How to get Blessed at Dechenphug?

Everyone comes to Dechenphug to seek blessing and divine guidance from the mighty Ap Gayney. From ancient times, Bhutanese have been going to him in times of need. There are too many of us. Too many prayers. Too many expectations. Each one is more desperate, more urgent, and more earnest than the other. 

The poor deity there must be overwhelmed. His ears must be ringing with a million prayers, mostly selfish ones. He must be the most confused-deity in the country; Two persons competing for one job slot are both visiting him and seeking his help, whom should he favour? If it was based on merits then why go to him? 

In this mysterious scheme of seeking the attention of the divine one at Dechenphug, I suggest you approach things slightly differently. Make it easy for him to notice you in the maddening crowd; Just help Azha Lhagay, the cleaner, sweep the huge courtyard and the long winding footpath from the parking to the temple. Help him clean the toilet that's hidden behind the lam's residence. Help him uproot weeds from between the stone slabs, this has been bothering him every season. I gave him an idea to pour either bleaching power or used-engine oil between the slabs to prevent weeds from flourishing. 

For a tiny man in his 70s, Azha Lhagay is too thinly spread at Dechenphug. He needs help. Who knows the cleaner may be the divine one. He may have taken the form of the pitiable one just to see if you are kind enough to deserve the blessings you came to seek.

Take toilet paper rolls and soap instead of dalda and incense sticks. Don't do what thousands are already doing. Being the most visited temple, there is Dalda overdose. Do something different to be noticed. 

Thousands come there, but only a few return with blessings. If you want to be among the blessed ones, help do some necessary chores for Ap Gayney. Excite the divine one, impress him and seek his favour. 

Ap Lhagay is the lone cleaner at the temple. He is a grateful person who got this job as a Royal Kidu. He says he can't even offer a spoonful of butter as an offering to Ap #Gayney but he serves by cleaning the home of the divine with all his heart. He says, he would be so grateful if some young visitors could help him with his chores at times. 

Humans of Thimphu

I am capturing this post from Humans of Thimphu page to archive it on my blog and express gratitude. I wish to thank the team of young people behind the project, not just for featuring me but for all the positive stories you have written so far. It’s incredible how a difference in perspective can change everything. Their deliberate effort to find stories of kindness, compassion, courage, devotion, inspiration, dedication... and share on social media that is suffocating with all sorts of negativity reminds me of the story of the Hummingbird. 

 

The only other Bhutanese platform on which we see similar expressions of positivity is Ap Pokto, which is deceivingly serious in its commitment to find and tell stories of positivity and go out of its way to help people who are in need. 

Sometimes, some people raise their brows and ask how a particular person is chosen as a silent hero or an inspiring figure by Ap Pokto or Humans of Thimphu when that person doesn’t deserve to be honoured that way. Well, that’s where we must realise that there is goodness in everyone, but only a few of us can unconditionally see through all the flaws and spot the diamond among the coal. Not all of us are kind, loving, and unjudging enough to tell a good story about a random person. Therefore, the two platforms deserve to be celebrated. 

Thank you Humans of Thimphu for choosing to feature my story on World Toilet Day, a cause that's close to my heart. When you wrote a positive story, it's less about the subject and more about you. Thank you for being kind.