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

Visit to Krishna Mangaldham at Namphing

According to Hindustan Times, in 2013 a mandir was inaugurated  by  Bhojpuri actor Manoj Tiwary along with Kaimur district magistrate Arvind Kumar Singh with  a life-sized (5.5 feet) statue of the Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar at village Atarwalia, in Kaimur district, about 170 km south-west of state capital Patna.  The white marble statue, which dons the official blue jersey of the Indian national cricket team, weighs 850kg and was crafted at Rajasthan’s Nathdwara at the cost of  Rs.  8.5 lakh. It has been installed on a 10-feet high brick platform. Tiwary also laid the foundation for a temple which would house Tendulkar’s statue. 

SINGTAM, JANUARY 18:  Durga Mandir at Mamring, East Sikkim held a day long ‘Vishwa Shanti Mahayagya Path and Chandi Path’ at its premises on January 17. More than 450 devotes from nearby regions of Amba, Mamring, Gyanchung, Tareythang and others took participation on the puja. The other highlight of the day was the presentation of Appreciation Letter to the Ecclesiastical Affairs Department, Gangtok. A statue of Radha-Krishna was donated by Jarman Rai to the Durga Mandir on the occasion. Mamring Durga Mandir Committee has thanked Ecclesiastical Affairs Department, Gangtok for all their support and expects such support near future too writes the Press Release.

 By Roshan Pradhan The five-day programme of   Sri Satya Sai Baba   Samiti   Sombarey   West Sikkim started from GJHS Rumbuk with the Seva   Dal attending the school and providing service to the student, by cutting nails,   combing hair and cutting hair and giving tips on health and hygiene. The organization also provided free school sweaters for class I, free copies for class II students and free creative drawing copies for class III and biscuits for all students.   The team of Sewa Dal from the organization comprising of Mr Uphar Pradhan, Seva dal coordinator, Mr Harka Narayan Pradhan, Youth Convener and Mr Binod Chandak   Seva Organizer along with five other female Seva Dal were present at the event.  Mrs. Laxmi Sharma   Seva Dal in her speech said that this day is a special day as it is observed as women’s day as it is the birthday of   Late Mrs Indira Gandhi and the beginning of a five-day celebration programme ...

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...

The historic bell (the new mandir is in the background) I first wrote about this Rongli Shivalaya Mandir bell in 2003, but even to this date, the mere thinking of that bell fascinates me. I never had imagined that a small article would have such an impact that the old mandir was dismantled and the new mandir was set, which is still being completed. More than five years later, when I again decided to re-write an article on this bell, I just wanted to have a first look at that antique metal piece. But this time, I was awaiting more mystery about the bell's whereabouts. I still recall when the century-old Shivalaya Mandir at the heart of the Rongli bazaar was dismantled for renovation in 2004. The relics were kept in Rongli Police Station for safety. This time, my cousin's brother Praveen and I were looking for that historic bell. Still, to our surprise, the personnel at the Rongli Police Station were somewhat surprised to know that such valuable materials were a...

Rhenock Shivalaya more than 100 years back Sikkim is a spiritual place where historical presence springs out from every corner. It is here myths and legends are part of day-to-day life. No matter the days are not the same as it used to be some centuries ahead. Still facing the time immemorial are folklore and traditions of places that are being witnessed even to this date, while few got lost along its golden past and are just a part of memory, a sweet forgotten memory. Here comes a story of a Shiv mandir in Rhenock that has been weaving in a tale frozen in time. The century-old Shivalaya near Bhanu Bhakta's statue at the heart of the bazaar is one of the many few doyens of the distant past. People say that this Mandir is in its present site ever since their parents were a child. I met Sunder Kumar Pradhan, a former Panchayat member from Rhenock in his early 80s some time back and had heard a fascinating story of this mandir. According to Pradhan, this mandir has been in its...