Contact Me
Residential Address: 118/A, Dr. Zakir Hussain Road, Elysee Byland, Cider Cottage, Darjeeling - 734101, West Bengal, India [This is for personal visits only ]
Postal Address: Beacon Publications, P. O. Box No. 41, H. P. O., Darjeeling - 734101, West Bengal, India
[IF YOU WANT TO SEND DOCUMENTS/ARTICLES ETC: PLEASE SEND IT TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:] ALSO ALL COURIERS SHOULD BE SENT TO THIS ADDRESS.
Barun Roy, BSNL Staff Quarters, Flat No. 12, Type 2, Clarke Road, Darjeeling - 734101
Email Address: barunroydarj@gmail.com
February 4, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Hi Barun Daju
First of all, great journalistic work you’re doing here! Keep it up, I appreciate the transparency of your site, and the voicing of different opinions. I lived in Kalimpong in 2006 and 2007, and your site and the Darjeeling Times give me a chance to keep up in Switzerland with what’s happening in Darj.
I’m a journalist as well, and writing a story on the Gorkhaland issue. There’s hardly any coverage in the Western media, as it happens often to “forgotten” tensions and conflicts. Will send you the story if I don’t forget.
But I have a question: I read Bappaditya Paul’s “Gorkhaland is my monkey” interview with Ghisingh. What does Ghisingh mean with the “international spy network”? I haven’t heard anyone mention that before. Thanx for your help!
Corinne
February 4, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Dear Corinne,
Greetings from Darjeeling and thank you for your comment. We would all love to read your story on Gorkhaland issue. In fact, it would provide us all a whole new perspective on Gorkhaland. Regarding Subash Ghisingh’s quote on the ‘international spy network’, we can’t really come to conclusion as to what he really meant. However, it can’t be taken as to be mere ramblings either, since this has become one of the most vulnerable of all regions in Eastern India. The North East especially Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh are ridden with Anti-India movement with militant outfits like NSCN, Karen, ULFA and the likes. China has direct involvement in the area and so does the Military Junta from Mynamar with the Drug crescent starting here. Towards the North and the West is Bhutan with the Lhotsampa problem and the training camps of the ULFA and NSCN. And of course in the East - Nepal with a porous border and the Maoist Insurgency made worse by the infancy of democractic institutions. It is also a well known fact that Nepal has now became a safe haven for Terrorists organizations like Lasker-e-toiba, Jaish a Mohammed etc. Hence, the greater activity of the Intelligence agencies of China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal,Mynamar among others coming into play.
Anyway whether Subash Ghisingh was talking about these very things could merely be a coincidence after his self imposed exile.
If you need any information on Gorkhaland and especially the Gorkhaland movement, you can write back to me.
Regs and best wishes,
Barun Roy
February 5, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Dear Barun,
Just a quick question. Which is this newly formed party- the GNLF(C)? I saw you mention this in your post about the coalition parties’ meeting.
Thanks,
Susamir
February 5, 2008 at 1:20 pm
GNLF(C) is not a newly formed party. It stand for Gorkha National Liberation Front (C.K. Pradhan Faction). This was formed after the assassination of C. K. Pradhan in Kalimpong. The supporters of C. K. Pradhan broke away from GNLF and created GNLF (C). The party was formed in 2002
Regs
Barun
February 5, 2008 at 1:21 pm
A small request please make your inquires at the inquires section. This way I can reply to you promptly.
Regs
Barun
February 24, 2008 at 7:28 pm
THE VOICE OF THE INDEGINOUS PEOPLE ;;;Couldent help but listen to the sagas told to us every evening by our grand parents , tales mostly relates to the ancient glories past of these hills and hillocks of the Mt Kanchanjunga ranges handed to them by their fore fathers.
