LIGHT OF EDUCATION IS LIGHT OF GOD

Respected Principal Sir,

You are still my Principal. So I am pouring my heart to you. My soul still lives at WMSS, and Chukha at large. Frankly speaking, to me, you have been an epitome of simplicity, gentility, humility and efficiency- a true leader. I am proud of you sir. Rabindranath Tagore said: “We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility.”I wish I had that art of humility. I am struggling to cultivate that beauty. I am passionate to tell you that my friend, Mr. Dulal  Das, a reputed English teacher, who visited our school on Nov 5, 2014 along with us opined, “Mr. Chowdhury, your Principal’s English speech is so good. I like him very much.” Being inefficient, at times I failed to behave as I was supposed to, but you had never shown decline in your equanimity.
When you had visited the Upper Terrace canteen for the first time, Namgay sir’s wife asked you: “ May I know who you are?” You replied, “I am a teacher at WMSS, newly transferred.”  You did not like to say that you had come as the head of the school. Due to your lofty traits, I used to be at the peak of my spirit and performance whenever you had observed my lessons in the class rooms. In all my twenty seven years whenever inspectors, monitors or the heads observed my lessons, I felt shaky but you made difference with your positive motivation strategies and skills. Congratulations sir on several innovative practices at the school. Though I am far away from my WMSS family, by the blessings of IT, I am able to see the elevated beauty of the heavenly school.

 I want to covey the content of this letter to WMSS family through your voice. I received amazing good will from each member of the Wangchu valley and family. I have boundless gratitude for them. I bow to every member of the valley in all humility. The divine view of the small students—my Little Buddhas, flashes upon my mind. Every morning as we approached the school gate, they lined up and bowed to greet their teachers. I reciprocated their gestures by touching their heads and pouring my good will on them. So divine and humane these children are. They find holy men and women in their teachers. Sir, I do not know whether you have included the forest above the archery ground in your schedule. If not, I would like to request you to extend your support to the growing trees. Each of these trees represent a holy child of WMSS.I was so much attached to these woods.

It nourishes my soul to recollect the good will gesture of our Vice Principal, Narad Sir, in sharing his cow milk for so many days during my sickness in 2011 which he used to collect from a far place. Even at the last moment of my departure sir extended his kindness by handing me a certificate of my work and experience In Bhutan which I value as an asset.

Vice Principal, Lopen Gyeltshen’s illuminating smile, and their warm hospitality at their home at Wangkha always brought unfathomable joy to my heart. On our final departure journey when we dropped in their house, Lopen’s virtuous wife graced us with a rich packet of gift that speaks of their sacred love, kindness and good will towards us.

Thank you Rudra sir, for your kindness and support in numerous ways during our stay at the heaven of Chukha. You took pain to purchase rations, vegetables, fish and many other requirements from P/ Ling and Jaigaon, carried them to Chukha by your car and dropped them to our Upper Terrace legendary house, P/VII-10. In the Royal Audit Office, Thimphu, my name appeared as SANTOSH HARSHAD CHOWDHURY instead of Santosh Chowdhury which had obstructed my Audit Clearance for contract renewal. You had extended your influential hand, got my name corrected in the office record and enabled me to obtain the Audit Clearance.

Madam Rita, I am so grateful to you. I can’t thank you enough for your whole-hearted service and support to me and my family during our five- year life at Chukha valley. Congratulations on winning the  prize of training opportunity in Delhi. This is a great recognition of your dedicated and productive services to the education of the holy Himalayan kingdom. The great philosopher Dr. Radhakrishnan’s voice echoes in my heart: “God could not go everywhere. So women have been sent.”Thank you for your warm hospitality during our last visit to Chukha on Nov 5,2014. We felt at home.

Thank you madam Sonam, O.A, for your kindness, friendliness and positive response in my professional needs. Thank you for your compassion in allowing me to visit the opposite gender’s toilet on my emergencies. Some of the small things in life teach us big lessons. Sanitation and hygiene of ladies are commendable. I always found your toilet sparklingly clean and healthy. As your seat is close to the toilet, I always sought your permission and protection and you were generous to extend your support.

