Saraswati puja at Rumbuk School

Government junior secondary school Rumbuk celebrated Saraswati puja on 28th Jan 2012 at School Hall. The puja was organized by the school managing committee, ex-student, and staff of Rumbuk School headed by the headmaster Mr. P. D. Rai. This is the second time the puja is being conducted after 2011 and has observed to have positive result on the student says the Headmaster. Puja was conducted with the contribution collected from the every villager and other dignitaries by the student.  The puja showed huge turnover of student and others despite being winter vacation. The puja was attended by Panchayat resident Mr. Deepak Subba Rumbuk GPU, Headmaster Reshi Secondary school Mr. B.R Sharma, Redt. Headmaster Mr. D. P. Chettri and other senior citizen of the village.

A House at Singtam affected by Sikkim Earthquake 2011 colapse after 4 months

NOW

THEN 

My second google adsense arrives to my address

I might possibly be the first person in Sikkim if i am not wrong to receive a Google Adsense Cheque couple of years back. I had never believed that such thing could happen but it happened, the cheque of Four Thousand had arrived to me.

I had almost left hope of my second adsense cheque that reached me last week. I had been tracking it since last december but on numerous occassion i failed to get its tracking at Blue Dart. This time after a month of the dispatch of the cheque with the amount Nine Thousand Seven Hundred Seventeen Ruppees and thirty Two Paise reached to my postal address.

Thank you, Google......

Romeo in Sikkim ; Sikkim’s first Hindi film (1975)

Sikkim became part of the mighty Indian Union in 1975, and in the last 37 years, a small Himalayan kingdom has transformed itself into one of the most beautiful tourist centers in the world. The same year, a milestone was accomplished in Sikkim in the world of Indian Cinema, but more than three decades later, the story seems forgotten by the wheel of the clock.

I wanted to be part of the history of reintroducing the stories of Romeo in Sikkim, a Hindi film with a few landmarks still unknown to many. Romeo in Sikkim is the first Hindi film produced by Sikkim and the first Nepali actor to lead in a Bollywood film (Shyam Pradhan).

Shyam Pradhan went on to act in another film, the first Hindi-Nepali bilingual feature film that never saw the light of day. He later went on to make two successful Nepali movies, Bhool and Sanjiwani. For information, the Nepali film Sanjiwani was made in three languages simultaneously: Nepali, Bengali, and Hindi. The Hindi version has yet to be released.  

It was Mohan Pradhan ‘Neeraj’, Sansthapak of famed Singtam Basibiyalo, Praveen Pradhan, President SPARK NGO from Singtam, and me who visited the residence of the Shyam Pradhan a couple of weeks back. He was about to leave for Siliguri but delayed his program for us. Such was his friendly persona that the anecdote he shared with us about Romeo in Sikkim and his other projects made me just listen to him…silently.

Shyam Pradhan, then a 19-year-old from a well-established business family from Gangtok, acted in a lead role in a color Hindi movie “Romeo in Sikkim” shot exclusively in Sikkim and in some parts of Darjeeling and in Bombay, now Mumbai. With Amina Kareem as a lead actress who had played a small role in Danny Denzongpa’s Hindi film Mere Apne, Romeo in Sikkim had a gifted star cast in the calibre of legendary KN Singh, Kundan, Om Prakash, Seema Kapoor, and others. Harikrishna Kaul directed the movie, the film's shooting was completed in 3 months, and the beautiful songs were composed by Vishwanath.  

Shyam Pradhan says the film was shot in 1973 in 33 mm and released in 1975 in Bombay. In Sikkim, it was first released at Denzong Cinema Hall and later at Vajra Cinema Hall, which ran for 15 successive days.

I first heard about “Romeo in Sikkim” from an audio cassette of legendary Bollywood singer Mukesh. Being a big fan of Mukesh, I found it very surprising to read the lines on the cover of the audio cassette that mentioned the song “Jiska Sapna” from the movie Romeo in Sikkim. Similarly, in a few days, I also found another song sung by Mukesh from another Hindi movie with another interesting title, “Road to Sikkim." So, when I first got to speak to Shyam Pradhan, I just wanted to know about his memory of Mukesh. 

He continued on to say Mukesh was a big name. He was very interested in knowing about the place called Sikkim and meeting the lead actor of Romeo in Sikkim. When Mukesh finally met the lead actor, Mukesh was a bit surprised and, in a sarcastic way, asked his music director, “How can I sing for him?" Definitely, it was difficult for Mukesh to give a feel to the song looking at the young artist from Sikkim, a place he had never heard of. Mukesh just walked up to Shyam Pradhan, hugged him, and told him, "I will try my heart out." After 18 retakes, the recording of the song was completed. After 37 years of the first release of Romeo in Sikkim, the only thing that remains popular is that immortal song, "Jiska Sapana.

Romeo in Sikkim had four songs and the list of singers included Mukesh, Mohammad Rafi, and Suman Kalyanpur, a classic collection.

Appeal: A Sikkimese Singer Prakash Sundas's video is at Great Indian Talent Competition

Appeal: 

A young talented Singer from Sikkim Prakash Sundas's video is at Great Indian Talent Competition, please visit you tube and click "like" to help him enter the next round.

Rules to qualify
1> Get 250+ Views on Your Video for Automatic Qualification
2> Get 100+ Views on Your Video for Judges to Review & Qualify

Culture competition held at 4th State Rally of Sikkim State's Bharat Scouts & Guides

January 18, Singtam: Culture competition was held today on the third day of the 4th State Rally of the Bharat Scouts & Guides, Sikkim State at Khani Khola, Majhitar. Over 75 students from different schools in Sikkim participated in different competitions. Those students also visited the Khani Gaon for a Community Development Project Survey.

