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

[ 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...

The legend of Lampokhari and an unknown burial at Aritar I find myself fortunate that my effort to provide information about our state's bygone days through this column is appreciated. I have always considered myself a storyteller rather than a history digger.  I am just a medium through which these stories, anecdotes, and essays are shared so that readers can learn more about the state of Sikkim. I firmly believe that the more I share, the more I hear in return. To add to last week's article on “Revisiting Dalapchand,” today I share exciting stories of a legend of Lampokhari, which is not recorded in papers but passed on from one generation to another. BB Rai, my former staff member at Dalapchand SS, told me some exciting stories he had heard from old folks. When the British occupied Dalapchand after the 1888 Sikkim Expedition, the water of Lampokhari dried up. The British men then used the huge landmass to collect rations for the British soldiers and villagers near...

Without a doubt, the land of Sikkim is full of mystery; the more you believe, the more you understand the mystery hidden inside it, and the legend guiding this mystic land smiles back. I have often heard stories about mysterious magical tales that relive the world of that fantasy, which people still accept as accurate once Sikkim is part of it. Some are enveloped in the footprints of learned men, some strange symbols are said to be the footprints of animals, statues that pour tears, or even those that sweat. There are many more such examples to follow, but I believe these mysterious happenings are beyond the common man's understanding. Only the time immortal has the secrets to these mysteries.      Tashiding is one of the most mysterious places, and there are also a few mysterious materials that these materialistic worlds find difficult to consider. As I said earlier in my first article, this was my first visit to this mystic place, and I feel I missed out on a few...

Discovering Sikkim that has its own rich heritage, culture, its legend and many mystical phenomenons had always been my passion and to learn that was something unknown to most people makes me a happy man. Some time back I was to a place called Pasting, a small village with 45 houses in the forest region when at that time the white chaamp flower was at its full bloom.   Footmarks like spot found at Pasting Busty I was born in Rongli three decades back but never could have gone beyond the place of Lingtam which is just a half an hour drive. I was then at Rongli along with my father to visit my grandfather’s cardamom field at Pasting. Since grandfather was staying at Pasting for a couple of weeks so we were four to visit him, kaka, nini , father, and myself. There was a drive till the small bridge near Lingtam. Thereafter there was the walk of my life making my way across the deep forest with leeches hanging around my shoes. While I could see Nini screaming out when one of the ...