The Census RIMPOCHHE

In Buddhism, Rimpoche literally means 'the precious one' and by and large, stands for a highly learned spiritual leader. 

Being Bhutanese, we have a system that we queue to get a name for our newborn child from any rimpochhes.  

Nothing was much different for me too. My parents have exposed me to numerous rimpochhes for the same. I was blessed with Damchu Wangchuk as my name. 

This name has taken its way from the census to school admission cards and from school identity to recognition trademark in the village.

In 1997, I appeared for my Primary School Certificate  Examination (PSCE). I graduated with the same name and joined Nangkor Junior High School in the Pema Gatshel district.

2 years later, I sat for Lower Secondary School Certificate Examination (LSSCE). My name had by that time transformed to Damchoe Wangdue. 

Yet in the school, in almost all the school documents and other records, my name was reflected as Damcho Wangdi. Even I have rented that new name.  

In 2001, I was getting prepared to attend the Bhutan Certificate of Secondary Education (BCSE). As the first batch to sit for this high-stake examination after the Bhutan Council for School Examinations and Assessment (BCSEA) took over the Indian School Certificate Examination (ICSE),  I was already thrilled to attend it. 

But before I appeared for the BCSE, I was asked to produce the original name as evidenced in the national census record and submit a copy of the Citizenship Identity Card (CID).

I took leave from school to collect the CID duplicate from my home. Reaching home, I was engulfed by surprise because the transformation cycle of my name has not stopped yet. To my utter disbelief, I saw my name change in its structure and sound. It gave a plain and uncomfortable pronunciation. This time it was Dumcho Wangdi.

Burnt with flames of anger and discontentment, I yelled at my poor parents for being irresponsible and careless in letting some people assume the role of a carpenter for my name. Sadly, my parents knew nothing of it as I interrogated them. For as much as I disliked it, they found it tasteless to hear that name.

I was told about the recent census being carried out in our village. A gentleman with an assistant visited my village. They have taken nearly 2 days to collect census information on nearly 70 houses in my village. It was thanks to this gentleman from the census office who changed my name. 

I returned to the school and submitted the CID copy. The next day, my class teacher entered the class with our final and original names printed. We were asked to confirm it as he read it loudly. 

I was already nervous about having to face my classmates who would jeer and mock me at the mere mention of my name. I saw that dream before I slept. I was right. 

My name was hilarious to my teacher as well, who uncontrollably roared into laughter with my friends. 

 

Someone from the backbench screamed, "it's the name of a dog".

I have detested using my own name since that day. I withstood the fatigue of furnishing my name whenever it was required. Inside the class, several of my friends ridiculed me, and a couple of them echoed the mockery for some weeks.

Thanks to that Census Rimpoche, who coined me a new name. A name that was almost equivalent to a dog's name 😡. 

The evolutionary board of my Name

Decades later, I realised that I have already acclimatised to my name. 

I remember Romeo in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: What's in a name? That which we call a rose; By any other name would smell as sweet.  

Names do not have life and breath. It is colourless and odourless. There is neither strength nor weakness in it. It does not differentiate the rich from the poor, the best from the worst, big from the small. 

But, as our ears have been accustomed to hearing the same tone of name for years, a sudden twist gives an off-the-scale rhythm that makes it appear clumsily funny. I had an impression that the dye of my name faded casually to be a material of joke.

Still at this time what I do not like about my name is that I have to stand next to somebody and spell it to them. Otherwise, I have to pay the price for their negligence because unless it is ours, we take others always for granted. 

"Remember your name. Do not lose hope ---what you seek will be found"-Neil Gaiman