We are in a festive mood as we do our last minute preparations for the big occasion on Wednesday. The streets have been swept clean, the roads are smooth, flags are flying high, and flowers have magically sprouted in November.
Dress rehearsals are going on everywhere and everybody is involved either as participants or organizers. The scene is the same across the country as everybody wants to be a part of the celebrations to remember His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo on his auspicious 60th birth anniversary.
There is a frenzy of activities. Books have been written and published, numerous structures are being inaugurated, initiatives launched, and seminars and conferences held. Even going about on our daily scheduled activities we do not forget to dedicate it to His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo.
This is a good occasion to remember a King who has done so much for His people and the country. Therefore, there is every reason to be a part of the celebrations and rejoice in such a happy occasion. How we take part and make it befitting is left to our ingenuity.
What is important is not forgetting everything after the celebrations. A befitting gift to His Majesty on his birth anniversary is not eulogising him or building monuments although they will serve as a good visual reminder later. The perfect gift would be doing what His Majesty aspired his people to do.
In His Coronation address 41 years ago, His Majesty the Fourth King told the people that a little effort on our part will be much more effective than a great deal of effort on the part of the government. Even as a young King he had pledged his dedication to serve Bhutan and its people. We are cherishing the fruits of the hard work and dedication of the King.
We can still ask ourselves if we have fulfilled what His Majesty had asked us to do. We have not changed our attitude completely. We still believe most tasks are still the responsibility of the zhung, government.
We can’t even fulfil simple things like replacing plastic bags and yet talk confidently of environment conservation as one of the pillars of Gross National Happiness, a concept we readily acknowledge to be His Majesty’s vision for the country.
Even as the nation waits to celebrate the birth anniversary, the most befitting gift would be shouldering our responsibilities in our capacities as elected ministers, civil servants, teachers, drivers and as parents. From the numerous aspiring addresses, His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo has always stressed responsibilities. Carrying out our duties diligently in our own capacities would lead to a better, brighter and a more secure Bhutan.
This we believe will be the prefect gift to His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo.