Yesterday was a busy day for many in Thimphu. A great many attending the religious festival at the Buddha Statue; many attending to Teachers Day and myself at my yearly visit to Memorial Chorten to offer my nyndha and express my gratitude to His Majesty King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk.
I wonder why the religious festival at Buddha Statue was called Peling Tsechu? Buddha is everything not just a sect of Buddhism. And I wondered if the rainbow was an auspicious sign of the festival or if it also had something to do with the birthday anniversary of the late King.
The BBS live telecast had showed the halo over the sun but I could not notice it when I checked the sky. However, later at the Memorial Chorten after I had paid my respects, I happened to meet retired Dasho Namgay a red scarf officer of late King time. In fact he had attended to the King's personal needs as well as the three younger royal children years ago. Later he served as both Dzongda and Drangpon in seven Dzobgkhags. It was he who again reminded me of the auspicious sign of the morning. As a natural human instinct / reaction, I instantly looked up to see if it was still there. And sure enough this time I was blessed with the sight at around 12 noon. Dasho Namgay said the Tsechu festival being conducted at Buddha Statue was auspicious. Later my wife at home said she thought it revealed the blessing aura of the Buddha Statue. I agreed with the observations of the both Dasho Namgay and my wife. However, added that it could also be a sign of respect by the Deities of Bhutan to the late King for preserving the sovereignty of Bhutan. But I confessed that I had never checked the sky on previous days of 2nd May.
Last night I thought over the day's event. Last year when I visited the inside of the Memorial Chorten, all I found was 3 shell roti in a plate as offering to the late King. But this time there were three Thokes two filled with fresh fruits and one with packet snacks in addition to usual water offering. A great improvement I felt.
But the sighting of the halo over the mid day sun occupied the centre of my day's thought. Yes the day had to be auspicious. And the first religious festival at the Buddha Statue ( Kuenselphudrong ) had to bring about blessings upon the nation. After all we are a Buddhist nation in all essence. But did it also have a significance for the birthday anniversary of the late King? I could not decide.
This morning I woke up early and still with that thought. Well I have reached a simple decision to put my wondering mind to rest in this particular significance of yesterday's halo over the sun. If the rainbow appears again over the sun during the second and the third days of the so termed Peling Tsechu ( a term for Nymapa Tsechu or Bumthang Tsechu I wonder ) then it surely is because of it.
Otherwise, it is possible that His Majesty King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck had taken rebirth. My first morning thought was that the King may have been reborn this year. The period of birth from 1928 to 1972 and the death period from 1972 to 2016 is equal 45 years. So rebirth could be due. Also several auspicious historic events coincide this year. And one could be the rebirth of His Majesty King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. If so, Welcome Your Majesty !
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