When Change is permanent!



World is full of suffering, all compounded phenomena are transitory, change is the only permanent thing and uncertainty is the only thing we are certain of.

Picture courtesy: FindYourWayInBhutan Facebook page

Sunday, June the 24^th, at around 4:30 pm I saw a revelation of a great truth; all creations are mere illusions like a rainbow. The majestic Wangdiphodrang dzong, about 374 years old is razed to the ground in approximately 5 hours. We built and rebuilt only to be consumed by the fury of nature and then rebuilt all over again. Had Buddha been alive around old Bajo bazar, he would have been glad because the truth is revealed but sad at the sight that people are shocked still, even after he revealed the truth some 2500 years ago.

Had we realized this truth that everything is ephemeral, we would not have bothered to have built in the first place. I also couldn’t believe my eyes when the trailer was telecast, from a majestic structure to start of the fire at one end to half burnt to all being charred and ultimately the so called majestic walls collapsing majestically.

Moments ago I was too elated for I had a long anticipated rendezvous about to happen. Sadly this elated spirit lasted few minutes when there was a red light about the event not taking place. I was banging my mobile against the sofa just to feed my anger. I am a slave of expectations, servant of wishes and an admirer of lunacy of desires. This rounds of change is going to be there for so long as I remain being the believer of this concept of relative time and space.

The day before there was a heavy down pour and the day dzong was ablaze there were gust of wind in what we often call the Windy Phodrang, adding salt on the sore. I believe this is what we call the maturation of Karma. People are helplessly watching the fortress stoop to the wrath of fire, when fire-fighting helicopters lay Idle at a hanger in Indian military to my view. I am confused as to why it could not have been called for rescue because Indo-Bhutan friendship is hailed as an epitome of bilateral relationships in South East Asia. We watched and waited for 5 hours or so when a fire-fighter plane from India might take half an hour to reach Wangdue.

Any ways nothing is permanently here to stay. Everything is subject to change and decay.  It is not the first time that such a historical monument comes down. For an instance Wangdiphodrang dzong itself had been gutted by fire on two different dates in the history. While we cannot avoid such catastrophes altogether, we still cannot miss the lesson.

There are other dzongs vulnerable to such disasters like Jakar, Tashigang, Lhuntse,  Dagana dzongs where fire-fighting is almost impossible owing to its strategic locations especially on hill tops with only one way access. Therefore disaster preparedness like insurance, safety kits, necessary rearrangements must take precedence before we pat our foreheads again in remorse. Falling in a pit for once is alright but falling into the same old pit again would connote carelessness.