Madam Phub Lham,thank you for your kind and caring utterances and gestures. I always found an elder sister in you. Congratulations  on winning the Medal  for your prolonged dedicated service.

Thank you Reji sir and Madam Mercymol for your support and care to our son Babu. We will remain grateful to you for the good will gestures. The grand meal that we enjoyed at your house at Upper Terrace at the beginning of our life at Chukha is a cherishing memory. Please forgive my weaknesses and failures. I am proud of your sons. Congratulations! Please update me about Remin’s performance in India.

Mr. Johnson bhaiya, thank you for being always a dynamo of inspiration. Your melodious voice always echoes in my heart and ear : “PAL……! PAL…….! PAL..........”The whole Wangchu valley gets overflowed by the rapture of your melody. Keep on singing it. It enchants and ennobles all the souls of Wangchu family and valley.

Thank you Madam Deki Peldon, Madam Karma Wangmo and Madam X… for the gestures of good will and care during our last visit to Chukha. My Indian friend and his family were amazed and elated at your kindness and royal  hospitality. My friend commended: “Bhutanese are celestial beings.” Madam Deki, on last November 4,2014 when we were on the way to Chukha in a team of seven members, we didn’t know where to stay. I had lost most of our Bhutanese friends’ mobile Nos. However, by the will of the Providence, I was able to decipher your mobile No. As I called, I got you and you welcomed all of us to your house. Upon reaching your house, we felt relieved and at home. Then you arranged our accommodation at the CHP guest house and three of you drove us in your car to the guest house. There you spent more than an hour to make us feel homely and comfortable. We enjoyed a great stay and healthy food. The place is so clean and the caretakers are so good. All of your kindness and generosity in our need will be rewarded by the Supreme Father one day. May He do justice! Dear sister, could you kindly extend your holy service to the holy forest above the archery ground. Beside our Principal sir, Ugyen Rinzin sir might also be able to guide and support you in that matter.

Tenzin Dorji sir, I will remain ever grateful to you. I remember the day when I was sick but wanted to go to the school. As I called you, so generously you rushed to my house at Upper Terrace with your car, drove me to the school and then back to my house. Like all other cars of Wangchu friends,I was privileged to use the service of your car whenever I wanted and needed. Those memories feeds my soul today. Thank you, thank you sir. Yesterday, while teaching a poem about natural beauty, the captivating face of Wangchu valley flashed upon my mind and tears rained down my cheeks.

Thinley Rinzin sir and Madam kinzang, thank you. Thank you. I received so much from you in many ways. I still remember the occasion when so generously you used your car and drove us from zangthopelri to our legendary Bhutanese house. My soul still lives in that abode of God. Kindly visit the house sometimes.

Daughter Kuenzang and son-in-law Pema Wangchuk, thank you for everything. Kuenzang, you used to prepare special tea at your house and serve me daily at our counseling room. You exhibited so high  standard humanity and divinity in your kind gestures that no word can express. When those memory flash upon my mind, I get carried away by my stream of tears and wind of emotion.The world renowned I ndian saint Swami Vivekananda said:” Every woman is the living embodiment of the Universal Mother.”  Daughter,Please pray to God   that I become worthy of all the kindness you all showered upon me. I hope my grandson is growing well. May God bless this little Buddha.

Loving daughter Kezang and dear son-in-law,thank you for the gestures of your kindness. Kezang, I was blessed to look after hundreds of you daughters as the Matron for eleven years at NHSS Girls Hostel, Pemagatshel. My services for you all round the clock bore fruit. I am proud of you. May you all daughters live a happy, holy and healthy life along with your family members. Please bring up my grandchildren in a sophisticated and civilized manner.

R.T.O. sir, I miss you. I feel dry without the jokes and humours that I used to crack with you daily. I remember about our ( Sangay Tshering, Madam Tshering Choden, you, me and my wife) unforgettable journey to Alipurduar and interesting experience. Running after a paanwala when you got out of my sight at the late hour of night, I thought you were lost or kidnapped and felt alarmed. I was searching you desperately. At last you appeared with a painted and juicy munching mouth and I felt relieved.

