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

  "Her crown is composed of rows of pearls, interspersed with alternating turquoises and corals. The necklace consists of coral beads and large yellow amber balls. The charm box attached to it is set with rubies, lapis lazuli, and turquoise. The portrait was painted by Damodar Dutt, a Bengali artist, in 1893." The Postcard named " Oil Portrait of the Late Queen of Sikkim " was issued by FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, CHICAGO, U.S.A.

Chogyal Sir Tashi Namgyal was a popular painter and one such coloured works "Glacier", an oil painting is placed at  the entrance hall of Chumbi Residency at Gangtok.  Time magazine in 1963 in one of its article about Sikkim writes ...." Ever since, India has handled Sikkim’s foreign affairs and defense. Tashi retired into a private life that consisted largely of prayer and painting —he specialized in misty Sikkimese landscapes, and painted one “vision” of the Abominable Snowman, who is pictured as a skinny, jet-black animal with a red face scampering over a snowy summit carrying a nude, pink-skinned lady with an alarmed expression. Tashi conversed with spirits, who are prevalent in Sikkim, looked out at the world through green-tinted glasses, and seemed fashioned of gold, so stiff and heavy were his brocaded robes."

A Paint the Change Contest was organized by WWF – India in collaboration with Sikkim University for generating awareness on Earth Hour on March 12, 2010 at Sikkim Government College and Namchi Public School. Earth Hour is a global event wherein people around the world voluntarily switch off their lights for an hour to show their concern about climate change.   68 participants coming from 12 schools, five colleges and Sikkim University took part in the contest at Gangtok, and 38 students from seven schools and two colleges at Namchi, wherein they painted on the issue of climate change and its impacts they observed around them in Sikkim. Also participating in the event, though not as contestants, were professional artists from Oviya Art Circle, an institute that promotes art.    The paintings will be judged by a panel consisting of Mrs. Usha Ganguli Lachungpa - Sr. Research Officer (FEWMD), Mr. CB Sunwar - Fellow (Academic) Sikkim University and Mr. Pa...

Press Release Earth Hour is WWF’s largest global campaign for raising awareness on climate change. It calls for a switch off of all non-essential lights for one hour. The movement symbolizes that by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in this fight, protecting our future and that of future generations. To join Earth Hour 2010 campaign, Sikkim University in collaboration with WWF-India is organising ‘Paint the Change Contest’ – for students on the impacts of Climate Change they see around them in Sikkim , on Friday, 12 th March 2010 at Sikkim Government College, Tadong at 2.00 pm and Namchi Public School, Namchi at 10.00 am. This painting competition will be held in two categories i) inter school level (class 8-12) and ii) inter college/university level. Each school / college / university can send 4 students to participate in the event. Painting sheets will be provided to the participants. They have to bring their own painting kit...

Dhiraj Pradhan is a talented painter from the Himalayan land of Sikkim. He is a native of Rhenock, East Sikkim. His fantasy with colours started in a very young age and at early 20s he has shown that talent does not wait for any introduction or age. His work is also on sell. Anyone interested in his art can mail at himalayanreview@yahoo.com

The mighty view of Mt. Kanchenjunga had always attracted me, whenever I come to Gangtok I never forget to have the first glimpse of the mountain god of Sikkim from the back drop at Deorali. I was going through the book of Pema and Mita on Kanchenjunga and the moment I saw the oil canvas painting of Kanchenjunga called Kinchinjunga, I was spell bound. The landscape called “ Kinchinjunga from Darjeeling ” painted by Edward Lear is 331 x 317 cm. The oil painting is found at National Museum Cardiff acquired for £300,000 from Rhondda Cynon Taf Council. An interesting quote said that the Italian painter Edward Lear came to Darjeeling, India on the advice of Lord Aberdare to have his self portrait but Lear grew his fantasy for the Kinchinjunga Mountain instead. He wrote ‘Kinchinjunga is not – so it seems tome – a sympathetic mountain; it is so far off, so very god-like and stupendous.’ The work was completed on 1877 and dispatched from Rome to Darjeeling. A letter was written to...

Over 70 years ago, Prof. Roerich wrote about Sikkim: "This blessed country, full of reminiscences of the illumined leaders of religions, leaves an impression of great calmness. Here lived Padmasambhava, the founder of the Nyingma sect. Atisha, who proclaimed the teaching of Kalachakra, crossed this country on his way to Tibet. Here, in the caves, dwelt many ascetics, filling space with their powerful thoughts. It is a whole snowy realm, altering its outlines with every variation of light! Verily, it is inexhaustible in impressions and unceasingly evocative. Nowhere else on earth are expressed two entirely different worlds. Here is the earthly world, with its rich vegetation, brilliant butterflies, pheasants, leopards, panthers, monkeys, snakes, and the innumerable other animals that inhabit the evergreen jungles of Sikkim. And above the clouds, in unexpected heights, shines the snowy kingdom, which has nothing in common with the busy ant-hill of the jungles." And his words ...