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

BY ROSHNI SUBBA for Explore Sikkim In the year 1826 two British officers, Campbell and Dr Hooker came to the Singalila area to search out the easiest excess to Tibet from India . On their tour of this region, they halted for a night in the old Gorkha Station at Ghoom Bhanjang. In the morning they saw the glamorous view of the full range of Kanchenjunga in wonderful colours during the time of sunrise. The climate of the place was cold much similar to that of their home town in England . The chilled climate of the area makes an impression upon them very much, so with great consideration of the two Britishers the hill station of Darjeeling was established.  Building structures, road and rail networks and bridges were constructed by the East India Company by the end of the 18th century where still to this day there are monuments in and around Darjeeling that have proudly and with pride stand the last ten decades. The Town Hall (also know...

BY PHILIP RAI Recently a woman named Rachel Ellison was awarded an Order of the Member of the British Empire (MBE). She had set up a radio show called Afghan Woman's Hour in Afghanistan under the aegis of British Broadcasting Corporation. She was given the honour for promoting human rights and female empowerment in the country. This piece of news reminded me of a WWII veteran Gurkha, Major Kunjalal Moktan who too had been awarded with an order of MBE. The MBE was given to him in recognition of his efforts at helping the Britishers reconstitute the partition torn Brigade of Gurkhas at Malaya (Malaysia). Albeit, ‘the order has attracted some criticism for its connection with the idea of the British Empire. Many famous personalities including Benjamin Zephaniah have rejected the MBE saying it reminded of "thousands of years of brutality—it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalized”. Nevertheless, a Gurkha to have received an MBE fo...