Sin against God, not bureaucracy!

Disclaimer: This update of mine is not to demean the hardworking people across all offices but for a few whose office job has become a perennial source of irritation for everyone.

Just this morning I went to a familiar office, not that I am new to the office but I have been to this office ever since I ended up in Thimphu. I make my appearances in this office for professional and official reasons. Every visit that I make to this office or other government offices in particular; it has been a palm-itching experience.

Firstly, I have to arrange my classes or substitute the class not to let my children stay idle in my absence. Then, after the permission granted look from my superior, I head off to see the official. Reaching the office, to my utter dismay, either the official is out or the desk people give you excuses with some stupid grin on their already over-painted and tainted face. Excuses is more than fine but for one of their excuses to come out, its takes some minutes of browsing through some bogus sites on the internet. These desk people are paid to arrange time and appointments for their boss who’s inside the chamber. Instead, they chat over some issues with their cronies alike or fiddle with the mouse wearing a look as if to say I have had diarrhea for the last couple of days.

A stranger waits at the door and there is no harm in saying, “How may I help you” or “Gadhim chi bay Joen (woong) yi.” It only makes visitors like me feel that they do not how to talk let alone being polite and courteous to others.

The hullabaloos of this desk people ate up 40 minutes of my time just to get a signature of her boss on some official document. And finally when you meet the official, he speaks in a sorry tone. The desk people who are to assist the official act as if they bought the chair for the official they serve. This is efficiency in the civil service.

Google images

Similarly, Last year in one of the insurance houses, I was there to claim some benefits. If I had some line of people waiting before me, I would have perfectly understood the hour long wait but making me stand, the desk people were talking about soccer. I still stood waiting for them to finish.

My tryst with meeting people in their offices for official reasons has been gruesome. I wonder if others like me undergo the same ordeal. This is the public service delivery in the bureaucracy.

Also going by the number of people living in Thimphu, the desk job should have been faster and efficient but sadly Dzongkhags have the edge in doing things faster. I am afraid if I reside in the capital city.

As a teacher myself, if you point that I am not teaching my kids, I will surely be guilty on receiving my salary but if you as desk people are getting paid for making visitors wait for no reason and just for internet surfing, are you not painfully guilty? To those who spend their time away sitting on chairs only to make people wait for no reasons across all offices: Sin against God not against bureaucracy, God forgives bureaucracy won’t.

"Bureaucrats sometimes do not have the correct information, while citizens and users of resources do."- Elinor Ostrom

The Look-Alike

Tenzin Jamtsho

Sometime in April this year, I got a friend request on facebook with a message, “Sir, I am Tenzin Jamtsho, your student”. Looking at his profile picture, I instantly knew him and accepted the request. No sooner did I accept the request came the second message, “How are you sir?”…..and the chat ensued.

This update of mine is about a student who chose to become a monk in Ngagyur Nyingma Institute, Mysore, Karnataka-India. I taught him until the sixth grade back in Zhemgang. This was in the year 2013. By 2014 January I got transferred to Thimphu and joined the current school. Some of my former students call me at times asking about me. This makes me feel good and I take pride that I have some good students remembering me.

H E Khyentse Yangse

I knew by his profile picture and his messages that he had become a monk. Back then, Tenzin used to be a shy-sly boy. He would always be after some mischief and in the school if any problem came up, his name would definitely come up. He had problems in English grammar and I was told his Dzongkha ability is commendable. His father was a Dzongkha Lopen and he has a younger sister. I am not sure what made him join the monkhood but I am proud that he chose a life of the Sangha.

Here is the thing that amazed me. Looks can be so deceiving and look at his picture. This picture of Tenzin shocked me. He is receiving a Khadar from his teacher. Now please have a look at the picture of His Eminence Khyentse Yangsey Rimpoche. I showed the two picturess to some of my friends at school and initially everyone told me they are the same pictures of Rimpoche. Looking closely at the pictures, only then people opined it to be different. As a student back in Zhemgang, I never thought of him bearing a look that resembles Rimpoche. By my observation too, Tenzin closely resembles Rimpoche. Just see for yourself.

I want him to understand this line from Dzongsar Khyenste Rimpoche “The frustrating thing about our life is that there is no control over our emotions. That’s why there’s no fun. The whole purpose of Buddhism is to have fun, isn’t it? And in order to have fun you have to have control. If someone else has control over you, that’s it: there’s no fun.”

PS: I have sought permission from Tenzin Jamtsho for this update and the pictures here are from his facebook page. Thank you Tenzin! I am proud of you!