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

SINGTAM, June 5, 2013:  A plantation drive was organized at Sakyong Chisopani JHS on the occasion of World Environment Day. About 90 saplings of different plant species were planted around the school premises. Present on the occasion were school staff, students, and a few SMC members. SK Gurung, Social Worker was the chief guest on the occasion while PB Tamang, a senior citizen was the special guest. Different plant species both ornamental and medicinal included Parijat, Silver Oak, Neem, Gul Mohur, Bougainvillea, Bottle Brush, Harra, Kasia,  and others were planted by the teachers, students, and SMC members.  On the occasion, two Barr trees ( Ficus benghalensis ) in front of the school were declared “School Heritage Trees”. Speaking on this reporter Arjun Chettri, Senior Teacher of the school said the two Barr trees near the school building had been an identity of the school since long time and it was decided by the school staff to honour it with a heritage status....

 Interview of the week The first Hip Hop Band from Sikkim, Urban Inc. needs no introduction. Proud to be Sikkimese blog caught up with the two rappers of the Urban Inc and found out more about their music and their journey from schoolboy rappers to famed celebrity artists. 1. So, when did you (both) first start rapping? * It was during our teenage in school days when we first started rapping. We used to listen to international rap/hip hop/ r&b artists; we used to do cover songs of them. Thereafter we slowly started writing, composing, and producing our own songs. 2. How would you describe Urban Inc to someone who has never heard your music? * Urban inc. is a band/crew, consisting of two rappers Tenzing Lekchola and Thupden Wangchuk better known as “Leks” & “Thups”. Padma Tshering Shenga is the Manager/Director of the band and we are all based in Gangtok, Sikkim, India. The Urban Inc. the band appears deep with their compositions and our music has lots of inf...

 May 16, Singtam: Members of Singtam Basibiyalo, a monthly literary and cultural forum met Gangaa Mukhiya and Geeta Sharma recipients of State Civilian Award 2013 at their residence today. They appreciated their success and congratulated them for their honor. Three member team led by Mohan Pradhan “Neeraj”, Sansthapak Singtam Basibiyalo offered Khadas to the awardees. Speaking to this reporter, Mohan Pradhan “Neeraj” said it is a moment to cherish for Singtam Basibiyalo that three of our members went on to receives the State Sangeet Samman Award 2013. Apart from Gangaa Mukhiya and Geeta Sharma, Remanti Rai was among the two dozen awardees to have been honoured with State Civilian Award today at Chintan Bhawan, Gangtok by Mr. Balmiki Prasad Singh, Governor of Sikkim. Singtam Basibiyalo over the last two decades had been promoting culture and literature in the state and I feel proud that these three talented personalities are integral part of our group, said P...

First time in Sikkim, a male/female pop two-some composition had been attempted. If one has a mezzo soprano vocal range than the other has a baritone vocal to follow her up. They prefer pop, electro-pop and fusion-experimental music with all their upcoming tracks based on these genres. Both are products of Tashi Namgyal Academy, Gangtok and are in the final years of their College at Tadong. We are proud to present Nitish Pradhan the one half of the two-some duo for a small chat about their latest music video and their fascination about music. 1 . Tell us something about your new video. Party Time” is a music video which is a part of our first debut music album. Noel Karthak Lepcha, popular music composer of our state had done the music for us. It is an electrifying video; it is made by Gangtok based 360 Imaginative Designs under Minjo Lama's direction. The party song theme was never attempted in our state before and we have come with and out and out entertaining song. ...

A man dragging his GICI sheet that had flew  I have never seen such a shower of rain before, it was just unbelievable said Nikhil Gurung, the school captain of Sakyong Chisopani JHS rushing inside the office room. The Office room that had half an hour back conducted a school staff's meeting with the members of the School Managing Committee was all messed up.  All of a sudden heavy showering left everyone stranded inside the school building while mother nature was at it fierce face. Within no time we were not able to hear each other, the sound of the showering was so loud and it went increasing and increasing. From the corridor of the school office, we could faintly see 15-20 students on the other side of the distant school room made of GICI sheets making rounds at the doorsteps. The showering was so horrible that it was almost difficult for any of us (teachers) to go to that side and bring back the students to the school building. J...

