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

Ganesh Pradhan, Sikkim State Awardee, founder of famed Ram Gauri Sangralaya and Evergreen Nursery from Rhenock called me up last week and very excitedly said – my Nolina plant gave flower. I could feel his happiness that could be compared to excitement of a child. Over the years, Ganesh Aja (my relationship with him) had always shared his happiness with me and when he talked about the flowering of a plant, I too felt there was something special. He told me this species of flowers in thirty years. He had never seen or heard this flower bloom in any part of Sikkim till now. To me, this flower was exceptional and I felt it should be documented. I don’t deny the fact that this plant might have flowered in Sikkim but documentation is important, so my interest grew in it. Beaucarnea recurvata , locally known as Nolina or most popularly identified as Elephant’s foot or Pony Tail palm is a xerophyte flowering plant. Native of Mexico, this plant is one of the most popular ornamenta...

Prashant Tamang being felicitated by Dhiraj Pradhan (BDO) Regu BAC Sangharsh NGO celebrated its Annual Sangharsh Felicitation 2010 with the felicitation of six members of the underproduction Nepali movie “Angalo Yo Maya Ko” produced from Sikkim along with four other local personalities from Rongli Sub-Division on the night of April 10.  The felicitated group included Indian Idol 3 winner Prashant Tamang, who is also the lead actor of the movie “Angalo Yo Maya Ko” followed by Vinod Sereng (Director), Kishore Dungmali Rai (Producer), Yubraj Rai (Cinematographer), Praja Pradhan (Assistant Director cum Bungee Jumper) and Mahendra Gurung (Actor).  Prashant Tamang entertaining the Rongli crowds From the local felicitators, Bhanu Gurung was honoured for his contribution towards ‘Music’, Ganesh Pradhan in ‘Arts and Culture’ for his Ram Gauri Sangralaya at Rhenock while Shital Pradhan received the felicitation for bringing out articles on ‘History of Sikkim’ at Sikkim Expres...

Ever since the search for Heritage Trees started in Sikkim, I was very curious to be part of this competition. I still remember when the first preliminary results were published in one of the local dailies of Gangtok, the headline of the report read like “ Can this record be broken ”. More than two months later I seem to have the reply.  The search for the biggest tree of Sikkim was an exciting journey for me and my adventure gave me an opportunity to be in the wilds that I had never gone beyond still being a botany student. I have always believed that the land of Sikkim has many amazing ‘things’ to be discovered. It is debatable about the origin of the landforms of Sikkim. I still remember one of my lecturers at Sikkim Government College laughing at me when I asked him about the possibility of fossils in Sikkim. His answer is Sikkim is a young fold mountain and there is no possibility of any fossils in both plants and animals. But yet I have collected a petrified fossil with...

Ram Gauri Sangralaya from Rhenock had been selected to attend the workshop on Conservation of Wood and Textile and other Ethnographic objects at Bhopal. The five day long workshop started from January 19th till January 23rd was organised by Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manv Sangrahalaya, Ministry of Culture Govt. of India, Bhopal. Speaking from Bhopal, Ganesh Pradhan, President of Ram Gauri Sangralaya told that they are taught about the importance of preserving the materials. They were taken to the museum out there and necessary information about its maintenance was provided. The participating organisation included groups from North East States and others, he added. Pradhan have thanked Cultural Affairs & Heritage Department, Govt. of Sikkim for giving their museum an opportunity to attend such quality workshop that was very essential to them. Ram Gauri Sangralaya is represented by Ganesh Pradhan, Deepen Pradhana and Subhash Pradhan.