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

  22.05.22: Sikkim started off the centennial birth anniversary celebrations of Late Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal starting today. A year-long celebration had been decided in the state of Sikkim till May 22nd 2023.    A major celebration was held today at Chogyal Palden Thondup Memorial Park, Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Deorali. More than 34 different organisations along with the Chogyal Centennial Celebrations Committee had come together to celebrate the occasion.    Prince Palden Gyurmed Namgyal, the son of the Late Chogyal gave his gracious presence to make the event a memorable one. Prayers and a cultural program from different communities were held on the occasion.   Earlier in the morning, a day-long, Sowa Rigpa Free Medical Camp at MG Marg was inaugurated by Ganga Prasad, the Governor of Sikkim. The camp was conducted by The medical camp was conducted by Soga Rigpa Medical College of NIT, Deoarli. The Governor of Sikkim then visited Chogyal Pal...

 

In 1953, Crown Prince Palden Thondup Namgyal was appointed as President of the Mahabodhi Society of India, a South Asian Buddhist organization. Here, the Crown Prince addresses a crowd in Bodhgaya, India, during the 1956 celebrations for Buddha Jayanti, which marks Buddha’s birthday. Source: I love Siliguri facebook

Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi walks with Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal near Denzong Cinema Hall in Gangtok during a visit in 1968. Source: I love Siliguri facebook

The Tibetan wedding party of Princess Sangey Deki Samdo Phodrang arrives in Sikkim’s capital of Gangtok, ahead of her wedding to Crown Prince Palden Thondup Namgyal in August 1950.  Leading the procession- Rai Bahabur Sonam Tobden Source: I love Siliguri facebook

It has been after few months, i found the photograph of Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal and Gyalmo Hope Cooke in the the web. So sharing for my readers...indeed a perfect match altogether.

King of Sikkim, Palden Thondup Namgyal, on the right, and his wife, American born Hope Cooke, on a visit to Washington ( November 18, 1971 ) Arthur E. Scott photograph collection

This photograph from 1966 shows the then Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal and Gyalmo Hope Cooke visiting KC Pradhan, who was then studying Masters in Forestry at Yale University (USA). Pic: Ebay

Ebay as i always say is a wonderful find for me for some rare materials. I had always been passionate about Sikkim and whenever i get an opportunity to watch anything of my Sikkim's past, i just want to share with everyone.  If ever i had any regrets in life, i am sure i have this in my small heart that i could not see "my Independent Sikkim" and my Chogyal. So whenever i come across materials associated with my old Sikkim, my happiness knows no boundary. Here i am presenting a greeting card of Chogyal and Gyalmo and more sweeter is the name written in it ....." Hope and Thondup"

I have that grudge in my heart that i was not born in Independent Sikkim. So whenever i come across materials of Independent Sikkim i find a great pleasure. This time around i have come across two letters of the last recognised Chogyal of Sikkim on ebay. Those letters were send to Prof. JC Ghose at Calcutta. The years are of 1963 and 1965.

  Press Photo of the King of Sikkim,  Palden Thondup Namgyal, with his Queen Hope Cooke arriving in London.  Dated July 1, 1971.---EBAY The Royal Family of Sikkim always fascinates me, it is these photographs that make me feel closer to my Sikkim. I usually surf around ebay.com an auction site that sometimes gives me a glimpse of my place. my king and my people.  The above photograph was taken in 1971 when Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal and his Gyalmo arrived in London.   The peculiar rarity of this photograph is the way the late Chogyal has grown his beard. Very less photographs are available with the Chogyal having a beard which was prominent in the later years of his life.

Celebrating 60th Birth Anniversary of Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal at Rongli School.

Internet as always had been my biggest friend and whenever i find something that’s exciting in context to Sikkim my joys knows no limit. This time I have found an invitational letter to the Coronation Ceremony of Last Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal that dates back to 1965. This letter was on sale on ebay.com. The letter reads everything about the receiving of the guests at Bagdogra Airport and Siliguri Railway Station. It is also said that the acceptance of invitational card should be replied in advance on March 15, 1965.  A very interesting thing I really loved reading this letter was about the dress code used for the function and I am sure this was the very first time such thing was ever done in this part of the world.