Bermoik Tshlamthang is half hour drive from Singtam. This silent village holds a special place in the historical legacy of Sikkim. Here lies a century year old three storey traditional nepali house that has witnessed the transformation of the small Himalayan kingdom of Sikkim to the democratic state of mighty Indian Union. Gopi Chandra Subba, the present day owner of the house had told that he had bought this house from Bishnu Chandra Sapkota in 1969. He said that an elderly local from Bermoik at his ripe age of 95 who is still alive had said that he had heard about this house in his childhood, which makes this house as old as 160 years, told Subba. The specialty of this heritage house is that no nails had been used during its construction. The materials then used were mud and wood. Some 8 years back Culture Department had given a grant of Rs 50000 and during 18/7 Sikkim Earthquake they did received a grant of Rs. 30000.

  Send by D.T. Bhutia BURTUK YOUTHS, Burtuk        Date: 20.04.2013, Burtuk "A resplendently new dawn of sort seems to begin with the ruling SDF Party fielding in of the socially dynamic and veteran legal luminary Shri D.R. Thapa as the caretaker of the Burtuk Constituency. Today, hitherto seemingly shanty Burtuk area got abuzzed with a massive welcoming of the new incumbent by the Burtuk Youths & Women volunteers followed by door-to-door campaign covering even the remote fringes by the new youth leader Shri D.R.Thapa along with the Hon’ble Councillor Shri L.B. Bhujel escorted by a huge devoted followings of visibly energized Burtuk Youths & Women volunteers who got an unprecedented resounding popular response. The much-inviting Burtuk people, at last, seem to have gotten their long-awaited leader as they flock with reverberating “Welcome SDF” sloganeering and garlanding and, of course, their ailing woes, in equal measures. The day-long ma...

SINGTAM: Badhaichha Creation and Singtam Basibiyalo have congratulated Prakash Sundas, a singing sensation from Gangtok for his first recording of a Nepali feature film song.  Sundas had returned from Kathmandu a few days back after recording his song for a feature film Sheesha. The film is produced by Uma Baby, a famed Nepali cine actress cum producer from Sikkim. Saroj Khetri is the director of the movie while Sushil Saha is the sound recordist and Lucky Sitaula, is the music director.  Praveen Pradhan, Managing Director of Badhaichha Creation, and Mohan Pradhan “Neeraj”, Sansthapak, Singtam Basibiyalo said it is a proud moment for us to see Prakash Bhai scale a step of success further. We had been promoting him for the last three years and we are very proud of him, both echoed. I had never imagined singing for a Kollywood film and it is more than a dream come true and I shall ever remain grateful to Uma madam for her blessing and opportunity, told Sundas. In a short tim...

Mr. Yougan Tamang of Jorethang, South Sikkim who is a Research Scholar at North Bengal University is invited to attend the upcoming conference IUAES2013 WORLD CONGRESS: EVOLVING HUMANITY, EMERGING WORLDs, in Manchester, United Kingdom. Which will take place from 5th.August.2013 to 10th.August.2013. Yougan Tamang will be presenting the paper entitled " CHANGES IN RELIGION & ITS IMPACT ON HEALTH OF TAMANGS OF SIKKIM, INDIA" in the panel LD23: Tribal Health: Emerging consequences in the era of globalization. A letter received from Mr. Rohan Jackson, IUAES2013: World Congress: Evolving humanity, emerging worlds administrator on 28/03/2013.

SINGTAM:  With the Lampokhari Paryatan Mahatsov starting in the next two weeks, the scout and guide students of Dalapchand SS and Aritar SS observed a cleanliness drive in and around Lampokhari on March 27. More than 45 students along with their Scout Teachers Sonam Dorjee Bhutia (Dalapchand SS) and Suman Chettri (Aritar SS) were present on the occasion.  Bhim Subba, Scout Master of Ben SS, and Nil Kumar Chettri were the guest scout teachers on the occasion.  Along with the cleanliness drive, the Scout and Guides students also had a Rope Knotting session with the guest Scout Teachers at Aritar SS. Speaking on the occasion SD Bhutia, Scout Teacher from Dalapchand SS told that in view with the Lampokhari Pryatan Mahotsav approaching we the two schools Aritar SS and Dalapchand SS wanted to contribute for the festive occasion and it was no better than to carry on with the cleanliness drive. We are very thankful for the two guest Scout teachers for their involvement in...