Thank you Madam Dema for your good will and kind words. You are a great force of motivation and inspiration for the students , your family members and friends. I am proud of you dear sister! Could you kindly extend your loving and caring touch to my forest if it appeals to your heart. There is a holy peepal tree at the centre of the divine forest planted for the purpose of Meditation under it. May the Little Buddhas’ lofty longing be answered.

Thank you Tashi Dawa sir for your kind and generous support in so many ways. I cannot forget that whenever there was no water in our school toilets, I was privileged to go to your house and use your private facilities with full freedom. Many a time when I travelled from P/Ling to Chukha, you came to the CHP gate with your car and drove us to our legendary house at Upper terrace. These memories are food for my soul today.

Principal Dawa Tshering sir, I don’t know where you are. I am back to my hometown in India and ruminating the past. I found an ideal teacher and a true friend in you. We were transferred from Pemagatshel to WMSS concurrently and were neighbours  at Dzongsite for a few weeks. For a few days, I had to live alone when my wife had to be at home in India. Concerned and compassionate, you and Madam Phurba Wangmo cooked my food in your house, carried to school and served me like dutiful, loving and caring brother and sister. Dear brother and sister, please pray for me that I remain grateful  to you throughout my life for your sacred  love and care.

·         The two divine ladies, Madam Deki Choden (Principal) and Madam Karma Palden (CHPC engineer), I feel dazzled by the memory of your divine appearance and rescuing hands when I had lost my comfy house and a full truck luggage that had shattered us in February 2008. My wife wept and proposed to come back to India instantly. She thought it was a bad place. When we were in the peak of the tempest, you two ladies appeared like two fairies and rescued us from the disaster. Madams, I bow to both of you in all humility for your kind support and service. Mahatma Gandhi said: “I have worshipped women as the living embodiment of the spirit of service and sacrifice.” I saw the reflection of the Mahatma’s observation in you. Thank you. Thank you.

·         Thank you Ashis sir, for generously sharing your juicyjokes and humours that always fed my mind and mood. It is so wonderful to note that God has endowed every human being with some special traits and talents. Congratulations on possessing the wealth of humour. I miss your nutritious atmosphere. Thank you for providing accommodation and hospitality to my friend and his family during our last visit to Chukha.

·         I offer my heart-felt gratitude to M.O.T. sir though he is away in Kerala. He extended his kindness and services to me in many different ways.

·         I don’t know where our former Principal, Madam Kencho Lham is. I remember her generousity, kindness and compassion. I remember how earnestly she had rushed to my house leaving her  afternoon office along with some colleagues to  console and comfort us in our bereavement in March 2009 when we had a family calamity. Madam Kencho, I can’t forget your incredible gestures of good will. Another fantastic incident!  In 2009 when there was acute scarcity of water in Upper Terrace, on one Sunday for our washing you had so kindly handed your entire house and the facilities and left for Thimphu. My devoted wife was happily and enthusiastically busy washing our clothes using your facilities lavishly and I was relaxing majestically on your chair. By a strange coincidence, our VP, Narad sir, happened to step at your door to report to  the Principal as Narad  sir had arrived as a new V.P. To his utter surprise, sir happened to find his more than twenty years old friend  Santosh Chowdhury and his family in place of Bhutanese principal and Bhutanese family. Upon opening the door, when we were face to face I went on laughing uncontrollably for a few seconds without any utterance with the view that sir must have been confused  by the situation. The rest I leave to the readers to imagine.

·         I am sorry. The letter is becoming tiring and tedious. I must finish it abruptly. Thank you Karma Choki sir and Madam Sonam for your shower of support and good will. Thank you all the rest of the friends and colleagues. Special thanks to all our angelic students—my Little Buddhas for your sacred prayer and lofty wishes.

·          I am now working as the Principal in a newly opened convent school in my home town. Our son, Babu is attending college at our home town. My wife is devoting herself to the services of my old father.

·         My wife and our son join me in sending our whole-hearted prayer and best wishes for a Happy, Healthy and Successful New Year-2015 under the innovative and dynamic leadership of our Principal, who guides, supports, protects, monitors, cares and inspires the huge family like a father. May Truth triumph!

·                                                            ------SANTOSH CHOWDHURY

·                                                                    EX-TEACHER, BHUTAN