Picnic cum cleanliness drive held at Lampokhari

RONGLI, APRIL 28: A picnic cum cleanliness drive was organized by Scouts and Guides (Dalapchand SS) and Generous Student Dalapchand SS at Lampokhari on April 28.  Chandra Maya Rai, Panchayat President, MK Rai, Panchayat Secretary, Teaching and non-teaching faculties of Dalapchand SS and the students were present on the occasion.

CD Rai, senior teacher of Dalapchand SS enlightened the gathering about the cleanliness drive and the role of Generous Students. Rai went on to speak about different activities carried by Generous Student Dalapchand SS in the last couple of years. Chandra Maya Rai, Panchayat President expressed her happiness about the activities conducted by Dalapchand SS and promised to support the school for other social causes. She presented an amount of Rs. 1000 towards Generous Student Dalapchand SS’s fund. B.B. Rai, senior teacher of Dalapchand SS gave the vote of thanks.

SD Bhutia, GT (Bio) and Scout Master of Dalapchand SS said, Lampokhari is the pride of Dalapchand and our state and when we found that the surroundings at the lake needs to be cleaned. We found this to be a noble job and the whole school from class iv to class x joined together for this noble cause. Scouts and Guides (Dalapchand SS) and Generous Student Dalapchand SS remain thankful towards the Panchayats, School Head and staff and students for their presence, said Bhutia in the Press Release.

With expectation that my vote is counted...............

Buddha Park (Tathagata Tsal ) of Ravangla

Chisopani JHS and Ralap SS celebrates International Day of Sports for the Development of Peace

SINGTAM, APRIL 7:  Ralap SS defeated Chisopani JHS five goals to one in an exhibition match played at Chisopani JHS today. Both schools were observing the International Day of Sports for the Development of Peace. Trophies, prizes and certificates were presented to the players by the Chief Guest. 

Bimal Lamichaney, Panchayat President, Sirwani Chisopnai GPU was the Chief Guest of the day while the other guest included Karma Jigme Bhutia and Michael Lepcha (Pandam Football Academy), Dorjee Sherpa, Headmaster, Ralap SS, Mahesh Dahal, Headmaster Chisopani JHS, his staff and the students and local villagers.  

Mahesh Dahal, Headmaster Chisopani JHS in his welcome speech welcomed the guests and spoke about the occasion, Football is the most popular sport in the world and it is a sport that can spread peace everywhere. We all humans should always unite and work for the progress of society, said Dahal.

The team of Ralap SS was a better team on the day and they played a better game. They went on to win Best Goalkeeper, Highest Scorer and Player of the day prizes. Karma Jigme Bhutia and Michael Lepcha (Manager and Coach of Pandam Football Academy) also interacted with the young players and share a few guidelines about the game.

Bimal Lamichaney, Panchayat President, Sirwani Chisopnai GPU in his speech congratulated both the schools for the game and encouraged the players. He spoke about the beauty of the game and how it binds every individual. The exhibition match was organized by Chisopani JHS. CM Chettri, PRT, Chiopani JHS was the host of the day.

Gardhaney Bhir, Motay Mangar and his Jhyampal

[The History of Sikkim (1908), compiled by Chogyal Thotob Namgyal and Gyamo Yeshay Dolma, records the meeting between Phuntsog Namgyal, the first Chogyal of Sikkim, and the Mangars and Limboos while en route to Yoksum for his coronation. Interestingly, despite oral documentation of a supposed palace at Mangsari Mangarzong, very little has been done to explore the prime time of the Mangars community in Sikkim.]

A couple of years ago, I visited a place called Mangsari Mangarzong in West Sikkim, where I discovered the legend of Mangarzong. While there, I had the opportunity to listen to several fascinating stories, which were more like folk tales, from the elderly villagers.

These oral traditions have now become a part of history, passed down through generations. During those days, the Mangars faced repeated attacks from their enemies, which led the Mangar King to hide his royal treasure in the nearby hills. The opposing enemies could never find the treasure. Still, the story of the hidden wealth passed from one generation to another, giving rise to the name 'Gardhaney Bhir,' meaning 'Valley of Hidden Treasure.' The people in this place still believe in the existence of the Mangar King's hidden wealth.

The narration of the Mangar Queen riding on a horse with her baby tied to her back during the battle is still a popular and beloved fable story today. Although her story is similar to that of Jhansi ki Rani, the Mangar Queen also shares her fame for bravery as she died fighting her enemies. It is said that she was surrounded by enemies on the battlefield with no means of escape, so she took her own life by jumping into the nearby river. The story reflects strong emotions, and it captivated me when I first heard it.

In "The History of Sikkim (1908)," compiled by Chogyal Thotob Namgyal and Gyamo Yeshay Dolma, there is a record of the meeting between Phuntsog Namgyal, the first Chogyal of Sikkim, and the Mangars and Limboos while en route to Yoksum for his coronation. Interestingly, despite the oral documentation of a supposed palace at Mangsari Mangarzong, very little has been done to uncover the prime time of the Mangars community in Sikkim.

During my visit to the area with Rajen Upadhaya, a history lecturer at Namchi Government College, and his students, we noticed some hollowness on the land while trekking through the area. Although we didn't learn more about it, locals claim to have heard footsteps in the mud for a long time.

Another fascinating incident is attached to Gardhaney Bhir. Between Budang and Mangsari Mangarzong, we were shown a small iron rod, a part of a Jhyampal (digging bar), that was struck on the rock about 100 meters away from the roadside. Villagers say that this particular digging bar was put into the rock by a man named Motay Mangar, a laborer by profession, who was known more for his powerlifting ability. In the 1960s, during the digging of the Jorethang-Soreng Road, Motay Mangar wanted to make a name for himself and be remembered for a long time, so he struck the Jhyampal into the rock to demonstrate his muscular strength.

According to an elderly villager, he was remembered as being like a Hercules. I think the digging bar must have been around 5 feet long, with more than 4 feet of it stuck inside the rock. Certainly, he must have been quite famous back then. People have attempted numerous times to remove it, but the iron rod could not be pulled out. The elderly locals remember Motay Mangar to this day with pride and say, "The water and weather of those days were different."