Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal and Gyalmo Hope Cooke in photographs

These are some excellent photographs of the Royal family of Sikkim, i found in bbs.voc.com.

I owe this to Sikkim Express!

I owe this to Sikkim Express. Ever since the oldest running daily newspaper from Sikkim, the Sikkim Express gave me an opportunity to write a column on Sikkim History there has been no looking back for me. Over the last 20 months, I have written over 100 articles under the column “Himalayan review” that have helped me grow as a student of Sikkim History. Sometime around I am being referred by Sikkim Historian by my well-wishers which I find it very embarrassing. The history of Sikkim is very vast and over the last half a dozen year I have dedicated myself towards understanding Sikkim and yet I feel there is still a time for me to be called a Sikkim Historian. My friend tells me, to become a historian one needs to have a will and a desire not the degree of certificate. But   sometimes you get unnoticed when you do not have a formal qualification. I am in a learning process and I feel better to call myself ‘a student of Sikkim History’.

Being a Botany Honours graduate from Sikkim Government College at Tadong and to be interested in the glorious past of Sikkim was something even my close one never expected from me but ….(what a big but ?) I believe destiny had other plan over me. I still say I am nothing, there are many people in our state who are more qualified than me and I consider it should have been done by them. Whatever I write are information that are around us, just that we never gave ear to them nor we listen to them. Or it could be that people don’t have time to care about history that has always been considered as a boring subject. I am aware that sometime I might be wrong in my information but I limit myself to make it happen to its lowest. 

Sangharsh NGO from Rongli felicitated me few weeks back along with other 9 personalities that included Prashant Tamang, Indian Idol 3 in a musical ceremony that was held at Rongli Bazaar. It was a pleasant memory to receive my first award for the small effort I had been putting on writing about the history of Sikkim more precisely the ancient Sikkim. I am thankful towards the trio of Praveen Pradhan (President), Biren Gurung (General Secretary) and Kushal Pradhan (Joint Secretary) and other members of the Sangharsh NGO for considering me for the honour.  Sikkim Express gave me a much needed platform that helped me spread my little knowledge about Sikkim to people around. I received calls from every corners of the state about reactions of people about my article.  I am happy to hear most of my readers are students. I always believe it is this i.e. young generation that is needed to be taught about our glory past.  We call upon preserving and conserving our glory past and yet we never think of the huge mass of students that needs to be introduced about Sikkim History in their school syllabus in their early schooling. I request the higher authority through this medium to come up with an introducing lesson of Sikkim History in Government schools.  

  

Today I have my small yet an intriguing identify which was not possible without Sikkim Express and host of other newspaper medium that includes Now, Samay Dainik and Voice of Sikkim others that has always supported me. I am thankful towards all of them. Facebook, a social networking site is the other medium that helped me introduce with my readers and today at the moment of this writing I have over one thousand fans that follow my blog “Proud to be a Sikkimese”.  The amount of love and warm response I received from people across the globe shows that people are still interested in knowing about Sikkim and that are very sign encouraging for me. My blog “Proud to be a Sikkimese” has been viewed by 64848 people around the globe with 100 subscribers directly subscribing to their email address. 

This is just a small beginning and I am sure the love and warmth I received so far shall be with me in days to come too.

Cleaniness drive at Majhitar

 

To promote majhitar in tourism sector and to make aware to all the residence of majhitar to be clean everytime. We Majhitar people thanks to Sikkim Police Rangpo on providing us 10 jawans, Zydus - 10, Cipla - 10, Ispat Majhitar - 5 with lunch-cold drinks, GREF, Himalayan Pharmacy and many more.

Suresh Lama 

On the behalf of Majhitar

The Darjeeling Tract - like an island in the middle of Sikkim

The Darjeeling Tract - like an island in the middle of Sikkim

One of the most revealing map of the History, the Darjeeling Tract which was given to the East India Company is seen for the first time inside the true stretch of the Sikkimese Kingdom

Source: beacon online

24th Singtam Basibiyalo feliciates freelancer Journalist Sanjay Agarwal

The 24^th Basibiyalo on April 18th held at Singtam felicitated Sanjay Agarwal, popular freelance journalist assonated with different newspapers in Sikkim and in Siliguri. The Chief Guest of the day, Bijoy Kumar Subba renowned writer handed over the trophy, memento and khada to the felicitating journalist. Speaking on the occasion, Bijoy Kumar Subba told that the work done by Sanjay Agarwal is significant and encouraged him to better his efforts.

Basibiyalo founder Mohan Pradhan “Neeraj” addressing the gathering informed Basibiyalo had started a felicitating policy from 21^st Basibiyalo and in 24^th Basibiyalo the felicitation is in journalism sector. He announced that though Sanjay Agarwal does not belong from Nepali community but has done lots of appreciable work in Nepali literature and in Nepali news sector from 2004.

