Ending 2015 with a Bhutanese Audiobook

Every year on this day and about this time of the day I open my blog and recount the year when the rest of the world go to party. I would take great pride in the number of articles I have written and but this year I can't do that because I have underperformed. Somewhere among great people I lost my confidence to write in my own style because they wanted me to write like scholars. I failed. I need to get back soon.

But looking beyond my blog I think 2015 has been the best year of my life so far. Perhaps I have matured enough to find happiness outside my blog. Earlier no matter what I have achieved during the day my happiness always depended on what I wrote on my blog at night but this is different now. I am happy looking back on what I have achieved.

I will always remember 2015 as the year I solved Rubik's Cube. Over the months I have bettered my time and now I can do it in less than two minutes. It's only matter of time before I master it but I have gift my cube to my nephew who has already beaten my record.

The other things I would like to remember from 2015 are Yangthang READ Centre, which READ Bhutan opened in my village in the spring. This I am sure will change the quality of life in my village and therefore the future of it. To sustain the activities of the centre and engage our youth meaningfully I have founded Yangthang Village Youth Club. This club will compliment and give wings to the facilities in the centre.

My dream to see clean toilets in Bhutan was shared by a group of very close friends and we made a big beginning this year with Bhutan Toilet Organization's Nation wide campaign that involved over 300 volunteers from across the country. We have set up our office with support from many people and now we are ready for more than just cleaning.

And finally before the year ended I had one last thing to take care of which began in 2014, the production of an audiobook. With permission from author Kunzang Choden I and my 12 year old student Sonam Chuki began recording the novel Dawa-The Story of a Stray Dog in Bhutan last year. M-Studio did four days of recording with the little girl and took months to put together the three hours audiobook. iBest Institute took from there and helped in producing 50 CD. From the author to the recording studio to the CD producer and the cover designer Che Dorji, none of them bothered about a penny, it was all labour of love.

It was launched last week at Camp RUF during Karma Choden's reading session, and later the book was played every night as bedtime story. While this first Bhutanese audiobook could be a great educational material for all students and especially the ninth graders who have the novel in their syllabus I saw that it's a priceless gift to the visually impaired students. Therefore I have asked Sonam Chuki to send a copy to Khaling Munseling School as gift from her side among other schools.

I am yet to present a copy to author herself. We are meeting in January and I will let her listen to Sonam Chuki reading her book. If she finds it worth I am going to gift the recording to her.

Celebrity Week

This has been the wildest one week of my life- five days of celebration of music, art and literature. All but in Thimphu. I feel sorry for friends who couldn't make it to the week long Bhutan International Festival. But one thing I gradually realised is that things don't happen in Thimphu, individuals and groups make things happen. It's all private initiative, people put brain, money and hardwork to fly in hundreds of foreign talents and discover hundreds of native stars. My deepest appreciation to the organisers.

While few youth have painted the entire picture of Bhutanese youth dark over the years, you should see those youth speakers at TEDx. Their talks will reassure you that our future is in the safe hands. The videos should be on YouTube soon, and I hope BBS will take a step forward to acquire the recordings and broadcast to the nation. By the way, all the talks were free besides free coffee- Amazing Bhutan!

Clock Tower Sq. and Mojo Park staged musics and dances of all sorts with some celebrity musicians from faraway lands performing. For once I wished if I had ten extra pairs of ears and eyes that I could send around to attend each of those events- Art exhibition at VAST, Dance program at Clock Tower Sq., Live Art at the Centenary Children's Park, Pottery and other craft at Tarayana, some never seen before art and science show... Thimphu was for once heaven for people like me. 

And if you have patience enough to wait late after the shows and reach all the places at once then there you have all the opportunities to bump into personalities you otherwise see only on screen, books or hear on your music sets. For me I have left no adventure unlived when the world of celebrities was at my door.

