Extracted from Major General (retd) Ashok K Mehta' The truth about Sikkim
In 1975, there was yet another takeover, this time organized by the itinerant immigrants from Nepal. On April 9, in a swift and sudden military operation that left many mental scars among the Bhutias especially, the Indian Army deployed on Nathu La and the watershed in Sikkim since 1963 took over the Chogyal's palace by disarming the Royal Sikkim Guards, ironically officered by the Indian Army, and seizing the royal armory.
The Chogyal was drinking his favourite Remy Martin when the commandant of the Royal Sikkim Guards, Lt Col K S Gurung, announced the surrender.
Mr. John Lall and Sunanda K Datta Ray have written about 1975, but two stories can be added. First, the officer leading the assault on the palace and the major defending the Chogyal were the Jagota brothers, one from the Jat Regiment and the other from the Gurkha Regiment. The two had orders to act in the best traditions of the Indian Army.
The second episode is about how the Chogyal, on learning that the Sikkimese guard at the main gate had been killed, wore his Indian Army uniform --- he was honorary colonel of the 8 Gurkhas, walked to the palace gates, and saluted the slain soldier.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/nov/07ashok.htm
My mother is from Lingtham and I visited Sikkim this year, I was sad to hear that Nepalese is most commonly spoken by Bhutias too. There is no effort from parents to teach their childern Dangzong language, also I hear there are shortage of good Tibetan teachers in schools. I think in a world of globalisation and cultural degration from consumer led marketing of ever uniformity of culture. Sikkim may rue its uniqueness if lost within few generations.
ReplyDeletedangzong ... now which language is that..
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