Initial years of Sikkimese music in LP Disc

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Every time i look for Sikkim in Google search, unexpected results greet me. My eagerness to learn more about my Sikkim gets a new level of excitation. Like most of the time, I like sharing information with people around, and this time around I am here sharing about "Music Of Sikkim (ABC LP) Music Of The Earth Series", a promo LP ABC Command from the Music of Earth Series.

The information collected from different pages of websites says that the music for "Music Of Sikkim" was recorded in Sikkim between December 1969 and January 1970. The LP contains 8 selections. Its label number is COMS 9002 ABC Command and published from Los Angeles. The Record was released in 1975. It is very exciting to note down the names of local singers of those days.

The sample is as follows

A1 Ceremonial and Folk Music - Lepcha Band Ceremonial Music 5:28
A2 Sukhbir (A Narrative Singer) 3:34
A3 Lepcha Narrative Song 2:53
A4 Tibetan Folk Song 3:49
A5 Sherpa Folk Song 3:15
A6 Metal and Bamboo Jew's Harps 3:43
B1 Music of the Buddhist Liturgy - Hymns for Shawms and Long Trumpets 8:07
B2 Private Memorial Service [excerpt] 14:46

This disc is auctioned at popsike.com at 49 US dollars while at eBay it is lowly priced at 8 US Dollars.

This particular Record DISC could be the third one that was released with music from Sikkim. The previous account had little Sikkimese materials in Barenreiter-Musicaphon BM 30 L 2009 (1965) LP Disc that contained music from the Nyingma monastery at Enchi (Gangtok), the remainder music was from the monastery of Tibetan monk at Rumtek.

Vogue MC 20119 (1968) had some excerpts from the Sikkimese version of mystery dance drama while on side B had items being performed by Tibetans passing through Sikkim. The DISC Record of 1955 in Sikkim was in vinyl format and recorded in Nagra-Kudelski magnetophone at France is titled as "Musique Tibétaine Du Sikkim".

The credit for Musique Tibétaine Du Sikkim as Directed By [Series] - Gilbert Rouget, Photography - Didier Tarod, Recorded By - Serge Bourguignon, Technician [Sound] - Victor Borlandelli

Photographs from cdandlp.com and popsike.com

JANHA BAGCHA TEESTA RANGIT

This was a national song of Sikkim sung in the Nepali language during the monarchy system. During the merger with India, the song got banned and later re-released. Two words on the 8th para, which earlier said 'Rajah rah Rani,' were replaced with "Janmah bhumi." This song was dedicated to the King and Queen of Sikkim. The song lyrics were penned by Sanu Lama, and the music was composed by Dushyant Lama. The song was first sung on the birth anniversary of Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal on April 4, 1970, at Gangtok by Aruna Lama, Dawa Lama, and Manikamal Chettri. JANHA BAGCHA TEESTA RANGIT, JAHAN KANCHENDZONGA SEER YEHI HO HAMRO DHANA KO DESH, TAPAWAN HO PYARO SIKKIM INTERLUDE PHULCHAN YEHA AANGANAI MAA, CHAAP , GURAS, SUNAKHARI SWARGASARI SUNDAR DESH KO HAMRO PYARO PYARO JANMAHBHUMI JANHA BAGCHA…… BATASHLE BOKCHAA YAHA, TATHAGAT KO AAMAR WAANI ...

Sikkim closes for a day in support of their CM

A 12-hour bandh call by the supporters of the ruling SDF party was observed today. The bandh was called to protest the burning of Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling's effigy by the Shiv Sena activists on the 11th of September in Siliguri, West Bengal charging CM Chamling with having 'dual nationality. Except for Army and GREF all other Vehicles, as well as shops, were closed. Such a state bandh was last held ten years back. (photographs from Singtam)

Snake like fish caught in Singtam River

The Indian mottled eel, locally known as Raj Bam, was recovered from the Singtam River at Golitar this early morning. The snake-like fish weighed around 7 kg and was four feet long. The local people said that they had never seen this species for so long. Such mysterious-looking marine fish are also sighted from time to time on the river banks, local people added.

Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

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