As Tangay stood up from his office chair it started pouring again. Morosely, he sat back and looked outside the decorated wooden framed window. The green mountains at the distance have been blanketed by the grey clouds floating over the tall pine trees. At the cradle of the mountains and amidst the pines sits a handsome bronze-coated statue of Lord Buddha garlanded with colorful lights that wink after dark. From a far-off distance, it appears as if thousands of fireflies are playing around. But…today…even such a mesmerizing sight could not make Tangay happy because it is consecutively for the seventh day that the last rays of the setting sun did not shine on the Buddha. Every day, after his workers are gone, he shuts down his grocery store and sits back in his office to watch the last rays of the setting sun. During loneliness, it is this divine light of the shining Buddha which inspires him.
Tangay Wangchuk is a 28 year old orphan who belongs to the village of Gelephu in southern Bhutan and does not know about his parents’ whereabouts. His ah-gay (grandfather) and ang-gay (grandmother) told him that right after his birth his apa-la (father) and ama-la (mother) left him with them, crossed the borders to make a fortune and never returned. So, he has been officially stamped as an orphan. But, his heart does not agree. He still believes that he can find them one day and bring them back, and he is sure that the last rays on the shining Buddha will show him the way.
After studying till class 5 in the local village school Tangay has to quit and go for a job so that he can look after his grandparents, who were already quite old and therefore could not work hard anymore. Uncle Wangmo from the neighborhood loved him a lot and he was kind enough to take him to the old man Jigme, who owned a big grocery store just outside the village. On the first day, Jigme twitched his thick flat nose, looked straight into his eyes and asked, “Are you strong, brave and sincere enough to work with me?” Without any hesitation, Tangay replied firmly, “Yes la.” Highly impressed the smiling old man embraced him warmly and said, “From today you will work as my assistant and I promise I will make you a rich man one day.” That day, for the first time, Tangay was so happy. He never wanted to be a rich man but always wanted to make enough money to go to India and bring apa-la and ama-la back home. Since then twenty summers and twenty winters have passed. Innumerable times the clouds have frozen over the snowcapped mountains and the snowcaps have melted into snaky streams. In the meantime, Tangay has also made enough money to have a grocery store of his own. He has demolished the broken wooden hut in his village and has built a three-roomed house. One room for ah-gay and ang-gay, one for apa-la and ama-la, and one for himself. He feels excited when he thinks that his parents will be so happy about their son’s success. But, still, he could not go to India. He dreams that one day he will cross the border like his parents. He believes that the border which has separated them will unite them as well.
While sitting alone in his office he often recollects the stories about them that he has heard from his grandparents during his childhood. But, today an unusual feeling of restlessness has invaded his mind. Where are the golden rays gone? Are his hopes gradually fading away? Will he ever be successful to go to India and find them? ……. All of a sudden Tangay realizes that the rain has stopped. So, it is time to make a move. Quickly picking up his tall wooden umbrella and locking his office he paced down the hilly way amidst floating mist and the chilly Himalayan breeze. Ang-gay must be eagerly waiting for him with a bowl full of ema datshi (chilli-cheese stew) and a face full of wrinkled smile……The smile which always envelopes his soul and assures him a better tomorrow.
Sayan Dey
Lecturer
Department of English
Royal Thimphu College, Bhutan
