Mountain Echo- the Echo that stretches to every mountain

The journey to literary festival, Mountain Echo, finally begun with all the participants’ single step from their respective hostel’s door. It was in the young morning, and everyone has already awaken themselves from their sleep unlike other usual days. The excited participants with glowing face, extensive energy in their eyes, and joyful emotions within, settled themselves in the bus and carried an invisible huge vessel which was emptied already to fill up with the knowledge from Mountain Echo. The bus gradually started with it’s moderate velocity as the thin cool air breeze in the confined atmosphere and the participants were joyfully discussing on the programs and workshops they are going to attend and on the other hand, the music was in it’s full swing. The journey from the college and Thimphu would be too tiring in other days, but that entire day’s journey associated with fun, excitement and happiness which didn’t last for longer duration. We were already there in Thimphu by the early evening and the Escort Lecturer, Ma’am Karma Yangdon instructed us to prepare for tomorrow’s program which was going to happen at Royal University of Bhutan’s auditorium hall.

The following day, all participants of the college, under the guidance of the Escort Lecturer marched towards the venue to attend the opening ceremony of the literary festival. Her Queen mother, Gyelyum Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, royal patronage of Mountain Echo, presided over the ceremony and the festival commenced significantly with great honor and profoundness. It was the ninth edition and this year’s Mountain Echo aimed in celebration of golden jubilee of Indo-Bhutan Friendship. The literary festival happened simultaneously at three different venues, Royal University of Bhutan’s auditorium hall, Tarayan Centre and Hotel Taj. There was also an art exhibition by Government of Rajasthan and Bhutan Green Pigment at Royal Textile Academy.

The three days literary festival included different classes of people such as Writers, Journalists, Researchers, Artists, Actors and other scholars. The festival involved conversations in the art of writings, challenges in Journalism, long run research in mythologic creature that is Yeti, in the field of film industries and the art of singing and dances. The number of workshops like Crating Element of Fiction and Modern Calligraphy of Dzongkha were also conducted by popular writers and scholars.

The Mountain Echo successfully ended imparting greater degree of knowledge to every audience who attended the festival and especially to the participants of College of Language and Culture Studies. The participants wished if the festival lasts for a week so that they can grasp more information and there was never an end to the greed of knowledge. The college bus was finally returning to its own garage where it belongs and the driver had to pressed the accelerator harder as he realized that the empty vessels has now filled with knowledge.

Dorji Tshering

BLL C II Year