Thanks to Gangchu for introducing me to the central piece of the festival, Lucky Ali. The quiet man standing in the corner was not noticed by the crowd for quite sometime until someone informed the stage. He came out to relax at Mojo and landed up performing- quite a bonus for us. Not to mention that he happily posed with me and Kezang. 

Lucky Us, Lucky Ali

The two larger than live art pieces showcased at the centenary children's park were all over Facebook but nowhere have I seen the picture of two artists who painted them. Here you are. One is our own Chang, who did the Buddha.

The two artists on new canvas 

The super villain,  known to many of us as Feroz Bai, the international Don, our own Kelly Dorji was among us. There was a time when I and my brother watched his south Indian movies every time it came on Zee Cinema, which is like every week, and meeting him in person was quite a moment. To ace it, he sounded more excited to meet me- am I going to be on PaSsu Diary? Humility is Kelly!

Don't Mess with me, I have the Don's backing 

This guy Zhaw gave his explosive performance at TEDx, Mojo and Viva City and I followed him. I have heard melodious voices, and explosive voices but this guy has both together. I don't know if he would even remember but I have never failed to shake his hands after his performance. 

Zhaw!

And finally in the field I love the most-Literature: This must be the fourth time I met author Kunzang Choden, the godmother of Bhutanese Literature in English, but I have never really dared to ask her to pose with me. This time I went with a plan, I asked my daring friend Pema Chhomo to set it up for me. While I was in conversation with the author, Pema walked in and said, "O' Ashi, PaSsu idolises you, why don't two of you take a picture together." Finally Click! Thanks Au Pema.

Finally!

Dreams Come True at M-Studio

M-Studio is a place where musical talent finds its home. I have witnessed the studio give purpose to lives of many young people, to whom music mean everything. I could hardly imagine what would have happened to so many dreams if M-Studio hadn't come along. Thank you Choeying Jatsho, for dreaming a dream that would drive so many dreams.

One day, few years ago I wrote to M-Studio asking them to do the nation a favour of recording country’s first audio book. I got a reply expressing their interest but they were in the midst of musical revolution and had so many things going on. Then it was some months ago I wrote to them about Sonam Chuki and our plan to record Kuenzang Choden’s masterpiece “Dawa-The Story of a Stray Dog in Bhutan”.

Sonam Chuki at M-Studio

Sonam Chuki is just another eleven year old who has but read a lot. There are many like her and many better than her in reading, but what makes her special is how she kept pushing me ever since the first time we talked about it. She must be the only class VII kid who has read “Dawa-The Story of a Stray Dog in Bhutan” countless times in preparation for recording. She made me believe that we could do it. And what made it more possible is the powerful energy we received from her parents. Her parents are with her every day at the studio and they didn't hesitate once in letting her do this. And thanks to them for all the books they have always gift their daughter.

We are so indebted to the living legend, the author of the book, Kuenzang Choden for not just permitting us to record her book but also offering to help us if we ever need her assistance. I am hoping to arrange Sonam Chuki to meet the author and launch the audio book.

I could never imagine how tedious it is to record hundred over pages with a little girl, but Choeying Jatsho has all it takes to make it easy. The first trial recording of chapter 1 took 25 minutes, and I was already feeling very sorry because there were 13 chapters, but to my amazement Choeying did the first chapter three times. He gave the little girl all the time to make her comfortable with the whole process. Two days on and he has done seven chapters. There are over a hundred of sentences repeated and I have seen him note down the time periods of every mistakes, which means he has to work endlessly on it after we are done with the recording.

Sitting there in his studio and watching this young man do his work so passionately inspired me beyond words. My respect and admiration for M-Studio has grown greater than ever. I still can’t believe Choeying is doing this for Chuki and me unconditionally. I am so guilty of making a young entrepreneur do so much amount of work for free. I can never thank the man enough.

One day when his work reaches to thousands of students across the country, some of whom will be visually impaired, then we shall know the true essence of Choeying’s service. 

Stars Born in M-Studio