FESTIVALREPORT2019

PresentedbyJaypeeGroup

AnIndia-BhutanFoundationInitiative

InassociationwithSiyahi

AUGUST22-25,2019Thimphu,Bhutan

FESTIVALATAGLANCE

• MountainEchoesFestivalofArt,LiteratureandCulture isan initiativeofthe IndiaBhutanFoundation,inassociationwithSiyahi.ThefestivalispresentedbytheJaypeegroup.

• Bhutan’sannualliterarygatheringwasheldinThimphufrom23to25August2019atRoyalUniversityofBhutanandTajTashiwiththeinauguralon22ndAugustatIndiaHouse.

• Richwithwordsandideas,centeredonthethemeManyLives,ManyStories,showcasedstories that explored and celebrated themany elements of personal, professional,mentalandspiritualsuccess.

• The milestone 10th edition saw a true example of a global audience with thousands ofpeoplefromallstrataofIndian,InternationalandBhutanesesociety.

• The festival brought together writers, biographers, historians, environmentalists, scholars,photographers,poets,musicians,artists,film-makerstoengageinaculturaldialogue,sharestories,creatememoriesandspendthreeblissfuldaysinthemountains.

CHIEFROYALPATRONOFMOUNTAINECHOES

HerMajestytheRoyalQueenMotherAshiDorjiWangmoWangchuck

FESTIVALDIRECTORS

NamitaGokhalePramodK.G.

TsheringTashiKellyDorji

FESTIVALPRODUCER

MitaKapur

FESTIVALPARTNERSINDIABHUTANFOUNDATIONwasestablished inAugust2003bytheRoyalGovernmentofBhutanandtheGovernmentof Indiawiththeobjectiveofenhancingexchangeand interactionamongthepeople of both countries through activities in the areas of education, culture, science andtechnology.JAYPEEGROUPisawell-diversifiedinfrastructuralindustrialconglomerateinIndia.Overthedecadesit has maintained its salience with leadership in its chosen line of businesses. TransformingchallengesintoopportunitieshasbeenthehallmarkoftheJaypeeGroup,eversinceitsinceptionfivedecades ago. The group is a diversified infrastructure conglomerate with business interests inengineering and construction, cement, power, real estate, expressways, fertilizer, hospitality,healthcare,sports,informationtechnology,andeducation(not-for-profit).SIYAHI inUrdumeans ‘ink‘, thedye that stains the shapeofour thoughts. Siyahi is India's leadingliterary agency that constantly seeks out talented voiceswhose storiesmust be shared. They alsoorganize literary events of all types - from international literary festivals to intimate readings andbooklaunches.SiyahiwasfoundedbyMitaKapur.

PAROPOP-UPBAZAAR

ParoPop-upBazaarwasheldonAugust17th at NAB Bistro at the picturesquevalleyofParo.

Focusing on the festival’s theme ManyLivesManyStories,theeventshowcasedaplethoraofmodernBhutaneselifestyleandculturalproductsbyentrepreneurs.

A lively modern marketplace, reflecting thebuzzing spirit of entrepreneurship that is souniquely indigenous to Bhutan and its youth.The pop-up showcased various artisanal andlifestyle products such as chocolates, soaps,candles, teas, accessories and more byartisanswho chose to give a contemporarytwist to traditional items, food andexperiences.

the event drew to a close with anevening of music by Bhutaneseartists from different genres,curatedbyM-Studio.

INAUGURALOFTHETENTHEDITIONOFMOUNTAINECHOESFESTIVALOFART,LITERATUREANDCULTURE

The tenth edition of Mountain Echoes Festival of Art, Literature and Culture was formallyinauguratedonAugust22,2019atIndiaHouse,ThimphubyHerMajestytheRoyalQueenMotherAshiDorjiWangmoWangchuck,theChiefRoyalPatronofthefestival.

Her Excellency Ruchira Kamboj, Ambassador of India to Bhutan, welcomed the guests for theinauguraleveningattheIndiaHouse,Thimphu.

Theformalopeningofthetentheditionofthefestival began with the traditional lighting ofthe lamp ceremonybyHerMajesty theRoyalQueen Mother Ashi Dorji WangmoWangchuck,HisExcellencyLyonchhenDrLotayTshering, Prime Minister of Bhutan, HerExcellency Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj andFestivalDirectorPramodKumarKG.

MITAKAPUR, FESTIVAL PRODUCERANDCEO,SIYAHIMitaKapurwelcomedthedignitariesandaudiencestotheFestivalandemphasizedhowadecadeofvoicesresonatinginthemountainshastodaythrownbackadistinctecho—anechoofwelcome,ofresurgenceandofrenewedhope.Awayfromthehumdrumofeverydaylife,MountainEchoesoffersauniqueplatformforlanguageandliteratureunhinderedbythemanyworldsweotherwiselivein.She encouraged the audience to give freely to themany young Bhutanesewho participate in thefestival and look for interesting stories, poems, views, hopes and solutions to themany issueswemust all face together. She thanked Her Majesty the Royal Queen Mother Ashi Dorji WangmoWangchuckforhercontinuedguidanceandpatronage,foritishervisionthatfirstgavethefestivalshape.

HERMAJESTYTHEROYALQUEENMOTHERASHIDORJIWANGMOWANGCHUCK

Her Majesty said that Mountain Echoes has brought about a better understanding and bondingbetweenBhutanandIndiathroughthefriendshipsthathavebeenforged.ShealsostatedthatwhileatapoliticallevelBhutanandIndiahavealwaysenjoyedagreatfriendship,thisfestivalhasplayedasignificant role for thebetterunderstandingof eachothers’ cultures. Beyondbeing aplatform foryoung Bhutanese to showcase their talents, she believes the festival encourages them to unearththeirskillsintheartsandliterature.

HER EXCELLENCY AMBASSADORRUCHIRAKAMBOJ

Inheraddress,HerExcellency,AmbassadorRuchiraKambojemphasizedtheimportanceofartandhowitunconsciouslyprogramsourmindstodetectgraceandfinesse inreality,andthatmakesallthe difference. She paid tribute to Her Majesty the Royal Queen Mother Ashi Dorji WangmoWangchuck, saying that this celebration of such unique grace and excellence couldn’t have beencreatedwithoutHerMajesty’s vision and guidance. She said that this is a journeywhere one candetach fromeveryday life; a journey for theessence, for thehuman soul, for themindandheart,devoidoftheweightofreality.

