Taktsang Zhenta Detsuen’s positive impact

The coming together of horse owners, in Tsento Gewog under Paro Dzongkhag, to form an association, has brought about positive impacts in horse riding business.

The members say after the formation of the group, their riding business has become systematic and efficient.

“Previously, some would get to go around twice in a day, while some, who were shy and less experienced, wouldn’t even get a single customer,” said the group’s chairman, Rinchen Dorji.

He said after the association was formed every member gets equal opportunities to make money since the horses are sent out in order of a list.

Horse owners of Tsento Gewog came together to form Taktsang Zhenta Detsuen in March, this year. The 27-member group has established an office at the base of Taktshang.

Members have to bring their horses and the office assigns them with their daily duties.

The group has around 170 horses which are assigned in order.

“I have to open the office by 6:30 AM. When customers come in, I take their order and distribute their orders accordingly,” said the association’s accountant, Thinley.

The horse-owners are now able to concentrate more on their services without having to worry about finding customers.

“Earlier when there was no group there were a lot of problems. We couldn’t concentrate on the quality of our services. Since this group was started everything started to work smoothly,” said a member, Phub Dorji.

Customers have to pay Nu 660 per horse regardless of the business season.

Horse-owners get Nu 600, while Nu 60 is deposited in the association’s Bank account.

The group plans to initiate other small projects, such as a canteen, from the money saved in the bank.


Source: BBS

Bhutan’s saving unique written culture

Traditional calligraphy and xylography in the country are on terminal decline with increasing population being exposed to computers and electronic gadgets, researchers said.

In an attempt to preserve the traditional calligraphic, xyllographic and print culture in the country, experts from around the country are working on the National Library and Archives of Bhutan’s (NLAB) three-year project. German Bhutan Himalaya Society is funding the first phase with Nu 2.16 million.

They are conducting a research on historical significance of ancient calligraphy and xylographic print culture, and making videos of the calligraphic skills. The national library would also have a small museum with various exhibits collected during their research.

The project is divided in to two phases of 18 months each. In the first phase that ends in December 2016, besides collecting initial samples, the researchers would compile and produce a draft book.

One of the researchers and the project consultant, Gregor Verhufen said that the country has a unique written script, a vast and great tradition now threatened by the explosion of technology.

Gregor Verhufen is a German researcher on Tibetan language and culture including its neighbours and has helped create a digital catalogue of the 140,000 texts in the national library in a 10-year project in the early 2000.

“Mgyogs yig (jo-yig), a script introduced to Bhutan by a disciple of Guru Padmasambhawa, Denma Tsemang during the Guru’s second visit is unique to this country,” Gregor said.

However, an English explorer in 1907 discovered a sample of the script in a monastery now called Dunhuang, on the old silk route, in China.

“So the question is how did the script reach thousand of miles away from here, which is interesting to research,” he said. “This is not just significant from a religious point but also from the cultural side.”

Chief research officer of NLAB, (Dr) Yonten Dargye said the project could not lose any more time. “There are still few experts on the writing culture and we would document every aspect of it for preservation,” he said.

“Few years down the line, we may not be able to achieve what we can today.”

Researchers said that without proper research and documentation, the significance of this heritage that forefathers valued may not be properly understood and appreciated by future generations.

Given that great Buddhist masters introduced the preponderance of this heritage to establish national identity, it is important that the most accurate information possible is gathered, analysed, and documented for posterity, researchers said.

The book has eight chapters on topics including traditional paper-making, ink, pen, origin of the Bhutanese script (Mgyogs-yig), xylography, and printing texts, among others.\

Source: Kuenselonline.com