The slogan writing competition, Gadget and Pioneering Competition was organized on the day. Mr. Abhinay Chhetri, Associate Director of Himalayan Pharmacy Institute, and eminent writer Mr. Raj K. Shrestha was the Chief Observer and the Chief Guest of the competition. Mr. Praveen Pradhan, President, Spark NGO from Singtam, and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

A traditional folk song and dance competition was held in an afternoon session. Mr. Mohan Pradhan ‘Neeraj’, Sansthapak of Singtam Basibiyalo, Mr. Bishnu Suman, Dance Director, New Heaven Dance Institute, Singtam & Majhitar were the Judges of the competition. After the end of the day’s program, Camp Fire was performed.

Sikkim Documentary by Satyajit Ray to come in DVD

Anyone interested in going through the old lifestyles of the small Kingdom of Sikkim will surely be delighted to know that the much-awaited "Sikkim '' documentary by noted filmmaker Satyajit Ray will hit the market soon in DVDs and VCDs. Shot in 1971 in different parts of Sikkim stories of the very documentary being banned and later on gossip of the lost negatives of the much-talked documentary makes the work more interesting for Sikkim lovers to search for this masterpiece.

I was fortunate to watch this documentary last year when it was shown at Vajra Cinema Hall at Gangtok. Watching the Chogyal and Gyalmo moving on the widescreen of the cinema hall made it more appealing to audiences like me who were not born in Independent Sikkim. Truly each scene that illustrated the old Sikkim gave me a feeling of that era when this land was free of the noises and crowds that surround it today.

Just watch the above video of Gangtok City, the then-small capital of the Kingdom of Sikkim. It surely makes me nostalgic for those sections of the crowds who belong to that period. Thanks, Satyajit Ray and of course to our Gyalmo for the thought to make a documentary on Sikkim. Thanks once again.

Mr. Pakianathan and Mr Firth chatting with Alwynian student Ghanashayam Pradhan after 41 years

for more read

http://sikhim.blogspot.com/2009/11/when-alwynian-met-after-41-years-in.html

Two Alwynians discussing old days at Gangtok, Sikkim

for more read

http://sikhim.blogspot.com/2009/11/when-alwynian-met-after-41-years-in.html

Mrs Pakianathan speaking with her Alwynian student Ghanashayam Pradhan

For more read...

http://sikhim.blogspot.com/2009/11/when-alwynian-met-after-41-years-in.html

Har dil mein dard utha .....Song from Romeo in Sikkim

This beautiful song is sang by Suman Kalyanpur.

Ill-fated Rangchang Steel Bridge that colapsed last December

Today I happened to cross the Rangchang Khola Bridge, the very steel bridge that is in news after its collapse few weeks back. More of a first time happening Bridge collapse in Sikkim, I was taken aback when I heard the news for the very first time. I was still at Dalapchand when the incident happened and I received a call from Bajgain daju wanting me to find information about the incident.

When I came across the debris of the ill-fated steel bridge I wasn’t able to believe that this was the very bridge that I had walked through when I was on the visit to Mangan and its surroundings during Earthquake relief work. I still remember clicking photographs of the panoramic beauty of the valley from the bridge.

More than ten people had died when a concrete steel bridge collapsed over Rangchang khola (river) around 1.15 pm in North Sikkim. According to news media the bridge collapsed due to the weight of a 48 wheelers truck carrying power equipment. The truck was loaded with heavy weight transformer of 1200 MW Teesta Urja Company. The truck with eight persons on board plunged 70 ft below in the Khola near Dikchu.

The 85 meters long steel bridge was located 11 kms from Dikchu towards Singtam and was designed with RCC decking. It was inaugurated on 3rd of April 2009 to replace a Bailey bridge. It was constructed by Mohan Bajaj, Sikkim under 87RCC 499 RMPL 764 TF.

Italian Picture Card of Sikkim of 1960s

The first sight i came across to this small picture post card, i said to myself ...its beautiful. Delcampe.com a popular auction house is selling a picture postcard published from Italy that belongs to 1960s with a beautiful designed map of Sikkim and its surrounding countries. 

The map of Sikkim belongs to Independent Sikkim where India is also shown separately. Want to buy this stuff, its only 3 pound for you. 

Sikkim celebrates newari culture Indra Jatra 2011

“THE FIRST STEP : PAHILO PAILA ” POETRY BOOK REALSED The Young Gorkha with Vision and its Art

On 31st Dec , 2011, the book, The First Step, Pahilo Paila poetry book was realized by Kumar Subba, Chairman Dimapur Gorkha Union at Bamunphukuri . in his speech he asserted that the young youths should pose good literary works. Rupak himself highlighted the Difficulties of the Gorkha community in the North East Area Especially Dimapur, through the means of his write-ups in Gorkha magazines, Blogs, and Newspapers. He is Associated with  Bureau Chief for Sapparivar and Gorkha Times. He devoted his time to doing communal jobs in the fields of Social  Work and when I describe his poems, I must say he is doing good with vision.

The poetry book is comprised of English and Nepali poems, and the  Poets Note was in the script by Nanda Kirati Dewan, Editor NEH 24X 7, and Info & Pub Secy AAGSU  on a poetry book. On Vote of Thanks, he told he is happy that much support was given by his Family Members Paudel Pariwar, Junkeri Production, and all  Sponsors and literary persons for their support and having faith in me. The program was enthralled by the poetic views and expression. The vision of releasing this book was spoken by Rupak Chetri. He told that his dream of getting a book was three years ago and he can see it in reality. and it’s a New year's Gift to my community, he also asserted that by selling the book, he can help the young youths of our community who are uneducated and economic problems of the community can be solved by little percentage if all the readers purchased this book and also many projects are underway to come.