FESTIVALCO-DIRECTORPRAMODKG

Reflecting on the festival’s decade-long journey, Festival co-director Pramod KG stated that thepluralityofhumanexpression iswhatMountainEchoesseekstocelebrate.While10years isbutaspeckinthehistoryofMankind,hesaidthattheexperiencesgainedduringthistimehasbeentrulyhumbling.Fromsmallbutcommittedaudiences,MountainEchoeshasovertheyearsexpandedthereachofthefestivalthroughmultiplevenuesandsessions;thisyear’sfestivalbeganwithapop-upatParo.PramodKGwentontoreadamessagebyfestivalco-directorNamitaGokhale:“MountainEchoeshasbeen a joyous celebration of literature and the arts, where we have shared somuch, learned somuch, fromtheproudheritageofBhutan. Ithasbeena transformativeexperience forwritersandreaders from IndiaandBhutanandaround theworld. I know thenext fewdayswill be filledwithmagicandcreativity,andthatyouwillallbethewiserandricherforbeingapartofit.”

ThehighlightsoftheeveningwereasoulfulperformancebyIndianworldfusionmusicbandMrigya,followedbyadanceperformancebythetalentedBhutanesegroupGOKAB.

DAY1Friday,23rdAugust2019

Venue:RoyalUniversityofBhutan

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9:30AM-9:40AM|TRADITIONALWELCOMEAPERFORMANCEBYSTUDENTSFROMROYALACADEMYOFPERFORMINGARTS9:50AM-9:55AM|OPENINGADDRESSFESTIVALDIRECTORKELLYDORJI

ThedaybeganwithawarmwelcomebyFestivalCoDirector,KellyDorjiashereflectedontheten-year-journeywithgreatprideand joy.His addresswas followedbyahomagepaid to theNoblestdeedofGreatDharmapatronLateYabDashoUgyenDorji.

10:00AM-10:20AM|ADDRESSHERMAJESTYTHEROYALQUEENMOTHERASHIDORJIWANGMOWANGCHUCK

Putting a spotlight on the theme,Her Majesty The Royal QueenMother Ashi Dorji WangmoWangchuckfondlysharedpersonalanecdotesofherparentsandrecountedtheteachingsfromthelifeofherFather,GreatDharmapatronLateYabDashoUgyenDorji.Shesharedhowhislifeisaninspirationforherandothersinherfamilyandhowheinculcatedthevalueoftime,thebeliefinone’sgoalsandthedeterminationtoworkhardwhilstbeingpreparedforsacrificestoachievethem.HerMajestyalsonarratedstoriesabouthowhelivedalifeofpeace,dignityandgrace,andhisvisiontobuildabetterlife,fornotjusthisfamily,buttheBhutanesepeopleasawhole.

10:20AM-11:00AM|THERAVENCROWN:LEGACYOFTHEWANGCHUCKDYNASTYLOPENLUNGTAENGYATSO,DASHOYANKITWANGCHUKINCONVERSATIONWITHDASHOKARMATSHITEEM

ThesessionputaspotlightonthelivesandlegaciesoftheWangchuckDynasty.ThediscussionbeganwiththeperiodprecedingtheestablishmentoftheWangchuckmonarchy,andDashoYankiTWangchukspokeoftheroleofDesiJigmeNamgyalastheforefatheroftheWangchuckDynasty.Hepersonallyledthecountry’sforcesintheWarin1864-65,andinitiallyforcedtheBritishtoretreatfromDevanagariandbroughtstabilitybetweentherelationshipsbetweenBhutanandBritishIndia,asheemergedasthemostpowerfulleader.Therefore,heisknowntobetheprogenitoroftheWangchuckDynasty.LopenLungtaenGyasto tookus throughhistoryandevolution in thepastonecenturyandwhateachof themonarchsdidinthetimeandsituationthattheylivedforthewellbeingofthenation.DashoYankiTWangchuk,speakingofHisMajestyTheFourthDrukGyalpoJigmeSingyeWangchuck“TodaywearewherewearebecauseoftheconfidenceandthehardworkthatHisMajestythe4thKingputintoensurethatwehavethekindoflifethatweliverightnow.WheremostpeopletalkaboutGDP,HisMajestyspokeaboutGrossNationalHappiness;GDPbeingmerelyameanstoreachtheultimategoalofreachinghappiness.”

11:00AM-11:40AM|CHAAROS,DRUKPAS,COUNTRYMENNEILMACGREGOR,DASHOTSHERINGTOBGAYINCONVERSATION

The session Chaaros, Drupkas and Countrymen was an engaging discussion between celebrated formerdirector of the BritishMuseum,NeilMacgregor and the former PrimeMinister of Bhutan,Dasho TsheringTobgay. Filledwith friendlybanterbetween the two,NeilMacgregor gaveabrief visual presentation to theaudience that offered a glimpse into the Bard of Avon, Shakespeare’s world. He discussed Shakespeare’srestlessworldthatwasreflectedinhisplays;thestrongwomencharactersthatdominatedhisworkandhowthrough his imaginary world of words, he traversed across geographical boundaries, resulting in theuniversalityofhisnarrativesanditsrelevanceinmoderntimes.11:45AM-12:00PM|TEA

12:00PM-12:05PM|TROWATSORWA

APERFORMANCEBYGOKAB

12:10PM-12:50PM|THEOCEANOFCHURNSANJEEVSANYAL

Environmentalist, author of The Ocean of Churn and currently the principal economic advisor to theGovernmentofIndia,SanjeevSanyalshedlightontheIndianOceanbeingtheverycradleofhumancivilizationandhowhistoryhasplayedalongtherimofIndianOcean.Storiesofmaritimeroutes,medievalgeo-politicsandrichtradingculturesfromtheIndianpeninsulapepperedhistalk,offeringinsightsintotheancientculturalandeconomic exchanges. History here is anchored at sea, linking the courtiers and former great dynasties thatplayedapivotalroleintheIndianOceanworld.

