The Himalayan Beacon

News, views and insights from Gorkhas World Over! A Blog by Barun Roy

Contributors

The eminent contributors to this blog:

Corinne Zurfluh

Corinne Zurfluh - Switzerland

Mr. Vimal Khawas

Mr. Satis Shroff

20 Responses to “Contributors”

  1. Navin Says:
    April 18, 2008 at 10:44 am

    Dear Barun,
    Iam very happy to learn that you and your team has made a great contibution to launch this site where we can learn someting about our LOving Land Darleeling and itrs sorrounding.
    Infact, Iam very happy to learn that one more Sangeet prativa can also be seen in Indian Idol.
    My entire wishes and good luck with Miss Bani Pradhan. May she win this great event and give one more opportunity to glorify our Land’s Name “DARJEELING PAHAR KI RANI”.

  2. sonam Says:
    April 20, 2008 at 10:15 am

    Wow, Barun you are really doing a great job bringing great youths together. My sincere thanks to Corinne, Vimal and Satis. You folks are really doing a great job. Please keep it up. And remember whenever you are in Darjeeling everything is on the house.

  3. Mrs. Sheila Mitra Says:
    May 3, 2008 at 10:36 am

    Dear Barun Bhai,

    It is like a ‘Home Coming’. I’m an Australian citizen now & ‘have arrived in here after years. I feel like contributing something which will, no doubt, be significant(if properly implemented) for the welfare of the Hill & its people.

    My grand father-in-law late Beni Gopal Mitra was one of the pioneers of Tea Planters of North Bengal. I’m the youngest daughter-in-law of late Jitendra Nath Mitra (son of late Beni Gopal Mitra)of 24 J.N. Mitra Rd. Darjeeling.

    I sincerely look forward to see you in person.

    I do, hereby, convey my sincerest gratitude to those who contribute to Beacon.

  4. ichamani Chettri Says:
    May 19, 2008 at 2:50 pm

    Dear Bacha,

    Why you concerned about the wealth of Mr.Barun,If he is making money then let him make why you have objection regarding this,Did he ask you personelly to donate you,If you are not interested then dont donate you are not forced by anyone.
    Dear Bacha Please donot write such type of stupid comments.We are quite satisfied with Mr.Barun,We were thankful,are thankful and will be thankful to Barun because he made us easier by Introducing Becononline website.The way Mr.Barun is doing for our community is just like a hero.Please dont blame either Mr.Barun or any members of this blog

    Thanks and bye

    Jai Gorkha
    Jai Hind

  5. ben Says:
    May 22, 2008 at 3:54 pm

    I wonder how much Barun would making through donations.. I don see much people donating.. so question of corruption is ruled out.. use some common sense before writing such unwanted comments..

  6. YK Shrestha Says:
    May 22, 2008 at 3:55 pm

    Dear Bacha Tehelka,

    Thank you from the bottom of my heart for warning us :-)

    Thanks once again :-)

  7. Dinesh Says:
    May 22, 2008 at 4:49 pm

    I wonder what Bacha Tehelka is so Paranoid about. He might have lost quite a bit trusting the wrong kind of people in wrong investments which generally happens when you want to hit it big in a short time. We are Happy with Barun for the Site where we share our Thoughts and Ideas. As for Donations, it is a Personal Matter - there is No Coercion. So Bacha Save Those Comments for Yourself.

  8. YK Shrestha Says:
    May 29, 2008 at 6:30 pm

    Dear Bacha Tehelka,

    I’m sure no one, leave aside Barun, would be able to run the blog without any help. Right? He has been doing so selflessly for so many years. So, why worry?

  9. Jyoti Mukhia Says:
    May 29, 2008 at 7:25 pm

    Bacha Tehelka,
    Do you know who is audited and when does an audit takes place? First get yourself refreshed on this and talk.
    By the way do you pay income tax?

  10. winnie cooper Says:
    June 14, 2008 at 7:27 pm

    thank you Barun for this site,,..it makes me feel connected to my home town tho i may be miles away….and no matter what some people say..i feel you are doing a great job…and you are appreciated by many….so keep up the good work.

  11. varsha Says:
    June 14, 2008 at 11:15 pm

    This comment is directed to the likes of people who would rather donate ( unwillingly) Rs 5001 for a party flag to protect their property and business. Who will willingly ask each household to donate 50 Rs per family for a party that is not even a political party to only distrupt the lives of the comman people of Darjeeling. Who will make sure that the tourists and tea business of our state suffer and who will not ask Mr Bimal Gurung how much he makes from his extortions daily… who will not ask how much Mr Bimal personally makes from the liquor smuggling that happens between Sikkim and WestBengal.. I know of couriers that ply between Sikkim and Darjeeling who get paid an average of Rs 1500 per trip. I wonder if we will ask Mr Bimal Gurung to audit and declare all his assets especailly the cash he collected during the Indian Idol Frenzy that was most disgusting.. I wonder if we will ask Mr Bimal Gurung why he has our young girls dancing like bar girls at public functions … apparantly he owns a few dance groups … I wonder if we will ask Mr Bimal Gurung to give us an account of the 10% he is asking all civil contractors for.. I wonder if we will ever sit and audit Mr Bimal Gurungs actions.

