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.

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JANHA BAGCHA TEESTA RANGIT

This was a national song of Sikkim sung in the Nepali language during the monarchy system. During the merger with India, the song got banned and later re-released. Two words on the 8th para, which earlier said 'Rajah rah Rani,' were replaced with "Janmah bhumi." This song was dedicated to the King and Queen of Sikkim. The song lyrics were penned by Sanu Lama, and the music was composed by Dushyant Lama. The song was first sung on the birth anniversary of Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal on April 4, 1970, at Gangtok by Aruna Lama, Dawa Lama, and Manikamal Chettri. JANHA BAGCHA TEESTA RANGIT, JAHAN KANCHENDZONGA SEER YEHI HO HAMRO DHANA KO DESH, TAPAWAN HO PYARO SIKKIM INTERLUDE PHULCHAN YEHA AANGANAI MAA, CHAAP , GURAS, SUNAKHARI SWARGASARI SUNDAR DESH KO HAMRO PYARO PYARO JANMAHBHUMI JANHA BAGCHA…… BATASHLE BOKCHAA YAHA, TATHAGAT KO AAMAR WAANI ...

Pandam Garhi and its surmise

--> RUINS OF PANDAM GARHI BY SHITAL PRADHAN The stories of the legendary ruined walls at Pandam, a 16 km uphill climb from Rangpo, as I had heard from old folks a few seasons back, had ever since excited me to visit this place. Never in the pages of a history book do we come across its talk about when it was built or how it was constructed at the top of the hill? Over the years, many theories have evolved regarding its origin. Some theorists associate the fort with some Lepcha legends, while few disagree with it and have their own adage. They make us believe one of the Chogyals constructed it to stop the approaching Bhutanese army from entering Sikkim. The last theory to add up, already baffling and controversial, says it was one of the Gurkha Generals from Nepal who constructed the fort along with the Kalika Mandir, also called Nishani Mandir, just below it. With each theory making questions over my mind, I decided to have my second trek to the Pandam Garhi. I had ...

Snake like fish caught in Singtam River

The Indian mottled eel, locally known as Raj Bam, was recovered from the Singtam River at Golitar this early morning. The snake-like fish weighed around 7 kg and was four feet long. The local people said that they had never seen this species for so long. Such mysterious-looking marine fish are also sighted from time to time on the river banks, local people added.

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

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