12:55PM-1:30PM|OFYASODHARA:THEBUDDHA’SWIFEVANESSARSASSONINCONVERSATIONWITHDRTASHIZANGMO

Dr.VanessaR.Sasson inconversationwithDr.TashiZangmo treadedon theseldomvisitedpath to tell thestory of the feisty Yasodhara: The Buddha’s wife narrating her sense of deep loss when the young princeSiddharthawent away. Dr. Sasson conjured up a vivid imagery of the love story throughmany lifetimes ofYashodharaandGautamBuddhabeforehissainthood.1:35PM-2:15PM|LUNCH

2:15PM-2:20|FOLKMUSICOFBHUTANAPERFORMANCEBYKHENGSONAMDORJI

2:20PM-3:00PM|NOMASTERS,NOGURUS:RETRIEVINGTHESACREDVENERABLEKABIRSAXENA,INTRODUCEDBYSIOKSIANDORJI

In thenext session titled “NoMasters,NoGurus:Retrieving the Sacred,”VenerableKabir Saxena, a monk since2002and founderofRoot InstituteofWisdomCulture inBodhgaya, spoke fondlyonwhatmakesBhutana specialplaceasaremindertohumanstoliveinbalancewiththenaturalworld.Hequestionedwhethersacredisastateofmindorplace.“Wemakeourselveshappyandcontentbyhelpingothers”ashelaidemphasisontheimportanceofsensitivitystatingitasthehighestformofintelligenceandtheneedtoremindourselvesofitinthemodernworld.

3:05PM-3:40PM|MAPPINGBHUTAN’SDIGITALPATHSONAMPELDEN

In an erawhere technology dominates our lives, founder of Code for Bhutan,SonamPelden, shared thepersonalstory of her struggles and her vision behind “Mapping Bhutan’s Digital Path”. Reflecting on the challenges thatBhutanfacestokeepupwithrestoftheworld,herinsightsonhowtouseinformationinamorepurposefulwaywasthehighlightofhersession.Apassionatebelieverinthepowerofdataasasourceofrealinsightstoproblemsfacedbythepeopleofcommunity,shesharedtheimportanceofdecentralizationwhichworksasanenablerofspeed.

3:45PM-4:25PM|AWALKTHROUGHTHEMOUNTAINSJONOLINEENINCONVERSATIONWITHKUNGATENZINDORJI

In his introduction of Jono Lineen, Kunga Tenzin Dorji told the audience that, 25 years ago, dealing withpersonalangst,Lineenwalked2700kmacrosstheWesternHimalayasanddiscoveredmanythingsalongwithhimselfthroughthatjourneythathehascapturedinhisbook,IntotheHeartoftheHimalayas.LineenstatedofhisdesiretovisitBhutanforthepast20yearsandsaidthat,"AssoonasIgotofftheplaneinParo,Ihadthatre-realizationthatBuddhistsintheHimalayasaretheembodimentofwisdomandcompassionandthereissomuchtheworldcanlearnfromtheKingdomofBhutan.”4:25PM-4:40PM|TEA

4:40PM-5:20PM|THELONGFLIGHTHOME:FOLLOWINGTHERUDDYSHELDUCKDRSHERUBINCONVERSATIONWITHDECHENDORJIPARTOFTHEECOLOGYCAPSULEPOWEREDBYWWFBHUTAN,BTFECANDRSPN

AsapartoftheecologycapsulepoweredbyWWFBhutan,BTFECandRSPN,leadingnaturalistinBhutan,DrSherubinconversationwithDechenDorji,thecountryrepresentativefortheWorldWildlifeFundprograminBhutan,tooktheaudiencethroughthejourneyofRuddyShelduck,aduckspeciesthattraversethemostbreathtakingregionsintheworld.Since1996thebirddiversityofBhutanfrom616identifiedspecieshasgrowntoacommendable747identifiedspecies-thankstotheeffortsofthelocalcommunityofstewardsofbirdconservation.

5:25PM-6:05PM|THEGRAPHICIMAGINATIONJASONQUINNINCONVERSATIONWITHMICHAELRUTLANDPOWEREDBYBRITISHCOUNCIL–IELTS

AkeythemethisyearatMountainEchoeswasstorytellingthroughdifferentmediums.AwardwinningwriterJasonQuinnandfirstBritishHonoraryConsultoBhutanMichaelRutlanddiscussedtheenormousskillofillustratedbookstounlocknewwaysoflearningforyoungandoldalikeasapowerfultoolinstorytelling.

Venue:TajTashi

…

10:30AM-11:00AM|TEMPLEOFTHEBODYTHINLEYWANGKAYDORJIINCONVERSATIONWITHKARMA“LHARI”WANGCHUKThis interactive session with Thinley Wangkay Dorji, in

conversationwithKarma“Lhari”Wangchuk,shedlightontheupcomingcultureofbodybuilding,andtheevergrowing importance of exercise and fitness in Bhutan. Karma “Lhari”Wangchuk, who is also Bhutan’s firstfashion blogger, has put Bhutan on the international scene with his work featured in VICE, BBC and mostrecently Vanity Fair UK to name a few. Through the session, he encouraged the audience to realise theweightageofhavingahealthybody,inordertohaveahealthymind.Thinley Wangkay Dorji, who is also the winner of titles like Mr. World and Mr. Asia in the field of Men’sPhysique,closedtheconversationbysaying,“Everyonetalksabouthavingonlyonelife.Wealsoonlyhaveonebodytolivethatlife,inandwemusttakecareofit.”

11:05AM-11:45AM|STORIESOFOURANCESTORSTONYJOSEPHINCONVERSATIONWITHSUDIPTASEN

Thesessiontooktheaudiencebackthousandsofyears,courtesyJoseph’sbookEarlyIndians:TheStoryofOurAncestorsandWhereWeCameFrom. Theconversation flowed through theHarappanCivilization,on to theeffectofmigrationonthemixingofcultures,languages,occupationsandlifestylesthroughhistory.

Thespeakersalsoexaminedhowthisstateof“mixedness”ledpeopletoshareideasandhabitswitheachotherwithoutanyrealisation,andthat this isanessential factor tobeconsidered intheprocessofevolution.Andtherefore,itiscrucialtobecautiousaboutmappinglanguagesandculturesbacktotheiroriginstorememberwhatourheritageis.TonyJosephalsosharedthathewillbeworkingonasequelofhisfirstbook,whichwillgodeeperintohowapopulationisshapedculturally.

