World Ranger’s Day

They climbed through deep snow & reached high in the mountains,

Where airs are thin & grounds are freezing.

One was making the rounds for caterpillar fungus & the other was counting the big snow cat.

But the two heroes of the woods couldn’t make their way back home, for they were consumed by the mountains.

No more to be seen or heard, the most beautiful souls gave away their lives to guard riches of the nature.

They drove through the heavy rain & reached low in the foothills,

Where rivers are swelling & grounds are scorching.

One squad of ten men was returning to their base & other of six was making the regular rounds.

But ten heroes of the woods couldn’t make their way back home, for the Guerrillas took them by surprise with a booby trap & bullets.

No more to be seen or heard, the bravest hearts fought until their last breath to guard riches of the nature.

They hiked through the thick cloud & reached in the center of dense woods

Where cliffs stand thousand feet tall & the sky is darkening.

One was looking for the safest route & others were reading the signal

But one hero of the woods couldn’t make his way back home, for he went tumbling down the cliff.

No more to be seen or heard, the dedicated leader of the squad was buried when guarding the wild riches.

No matter in which cardinal directions they dwell, the stories of fallen & standing heroes of woods are of sad and subdued genre.

Being outnumbered sometimes they were pelted with stones & threatened with knives by poachers & loggers.

Being not equipped well sometime their lives are taken away by the wild animals they protect.

However, they have no time to look back into the lowliness of past.

For the glory of future they have to guard the garden of wilds

Footnote: In the year 2019, Department of Forest & Park Services detected 1911 numbers of offences of which illegal logging was the highest with 795 cases. In so doing, Rangers, the front-line conservation heroes faces life threatening challenges from harsh environments, wild animals and the poachers, smugglers & illegal loggers. In the past two decades, about 21 Rangers died and 11 were injured in line of duty. 

According to Ranger Federation of Asia, over the past nine years, 871 Rangers were killed around the globe when protecting the nature. So, I being a member of Ranger family pay a tribute to all the fallen and standing heroes of wildlife on  ‘World Rangers Day’ which is marked annually on 31st of July.

Fig: Patrolling across the country

Fig: Wildlife rescue & medication

Fig: Some of the forestry  related offences 

Read More

Drametse Lhakhang

Drametse, the peak with no enemy has a monastery resting on the shoulder of steep slope, and is eighteen Kilometers ride from the junction of Monggar-Trashigang highway. The sixteenth century monastery houses the relic stupa (Kudung) of Jetsun Ratna Dharma alias Ani Chorten Zangmo who is to the date acknowledged as the essence of hundred thousand sky-walkers. She was also known by the name ‘Ache Rinchen’ in the writings of Terton Padma Lingpa. The Ruby Rosary; activities of three incarnation lines of Padma Lingpa, which was published in the year 2011 reads that Ani Chorten Zangmo was born to Dungsey Tenzin Choegyal, the son of Gyalsey Sangdak, and so unquestionably was the great granddaughter of Terton Padma Lingpa. The famed hagiographical works of 3^rd Pema Lingpa, Kunkhyen Tsultim Dorje, and the wooden block entreaty of Ani Chorten Zangmo also support the claim. 

She was married to Yeshe Gyalpo from Sumthrang Choeje but having been sick and tired of the cyclic existence, she renounced her family whom she thought were the obstacle to the enlightenment. The other version says that she fled from Bumthang to escape the repeated marriage proposal from the son of Chhokhor Deb (chieftain) Kunthhub. Her brother Chung Kunga Nyingpo and a small number of attendants escorted her during the escape to eastern region of Bhutan. On reaching at Aja-Nye the shell trumpet when blown gave a trifling sound and thereafter the place was named as ‘Dungkhar Choeling’.  The caravan of aforesaid travelers then reached at Brahmitse, the peak which shelters the tribal community of Tawang. In line to the predestination, it was at Brahmitse, the present-day hermitage at Drupchhu where the shell trumpet produced melodious sound. The place from then on became to be known as ‘Drametse’, which literally means the peak with no enemy; a state of total freedom of distraction to pursue dharma.