When I grew up as a native I came to understand much had changed then the history related to me, but the language that we speak “Rong –a – Ring” commonly known to the world as Lepcha Bhasa deciphered everything. As so many important things are incorporated inside which is useful in my day to day life, for example it starts from simple things such as names of the places , what is the landscape like ? whether it is right to settle out there , whether medicines are found out there ? what kind of trees, birds ,animals are found? How strong is the flow of the water in the river ………etc
I would like to give you few example each song , poems , spontaneous songs called APPRAVOM Laments of the ancient country called the MAYEL-LYANG, the boundary stretches to every direction from Mt Kanchanjunga ,
lets us begin from the rivers , Ranu , Rangeet, Rumong etc this language is a systematic language and most names of the rivers start from the letter “R” because we believe that it is starting from the ‘Rum-Lyang’ i.e. Rum means God and Lyang –means land as the believe in Lepcha religion is that the 1st man and women was created from the snow of the Holy Mountain , so when we die we return back to the mountain , so since its coming from RumLyang all the snow fed rivers start from “R” yet there is a junction that we call TEESTA , this is the point where River Ranu meets Rangeet, and Questions –TEE-SATA if literally translated means When did you come? yet all the names of the rivers starts from R?
landscapes will be a huge list but I’ll try my best in a short paragraph , lets us climb up from the rivers . Why the Names??? Eg. Mully – in lepcha it is ‘Mutly’ which means earthquake belt area , Mongpong- Mong- medicine and Pong – place where we assemble or gather , Sanada- Sana means Bear ,Da- means sleeping, Singritam particular species of trees found out there ,Dello –Da means pond Loo means hillock , AlGARA –Al means new GRI means fortress , PEDONG—PAY means grass DONG means to search , LAYBONG – ALY BONG shaped like a tongue , POKRABONG –means bamboos have been cut, SINGAMAREE – SANG means wood MAA means to hide LEE means house. TAKVAR_ Prikvar means wasp. DARUMDIN – DA means lake RAM means destroy DEM rebuilt , MIRIK –ME means fire RIK means caught , now just above Mirik is THORBOO tea estate which means to run away from the fire , SYOK tea estate the people rested out there and took out the lice . SITRABONG is SADAR means Lightening and light out of fire i.e. when the Britishers arrived and made electricity the people saw it as fire from the other side , the natives were made Night guards and they made a hut to rest that is DALI….SILLIGURI means string the bow, SEVOK jungle has been cut down then comes the history of ZOULASI now Jalpaiguri Where they saw it as flat land of paddy cultivation and how the princess from the plains taught us to plant paddy . Sangsay, Suruk, Pringtam , Tashiding, Phosur, Kakeybong, , , Gidawlling, each has a meaning that is useful to survive in the hills and hillocks of these ranges. All this is because the pivot of the lepcha religion is based on nature and it is according to the nature the names have been given. Sometimes people say that Kalimpong and Darjeeling is a Tibetan given name , but as far as I know it literally translates into KA- Kayu means we LEM means gather and PONG means again place ,to my surprise if the town Kalimpong was a Tibetan name then why didn’t they name the villages too , as far as I know Kalompong is the spot up there in the Gulf ground of the army base and the previous name is Damsanglyang on of the last kings fort is till up there in Algara and in Gurubathan adjacent to the Doars plains the Palace is called Dalimgri , same goes with the name Darjeeling , RUMDARJU literally means ADODE OF GOD and LYANG means land in lepcha so the same argument if it was a name of Tibetan origin they why dident they name the villages such as Laybong etc..same goes to other places inside Sikkim, this land we call Rengyong lyang in Lepcha , and in southern part of Bhutan this land we call “Prolyang” and in western Nepal we call Payu lyang.
The Holy books used by the natives called the “Namthers” deciphers most of it as it contains religion, history, medicine, geographical location and soothsaying . Now sometimes it is very hard for a native to talk about these things because these books have history along with the beginning of the Indian history, now if you see Indian history starts with the advent of Alexander the Great, where Chandra Gupta Moria resisted the invasions, yet again there is a mention of the the lepcha king Phorthak Panu who sent forces to help Chandragupta Moria ,Chandra Gupta is mentioned as Chandragop in the books, things like that the The lepcha king Tarvu panu who had his capital in Kursong in the 16th century when Renzyong boundry now Sikkim was being carved out the contampery of Kazir Khan etc. these are a whole lot and the names of these places were before birth of Christ. That is the reason most people do not understand the exact meaning if the names of the places. The Namthars tells us the reason for each and everything of how the nature is going to react as the original Namthar is believed to have come a particular gauge inside the mountain of now Dzongu in North Sikkim, and to my utter surprise the hill is still there and the books and letters are carved out in the mountain the location is in such a place the it is impossible for any human being to go out there and carve it.