11:50AM-12:30PMFROMDARJEELINGTODELHIPARIMALBHATTACHARYA,SWAPNALIDDLEINCONVERSATIONWITHKELLYDORJI

This session took theaudience through thedifferentways thatDarjeelingandDelhiareplanned in termsofarchitecture and also howdifferent they are culturally. Swapna shared that she believes heritagewalks areessentialtoincreaseawarenessaboutthecityyoulivein,tounderstanditshistory,inordertotopreserveit.The past is important, and it must be preserved. Parimal Bhattacharya talked about his experiences inDarjeeling, where he is still trying to fit in as a local.What he finds heartwarming about it is the fact thatDarjeelingwascreatedbypeopleofdifferentcommunitiesandfaiths,comingtogetherinpeace.ThecultureoftheDarjeelingcommunityfromthen,isstillpredominantlyintacteventoday.Aninstanceofthepreservationofandtheuseoftoytrainsinthemoderntimewasmentioned,showcasingthesupremelevelofengineeringfrombackintheday.

12:35PM-12:50PM|CELEBRATINGCRIMEFICTIONBYHARPERBLACKANANTHPADMANABHAN

Ananth Padmanabhan started the session by telling the audience how he is kicking himself for not havingattended Mountain Echoes before this edition. He believes that HarperCollins has a significant fit withMountain Echoes, as publishing, just like the Festival, is about unlockingone’s imagination andencouragingpeopletowrite.

ThetrailerofParcel,byHarperBlack,theonlypublishinghouseinIndiathatpublishesonlycrimebooks,waspresentedtotheaudienceforthefirsttimeintheworld.Headdedthatcrimeisthehighestsellingandgrowingsegment in fiction. He ended the session by showing a series of videosmaking us note how the publishinghouseisveryinterestinglyusingvideostomaketrailersforbooks,justlikethemovies.AnanthalsosharedthathelooksforwardtodiscoveringnewtalentinBhutan-doworkshopswiththosewhoaspiretobecomewriters,helpthemwriteandpublishtheirbookseven.“Ifyoucanimagineit,justgoaheadandwriteit.”

2:00PM-2:40PM|START-UPSTORIES:THEPOWEROFDREAMSKINLEYWANGCHUK“GANCHU”,NAMGYELDORJI,PEMACHODENTENZININCONVERSATIONWITHSANGAYTSHERING

StartupStories:ThePowerofDreamslookedatwhatittakestoidentifyagapinthemarketandhowonecanproceedtoconquerit.EntrepreneursKinleyWangchuk,NamgyelDorjiandPemaChoden,inconversationwithSangayTsheringdiscussedthechallengesandjoysofstrikingone’sownpathandbuildingbusinessesfromthegroundup.KinleyWangchuk, the founderofRadioValley99.9FMbeganhis storywithaquote thathehadheardattheageof11andstuckwithhimeversince–“Ifitistobeit’suptome”.Hisideasdon’tclaimtobeoriginalbuthaveallseededfromapersonalneedandhebelievesthat“thebestwaytogetcreativeisnottostartfromscratchbuttoborrowanidea,buildonit,makeitbetterandsellit.”NamgyelDorjistartedBundle.btwhenherealisedtheabsenceofdeliveryservicesinBhutanwhileorderingabook forhis father.Hestatedthat for“e-commercetoreallygrowweneedtoprovideeasy logistics.”PemaChodenTenzin’sYeewongwasbornoutofher lovefor foodandtakingpicturesof food.Speakingaboutthedigitalspacesheshared,“Themagicofsocialmediais in its instantgratificationaslongasyouhavetheideaandthewilltoworkhard.Positioningthecorrectvisionofthebrandonsocialmediaisthemostimportant.”

2:45PM-3:15PM|AKUTONGMI’SSONGFORBHUTANKHENGSONAMDORJI,JANEHANCOCKINCONVERSATIONWITHTSHERINGCHHODEN

Thesession,illustratedwithvisuals,showcasedAkuTongmi’smusicthatlivesoninabeautifulchildren’sbookAkuTongmi:ASongforBhutan,illustratedbyPemaTshering.ThesessionnarratedAkuTongmi’sinspirationaljourney from a remote village to the Royal Army Band, and discussed how the book provides a wonderful

windowintomid-20thcenturyBhutanesehistory.TheinfluenceAkuTongmihadoncontemporaryBhutanesemusicwasevidentaftersomeofhisgreatestcompositionswereplayedfortheaudience.

3:20PM-4:00PM|HINDINAMAPAVANKVARMA,VANITRIPATHITIKOOINCONVERSATIONWITHRAHULMAHAJANAKALAMSESSION

This session emphasised the dwindling usage of Hindi, especially in its pure form. “The ever increasingimportance given to the English language is almost like falling while trying to balance between two stools.NeithercanwespeakEnglishliketheEnglish,norarewegivingenoughcreditandattentiontoourownmothertongue,”saidPavanKVarma.Vani Tripathi expressedher concernover the increasinguseof Englishby the youth, aswell asHindi beingturnedintoHinglish.Notenoughimportancetospeakingin,andtoteachingHindiisbeinggivenunfortunately,andthatitisindeedupsettingthatone’slevelofeducationisdecidedupononthebasisofwhetherheorshespeaksEnglishornot, even in India.Weightagegiven toourmother tongueneeds tobehigher, as someofgreateststoriesarewritteninHindi,someofthemostmeaningfulmoviesaremadeinourHindicinemaandofcourse,thespokenwordhasanelegancetoitthatmustn’tbeforgotten.

4:05PM-4:15PM|MECHANGINGYOUCHANGINGMEAPERFORMANCEBYRYHAANG4:20PM-4:35PM|TEA4:35PM-6:05PM|KAHAANIEXPRESS

AWORKSHOPBYNEELESHMISHRANeelesh Mishra shared insights about what it takes to write a good story, along with narrating personalexperiencesofhisjourneyasawriter.“A story writes itself”, Neelesh said, is one of the greatest myths we have been told. He spoke about theamountofeffort thatgoesbehindwritingone - theplanning,plotting,designingandediting.Healso talkedabouthowamazedheisbystoriesthatresonatewithsomanypeople,especiallyinadiversecountrylikeIndia.HowdopeopleinKashmirandtheSouthrelatetoHindistories,withoutknowingthelanguage?Itisbecause,theyhaveauniversalsenseofemotion.Thelivesofthepeopleinthestoryreflectinthenarrative.Andthatiskeytomakingastorytheonethatgetsitsreadersattachedtoit.