After a decade and three years of mediation at Drupchu Goenpa, Ani Chorten Zangmo and Chung Kunga Nyingpo established Thechog Namdrol Ugyen Choeling Lhakhang at Drametse in 1511 AD. The oral history says that during the groundwork of the Lhakhang, Ani Chorten Zangmo through her wisdom eye saw a human size caterpillar under a big stone. After eons of suffering under such hell and due to ripening of good Karma, Ani Chorten Zangmo liberated the worm by conducting bonfire ritual. The Lhakhang having been consecrated became the place of worship where thousand petals of Peling tradition blossomed. During the late 16^th century, Chung Kunga Nyingpo’s son Tenzin Jurmey Dorje and grandson Kencho Tenzin extended it into three storey monastery representing three bodies of a Buddha; Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya. The upmost floor has the chapel of Pekar, the chief spirit all the Gyalpo class, and in a different chamber has the five sisters of long life. The middle floor has shrine of Palden Lhamo, Tsuimar, Hayagriva, Zhabdrung, and a room of Sutra & Tantra. The ground floor has Guru Rinpoche’s statue and snow lion throne of His Holiness Lhalung Sungtrul Rinpoche, the 11^th Padma Lingpa.

The riches of the monastery include relic stupa (Kudung) of Ani Chorten Zangmo, horn of a horse, the crystal bottle with water said to calculate apocalypse, golden vajra, sacred oyster, Astadasahasrika-prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines) inscribed with golden ink,  and skull (kapala) of Dakini with self-arisen syllables ‘Om Ah Hung’, etc. History of the Dakini kapala dates back to the eighth century. The queen mother had her last breath during the labour but the child was found alive when about to cremate. She was raised by the monkeys, and even developed webbed hands and feet indicating the enlightened characteristic. She was known by the name Sakya Devi and was Guru Rinpoche’s first consort from Nepal. After having received the secret and sacred initiations from Guru Rinpoche at Pharping, she remained as yogini until her nirvana. Her Kapala (skull) was at that time concealed as a treasure at Samye only to be unearthed by Terton Padma Lingpa. This treasure Kapala was later received by Ani Chorten Zangmo as a share of birthright from Tamzhing Choeje and was carried to Drametse during her escape.  

After Ani Chorten Zangmo passed away into small rainbow body, her son (from the marriage with Yeshe Gyalpo at early age) Dhungsey Choewang Dargay started ‘Drametse Choeje’ which blessed with the birth of two successive incarnations of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel; Zhabdrung Jigme Norbu (1831-1861) and Zhabdrung Jigme Chogyal (1862-1904). Prior to the two incarnations, Zhabdrung Jigme Drakpa (1791-1830) was also said to be born at Drametse but his lineage from Drametse Choeje is yet to be known. The Choeje however was ended with Choeje Tenzin as the last heir.

The monastery is also renowned for the origin of twenty one chaptered drum dance of Drametse (Drametse Ngacham), one of the UNESCO’s ‘Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible World Heritage of Humanity’. The orchestra of this mask dance is made of sixteen dancers wearing different masks of real and mythical animals; snow lion, garuda, dragon, yak, leopard, goat, snake, raven, horse, owl, stag, pig, dog, bear, tiger, and ox. In one of the visions of Chung Kunga Nyingpo, the drum dance was initially performed by celestial beings to welcome him at ‘Copper-Coloured Palace’ of Guru Rinpoche. Chung Kunga Nyingpo passed down the choreography of this drum dance at Drametse and in so doing gave it the name ‘Drametse Ngacham’.

There are countless riches, colours, and legends at Drametse which if put on paper would take days and months, so why not stopover at Drametse and walk around to experience its richness? The 5^th, 6^th and 10^th lunar months are the Grade ‘A’ holiday time for you will be able to witness Trelda Tshechu (honouring ceremony of Guru Rinpoche’s Birthday), Tordok (The burning of evil effigy for good harvest and wellbeing of the community), and Kangso Chhenmo (bonfire rituals during the festival eve)  respectively. 

Read More

Rahula and the Meeting of Nine Evils

Fig: Rahula (PC: Tibetan Spirit)

Many aeons ago (longer than the age taken to wear a mountain by brushing with eagle’s wing), Drangsong (Rishi) Zamita and his consort Trulmo Poding had a son named Lalar Chuzhi who took monastic vows and dogged an ascetic life in the woods of Shing Laksha until Prajna Kulu, the maid of King Ratna Siddha caught a glimpse of him. The son of great sage was at that time invited in the palace as the royal priest by the king. From then on Prajna Kulu became the fourth crowned head as recognition from the king. But the green-eyed ministers falsely accused Lalar Chuzhi of having affair with Queen Prajna Kulu, and the king had him burned alive in the mountain of sandalwoods. Before he had his last breathe, he cursed to hit back the king and ministers in seven days by reawakening as a monster. He also made an aspiration statement that the four queens shall labor under his order to tame the wrongdoers during the degenerating Kalpa. Seeing the insanity of the king, the four queens could not stop throwing themselves into the pyre of sandalwoods.

