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

My fascination with Sikkim History started in early 2003 after I completed my graduation from Sikkim Government College, Tadong where I joined the famed newspaper Weekend Review at Gangtok and since then there is no looking back for me. Over the last seven years I am fortunate to have my articles published in reputed newspapers and magazines of Sikkim and few from North Bengal too. My query to know more about the Sikkim’s past made me visit different corners of the state. Visiting those sacred places I find myself blessed to have born to this place, a heaven on earth. Blogging for me started in 2005; as a result “ Proud to be a Sikkimese ” was born. Proud to be a Sikkimese is my homage to my Sikkim and contains collection of articles and essays I had written over the years more prominently about Sikkim History. The technology of Internet has helped writers like share my work with people across the globe and it gives a pleasure of satisfaction to know that my articles have helped p...

As always i am excited as well as surprised to find two post cards of famed Namgyal Institute of Tibetology of Sikkim at Deorali on sell at ebay. The more interesting for me or i say to myself i never knew Namgyal Institute of Tibetology was earlier known as Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology. The post cards costs you US $9.99.

Dear friends my blog  http://sikhim.blogspot.com/  has been selected for the final round of Best of Indian Blogosphere (BoIB) 2010 polls under the category  Arts & Hobby Blogs  and  Entertainment, News & Media  .  Please visit my blog and vote for me. Polling to be active till February 13.

'Rishim’ is more than just a beautiful word that will remain with me forever. I am sure the magic of Rishim will lure anyone. More than four months back when I had a chance to meet Yuvraaj Rai, a famed cinematographer from Nepal in Mazhitar near Rangpo, he came up with an idea to premiere a Nepali movie based on the Rai community in Sikkim to which I could not hide my excitement. He had then just had a few shows in Nepal, Hong Kong, and other places. He proudly said “Rishim” and without any second thought, we (members of Spark NGO) agreed that we will make an arrangement to release the movie to our people in Sikkim.   In my opinion, the culture of a place cannot be bounded by any geographical or political boundaries and I have seen that in Rishim. A mere pronunciation of the word Rishim was enough to raise my query to know more about it. I was just told that Rishim was the name of a character and the story of the film revolves around her. I belong to the Newar comm...

This school at Dentam could probably be one of the oldest school started in Sikkim by the Christian Missionaries. 

                        (This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 27-12-2010)      An engaging hobby, collecting stamps could be a smart investment option as well — with lasting, long-term value Malabika Sarkar   HIGH VALUE: A collection of 25 Gandhi stamps that was sold for Rs 4.75 lakh at the Todywalla Auctions in the National Philately Exhibition organised by Bharatiya Daktikit Sangstha and Stamps of India in New Delhi V intage postage stamps may not fetch returns in crores as prominent art works do (which you’ll buy by spending a fortune as well), but they have their own value. For instance, in 1854, a 4-anna stamp was printed with the face of Queen Victoria, but upside down (erroneously, of course). Its 27 known copies have become rare and valued today, with just one copy going for an ast...

Remanti Rai and  Geeta Sharma are among the five singers selected from Sikkim for the next Guwahati round of the North East Wave, a mega talent hunt in singing and dancing among the North East States. The other three singers are Sujata Tamang, Rakesh Moktan and Suraj Sharma. Similarly in dance category are Rohan Dahal, Sheetal Rai, Robin Mukhia, Reshma Baraily and Pema Lhamu Pradhan who shall represent Sikkim in the next round. The competitors have left for Assam this evening.  "North East Wave is a mega talent hunt launched by the North Eastern Council. For the first time, a talent hunt of this scale is being conducted in the North East where the participants from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim will fight it out in a competition showcasing their singing and dancing talent. The winners will get exciting prizes and a chance to be a part of a music album as well as feature in a music video."

Singtam: The first meeting of the 17 Khamdong-Singtam Tourism Development Service Cooperative Society Limited was held at Khamdong BAC today in presence of Panchayats, Contractors, teachers, local people, members of SDF youths and others. The organization was formed to promote Village Tourism at Khamdong-Singtam constituency.    Present on the occasion were distinguished guests that included Santosh Thatal, District Convenor Schedule Caste Board, Tenzing Sherpa, Vice Convenor, East District, Anita Gurung, Convenor Cheli Morcha, MJ Rai, Panchayat President, NK Rai, Panchayat Secretary, NK Pradhan, Zilla Panchayat (Khamdong), RP Dhakal, KC Dahal, Pempa Wangyal Lepcha, Panchayat, Gauri Shanker, Pempa Tamang, Jullian Gurung, Feeroj Lohagun and others. The talk of the day involved exchange of ideas regarding the promotion of Village Tourism. Tenzing Sherpa, Vice Convenor, East District told that Village tourism is new for the people of Khamdong-Singtam constituency and if we c...

25 Srang Note from Tibet

SOURCE: SIKKIM REPORTER

I found it strange that Wikipedia does not mention that an orchid variety had been named after Astronaut Kalpana Chawla who died in Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy. The year was 2003 couple of months after her death the then Prime Minster of India Atal Bihari Vajpee was on his first visit to the Himalayan State of Sikkim. Two new orchid varieties created by K.C. Pradhan, Former Chief Secretary of Sikkim and his son Sailesh Pradhan, both famed Orchid specialist from Sikkim was kept at  Orchid Flower Show, Gangtok. An orchid variety Dendrobium Atal Bihari Vajpayee was named after Atal Bihari Vajpee to mark his first visit to Sikkim while when asked to name the second variety, he simply replied “Kalpana Chawla”. Brassocattleya Astronaut Kalpana Chawla was than named after Kalpana Chawla.  ALSO READ  This was the closest i could go for PM Modi orchid Wikipedia fails to mention Sikkim Orchid named after Kalpana Chawla Coelogyne pantlingii, ...