Venue:ClockTower

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6:00PMONWARDS|MOUNTAINECHOESMUSICSTAGEDRUKBIMUSICSTAGECURATEDBYM-STUDIO,ANDMRIGYA

DAY2

Saturday,24thAugust2019

Venue:RoyalUniversityofBhutanPOWEREDBYMRSUDHIRMATHUR

***9:40AM-9:50AM|DRAMETSENGACHAM:DANCEOFTHEDRUMSAPERFORMANCEBYSTUDENTSFROMROYALACADEMYOFPERFORMINGARTS

10:00AM-10:20AM|WHATREMAINSHEREXCELLENCYAMBASSADORRUCHIRAKAMBOJ

HerExcellencyAmbassadorKamboj,startedheraddresswithaquote-“Astrangerenteredourworldoneday,hefoundhiswayoutofnowhereonourplanet.Neverbeforehadhecomedowntoearth,onlyheardofourcivilizationinstories.Hehadbeentoldaboutthegreatarchitecturesandwriters,hehadgrownupwithtalesofwonderofourintricatelyenigmatic,infinitelydelicateuniverse.Yet,afterdaysoftraveluponarrivingonearth,thestrangerbegantofear.Thisworldwasnothinglikehehadimagined-aroundhimweremenandwomendamaged by similar weaknesses and insecurity of character leading to the thirst for power, an overarchinghandofgreedandconstantbeckoningformore.Adisregardforsimplebeauty,aggressively fastpaced liveswhichhadforgottenthesmellofearthafterrain,whichdidn’tseemorningdueinsunlightwheretheeyesforbeautyhadseeminglybeenshut.Artandculturewerefadingintheirnoblepursuits.Everythirdstephetookhe heard the words Digital, Technology and Data being used. Nobel creations purely for the sake of itsintangiblebenefitsrarelyblossomedonearth.Thestrangerthenbegantofeelhopelessanddecidedtowalkaloneuponthegreatmountains.“

Shewentontosaythattheworlddoesn'tneedbattlingheroesanymore, itbegsforthosewhocanbegoodthroughout.HEAmbassadorKambojalsotalkedabouttheexceptionalrelationshipthatIndiaandBhutansharewiththearts.Indiansrespecteducation,nature,andvaluebalance,compassionandstrength.Bhutan,blessedwith rare beauty, is a land of devotion and faith, kindness and sophistication.While she acknowledged thepower andpotential of technology, she expressed concerns overwhether science and technologywould beabletoarticulateemotionlikethewrittenword.

10:25-11:05AM|VIEWTHROUGHTHELENSXYZACRUZBACANI,JONOLINEENINCONVERSATIONWITHSHIVYANATH

Photographyhasthepowertocapturethepastforthefuture.Luckyaretheoneswithcameras,whocanholdon tomemories.Withphotographyalso comes responsibility - of capturing cultures andplacesintherightwaysfortheyoungergenerationstobeabletoseethemintheirtrueform.Xycabelievesthatphotographyhastheabilitytoactivateamovement,andbringaboutchange.Andphotographymixedwithsocialmediacanbringaboutchangeonaglobalplatformaswell,justfromone spot in the world. Jono feels that the gift of photography is to create emotion, createperceptionsortoevenchangethem.Thesessionclosedwithamessageforbuddingphotographers-“There’smanyvoicesoutthere, it’s importanttofindyourownandunderstandyourmedium.Andpractice is key!” And one for all, “take pictures when you travel, but don’t forget to enjoy andexperiencethemomentforreal,foryourselfandnotjustforInstagram.”

11:10AM-11:25AMTEA

11:25AM-12:00PM|DESUUPS: BHUTAN’S GUARDIANS OFPEACEVIVI TSHERING, TASHI PELYANG IN CONVERSATIONWITHPEMCHHODENTSHERING“BOBO”

AvolatileworldnecessitatessystemstoprotecttheincreasinglyendangeredwayofBhutan’speacefullife.InthesessionDesuups:Bhutan’sGuardiansofPeace,TashiPelyangandPemChhodenTshering“Bobo”explainedtheroleofDesuups,whostandguardnotagainstforeigninvadersbutagainstcorruptionandapathy,internalfactorsthaterodecivilsocietyandweakendemocracy.Tashi,aproudDesuuphimself,sharedthatHisMajestyTheKingofBhutanJigmeKhesarNamgyelWangchuck’snoblevisionforthecommunityiswhatbindsthemtogetherwiththeaimofputtingthereliefandrescueofothersaboveone’sownlife.

12:05PM-12:45PM|THEPASTTAKESUSTOTHEFUTUREMAKARANDRPARANJAPE INCONVERSATIONWITHDEMALHAM

MakarandParanjpetalkedabouttherolethatthepastplaysinshapingthefuture.Hebelievesthattraditionnurturesmodernity,andthattraditionneednot,andmustnotbediscardedformodernity.Modernityisvaluefree,it’saboutmodernscience,whereastraditionisfullofvalues,andMakarandencouragedonetobeanxiousaboutgettingthebestofbothworlds.Modernityhasequippedeveryonetounprecedentedlevelsofsafetysecurity, luxuryandmore.Yetthere are so many drop-outs of the modern world - people looking for meaning, peace andhappiness.PeopletravellingtoplaceslikeBhutanandKashmir.Therefore,thismakesusrealisethatunidirectionalor specialised knowledgewill nothelpus in the long run.A convergenceof fields isessentialinordertonotjustachievepowerorprofit,butforcraftingafuturefortheplanet.Thatisachallenge,butalsoanopportunityespeciallyfortheyounggeneration.

12:50PM-1:20PM|THESNOWMANRUNDECHEN DORJI IN CONVERSATION WITH DORJIDHRADHUL

The conversationwas based on the focus the attention of the global community on the perils ofclimatechangeandthetransformativeactionsneededtoavertthegreatestcrisishumanityhaseverfaced.ThistrekthathasbeencompletedbyfewerpeoplethanMountEverest,wasenvisionedbyHisMajestyTheKingofBhutanJigmeKhesarNamgyelWangchuckandisastellarexampleofshowcasingthecountry'sconservationefforts.DechenDorjiandDorjiDhradhulemphasised themessage“weneed nature, nature doesn’t need us. We must save the planet, and only then will we saveourselves.”