Now in this 21st century we are taken up I guess with our new culture and life style , some of my relatives are Nepali brothers and sisters , some are Tibeten origin ,some are from the plainsmen,we learnt a lot of new religion the philosophy, first with the arrival of Highlanders from the north our Bhutia Brothers and sisters started with Buddhism, Down with the plains brothers and sisters and with our nepali brothers and sisters Hindu , and later with the arrival of the Englishmen we learnt Christanity, some have also learnt the religion of Muslim. It is very beautiful to learn of all new cultures that our grand parents had never got a chance. we got a chance to be educated, ways of life more better and a whole lot of things, new prospects and new dreams in their eyes when I see my children, that which we had never imagined when we loitered around the ravines, still a huge number of the natives are in the 18 th century condition in the villages in and around Sikkim, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Nepal Illam area, southern Bhutan, hunting , Drinking Chee , and cultivating with the outdated instruments .
It was when I was at the age of 30 the movement of Gorkhaland came out , we all were excited then a Boundary among ourselves for the Bhota Lapcha Nepali that was the slogan, nights in the forest with outdated guns , knives ,Banphook, Khukeries etc. I remember THE C R P F was the main enemy the , HONDA the dreaded Policeman
Curfews, 40 days strike , Children happy there was always Holidays with strikes , Heads hanging on the streets ,gangs , muscle power, CPIM the enemies to be killed later the Gorkha Volunteering Commandoes etc………. a whole lot of tales to be told. In the mist of it oneday I got a chance for free to visit the capital City , and then I came to realize thousand and one things , it was like the eagles view, the waste of life , nonsense of the politicians , and misleading of our simple people from the Hills be it of any community ,Whether Nepali ,Bhutia or lepcha, came to realize that such agitations occur everyday in the vast country India, with our population altogether hardly produces two Member of Parliament, nothing was heard as India can sustain with out the revenue of Darjeeling in fact it is a burden , Here I was from the remote village of Darjeeling and when I grew up I learnt to speak Nepali as I had to be one within the others, and there I came to realize that I had to fit inside The chinkis among the northeastern, what a blunder when the other communities were rising up with Lawers ,Docters, MBAs , Computer engineering chasing the career , I was busy with the guns ,Knives and khukuries, their things are being heard as they have contacts and they are educated and asking for relevant things in a relevant manner, I came to see that their leaders are educated , and paused a moment and compared to my leaders , ……….. as time passed by I met many of my friends , a few that was left after hangover of the so called ‘ANDOLAN’ most had no future due to lack of education along with them their family, not to forget the pains of each one who lost their dear ones , Yet again life rolled on with the some trust was gained with the only source of income of the Mountain The Tourism and the schools and Collages ,it was so exciting to see the youths were catching up with the main stream of education ,sports, computers , earning money and sending back home and some amount of administration and proper channeling and bargaining with the Govt in our own way , without the public being disturbed, even though we were being denied the basic democratic right i.e. The right to vote. It had just been a years or so when I breathed peacefully and said to myself, Thank God the politicians are not using the life of the youths for their spinster designs. But to my utter disappointment it has started again right in front of my eyes, The same old story STRIKES BLOCKING THE ROAD and fighting among ourselves , and telling the world that Darjeeling is a land of rowdies, and no tourist are to visit out here , it is unsafe for the Children to be admitted in the hills etc… For Goodness WHAT ARE WE ASKING FOR AND FOM WHOM? FOR WHAT? AND WHO IS ASKING? AND SHALL WE FOLLOW THE SAME PATH WHERE WE HAD STUMBLED ONCE BEFORE? WHAT IS THE SLOGAN THAT THE NATIVES ARE SUPPOSED TO USE?
February 25, 2008 at 3:54 am
O Broda tried posting a comment in that Jai Prithivi Narayan Shah article.. khai post nai bhayena..
