My Story: Those East Point days --1

A few days back Nirmika, my good old friend informed me about the Silver Jubilee of the formation of East Point Senior Secondary School, the next year. I could not hide my surprise how in a nip twenty-four long years passed by. Recently East Point Senior Secondary school received a certificate from the Human Resource Development Department, Government of Sikkim for standing out among the best school in the State of Sikkim in Private Sectors to have contributed to the development of education; I was among the many who felt proud of that moment. I being associated with this school since its early days, I can proudly say I have seen this school grow from pillar to pillar. It really is a proud moment to witness the school you have studied receive accolades.

Some twenty-four years back this esteemed school made its start from nowhere with just a handful of dedicated teaching staff and a visionary Principal Madam. The year was 1988 when I had just changed to a new school East Point English School at Class V, as this school was earlier known as. I studied for three years till Class VII since that was the highest class at that time. When I recall my school days at EPES as the school was also known in short, I do remember preparing for Independence Day celebrations sweating under the August Sun, yoga classes, Bal Bikas classes, playing cricket, having fun with Ganesh Sir, Sanjay Sir, and Raju Sir and many more.

East Point English School is also a story of four friends, Pema Tshering, Bhasker Gurung, and Dipankar Gurung. Interestingly we had been together since our kindergarten days. Bhasker left for St Javiers, Pakyong at Class VIII while the rest of us studied together till Class XII (Singtam High School now Singtam SSS till Class X and then at TNSSS, Gangtok till Class XII).

I was not good at my studies. My young innocent thought during those days was to be like “Lekhu” Mohan Gokhle’s serial shown on Doordarshan Television. I used to think in a different way used to ask lots of questions to the teachers that did make me ostracized by my teachers. I was good in the General Knowledge subject; I still remember my juniors surrounding me in the GK exam paper in hope that I could help them. Even to this day whenever I get a chance to look upon my old school report card I cannot let my smile hide when I get to see the lines that read- “Can do better but he is very careless”.

Of the many memories I had, I do wish to mention a few incidents I find very funny. But when it happened it wasn’t fun. It was one of the Independence Day Inter-House Sports Competitions and I was there representing Green House in 400 meters. I believe I could be in Class VI at that time. We never had any practice sessions and we all got prepared to run the 400m finals. We were supposed to circle around the Mandi Bazaar ground four times and among the 5 to 6 participants, I was the only one without an athlete body. I did manage to run two full rounds but at the closing end of the final round my body could not resist the fatigue I was suffering and I gave up in the middle of the race.

As I was dragging myself towards my Green House camp I heard my house teacher telling her next teacher if he can’t run why he participated. He just dropped Green House‘s name. I could not believe what my House Teacher just told and it went straight in my heart as such that from Class VI till my graduation I never represented any of my institutions. Today I laugh at my stupidity but these small memories make a moment worth remembering.

History on Easter Sunday and Padari Ganga Prasad Pradhan

By Seira Tamang As noted by various scholars, Hinduism, the Nepali language, the monarchy and a rastriya itihas (a chronicle of progress in which the dark era of Rana rule is contrasted with the enlightened, progressive and modern period of Panchayat rule) formed the core of the Panchayat regime’s national culture. The formation and consolidation of this national culture have required the expunging of uncomfortable facts and stories that might raise ambiguities and questions. While the selection of what and who is and is not acknowledged to exist (or at least exist in historically important ways) in official Nepali history is complex, social scientists have begun to provide more comprehensive historical accounts of the past through oral histories and re-readings of historical documents. Such accounts reveal how ordinary people lived in the past, and offer ways to think through how ‘history’ is crafted, shaped and managed in order to reflect ‘the reality’ best suited to the status quo, ...

Shapi of Sikkim: Our legacy -iii

A Sikkimese with a Shapi The two previous articles I wrote in my earlier edition on Shapi were wonderful to read for people around, and appreciation had been received from different corners of the state. I am thankful and find pleasure in people finding joy in my findings and research work. It was a bit surprising that very few had heard about Shapi, our rare legacy. Nevertheless, I am happy to be part of history for re-introducing Shapi to those sections of my readers who had never heard about this old and sacred mountain mammal, a native of Sikkim. I dedicate my writing on Shapi to Ongden Daju (RO), who has been very supportive of me ever since I first published its first part a few months back. It was he who wanted me to continue with the third part of Shapi since more findings were evolving after my two writings. I shall always remain grateful to JR Subba, Jt Director from the Forest Department, for providing me with a valuable census report of Shapi done by the Department...

Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, with his mother Queen Mother Denzong Lhayumkusho and Prince Wangchuk of Sikkim

The late Jungkyang Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, seated with his mother Queen Mother Denzong Lhayumkusho, daughter of Rakasha family of Tibet, and Prince Wangchuk whose late mother hails from the Samdrup Phodrang family of Tibet. Standing next to Denzong Queen Mother is the senior Rakasha Lhachamkusho, daughter of Raja Tsodrak Namgyal Taring of Sikkim, the eldest son of Chogyal Thutop Namgyal, who gave up the Sikkimese throne to his younger brother Sir Chogyal Tashi Namgyal in favour of staying in Tibet. The Taring family of Tibet enabled into Tibetan high society by the great 13th Dalai Lama, is legitimately the unbroken elder line of the Royal Namgyal lineage of Sikkim, since Raja Tsodrak Namgyal was the Crown Prince of Sikkim, and his sons and grandsons today go by the Taring family name. Standing in the picture is also Princess Kukula, sister of the Chogyal married to the Phuenkhang family of Tibet. Rakasha Tsetop, Rakasha Tseten, Yap Dr. Paljor, Soden Wangdi, Chimi ...

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

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