1:20PM-2:00PMLUNCH

2:00PM-2:05PM|SHARCHOGPANGANGTHURAPERFORMANCEBYJURMEYCHODENRINZIN,CURATEDBYM-STUDIO

2:05PM-2:40PM|NYEKOR:FROMBENARASTOSARNATHNANDINIMAJUMDAR,VENERABLEKABIRSAXENAINCONVERSATIONWITHSONAMWANGMOJHALANI

VenerableKabirSaxenaandNandiniMajumdarexplored theconceptofpilgrimage in themodernworld;ontheideaofembarkingonitasawayofslowingdownandchallengesofexperiencingtime,bodyandtheworldinadifferentwaythantimeallowstoday.

2:45PM-3:25PM|ADISHANKARACHARYA:HINDUISM’SGREATESTTHINKERPAVAN K VARMA IN CONVERSATION WITHARUNDHATHISUBRAMANIAM

Arundhathi Subramaniam spoke with writer Pavan K Varma, about his book titled, AdiShankaracharya:Hinduism’sGreatestThinker.Arundhathistartedwithsayingthat,“thebookadoptsa tone that is neither uncritically worshipful and neither dismissive or scornful; it is in its core,searching, exploratary, deeply engaging and respectful. Adi Shankarcharya is worthy of beingrememberedandexploredasafigurewedesperatelyneedreclaimedforourselvestoday.”CommentingonwhyhewantedtoexplorethelifeofAdiShankarcharya,PavanKVarmasaid,“Thisformewasapersonalquest to try andunderstandwhatAdi Shakarcharya’s lifewasandwhathesymbolized.Therewasapersonalcuriositytotryandfindtherootsofmyreligion,throughthemindsofthegreatestthinker.”

Theyspokeofthefascinatingandremarkablemindhehad.Andeventhoughhediedattheyoungage of 32, apart from having emerged as one of the greatest philosophers, he also set up the 4monasteriesinthe4quartersofIndia,whichcanbeconsideredasthecivilizationmapofIndiathatwasaround1200yearsago.Withanaimtomakesurethatthebookisnota“drychronology”,PavanKVarma,personallyvisitedeveryspotwhichisassociatedwiththelifeofAdiShankarcharyaandsoinasensecreatedabookthatcanalsobeseenasatravelogue.

3:30PM-4:10PM|MYBACKPACKANDTHEWORLDSHIVYANATH,TSHERINGDENKARINCONVERSATIONWITHPEMACHODENTENZIN

Sharing their adventures, travelhacks,experienceswith locals (hitchhikingwith truckers included),well-known travelbloggersShivyaNath andTsheringDenkar had theaudience in splits.Denkar ispopularly known as the backpacking andhitchhiking "Bolero" lady of Bhutanwhile Shivya - also avegan-hasnavigatedherwaythroughmorethan50countries.

4:15PM-4:30PMTEA

4:30PM-5:10PM|GANGA:RIVEROFFAITHSUDIPTASEN,SANJEEVSANYALINCONVERSATIONWITHNANDINIMAJUMDAR

The idea of the sacred continued with Sudipta Sen and Sanjeev Sanyal in a session on the riverGanga,which lies at the confluence ofmyth, ecology and faith. From the story of the great rivermerges thecontinuityofour civilizationwith thepollution ithas toendure inpresent times.They

ended on a hopeful note,with the arrival of Siberian gulls in Benaras and the increase in dolphinsightingsintheGanga.

5:15PM-5:50PM|WEARELIKEAIRXYZACRUZBACANIINCONVERSATIONWITHNISHTHAGAUTAM

FilipinastreetanddocumentaryphotographerandauthorofWearelikeAir,HongKongbasedXyzaCruzBacani inconversationwithNisthaGautamsharedherstoryasasecondgenerationdomesticworker, of breaking the cycle that faces so many women like her, of her rise to becoming anacclaimed globe-trotting photographer. The agony she faced of her internal battles, the tales oflabour migration and human rights. She passionately spoke about "migrant mothers" who leavetheir families behind to look after a new one and encouraged everyone to not think of them asvictims-butcelebratethemaschampions.

5:55PM-6:35PM|SCRIPTTOSCREEN:FILMSALIVEABHISHEKCHAUBEY,RICHACHADHAINCONVERSATIONWITHVANITRIPATHITIKOO

Looking at cinema through a contemporary lens, film personalities Richa Chadha and AbhishekChaubeywereinconversationwithVaniTripathiTikoo.Richaspokeoftakingchancesandacceptingunusualrolestoportrayversatilecharacters,whileAbhishekdweltuponcreatingentertainingfilmswithout compromising the social concerns his stories aim to address. They also focused on how

content is being streamed and consumed today, and the democratization of visual entertainmentthroughdigitalplatforms.

6:45PM-7:25PM|MASTEROFILLUSION:MAGICALINTERLUDEAPERFORMANCEBYKARANSINGH

Delhi-based illusionist Karan Singh (whowas 11 when he started practisingmagic) enthralled theaudience, as he guessed ATM and phone pin numbers of people picked at random from theaudience.Playingwiththemagicofnumbers,heiswellknownforsuccessfullyguessingtheATMPINofIndianfilmstarShahRukhKhan.

Venue:TajTashi

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11:00AM-11:40PM|FLAVOURSOFSPICEMARRYAMHRESHII,LTCOLONELKESANGCHOEDON(RETD),MALVIKASINGHINCONVERSATIONWITHCHIMEPADENWANGDI

In Flavours of Spice, renowned food criticMarryam H Reshii and Lt. Colonel Kesang Choedon,founderofChunidingEnterprises,spokeoftheintegralwaysinwhichspicesshapewhatweeat.ChilliisnotnativetoeitherBhutanorIndia,butnowthesecuisinesrelyheavilyonit.Theydiscussedtheneedtorediscoverandreintroducetraditionalingredientsintoourfood,andtheneedtoeatlocallyandseasonally.

