Tshering Namgyal | Mongar

To commemorate the Birth Anniversary of His Majesty The Fourth Druk Gyalpo,  Duedro Rangwang Zhidey tshogchung and students of Gyalpoizhing College of Information Technology (GCIT) organised an awareness programme in Gyalpoizhing.

Encouraging people to become vegetarian, the event organisers advocated that animals are no different from humans. “We should not sacrifice their lives.”

Tenzin Wangchuk, a first-year student of GCIT, said, “Animals were once our parents and we must avoid using animal products like leather boots,  and other products made from animal skins.”

Duedro Rangwang Zhidey tshogchung Mongar dzongkhag coordinator, Lam Sonam Jamtsho, said that if people don’t eat meat then there was no point in killing for income. “Therefore, the lives of sentient beings are saved. So going vegetarian is important.”

He said that the lives of those who consume meat are shortened with all sorts of obstacles. “So we encourage people to go vegetarian as much as possible.”

Members of the tshogchung said buying and eating meat also has a huge economic impact besides contracting diseases.

Chairperson of the tshogchung, Khenpo Tshering Penjor, said their main objective was to reduce consumption of meat if not encourage people to quit eating it.

To raise awareness, the tshogchung has been organising seminar events on World Vegetarian Day, World Peace Prayer (Moenlam chhenmo) and any available opportunity including gatherings in schools.

Khenpo said that compared to elderly population, it was easier to convince the students. “But we are hoping the attitude would change gradually as vegetarianism has become popular in many international communities. We are Buddhists and believe in the law of cause and effect.”

Formed through social media groups since 2015, there are more than 12,000 informal group members and around 600 registered members in the civil society organisation which was registered in 2020.

The CSO also conducts vegetable culinary training for cooks of restaurants, schools, monastic schools, and other organisations. It has conducting such training in Punakha, Wangdue, Gasa, Tsirang and Dagana dzongkhags. It’ll conduct for Thimphu, Paro, Ha and Chukha dzongkhags.

Edited by Tshering Palden