Words matter: Bhutan PM chooses poetry as the medium for his message

By Saket Suman

Thimphu, Aug 25 (IANS) It all began, as many things do, with simplicity and calmness but as the wheels of time galloped against the backdrop of an aspirational civilization, there emerged a gradual but distinct generation gap between our elderly and the youngsters. But what better way to convey this 'tectonic shift than an elocution recital? And who better to do this than the Prime Minister of Bhutan, arguably the happiest country in the world?

There have been quite a few world leaders sharing an immense sense of reverence for the arts but perhaps very few of them have exhibited this passion as profoundly and vividly as Bhutanese Prime Minister Lyonpo Tshering Tobgay did on Thursday evening at the inaugural of the eighth edition of Mountain Echoes Literary Festival here.

At a glittery event hosted by Indian Ambassador Jaideep Sarkar, Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck elaborated extensively on what she called "our shared love for literature and the arts" that has brought stalwarts from the literary fraternity to the Land of the Thunder Dragon. But the twist in the evening came after her address when the Prime Minister was invited to the podium for his speech.

In a rare show of statesmanship -- marked by grace and lucidity -- Tobgay first offered his respects, as is customary here, to the Queen Mother and then welcomed the visitors to Bhutan on behalf of his government. Immediately after this, he sought the Queen Mother's "indulgence" and did something which is not usually expected during a speech, more so from a head of a state.

With calculated footsteps, gentle and forthcoming, he shifted to the centre of the stage as the audience waited in anticipation of what was to follow.

"I wish to recite a poem," he said. "It is a conversation with our youth, really a celebration of our youth."

For the next 20-odd minutes, Togbay ruled the show and left the audience dumbstruck at what unfolded before their eyes. Delivering like a professional artist, he paused at the right moments, his voice alterations were impeccable and the varying sound pitches were greeted with a thunderous applause by the audience.

And to imagine that the Prime Minister, who of course has a hectic schedule, must have spent hours, first memorising the entire poem by his heart and then practising its delivery in the way he did just seemed incredible for the audience.

Mid-way during his recital, he was joined by Dorji Gyeltsen, a 16-year-old student from Bhutan High School. While Togbay appeared to disapprove of the attitude that defines the younger generation, the young student presented a different point of view, suggesting that the elders of today were also in their shoes once and what the youngsters are doing today are only those that the elders wished yesterday.

The poem, written by Charmi Chheda, revolved around the difference in the thought processes and opinions of the two generations, and how each takes a step forward to bridge the gap, uniting for a better tomorrow.

It had a beautiful ending too.

"As we stand here, the voice is one, the thoughts are one but no one is old, and no one is young. Here we create a present, and call it a gift. This is what will be, the song that I sing, the anthem of the yellow and orange. As it flutters in the air, hear it now closely. Isn't this but the mountain echoes? This is not an illusion, this is reality. This is not an illusion, this is reality," Togbay concluded.

It was 20 minutes of absolute silence, a meditation for visitors and a sneak peek into the Bhutanese way of life and thinking. Togbay's humble nature and splendid performance won admiration not only from book lovers but also literary stalwarts like Devdutt Pattnaik, Ashwin Sanghi, and Namita Gokhale, whose eyes were all fixed to the stage throughout his recital.

Togbay is the seventh Prime Minister of Bhutan and assumed office in July 2013.

The 51-year-old was educated at the reputed Dr. Graham's Homes School in Kalimpong and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering after obtaining a scholarship from the United Nations. Tobgay also completed a master's degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard in 2004.

(Saket Suman's visit to Mountain Echoes Literary Festival is at the invitation of the festival organisers. He can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in)

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