Three to Four Children

Scott and I decided to do a small trip for his birthday weekend instead of a potluck. At the time we weren’t sure if we had made the right decision – we both had a lot of work to do, Nancy had invited us to Bartsam where Shauna and Julian live, the weather looked a bit iffy – but come Saturday, the sun was out and we went along with bells on. As soon as school was over, I rushed home and started packing. Scott followed a few minutes later and soon enough we were getting picked up in a Bolero taxi (the one taxi that could accommodate the number of us and go on farm roads) with Rachel, Tashi, Saberjet, and Jacob already inside (Rachel, Tashi, and Saberjet are all lecturers at the college; Jacob is married to one). We took a treacherous ride – treacherous because I was sitting in the back with Jacob and feeling incredibly nauseous – out of Kanglung, past Rongthong, and into Pam where the tarmac road continues onto Trashigang. We took the turn off for Rangshikhar and proceeded up a farm road switch-backing for another 30-40 minutes. We arrived at a guest house which has a spectacular statue of Buddha as well as small statues around it depicting the major events of Buddha’s life – his mother dreaming of a white elephant, the Buddha walking seven steps the day he was born, his renouncement of his materialistic life with the gesture of cutting his hair off, his emaciation, and others.


The guest house.

One of the chortens located around the Buddha.

After tea and snacks, we were shown to where we would sleep – a large comfortable room and a kitchen we could use to cook. Both were above our expectations. I didn’t know it at the time, but we were staying there for free. Anyone can stay there free, even without an offering, although we did give one. After we dropped off our bags, we went exploring. Rangshikhar is the home of Rangshikhar Rinpoche, a reincarnation, except the Rinpoche is currently in Bumthang. It was Rinpoche’s sister’s son that took us walking around. We went to the Rangshikhar temple with the knowledge that we may get to have our futures told.

When we got there, we were seated and brought more tea and more snacks. Eventually a monk arrived. When Tashi told him we were wanting our futures read, he left for some time and eventually came back with books of script wrapped in cloth. He went around our group, reading our year’s forecasts depending on what animal we were. Tashi translated. Most of us, except Scott, were told we had to hang prayer flags and/or conduct a certain puja. I was told I didn’t have to hang prayer flags, but I should hold a puja for Dema, the Goddess of Compassion. Scott was told he would have a good year, a lucky one, without doing anything.

Next came the personal readings. I went first. The rest of the group left the room. Tashi said we should prepare specific questions. I had three – Will I be successful as a writer? How many children will I have? and How long will my mother live? The monk put on his glasses, came over to me. I stood up and he took my hand, my left hand. (I’ve never had my future read before, at least not that I can recall). He looked at my palm, traced his fingers along the lines of my hand, stretched out my hand, and also bent some fingers – the pointer and the pinky. He studied my hand for a few minutes, then sat down, consulted his prayer beads, and asked Tashi some clarification questions. Even though they were speaking in Sarchop, I was able to make out that one question of clarification was about Scott because he pointed to the seat where Scott had been sitting. “Is he your first husband?” Tashi asked. I replied, “We’re not married in America but in Bhutan we’d be considered married.” Tashi then asked, “So is he your first husband?” I said, “No, we’re not married.” The monk said some words and Tashi asked, “Do you want to marry him?” I answered, “Yes.” Through Tashi, the monk also asked how old my mother was. Tashi and the monk then talked for some time as I stood watching the whole thing but having no idea what was being said. Finally, the monk looked like he was packing up to leave the room.

This is what Tashi said: “There will be two men in your life. You will have three to four children. Your mother will live another 25 years, but she could live longer if she performs a certain type of Tantric Buddhism. Oh, and your last question – whether you’ll be successful as a writer – you might be, but if you’re not, perform…” Tashi relayed the certain pujas I’d need to perform to ensure success.

I pondered the answers. Two men? What did that mean? Two husbands? Three to four kids? My mother would only live another 25 years? The writing question I didn’t give too much attention to. The response to that one seemed to be an afterthought, not really analyzed. Or else, it was “no” and he didn’t want to tell me.

I left the room and Rachel went in. She was only there for a brief amount of time; she had only asked one question – whether or not she should come back to Bhutan. As the monk came out of the room, we gathered wanting to say thank you and goodbye. Without even asking for it, Scott’s hand was grabbed and the monk started studying his palm’s lines. It was deducted that Scott leads an extremely lucky life and will continue to. He’ll have one wife and a happy marriage and two to three kids. The monk seemed impressed with Scott’s palm.

Scott’s reading didn’t seem to jive with mine. Scott would only have one wife, whereas I might have two husbands? Rachel reasoned that perhaps I would be Scott’s one and only wife, and when Scott passed at a ripe old age, I’d have one more, one last fling. A little later, I asked Tashi to explain the two men thing. He said it didn’t mean I’d have two husbands, but that I’d have two options for marriage. While I felt a little better about not having two husbands, I was still confused. Where and when will I meet this other option? How would that happen if I am with Scott the whole time?

Rachel explained that the readings could change. They are accurate for where we are in life now, but if I had a reading in five years with the same questions, the answers could be different.

Tashi had a reading as well. He said whenever he gets one, he’s always told the same thing – that he’ll marry and divorce and then be happy with the second wife. He’s always told that.

Today when we were hiking, I asked Scott what he thought of our readings. As I could’ve guessed, he said he wasn’t putting any weight on it, that our lives are not fated and, therefore, could not be read.

Some views on our way down from the ridge back to the main road.


Scott and Tashi. During the hike, our group had split up. We all met at the main road and waited for vehicles to take us to Kanglung. Rachel and Jacob went in one car. Tashi went in a small truck.

This is what brought Scott and I back home safe and sound.