11:45AM-12:25PM|NOVELISTINANEWSROOMRAJKAMALJHAINCONVERSATIONWITHMANJULANARAYAN

RajKamalJhawasinconversationwithnotedjournalistManjulaNarayanspokeontheimportanceofspeakingtheunspeakableandthinkingtheunthinkable,a luxurythatfictionallowshim."Fictionfor me is always the question of ‘what if’, a space that facts do not give me." He said that theimportanceof fakenewshasbeen largelyexaggerated,becausepeoplearemorescepticalandaredevelopingmentalfilterstosiftfactfromfiction.

12:30PM-1:00PM|WATERHABITATS:WETLANDSANDRIVERINESYSTEMSINDRAACHARJA,JIGMETSHERINGINCONVERSATIONPARTOFTHEECOLOGYCAPSULEPOWEREDBYWWFBHUTAN,BTFECANDRSPN

Thetalkfocusedontheblacknecked-crane,itshabitats,alongwiththeirassociationwiththeBhutaneseculture.Theyalsoemphasizedontheimportanceofwetlandsforournaturalenvironment,astheyprovideregulatingservicessuchasclimateregulation,floodprotectionandwaterpurification.

2:00PM-2:40PM|EVEREST:REFLECTIONSONTHESOLUKHUMBUSUJOYDAS,LISACHOEGYALINCONVERSATIONWITHTENZINGCHOGYALSHERPA

Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa spoke with Sujoy Das and Lisa Choegyal about their book Everest:Reflectionson theSolukhumbupublished this year tomark thecentenaryofSirEdmundHillary’sbirth. They discussed his involvement with the Sherpa community who live in the sacred valleysbelowtheworld’shighestmountain,MtEverest.

2:45PM-3:45PM|TELLINGTALESTHROUGHWORDSANDARTAWORKSHOPBYJASONQUINNPOWEREDBYBRITISHCOUNCIL–IELTS

“Ifyouthinkcomicsareonlyforchildren,getout!”Jasonbelievesthatwithusingwordandart,onecanconveyanymessageintheworld,providedonehasanimagination.Hesharedthattherearetwotypesofpeople.Thosewhowritefirstandillustratelater,andthosethatillustratefirstandthencomeupwithastoryaroundthepictures.Jasonexplainedthatitworkswellforhimwhentheideacomesfirst,hethenmakesthescriptandtheplotforthebook.Theillustrationsarecreatedafterthat,andthat’showastorycompletes.

3:50PM-4:05PMTEA

4:05PM-5:05PM|WALKINGANDCREATIVITYWORKSHOPBYJONOLINEEN

“There’smagicinwalking.”Walkingleadstoclarity,problemsolvingandpositivity.Manythinkers,poets,philosophers,entrepreneurs,scientistshavesaidoverthousandsofyears,thattheygettheirbestideaswhilewalking.JaneAusten,Einstein,VirginiaWoolf,MahatmaGandhi,CharlesDarwin,WinstonChurchill,SteveJobs.Walkingisamediumtocreativethinking;itreleasesstress,henceenhancingflowofthought.Evolutionandthe70,000yearlonggreatmigrationshaveaffectedthescienceofwalkingandwhywewalk.Afterallthejourneyiswhatcounts.

Venue:CITYCINEMA

***5:00PM-5:35PM|THEGOLDENMAHSEER:TIGEROFTHERIVERINTRODUCEDBYGOPALPRASADKHANALPARTOFTHEECOLOGYCAPSULEPOWEREDBYWWFBHUTAN,BTFECANDRSPN5:45PM-6:15PM|FRAMED!ARUNBHATTARAI,ZUKIJUNOINCONVERSATIONWITHKUNGATENZINDORJI6:25PM-6:50PM|SEARCHINGFORWIVESINTRODUCEDBYZUKIJUNO7:00PM-8:30PM|THENEXTGUARDIANINTRODUCEDBYARUNBHATTARAI

DaytwoofMountainEchoesenricheditsaudiencewithdocumentaryfilmscreeningsatCityCinema.A variety of real stories andpeoplewere touchedupon through these sessions -fromthemoviebasedontheresearchandconservationofTheGoldenMahseer -TigeroftheRiver, introducedbyGopalPrasadKhanalasapartof theecologycapsulepoweredbyWWF Bhutan, BTFEC and RSPN; on to Framed!, a discussion around the making ofdocumentaries by filmmakers Arun Bhattarai and Zuki Juno in conversation with KungaTenzinDorji.Theyspokeaboutwhat it’s likeandhowdifferent it istofilmthetruth.Arunand Zuki’s filmswere screened after the session aswell. ZukiJono’s Searching ForWivesdocuments the process of arranged marriages in India via a migrant from South India,workingasadriver inSingapore,andsendshispicturetohisfamilytofindawifeforhim.Themoviehighlightstheuniquenessofthisprocessandthefactthatoneagreestospendtherestoftheirlivesbyjustlookingat(andbeingenchantedby)asinglepictureofaperson.The Next Guardian by Arun Bhattarai was screened after, and is based on an ordinaryteenager who is chosen by his father as the next guardian of the family monastery.Contrastingdreamsof twogenerationsclashwithin themicrocosmofanancientBuddhistmonasteryinBhutan.Meanwhile,hissisterfeelsmorelikeaboythanagirl,anddreamsofalifeasaprofessionalsoccerplayer.Unfortunately,notallwishescometrue.

DAY3Sunday,25thAugust2019

Venue:RoyalUniversityofBhutan

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9:40AM-9:50AM|DRAMYENCHOEDPA:OFFERINGOFLUTETOTHEDEITIESAPERFORMANCEBYSTUDENTSFROMROYALACADEMYOFPERFORMINGARTS

Thedaybeganwithamovingperformance,DramyenChoepda,withstudentsoftheRoyalAcademyofPerformingArtsplayingtheluteasanofferingtothedeities.

10:00AM-10:40AM|THEFOUNDEROFBHUTAN’SDRAGONTRADITIONKHENPOKARCHUNG,TSHERINGTASHIINCONVERSATIONWITHDRTASHIZANGMO

Khenpo Karchung and Dr.Tashi Zangmodiscussed the life and philosophy of Tsangpa Gyare, thefounderofBhutan’sDragontradition-andtheDrukpalineageofBuddhism-whocontinuestobeaspiritualguidefortheBhutanese.