Hope U are doing fine and Congrats for everything
February 27, 2008 at 3:28 pm
dear barun bhai
these 2 articles appeared on the pioneer delhi. the first as an editorial and the second as a lengthy article, which is a +tive sign as the policy makers of the country r based in delhi and they will and should get sensitized regarding the explosive ‘powder keg’ situation in darj.(secret intel reports to hm r lost in the dusty files of north block and can never create awareness/public opinion) the gjm should also focus on regularly feeding the capital media ( this is where enlightened souls like u can play an important part)since people who matter are basically holed up in delhi and till a few days back were totally unaware on the gorkhaland issue post prashant episode under the gjm.
p.s. keep up the great work u r doing :-
Ghising’s folly
The Pioneer Edit Desk
It is CPI(M)’s mistake, too
It is unfortunate that the situation in Darjeeling continues to remain tense despite a week having passed since the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha-sponsored indefinite blockade began last Sunday. The GJM has paralysed the hills — halting also the heritage toy train — by intensifying its movement for a separate Gorkha State. Chief among its demands is the dismissal of Mr Subash Ghising from the post of ‘Caretaker Administrator’ of the Gorkha Hill Council. Mr Ghising has been clinging to this job despite his tenure having expired in 2005, with no election having been held since then. Such is the unpopularity of Mr Ghising in the hills of West Bengal now that he has been forced to seek shelter in Kolkata. While the Union Government seems to find itself in the role of a helpless spectator as events unfold, the Marxist Government in West Bengal, having co-opted and corrupted Mr Ghising, is stumped. Perhaps the only notable thing that has happened during the interregnum is CPI(M) veteran Jyoti Basu’s candid observation that Mr Ghising’s hold in the hills is tenuous as the GNLF chief has become weak with his own partymen going against him. This may have nudged a vacillating Left Front Government to state that Mr Ghising’s term would not be extended after it expires on March 24. This has, however, not prevented the Left allies of the UPA Government from putting pressure on it to push through the controversial Bill that would grant Sixth Schedule status to the Gorkha Hill Council. In doing so, the Left may be attempting to derail the Gorkhaland demand but is actually supporting the lost cause of Mr Ghising, who has made a mess of the Gorkha Hill Council since its inception.
The people of Darjeeling are a house divided. Having struggled for basic amenities for years, and given the serious charges of corruption against Mr Ghising, the elevation in status of the Gorkha Hill Council makes little sense to them, though it would give more funds and authority to Darjeeling. At the same time, there is no reason why Gorkhas should be accorded the status of tribals, which they are not by any stretch of the imagination. The indigenous tribals of the region — for instance, the Bhotias, Lepchas and Sherpas — constitute a minority of the population; understandably, they are indifferent to the demands of either Mr Ghising or those of his detractors. In the mid-1980s, Mr Ghising led a violent agitation for a separate Gorkhaland; finally he settled for a Hill Council on the condition that he would preside over it in perpetuity. That’s not how democracy works. But who is to tell the Marxists so? By letting Mr Ghising have his way, the CPI(M) has created the ground for a fresh round of violence. This time, it could be far worse. Let us make no mistake: The Maoists in Nepal are trying to revive their putsch for ‘Greater Nepal’.
Disquiet in Darjeeling
Shikha Mukerjee
Subash Ghising manipulated the CPI(M) and the Centre to perpetuate his corrupt rule in the hills of West Bengal. The Gorkhas have now turned against him and Ghising has had to seek shelter in Kolkata. Meanwhile, the CPI(M) persists with its myopic politics; the Centre, as always, is clueless
Charismatic, even though he is not currently very popular, Mr Subash Ghising, former chairman of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council and now ‘Caretaker Administrator’, is a squatter guilty of trespass. To continue two years after his elected term in office ended in 2005 makes him an illegal tenant of the autonomous area that constitutes the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, albeit one who has the backing of powerful patrons, namely the West Bengal Government and the Government of India.