Hill Boys’ United FC continues it winning streaks

Hill Boys’ United FC team

PRESS RELEASE FROM
Hill Boys United

Hill Boys’ United FC, a club formed in Kolkata by a group of youths hailing from the hills of Darjeeling and Sikkim won its second match of the League stage at the prestigious Calcutta Parsee Club 5 a side Football Tournament on April 17th. Hills Boys’ defeated Shining Stars Club 3-2 in a hard fought encounter. The Boys came from behind twice to earn this victory showing in the process that never say die attitude of the Youths from the hills. Shining Stars took the lead in the first half and it remained that way till the half time. But in the second half Loden Lepcha with a stinging shot brought back the Hill Boys into the game but the equalizer was short-lived as Shining Stars again took the lead. Under Pressure Hill Boys lost momentum for a brief while but Gyaltshen Moktan struck home and brought back Hill Boys into the game for the second time.

When it was appearing that the match would head for a draw. Jigme Dorjee who struck a hat trick in the last match found himself some space in the left half and scored to give the Hill Boys that all important victory. Now even if they draw their last game, Hill Boys will be through to the quarters. Hill Boys United team manager Roshan Prasad said after the match “The boys showed their character today and proved that even if we concede an early goal we can come back into the match”

Hill Boys’ United FC club formed by the youths from the hills of Darjeeling and Sikkim with an aim to assist footballers from this region who come down to Kolkata seeking trails as well as to play in different clubs. It also has an objective to help out students who apply in the different colleges in sports quotas. Hill Boys management is also planning to register the club with the Indian Football Association (West Bengal) which will give them entry into the Kolkata 5th Division League.

Download the article "Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal: Requiem" published in Talk Sikkim

Late Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, the last recognised King of Sikkim featured on the front page of April Issue of Talk Sikkim published from Gangtok.

The article "Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal: Requiem" written by Tenzin C. Tashi and published in Talk Sikkim, the most happening monthly magazine from the state of Sikkim is the talk of the town ever since it hit the stand. The article takes the readers to the world of Palden Thondup Namgyal, late Chogyal of Sikkim. The detailed story of Chogyal’s life is beautifully penned down. The outcome of his inability to cope with the emerging voices against him that finally led Sikkim to merge with Indian Union in 1975 is excellently highlighted. But (?) when the deposed King passed away seven years after his kingdom was taken away, “However, in death, Zhungkyang (Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal) finally had the honour denied him in his last years. A massive crowd- including his detractors, his bitter foe and one-time estate manager of Chakung, the people who had turned against him- all offered his kubur, decked out in Sikkim’s flag, a khada.”, writes the writer. 

I would like to draw everyone’s attentions in the extract below that tell us about the hard truth within the royal house after the merger.

“Deposed and betrayed, Zhungkyang (Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal) yet believed that at some point of time, people would understand that his ambition was not personal, it was for them. He always believed that he was only one in a long line of rulers whose sacrosanct duty was to ensure the survival of what he saw as the very heart of Sikkim, her Buddhist ethos. He knew too that this survival was possible only if there was a Chogyal. Things were so hard at the Palace that Crown Prince Tenzing himself was looking after the Palace cows so that they could at least have fresh dairy produce at the table. Zhungkyang also stressed to his younger children in America that as his finances were limited- ‘Abala does not have much money now’- they should study diligently and earn scholarships for themselves. He had to literally beg Delhi for foreign exchange for his elder daughter’s kidney operation. Crown Prince Tenzing’s premature demise in 1978 was the cruellest blow of all to the already beleaguered Chogyal for he had come to increasingly rely on his dynamic young son for companionship and succour.

With special  arrangements from the editor of Talk Sikkim, the admirers of Sikkim History can now download and read this article "Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal: Requiem", the cover story of its April issue.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Cover_story.pdf

The photographs attached with the article are very exclusive and most of them from the private collection of  Tenzin C. Tashi and her family.

Hill Boys United FC starts 5 a side tourney with Jigmi Dorjee’s hat trick

PRESS RELEASE FROM

Hill Boys United

Hill Boys United FC, the team sponsored by kolkatafootball.com and co-sponsored by Hill-Queen Travels, won its first match of the Kolkata Parsee Club 5- a side invitational Football Tournament today at Kolkata Parsee Club Maidan. They beat Street Ballers Club of Kolkata by 3 - 0. A 21 year old promising Hill Boys United Striker Jigmi Dorjee scored a hat trick in the match. The first half result was goalless.

