Picknicking with the Physios

I have never seen a stroller in Bhutan. Babies are carried on the backs of their older siblings, parents, and grandparents everywhere they go. "Barra," my student, Sonam, told me this act was called. As soon as I arrived to the JDWNR Hospital Physiotherapy Department picnic, 3 women immediately carried Jitson over to show me how one day I should use a scarf to fasten a baby on my back!

Last minute planning is not uncommon in Bhutan. I learned about this picnic Sunday morning at 7:30am through a wake up call from my student, Lhakpa. "Madam, are you ready for the picnic? We've gathered here at the hospital." Am I ready?! Of course I'm not ready! I'm still in bed! Showered and dressed by 10:00am, Heather and I joined the other physios who overslept or were also unaware of the picnic until the morning of, and together we wound up the mountain to reach Hongtsho.

Stepping onto an open area of the forest that had been transformed into our picnic grounds, I quickly recognized why 7:30am had been the call time. Marking the center of our land, a pile of heavy stones supported the logs that had just been chopped off of the surrounding trees. Ablaze with fire, cauldrons were set atop our man made stove, boiling water fetched from the nearby river. People were in action everywhere! Kneeling over pages of newspapers, one physio set out slices of onions and chili while another chopped asparagus. Carrots and cucumbers were peeled, cut, and tossed into a bucket to mix together for a fresh salad. Aloo dum (potato curry) was in the making as people grated ginger, chopped garlic, and heated soyabean oil to richly combine the ingredients with a nice saute. Having been boiled over the fire, cha (tea) together with sweet biscuits were offered around as we chatted and prepared the lunch.

We feasted on a variety of traditional Bhutanese dishes. Some enjoyed beef curry, dried fish, and eggs hard boiled then fried, and others preserved vegetarianism with rice and vegetable/cheese curries. I was thankful to have been advised ahead of time to bring my own plates and cutlery, but could have eaten off of the lids to pots with my hands just like some of the Bhutanese!

As we picknicked, natural incense (branches of trees lit with fire) sent smoke signals into the sky "to keep God happy", and students chanted prayers to keep the rain away. The fire pit continued to burn, and music began to play. Tunes of rigzar (contemporary Bhutanese music) set the stage for the women to dance freestyle while the men stepped aside for games of rock throwing and football.

Giggling and taking silly videos of one another, we took turns leading dances prior to persuading the men to join us. Coming together in a large circle, rigzar was replaced by traditional Bhutanese folk music. Holding hands, we sang and danced the afternoon away. Translations of the songs revealed messages of karma, reincarnation and goodwill to all. Slowly the circle opened and we shifted over to the fire, where we closed it hand in hand. One by one, my co-workers took turns speaking and dedicating this celebration to Heather and me in recognition of our volunteer work at JDWNR Hospital. Sanga, Head of the Physio Department and baby Jitson's father, played a farewell song on his wooden flute marking the end of our picnic. The wind gently carried the tunes up into the sky, and serenity was within and all around me. It was then that I realized this was only the beginning of my lifelong connection to the country of Bhutan and her beautiful people. My darling students asked that I return to Bhutan someday, and suggested that I come with a baby on my back!

(Photo snapped by Sonam Wangmo).