By a ruse, to which New Delhi and Kolkata are willing accomplices, Mr Ghising continues in power in Darjeeling and will do so till such time as the 107th Constitution Amendment Bill is passed. The Bill seeks to convert the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council into an autonomous ‘tribal’ territory — in itself an anomaly — on the lines of the Bodo Territorial Council, Mr Ghising will remain the anointed caretaker, instead of elected leader.
If these were merely aberrant acts of an ordinary citizen the deviations could be explained as an irregularity. Unfortunately, with the Centre and the State Government winking at his delinquencies, Mr Ghising has been transformed into an extraordinarily dextrous politician capable of capturing power and holding on to it with grim determination. In the guise of being a bulwark against disorder, Mr Ghising has turned his own acts of disruption into a potent weapon to terrorise as a result of which the Centre and the State Government prefer to comply with his deeds instead of deposing him.
Faced with an election in 2005, Mr Ghising declared that he would not allow the constitutional process to be initiated. In other words, he did not want an election which he clearly doubted he could win with the sort of overwhelming majority to which he had grown accustomed since 1988. To bolster his sagging popularity, Mr Ghising threatened to revert to his politics of destabilisation, that is, revive the demand for a separate Gorkhaland to be carved out of West Bengal, occupying the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong.
To strike fear in the hearts of both New Delhi and Kolkata, Mr Ghising deployed the idea of ‘right to self-determination’ of the Gorkha people. Given India’s enormous sensitivity to any demand for self-determination and the Maoist-inspired turmoil in Nepal, Mr Ghising was able to bring the Centre and the State Government to their knees.
In a perfectly played game of double jeopardy, Mr Ghising compelled authority to accept his offer on the terms he found convenient. He demanded the inclusion of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, thereby transforming the foothills of the majestic Himalayas into tribal land. In defiance of sociology and logic, Mr Ghising twisted both the Centre and West Bengal’s arms and obtained tacit recognition for his domain as a sort of separate territorial space with a sort of separate population. Since even Mr Ghising could not describe the majority of Gorkhas as tribals, he maintained that they had a distinct identity, culture and language that must be given respect and recognition by the Constitution. The threat was clear, if India did not play ball with him, he would raise the issue of ’self-determination’, threaten to approach the UN, wave the ‘Greater Nepal’ flag and re-interpret colonial history to suit his own purposes.
It is debatable whether under the original arrangements in the Constitution, Darjeeling’s hill sub-divisions qualify for separate territorial council status on the lines of the Bodo Territorial Council in Assam. It would appear that appeasement politics, which worked to set up the Bodo Territorial Council by somewhat stretching the idea of autonomous are as provided for by the Constitution, is being stretched out of shape to accommodate Mr Ghising’s demand.
Since the possibility of the 107th amendment being passed and implemented by March 24, when the Caretaker Administrator’s term expires, is remote, Mr Ghising is all set to continue to enjoy power and privilege without the benefit of a legitimising election. Having sat it out for two years, it is unsurprising that the suspension of usual political activity in the Darjeeling area has resurfaced in a virulent version of Mr Ghising’s original demand of 1986 — for a separate state of Gorkhaland — led by a brand new group, Gorkha Janamukti Morcha, headed by Mr Bimal Gurung, once upon a time a henchman of Mr Ghising.
While the violence that marked the 1986 Gorkha National Liberation Front movement, of which Mr Ghising was the leader, is missing in 2008, and the unity among the people of Nepalese origin in 1986 is certainly not there today, the political turbulence in Darjeeling is an indication that some people are frustrated, impatient and willing to seize any advantage to revive the political process in that troubled area.
Mr Ghising does not like any other political actors other than himself and his party, the GNLF. His style since 1988 has been to try and subvert the competitive electoral process and convert it into a sort of faux democratic endorsement of his unquestioned supremacy in the area he considers his domain.
Never before has Mr Ghising been forced to flee to the foothills, seek refuge in Kolkata and demand the intervention of the West Bengal Government to maintain law and order on his turf. By doing so, he has revealed the erosion of his popularity. For a man with an oversized ego, the humiliation of being forced to turn back because the GJM barred his entry to Darjeeling is a measure of how he has morphed into a paper tiger.