    I would rather donate to the Lepchas of Sikkim and Baruns Blog than have a green yello white flag at my door.. all that this flag has done is make us simple darjeeling folks look at a tribal and non tribals within our community …. for the first time in Darjeelin I hear ppl ask if one is a Rai/ Tamang/ Gurung or Lepcha… its only because of Mr Bimal Gurung that we are today worried if we belong to a 70% bracket.

  12. prashant pradhan Says:
    June 14, 2008 at 11:54 pm

    Varsha, these are pretty serious allegations. Do you know for certain that this is true or is this just common knowledge - or speculation on your part?

  13. varsha Says:
    June 15, 2008 at 1:37 pm

    Dear Prashant, my allegation are serious because the situation is serious.

    1.)Indian Express 15 June - 43 criminal cases from arson to murders pls pay attension . Murder is singular MURDERS is more than one.
    2. Extortion - I refused to pay for the Indian Idol hullaballoooo in the hills last October - I am a Gorkha but i am a smart gorkha. if u say 80,000 tourists in Darj ..how many times did they pay for Bimal Gurungs Band on one single trip? starting from Sukna in the foothills to Darjeeing syndicate there were over 7 places where cars were blocked and women men and children demanded chanda for the sms - not one of us got any reciepts. In darjeeling town they were demandind money cash from the shopkeepers .i saw some rowdies go to a photo studio to demand money..thats just once shop that to a photostudio in Darjeeling. No reciepts for collections like that. I want an account of that ..since the ppl have thrown their sims with 10,000 / 14000 RS credit on the sms i wonder how many were paid for sms. Now dont tell me Prashant you did not see that? where are you in Darjeeling or????

    3. Liquor Bootleggin : Have u ever travelled to places - travelled your district with your eyes open - just not looking at the sky and enjoying the view..have u been to remote villages and seen the harsh environment where some of us live or come from? Well life is hard Mr Prashant - Darejeelin, Kalimpong and Kerseong are like NY , VEGAS and Califonia compared to the rest.

    I have a pretty good idea of where i come from and whats happening to us. I know of his operation that runs silently of shipping liquor across the sikkim border on motorcycle couriers.
    I suggest you all look into it.

    3. I know many contractors and they will tell you about the 10% . I really do want his accounts and books checked. Also would like to see his fund allocation and the utilisation of those funds under the GNLF. Coz I am a simple woman, Prashant all I know is that Mr Bimal Bhai ! id rather call him that rather than use the name of Mr M K Gandhi is just a street smart cookie with a lot of moolah who got a lot from Indian Idol era and i know he knew that the people wanted change and he was the man to bring that change… he is smart but remember cookies really crumble and there are many a slips between …

    4. Smiling as I write this - We all know that he has a dance troupe . they dance at parties and fesivals and marriages ..that was his idea of generating employment while he was a GNLF right hand iron man of Mr Gheising. U see its his mind and mentality that i fear…

    i feel Mr Gurung cannot be the face of the Gurkha for the Gorkhaland I dream about is like Rabindra Nath Tagores India -

    Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
    Where knowledge is free;
    Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow
    domestic walls;
    Where words come out from the depth of truth;
    Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
    Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the
    dreary desert sand of dead habit;
    Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought
    and action–
    Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

    Call me a romantic or a speculator just like you… What is my main concern is the poor childern of pedong tunderbung tukvir …who walk 2 hours one way uphill just so that they can learn to read and right… my concern is the untimely rains that is affecting our maize production… my concern is the depleting forest cover that is affecting my village …

  14. Mumbaiwala Says:
    June 15, 2008 at 4:56 pm

    Dear Varsha,
    1) You have to look at Results. look who won Indian Idol?90% of craftsmen who crafted Taj Mahal died pauper.
    2) In Mumbai/Delhi/Kolkota no extortion takes place? at least about darj. you can talk (& be alive to talk) about it.
    3) Have you ever met any Bootlegger who is happy what he/she is doing? NO i am sure no one is happy doing it. But its a question of SURVIVAL.Have you ever thought of real reason behind it?
    4) Varsha to get oneself enpanneled in MES (Military Engg. Services) barababu asks for 30% so what have you done or gonna do about it? I am talking Defence ministry here.
    5) All Human beings were MONKEYS so what’s you point? You have to Congratulate 1st monkey who started Walking on two Legs. The rest are still Monkeys.Dont judge person by his/her past, appreciate present.
    6) R.N.Tagore was gr8 Poet no doubts there, but one needs to come out of it now.We can’t be dreaming and romantasising and doing progress same time in this realistic /notorious world.
    7) It is not necessary that Sri. Bimal Gurung becomes 1st CM of Gorkhaland.He has been saying so on number of occasions that he is not here for CHAIR.

