I had never thought that someday my passion for understanding Sikkim would have followers and well-wishers across the globe. Just before writing this article I had received an email from Volker from France wondering about my fascination for bringing out things about Sikkim no one ever had given a thought.
I was looking for information with him regarding a person named Robert Godet, a Frenchman who was a writer, photographer, an adventure lover, and a family friend to the Royal family of Sikkim who had made several flights to Sikkim in his own small two-seater aeroplane in the 50s, probably making him the first person to fly across the Himalayan Kingdom of Sikkim.
Sometimes my friends call me a wanderer; since I visit different places looking for lost pieces of Sikkim’s past. Sometimes it’s the oral documentation while on a few other occasions it’s the materials I get around that keep me silent. For since last decade I had been at Singtam, my hometown, and doing my own research on Sikkim History but this time around I have moved to a new place with the hope that my work would get a new charter of life and I could continue to do what I am expected the most by my readers.
Last week was an eventful one for me; I got transferred from Burung Primary School now Burung JHS to my new destination Upper Dalapchand Secondary School and in between, I had my first television interview aired on Nayuma TV. I am happy to be at Dalapchand, a half-hour drive from Rongli Bazaar the place that is the home of Sikkim’s first Post Office, now forgotten in the wheel of time.
Just the day I joined Upper Dalapchand SS, I was told by my new staff that the name Dalapchand means a flat rock where the travellers heading for Tibet prior to the late 1880s would stop to take a rest, and to my surprise, I could see that rock from the school balcony.
I could not hide my smile when I was shown a small path that led to the bamboo bushes and I was told that it was a mule path that had stopped after the 1960s. I feel I am at home and I am sure I shall enjoy my staying out here. But I too cannot forget my staying at Burung, my first posting as a primary school teacher.
After spending six initial years of my teaching life at Burung JHS as a primary teacher I had my share of experience at Burung. It is now more of a memory to be part of the Burung School family where I have learned about different walks of life. I have had many unforgettable moments with my students and with my fellow staff during my staying at Burung. We were eight staff; Headmaster NT Bhutia followed by other teachers Uttam Shivakoti, Kamal Sharma, M B Tamang, Ganga Hamal, Savitra Dahal, Indira Rizal, and myself.
Among the teaching staff, I am thankful for Burung for giving me an opportunity to come across a friend like Indira Rizal. She was always a source of encouragement for my work and would read every published article of mine and she did not hesitate to ask if she did not understand anything.
Still fresh in my mind is making my students participate at State level dancing competition at Nachyo Babari. Those students who had never been to Gangtok and their cultural performances that were limited to school functions performed in fronts of celebrities like Uttam Pradhan, Kamal Rai, and Pema Tsedun and with a packed audience at SDF Bhawan. Thou we did not make any further progress but the joy of my dancer student was enough to make me happy and I felt that I have succeeded. I did arrange educational tours for students to Gangtok and Science Centre, Namli in successive years.
From many memorable moments, I have is the football tournament I took my school students at Chuja School and we lost handsomely with nine goals to nil. Our school did not have any playground but I have seen those boys playing football on roads nearby. I wanted them to participate and have fun; I always believe it is important to participate while a win or a loss is always part of a game.
I have always lived my life at the smile and joy of my students and I am happy I was one of their close friends, someone with whom they did not hesitate to speak of their minds.
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