10:45AM-11:25AM|JADOOWALLAHS,JUGGLERSANDJINNSJOHNZUBRZYCKIINCONVERSATIONWITHKARANSINGH

Anengagingandinteractivesessionfollowed,withauthorJohnZubrzyckiinconversationwithIndianmaster illusionist Karan Singh on the former’s bestseller Jadoowallahs, Jugglers and Jinns. Theydiscussedthefascinatingworldofmagic,themostfamousIndianmagicianswhoshapeditshistory,andthecurrentpopularityofillusionistsandmentalists.

11:30AM–11:45AM|TEA

11:45AM-12:25PM|LOVEWITHOUTASTORY ARUNDHATHISUBRAMANIAMINCONVERSATIONWITHANINDITAGHOSE

Award winning author of eleven books of poetry and prose, Arundhati Subramaniam in aconversationwithAninditaGhosetooktheaudienceonajourneytoseekthebeautyofpoetryastheverysouloflife."Weturntopoetryforsolace"shesaidasshespokeofthepowerofpoetrytohelpus have deeper and more profound experiences and to recognise the exuberance of life. Theauthor's readings of some of her poems filled the audience with a sense of wonder - the verypurposeofpoetry.

12:30PM-1:00PM|TRACKINGTHETAKIN:BHUTAN’SNATIONALANIMAL DRPEMACHOEPHYEL,DRSANGAYINCONVERSATIONPARTOFTHEECOLOGYCAPSULEPOWEREDBYWWFBHUTAN,BTFECANDRSPN

DrSangayapprisedtheaudienceabouteffortsspentonresearchingonanddocumenting,aswellofconservation of the vulnerable Bhutan takin with the help of BTFEC. The session wasclosedencouraging the audience to discern the significance of the national animal and spreadawarenessaboutneedtosavethem.1:05PM-1:45PMLUNCH

1:45PM-1:50PM|MANYLIVES,MANYSTORIESAPERFORMANCEBYGOKAB

1:55PM-2:25PMSTARSOFSTYLEKARMA“LHARI”WANGCHUKINCONVERSATIONWITHUGENCHODEN

MountainEchoesgotashotofglamourwithBhutan’sstyleheroesdiscussingfashion,influencesandsocialmedia. Theydiscussedhowthe fashion industryofBhutanhas,bybeingopen to theworldwhilealso looking inward, shaped itsunique identity. They reflectedonwhat style is—beyond the

beautifuldesignedclothes,beyondexternalappearances.Theworthinessoffollowingone’spassionwasalsotouchedupon.

2:30PM-3:10PM|INTERPRETINGHISTORY:ALIFEAMONGOBJECTSNEILMACGREGORINCONVERSATIONWITHPRAMODKUMARKG

“Objects tellus thestoriesofpeoplewhodon’twrite” saidacclaimedformerdirectorof theBritishMuseumNeilMacGregor, in conversationwithPramodKumarKG.Objects tell storiesof power,war,faith,music,curiosityandsharedcultures.McGregortransportedtheaudiencetoaworldthattoldstoriesofAztec,British,Spanish,PortugueseandMiddleEasternempires.

3:15PM-3:55PM|2062:THEWORLDTHATAIMADETOBYWALSH

WithourideasofAIheavilyshapedbyHollywood’skillerrobotsandsentientsuper-computers,itisnowonderthatmanypeopleapproach technologywithcaution.Themajorityofexperts inAIandrobotics predict we are likely to have built machines as intelligent as us by the year 2062. TobyWalsh, the rock star ofAustralia’s digital revolution, brokedown someof the fears, explained theactualadvancesthatartificialintelligencehasmade,anddiscussedhoweducationandregulationwillbe necessary for humans to keep up with evolving technologies. He answered some of themostimportant and pressing questions facing us today - on the impact that AIwill have onwork,war,equality, politics and, ultimately, the fate of humanity.Walsh concluded that, ifwe planwell, thefuture past 2062 could be very bright indeed but we need to startmaking some difficult choicestoday.

11:30AM–11:45AM|TEA

4:15PM-4:55PM|THESTORYWALLAHNEELESHMISRA

“Whenwehearor tellastory,webecometheother”,expressed India’smost lovedoralstorytellerNeeleshMisrainhissolosession,TheStorywallah.RichtalesdominatetheregionofSouthEastAsiaand within the vast landscape of India. In the digital age, as oral storytelling traditions slowlydisappear,Mishra plays a significant role in reviving the same on his radio show. His spoken andvideo content app, Mic, has deepened his commitment towards this tradition, expanding therepertoiretoincluderegionallanguages,songsandchildren’sliteratureinawaythathasneverbeendonebeforeonamassplatform.

5:00PM-5:30PM|THEHEARTOFAPOEM:WORD,IMAGE,TEXTCHADOR WANGMO, ACCOMPANIED BY TEJNARAYANPRADHAN

PoetChadorWangmoandmusicianTejNarayanPradhanregaledtheaudienceswithamixedmediaperformance;assherecitedherpoem“FFor”andTejaccompaniedheronhisguitar.

5:35PM-6:15PMDEFININGOURTIMESSONIA SINGH, LYONPO DECHEN WANGMO,SANJEEV SANYAL IN CONVERSATION WITH JOHNZUBRZYCKI

The final session,DefiningOur Times, featuring principal economic advisor to the government ofIndiaSanjeevSanyal,EditorialDirectorofNDTV,SoniaSinghandMinisterofHealth,Bhutan,LyonpoDechenWangmoinconversationwithauthorJohnZubrzycki,shedlightonthechangesthatdefinetheerawelivein.Fromthescientificdiscoveriesandmedicalprogressthatshapedthetimesoftheearliereratotheimportanceofstrengtheningtheeducationandhealthcaresystemsandthevaluesand belief systems that shape a nation, the session ended on a note of hope for the futuregenerations.

6:15PM-6:20PM|CLOSINGADDRESSFESTIVALDIRECTORTSHERINGTASHI

In the closing address, Festival Director Tshering Tashi gave a vote of thanks to everyone whocontributed inmaking the tenth edition ofMountain Echoes a great success. Speaking about theengagingconversationsheldoverthepastthreedays,herecalledthemomentsofsharingthatleadtotransformativeexperiencesatMountainEchoesFestival.Venue:YDF7:00PMONWARDS|MOUNTAINECHOESGRANDFINALEMOJOPARK8:00PMONWARDS|HAVETHELASTWORD:OVERTOYOU!