Two things you never knew about Nehru and Sikkim

BY SHITAL PRADHAN

Today is Children's Day, better known for the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister. There is no doubt that everyone knew about the special relationship that Nehru shared with Sikkim. Nehru had preferred to spend his retirement life in Sikkim, which never happened, and if it had happened, we might never have known Sikkim could still have been an independent country till now. Nevertheless, I am here to talk about two special things about Nehru and Sikkim that few people remember or talk about. Nehru and his daughter Indira visited Sikkim twice in his life. Nehru inaugurated the world-famous Tibetology at Tadong.

But the big thing, a lesser-known fact, is that after the death of Nehru, his ashes were brought to Sikkim and dispersed in the air around places like Gangtok, Pemayangste, and Kanchenjunga ranges. Another interesting fact is that we know that the Late Chogyal Tashi Namgyal was a well-known painter, but it is interesting to read that his portrait of Nehru still holds a place in a room in Anand Bhawan, just above the bed used by Nehru.