The 16 teams Football tournament started from 10th where the Winners prize money is Rs. 25,000.Being a 5-a-side game, the duration of the match was 15 minutes in each half. The team Street Ballers, which Hill Boys United defeated, was also a good side but they ran out of steam in the second half and Hill Boys took full advantage of this and scored all three goals in the second half. Saurav Rai, a Hill Boys United player missed a good chance to score in the 2nd half.

Now, Hill Boys united will play against Shining Stars, Kolkata on the 17th. Hill Boys United team Manager Roshan Prasad is very much pleased for the success of his Team. He told that, if his boys will maintain this kind of performance in all matches then, they will surely go a long way in the tournament. The Advisors of the team are well known Footballers Nirmal Chhetri and Crispin Chhetri.

The club was formed with the intention of providing young and aspiring footballers with a platform to showcase their skills and get noticed. Apart from participating in various football tournaments, the club shall also provide promising players with trials and try outs in the major football clubs of Kolkata.

TEAM- Hill Boys United: Ganesh Gurung, Saurabh Rai, Loden Lepchaa, Abling Lepcha, Yugal Lama, Tenzing Thinley Lepcha, Jigmi Dorjee, Gyaltshen Moktan, Akhilesh Raj Gurung.

Visit to the Ruined Royal Palace at Tumlong

My outlook towards the Heritage Management Seminar-3

Visit to the Ruined Royal Palace at Tumlong 

The second day of the Two Days Seminar on Strategy for Heritage Management for Sikkim organised by the Cultural Department gave us an opportunity to visit the ruined Royal Palace at Tumlong. I had earlier been to that place couple of years back but still I believed I should go to it since I had few questions in my mind after I had seen an old sketch from a European Journal while surfing at internet on Tumlong. The sketch provided the scene of the Palace from a distant place where a road with two chorten on its upper side is shown while a single chorten lower than the road along with few huts like dwelling place and few people around was clearly framed of that period of ancient Sikkim. It is believed that when Campbell and Hooker were captured they were kept in those hut-like.

I talked about the Tumlong sketch with few of the officials during our short meetings. The only reply I could get from one gentleman was the authenticity of the sketch has a place of debate since the location of the place was sketched by the brother of Hooker who had never visited the place but drew it from his imagination put in the picture by his brother. But somewhere within myself I was not satisfied.

It was also in my mind while on the way that last year during the renovation work there were findings of few war-related objects from the ruins that had added some exciting tidings. Found at the premises of palace ruins was cannon balls, musket balls and an iron gear. These objects could probably be looked upon as a new era of warfare that was brought to the Himalayan land of Sikkim by the British. These materials are presently under the preservation of Archives Department, Gangtok.

As Rabdenste Palace was repeatedly attacked by the Nepal royal army, Tshudpud Namgyal, the than Chogyal of Sikkim shifted his capital from Rabdenste to Tumlong in 1793. Tumlong was the capital of Sikkim till 1884 when Chogyal Thutob Namgyal shifted his capital to present day Gangtok.

A significant breakthrough was also made at the renovation works with the rediscovering of the actual floor beneath the wreckage. According to the people working out there it was informed that the original floor of the Palace was of mud and huge coats of mud had been under covered from different chamber of the wrecked house.

Sir Richard Temple in his Oriental Experience writes: “Darjeeling originally belonged to the Rajah of the native State of Sikkim, and was annexed to the British dominions by reason of his misconduct in imprisoning for several days Dr. Campbell, the British Superintendent of Darjeeling, and Dr. Hooker, the Director of Kew Gardens. In punishment for that offence, this district was taken from him and added to British India.”  It should be noted that this takeover of the lands of Darjeeling happened when Tumlong was still the capital of Sikkim. 

Temple in his account about the Palace at Tumlong fancies it to be a comparatively humble and a picturesque dwelling, situated on a hill, about 5000 feet high which was more of a Winter Palace. He explains during the summer when the rains descend, the king lives in the valley of Chumbi with the permission of the Grand Lama of Tibet. Since Chumbi had a climate not affected by the rainy season; but during the winter he lived at his ‘little palace’ of Tumlong. 

This “little palace” of Tumlong, which now has scattered rubbles all over the places, marks an attempt from the Cultural Department who are making efforts to renovate it. I immediately hurried my exciting feet to the other side of the hill top in search of ‘that road’ (as in the sketch I had seen) that was on the lower side of the hill just below the Royal Palace. But over the last couple of centuries, the road I was looking had vanished and with new topographical positions and the cardamom fields, it was near impossible to compare the two picture of the place. 

But at the end of the day when there were talks between the Government officials and the locals my heart beat grew louder when those people told about the presence of three chorten two on one side and other one below the ruined palace hills. I could not stop myself from smiling; I wished there could be some excavation at this site and who knows we might unfold some hidden facts about our past.