spoken word has taught most people about history. History-conscious…