My fascination with Sikkim History started in early 2003 after I completed my graduation from Sikkim Government College, Tadong where I joined the famed newspaper Weekend Review at Gangtok and since then there is no looking back for me. Over the last seven years I am fortunate to have my articles published in reputed newspapers and magazines of Sikkim and few from North Bengal too. My query to know more about the Sikkim’s past made me visit different corners of the state. Visiting those sacred places I find myself blessed to have born to this place, a heaven on earth. Blogging for me started in 2005; as a result “ Proud to be a Sikkimese ” was born. Proud to be a Sikkimese is my homage to my Sikkim and contains collection of articles and essays I had written over the years more prominently about Sikkim History. The technology of Internet has helped writers like share my work with people across the globe and it gives a pleasure of satisfaction to know that my articles have helped p...

I first heard about Horst Geerken from a gentleman, Ulrich Bihlmayer, from Tuebingen, Germany, when I was researching my first article on HAM radio of Sikkim a couple of years back. I believe the story of Ham Radio is little heard in this part of our land. As far as my information on the Ham Radio users in Sikkim, there were only two foremost users. Before becoming a part of the mighty Indian Union, Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, the last King of Sikkim, used to have a Ham Radio license under a call sign AC3PT.  The call sign normally consists of five letters. Here in AC3PT, i.e. “AC3” stands for Sikkim and “PT” specifies the person; in this case, it was Palden Thondup. Chogyal’s Radio equipment was later on held by the Indian Representatives at Sikkim after the 1975 agitation. A few years later, after Sikkim became part of India, Rajesh Verma operated a Ham station from Gangtok under a call sign VU2RVM; interestingly, here, “VUR” denotes India. During my interactions w...

source: www.britishpathe.com MAHARANI BRINGS HOME THE BABY <p>Your browser does not support iframes.</p> Full title reads: "New York. Maharani Brings Home The Baby". New York, United States of America (USA). LV The Maharani of Sikkim (Miss Hope Cooke) comes down from aircraft with the Crown Prince and her six month old baby Prince. CU The Maharani. CU The six month old baby. GV Palace in Sikkim. SV The Maharani and Maharaja just before their marriage. CU The Maharani. CU The Maharaja. GV Crowds gathered for the wedding. SV The Maharani and the Maharaja seated for the ceremony. LV The scarf is put round the Maharani's neck. CU The Maharani. LV The Maharani carrying her baby comes from the airport building. CU SV The Maharani and baby. (F.G.)

These are some excellent photographs of the Royal family of Sikkim, i found in bbs.voc.com.

Late Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, the last recognised King of Sikkim featured on the front page of April Issue of Talk Sikkim published from Gangtok. The article "Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal: Requiem" written by Tenzin C. Tashi and published in Talk Sikkim , the most happening monthly magazine from the state of Sikkim is the talk of the town ever since it hit the stand. The article takes the readers to the world of Palden Thondup Namgyal, late Chogyal of Sikkim. The detailed story of Chogyal’s life is beautifully penned down. The outcome of his inability to cope with the emerging voices against him that finally led Sikkim to merge with Indian Union in 1975 is excellently highlighted. But (?) when the deposed King passed away seven years after his kingdom was taken away, “However, in death, Zhungkyang ( Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal) finally had the honour denied him in his last years. A massive crowd- including his detractors, his bitter foe and one-time estat...

My outlook towards the Heritage Management Seminar-2 Singtam’s Heritage One of the interesting topics of the day (at Two Days Seminar on Strategy for Heritage Management for Sikkim organised by the Cultural Department at Denzong Residency) I really enjoyed was about the talk on Cultural Resource Mapping of Sikkim beautifully presented before the listeners. To be serious I never knew much about this till that day. The objectives of cultural resource management are the preservation, conservation and enhancement of cultural resources. Since being a student of Sikkim History, the topic of preservation and conservation too holds an important terms in my dictionary. While going through the presentation I was talking within myself did it featured the four historical landmark of Singtam. Here I am talking about the four monuments I wish the State Government could take interest on. These includes the Old Iron Bridge (1929), Toppakhani Tunnel (late 1920s), Pre-merger Sikkim Milepost and Old H...