Rinchey's Rhapsody

My Dear Son, Pema Ugyen Namdrol Jamtsho As you complete the eighth and enter the ninth year of your life, allow this unfortunate ‘dad’ of yours to offer my heartfelt best wishes on your birthday. May the year ahead fill you with all the happiness you deserve. May you overcome all challenges that lie ahead. I have always thought about you. You have always been in my heart and soul but somehow somewhere I have never found the nerve to contact you. However, that does not change the fact that I loved you with all my heart, I still do and will always do till my last breath. Never think, even for a slight moment, that your father does not love you. I have looked at your pictures a thousand times, kissed them a million times more and every time I did, I wept silently. I love you and miss you more with each passing and ageing day of my life. I see you in every child I encounter and the slightest memory of you has never failed to drive me to tears. I know I am not worthy of your fo

T he mighty ‘Mother Nature’ has unfolded its rage on the innocent unsuspecting people of Nepal. What remains now of this beautiful landscape is a massive mound of soil, a colossal mountain of debris and thousands of walking shadows. Even as I write this paragraph, I can see a soiled-child rummaging for his favourite toy amidst the mount of debris, his heart-broken mother calling for him beyond madness and a father hoping to find the familiar faces of his family amongst the unfamiliar faces through the clouds of dust. If it hurts us even just to imagine, lay your hands on these affected people. You might barely hear their heart beats. For many, these tremors took away everything they had; even the reason to breathe. One can only see the horror but not the pain Nepalese people are going through. What if we were one of them? The excruciating pain would have been enough to drive us insane. All beautiful monuments have faded into time. All visual splendour has bee