    Hats off to such Self-less leader.

  15. ajay Says:
    June 15, 2008 at 5:54 pm

    dear Mumbaiwala,

    Your comments does not make any sense. Your are trying to justify the wrong doings of your leader and say its survival. since babababu ask for 30 % , other people have rights to extort and top of that you are saying that extortion did not take place in mumbai/delhi/kolkatta. do you think people in these cities are fool enough to cough off money to make some one a indian idol. why not talent be the only criteria as who should be indian idol. Did it help that Prashat become a indian idol.have people started respecting you more.its just few folks know how to manipulate common people’s emotion and ride on that.

    If you have facts and figure to counter Varsha allegation.Please let it be out.

  16. rosalin Says:
    June 15, 2008 at 8:34 pm

    cogratulations varsha. you are right.

  17. tatu Says:
    June 15, 2008 at 9:02 pm

    varsha keep it up. one should know the hard facts. should not in fools paradise under a fool. because of our work we alredy give darjeeling a very bad name in the world map.

  18. Suraj Roy Says:
    June 16, 2008 at 3:59 pm

    Dear Mr Bimal Roy
    Have you noticed the outcome of the recent outbrake of the violance in the foot hill region?
    People are so much panicked. Who is responsible for it? a abstruct is being cited from free wikipedia.” Since late 2007 the demand for a separate has been started more intensely and growing by the renegade GNLF leader Mr. Bimal Gurung a ex-criminal and contractor (murdered atleast 7 bengali people in GNLF movement time in late ’80s) under the newly formed party called Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM)”. Ref. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorkhaland. Please think
    over it.
    Suraj Roy

  19. Bacha Tehelka Says:
    August 11, 2008 at 10:10 pm

    The downloading of copyright materials (from other news portals and blogs) by Beacon amounts to violation of laws enacted to safeguard piracy. The integrity and media ethics should be given a due weightage. Updating news from various and different blogs and portals will loose the genuity and authenticity of any blog, including Beacons. Hopefully Mr Barun Roy who claims to be a reabel for a cause a true son of Darjeeling Hills will stop piracy and give a much needed credibility to the site/blog.

  20. barunroy Says:
    August 11, 2008 at 10:31 pm

    Dear Mr. Bacha Tehelka,

    It seems for a man sporting a name ‘Tehelka’ you are very wrongly and inadequately informed. Beacon Online reproduces everything after giving adequate copyright to the source of the material. And as a matter of fact, Beacon Online now is a source of material on everything involving Darjeeling hills, Gorkhas, Gorkhaland, Tea and as such and numerous newspapers, magazines and websites national and international have sought for Beacon Online’s Help in publishing articles and news report Beacon Online ‘Specializes’. For your information Beacon Online is also typing up with publications in the North East where articles and news will be published on a reciprocal basis. Beacon Online thence will not grow in size and aspects but will unify the entire of the North Eastern India.

    Beacon Online has grown today from a site with the world ranking of 6,390,200 in its first month to 225,393 in its eight month of operation (Technorati) and is slated to enter the 100,000 ranking within the end of this year and that too of 57 million blogs present and counting. Alexa has ranked Beacon Online at 456,348 global ranking in the more than 150 million websites from around the world with the growth rate of 347 per cent. Beacon Online today is the fastest growing blog in India today [Blog Bharati]. In fact, none of the newspapers, magazines and journals that Beacon Online has associated herself with has every complained. They have instead found Beacon Online’s exposure of their papers commendable. We are on our way to involve more papers, journals and magazine be they from Bhutan, Nepal, Malayasia, Hong Kong or Brunei. Beacon Online has never knowingly violated any copyright laws. Beacon Online has instead fought against copyright infringement of its own matters and won as in the case of World Sikh News. The issue pursued by all the glowing Beacons of Beacon Online was a glowing success. It does not need to be said that members of Beacon Online humbled National Georgraphic Channel for the accept their mistake and apologies for the first time. Beacon Online is a community of like minded individuals. Though they might be openly in favour of Gorkhaland or against it, they are always in favour of fairplay, justice, democracy, humanity and brotherhood. Ultimately, they are all Indians deliberating upon issues at the core of Indian Polity, there by making India stronger and more powerful.

    If you think that Beacon Online is only set up to extract some money for the readers or for some cheap publicity. That is your opinion and you might have some reasons for it. But I believe that in these eight months of Beacon Online’s existence, Beacon Online has proved of her objectives….Beacon began when I started it as a news magazine in 1998, today Beacon is Online and hence beacon Online… Beacon was never for money and will never be… For some of us there are far bigger things then money.

    To end it all let me say one thing - to earn money is easy…the fun is when you earn God’s favour by doing good…

    Regs
    Barun

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