The 61st Birth Anniversary of 4th Druk Gyalpo.

Today the 11th of November, 2016 is the BirthDay of the King with the Triple Gem qualities. The Kingdom celebrates the Happy  Birth Day of His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck with a national holiday.

This year's most strikingly memorable pictures of the King for me were (1) The King at Punakha attempting to have His Holiness the Jhe Khenpo hold the baby Crown Prince and (2) the King combing the hair of the baby grandson with delicate hesitancy during the same event.

In public or in private, there is a noble human being who loves and cares. And to him each child in Bhutan deserves his love and nuturing. The task is now ably taken over by the King on the Throne but you can bet that affection is still glowing and has its impact.

I am sure His Majesty holds in his arms all his royal grandchildren and comb their hair and do more with equal love and care. That what most  grandparents in Bhutan do. The incidents I quoted happened in public only because it happened at a historic national event and a great Grandpa was being just a normal grandpa unconscious of BBS TV camera. (Thank you BBS).

There are great Kings and Leaders. But I doubt if they were gifted with  one singular honest quality that is natural to  King Jigme Singye Wangchuk. I have studied him in private as a student colleague and observed him in his public strides. This Royal Person is the same person in thought and deed both in private and in public. There is nothing fictitious (put on acts) about this human being. He is mother earth throughout 24 hours of the day and night.

Let me ask fellow adult  Bhutanese or better still the citizens of the world ( if only I could be at such a forum to be in contact with them). How many of you thanked your family members for accepting your love marriage and really meant it?

I wonder if any Bhutanese can even recall the incident. I have a little doubt because people in general are not only blind to nuances but they look at a rainbow in front of them without seeing the beauty of the prism colours.  They hear what they want to hear and they presume what they want to assume.

Well to get to the point. On the very 1st occassion of the draft  constitution consulting day at Lungtenphu, Thimphu ( the beginning of the end of absolute Monarchy rule)  the King of Bhutan thanked his fellow subjects for accepting his marriage to the four Queens. This absolute Monarch hardly did anything without consulting the people and if he did  something on his own,  it was in the larger interest of the nation for the future to come.  For example he imposed the Constitution and the ways of Democracy along with a new King for greater good upon the reluctant and perhaps the confused populace.

During his reign, he made one decision for himself without consulting the people. The decision to crown four Queens. And on that day which marked the historic transition from absolute Monarchy rule to Constitutional Monarchy System, the supposed to be absolute Monarch expressed his royal gratitude to his people for taking in national stride that one royal  personal vice.  That's how sincere, how humble and how great the supposed to be absolute Monarch is.

I just mentioned few above points because people say that the King is great and if asked why,  they cite so many development activities including number of students and schools.  ( As if Bhutan under any other leader would have been put in a time capsule). Sometimes I feel like saying we have more students in more schools today because there are simply more children and so more schools to accommodate them.  Make a little effort and take a peak at the true greatness. That way you might just know and appreciate the King a little more sincerely.

Today I offer my prayers that the Great King live long and healthy and be there in person to bless his grandson the  Crown Prince when he is crowned the sixth King of the Kingdom.

Happy Birthday Day Your Majesty ! May you retain that greek god look and health and share with all your ocean of love and wisdom. Most humbly and respectfully I remain an admirer.