In accordance to ‘The Unprecedented Explanation of a Mere Portion of the Liberation Stories of the Ocean of Oath-Bound Dharma Protectors’, the collected works of the 5^th Lelung Zhepai Dorje’s (1697-1740), Lalar Chuzhi was reborn at the base of gigantic Mt Sumeru as a horrifying son called Khyab’jug Chenpo (Rahula) to Sinpo (male cannibal earth spirit) Raksha Lokgi Trengwa and Lumo (serpent spirit) Belgo Trakmikma. He was born with nine heads, nine hearts, four arms, a frog body with wide open mouth at the belly, and a serpent tail. He was born so giant that when he stands the deepest ocean reach only up to his knees. Due to karmic connection, the four queens of King Ratna Siddha were reborn as sisters of Rahula; Droksin Chusingyi Dongchen (crocodile faced rakshi), Tak-Sinzorwe Dongchen (tiger faced rakshi), Kongsin Ba Langi Dongchen (cow faced rakshi), and Bamsin Drekyi Dongchen (bear faced rakshi). The settling of scores with King Ratna Siddha and ministers by Rahula is not the subject matter of this article; rather it would give weight to Rahula and the origins of Ngyenpa Guzom.

As per Baidurya Karpo, the 17^th century astrological writing of 6^th Desi Sangye Gyatso (regent of 5^th Dalai Lama), Rahula is known by the name Nyima Nagchen. He was born as a union of non-dual mind of Yadud Dorje Lokthreng and Sasin Barma. Nyima Nagchen and his siblings took separate routes during their journey around Mt Sumeru. On 7th day of 11th month, he met his youngest sister Bamsin Drekyi Dongchen (bear faced rakshi) and they had an incestuous relationship without recognizing each other. As a consequence, the four elements (earth, water, fire, and air) of the universe were contaminated and disturbed making the day the most inauspicious one in the lunar datebook. The day was from then on called as ‘Ngyenpa Guzom’ (meeting of nine evils). According to the tradition, the term ‘nine’ signifies the sheer size of inauspiciousness rather than representing the figure itself. 

However, the secret tantra of ‘Zago Nyimatro’ (Ferocious Planet called Wrathful Sun) has not the same story to tell. Shinje Dope Gyelpo (Yama, the lord of desire) and Sinmo (female cannibal earth spirit) Lokcham Barma had a son called Zago Nyima (Rahula). He lived at the side of Yugandhara (Nyashingzin, one of the seven golden mountains surrounding Mt. Sumeru) and Goddess Remati (Queen of desire realm) to the northeast of Mt Sumeru. They were both drunk of lust for love and agreed to meet in the north of Mt Sumeru. But, Goddess Remati conspired to send Yakshi (Nature spirit) called Phaknadong (pig snout), the daughter of Phakpa Dza (planet of pig) in disguise. At the time of departure, Phaknadong revealed her true ugly face and Zago Nyima was angry for the by mistake sexual intercourse. He called the assembly of eight classes of gods and demons (Mara, Mamo, Naga, Ging, Rahula, Tsen, Raksha, and Yaksha) for aiding him to put an end to the Goddess Remati. The malicious spirits meet every twelve months on the same time i.e. on 7^th day of 11^th month, and destroy the harvests and life force of the all God's creatures, and the day of such get-together is known as Ngyenpa Guzom (Meeting of nine evils).

In this day and age, no such harm may befall during Ngyenpa Guzom for the reason that Rahula was converted to an oath bound dharma protector after having been subdued by Heruka and Maha Guru. Nevertheless, the day was inauspicious one from the time when the elements of the universe were disturbed. However, the say that no good action shall bear fruit of merits is a myth; any conducts shall be rewarded based on its drive. The day may only barricade the practice not the result, it only cautions the initiation of significant assignments. For example, if one begins meditation on the said day, he or she may go through the troubles like ill health or laziness, and cannot fruitfully reach to closing stage of meditation. On the other hand, he or she will be deposited with good merits for the meditation done on the very same day. So, one is advised not to make important decisions of our life which have long term impact like start of husbandry, marriage, construction of house, beginning of meditation, inaugural ceremonies and other celebrations. The actions of bigheartedness, praying, saving lives, etc. can still be practiced during Ngyenpa Guzom. You are requested to break the myth and continue the thirty seven ways of Bodhisattva on Ngyenpa Guzom.

Read More