Saturday, April 05, 2014

Gardhaney Bhir, Motay Mangar and his Jhyampal

[The History of Sikkim (1908), compiled by Chogyal Thotob Namgyal and Gyamo Yeshay Dolma, records the meeting between Phuntsog Namgyal, the first Chogyal of Sikkim, and the Mangars and Limboos while en route to Yoksum for his coronation. Interestingly, despite oral documentation of a supposed palace at Mangsari Mangarzong, very little has been done to explore the prime time of the Mangars community in Sikkim.]

A couple of years ago, I visited a place called Mangsari Mangarzong in West Sikkim, where I discovered the legend of Mangarzong. While there, I had the opportunity to listen to several fascinating stories, which were more like folk tales, from the elderly villagers.

These oral traditions have now become a part of history, passed down through generations. During those days, the Mangars faced repeated attacks from their enemies, which led the Mangar King to hide his royal treasure in the nearby hills. The opposing enemies were never able to find the treasure, but the story of the hidden wealth passed from one generation to another, giving rise to the name 'Gardhaney Bhir,' meaning 'Valley of Hidden Treasure.' The people in this place still believe in the existence of the Mangar King's hidden wealth.



The narration of the Mangar Queen riding on a horse with her baby tied to her back during the battle is still a popular and beloved fable story today. Although her story is similar to that of Jhansi ki Rani, the Mangar Queen also shares her fame for bravery as she died fighting her enemies. It is said that she was surrounded by enemies on the battlefield with no means of escape, so she took her own life by jumping into the nearby river. The story is a reflection of strong emotions, and I was captivated by it when I first heard it.

In "The History of Sikkim (1908)" compiled by Chogyal Thotob Namgyal and Gyamo Yeshay Dolma, there is a record of the meeting between Phuntsog Namgyal, the first Chogyal of Sikkim, and the Mangars and Limboos while en route to Yoksum for his coronation. Interestingly, despite the oral documentation of a supposed palace at Mangsari Mangarzong, very little has been done to uncover the prime time of the Mangars community in Sikkim.

During my visit to the area with Rajen Upadhaya, a history lecturer at Namchi Government College, and his students, we noticed some hollowness on the land while trekking through the area. Although we didn't learn more about it, locals claim to have heard footsteps on the mud for a long time.

Regarding 'Gardhaney Bhir,' another fascinating incident is attached to it. Between Budang and Mangsari Mangarzong, we were shown a small iron rod, a part of a Jhyampal (digging bar), that was struck on the rock about 100 meters away from the roadside. Villagers say that this particular digging bar was put into the rock by a man named Motay Mangar, a laborer by profession, but known more for his powerlifting ability. In the 1960s, during the digging of the Jorethang-Soreng Road, Motay Mangar wanted to make a name for himself and be remembered for a long time, so he struck the Jhyampal into the rock to demonstrate his muscular strength.

He was remembered as being like a Hercules, according to an elderly villager. I think the digging bar must be around 5ft long, with more than 4ft of the bar stuck inside the rock. Certainly, he must have been quite famous back then. People have attempted numerous times to remove it, but the iron rod could not be pulled out. The elderly locals remember Motay Mangar to this day with pride and say, "The water and weather of those days were different."

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