The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha is an opportunistic organisation; it is the newest mushroom to have sprouted in the extraordinary political environment of Darjeeling. But there have been other movements and other agitations that have challenged Mr Ghising’s supremacy. Given his preference for occupying and exercising power as the ‘unanimous choice’ of the Gorkha people, the challengers to Mr Ghising, however splintered they may be, raise a huge question mark about the Caretaker Administrator’s position, popularity and politics.
For starters, Mr Ghising’s politics has never been democratic, though he is adept at using the idea to suit his own ends. There is no democracy within the GNLF; leaders are chosen and discarded by Mr Ghising, who insists that his style of functioning ensures ‘discipline’ within the party. There is a Central Committee of the GNLF and it is a selected body. A senior leader of GNLF, when asked as to how many persons were in the Central Committee, sounded vague: “Perhaps 25 or may be 30.”
In 1988, when Mr Ghising was required, under the terms of the original ‘Peace Accord’ for Darjeeling, to participate in elections, he was insistent that his councillors to DGHC had to be elected “unanimously” — in other words, appointed by him. It has been the same for the last 20 years. Mr Ghising has used the compulsions of both the CPI(M) and the Congress to bargain, successfully, over the “unanimous” idea. It has been his contention that political parties that operate primarily in the plains have no legitimacy in the hills. The plains parties have, by and large, accepted the division of spoils, leaving the council to Mr Ghising and negotiating over MLAs and MPs.
However much Ghising may want things to remain frozen in the pattern he established in 1988, the emergence of GJMM, before that the Communist Revolutionary Party (Marxist) led by former CPI(M) leader RB Rai, and the revival of the Gorkha League, are all indicators that the GNLF is not the only representative of Gorkha aspirations.
The aspirations are not easy to understand; it is often a matter of identity and often a matter of entitlement. Given Mr Ghising’s skills, he plays it both ways and so keeps the population in thrall. A separate State of Gorkhaland is the extreme in terms of aspirations, whereas the territorial council in terms of the 107th amendment is one step forward from the 1988 arrangement.
Why the “Gorkhas” need a separate State is not certain, because Mr Ghising raises the demand and then drops it. Who the Gorkhas are is also uncertain, though by Mr Ghising’s definition they are people of Nepalese origin. In terms of caste, the Gorkhas span the entire spectrum. Tribals in Darjeeling constitute less than 33 per cent of the population. In another twist to this tale, the original tribals of the Darjeeling hill sub-divisions, the Bhotias and Lepchas, constitute a diminishing minority.
By using a manufactured identity — Gorkha — to create his constituency, Mr Ghising has been hugely successful. Playing on a history of fears about the terrain he occupies, given its proximity to China and Bangladesh, Mr Ghising has inventively used his demands to carve out space for himself. Unfortunately, the space is now being encroached upon by other political actors who, like Mr Ghising, appear to be extraordinarily well connected
February 28, 2008 at 12:53 am
Hi Bro,
I m a Gurkha from Siliguri, now working in Delhi.I wanted to disscuss some serious matters and ideas to add on the strength we have now.I wan you to reply me back in my email address at deo2oed@yahoo.com from ur id(need to avoide things being public, then it’ll be great for me to share my ideas and get ur suggestions to carry it forward.also send me ur view about the situation going on now. what do u think is correct?
February 29, 2008 at 4:04 am
Hey Barun we need more pictures and if possible videos from the ground so that we can spread it around the world.. can U do something about it??
February 29, 2008 at 10:16 am
Dear Upendra, I am trying my best. Should come up with what you have requested. Thanks
February 29, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Thank you Barun for the good work you did by providing information of entire area during the time of crisis.
March 16, 2008 at 9:13 am
Dear Sir,
What can you tell me of the small village of Daragaon where the Red Star Academy School is and a medical clinic to help the locals with their health and education?
Respectfully,
George
March 17, 2008 at 6:28 pm
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/supporttibet
March 19, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Dear Mr. George,
I am extremely sorry that I could not reply to you earlier. I have been sick for a while. When you are talking about Daragaon, I wonder whether it is the village situated at Toong Soong Darjeeling. However, there are no Red Star Academy there. Village by the name Daragaon could b espread across the Hills. Could you please be more specific about your request? I could visit the place and gather all the information that you may require.
regs
March 20, 2008 at 1:45 am
Barun,
You’re the only one who comes-up for the ‘Pines Hotel’ in Darjeeling. This was owned by a relative - Helen Keelan - who died in 1945 - is it still there? How do I contact them? Any Keelans left in Darjeeling? They were Church of Scotland. Many Thanks
John
March 20, 2008 at 9:09 am
Dear Mr. Roberts,
Greetings! You are most welcome with the inquiry. Pines Hotel was situated near Ghoom, Jorebungalow Darjeeling. I will visit the place today or perhaps tomorrow personally and carry out your inquires with the concerned people. You can expect to have something by day after tomorrow. I don’t think there are any Keelans left in Darjeeling, but let me find out first. And yes, there is still the Church of Scotland.
Regs
Barun
April 5, 2008 at 6:23 am
Dear Barun.. If possible can U kindly post the following link in your website??
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/b4tav09o/
Regards,
Upendra
April 7, 2008 at 1:21 am
Dear Barun i have picture of member of the Constitution Drafting commitee so i wanted to know is there any way i can upload the picture
April 10, 2008 at 11:01 am
Dear Barun Bhai,
I’m not able to open Himalaya Darpan since 6th April. The home page still shows the Himalaya Darpan of 5th April. Is there any problem?
rgds
Yam
April 10, 2008 at 11:18 am
Barun ssems to be unreachable for some days now and his blog is also not updated since 5th……..
April 10, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Barun bro,
Where are you? Your blog has not been updated for days now, hope everything is fine with you.
April 11, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Direct intervention to stop all mega hydroelectric power dams construction projects in Dzongu, in North Sikkim, India (defined as protected and preserved solely for the
indigenous primitive Lepcha Scheduled tribe of India). The government is forcibly building 26 dams in Sikkim out of which 7 inside the holy land Dzongu
Expectedly more than 500 lepchas from Darjeeling District , Illam Western Nepal , Southern Bhutan and Sikkim are starting to walk up for pilgrimage to Dzongu, North Sikkim, India
Dzongu region also comprises the restrictive Kanchenjanga National Park, which is in the process of being considered as a ‘World Heritage Park’ within 2009, besides being a Kanchenjanga Biosphere Reserve
Schedules as follows :
14/04/2008——- Prayer in Teesta ,Bene at 10am that falls in Darjeeling district and walk up to Ramphu that is Sikkim border by 2pm, and then to Singtam by 6pm that covers roughly 30 Km in the first day
15/04/08———– Singtam to Gangtok that is the Capital of Sikkim to meet the people in hunger strike which will reach 300day of hungerstrike on the 15/04/08.
16/04/08———– Gangtok to Penlong via Kavi which is a historical place of blood treaty between the Lepchas and the Bhutias .
17/04/08 ———– Reach Lower Dzongu and then enter inside the hills and hillocks for the offering of our prayers led by Mun and Bongthing (priest and priestess)
DZONGU, North Sikkim, a protected Reserved Land, where more than 6000 Lepchas live, is sacred and holy land to the Lepchas all over the world. The first Lepcha man, ‘Fudongthing and Nuzongnyoo’, the first Lepcha woman, were created by the “Itbu Debu Rum”, the Creator in Lepcha and settled them down in Dzongu at the base of Kingchoomzaongboo i.e. Mount Kanchenjanga. Their off springs are the present day Lepchas.
The Lepcha myths on slaying of Laso Mung Pano, the Devil, by Tamsangthing at Tukvyer Partam; the origin of Lepcha Mun, Priestess, Nyolik-Nysong, Boongthing, male Lepcha Priest, Azaor Boongthing; the Lepcha clans Lepcha New Year, Lepcha marriage, each Lepcha clan’s, “Chu”, mountain, “Da”, lake, and “Lep”, the door to “Poomju”, after death are to be found in Dzongu. All the Lepchas living in Sikkim, Darjeeling District of West Bengal, Illam, Nepal, and Bhutan and elsewhere in the world look up to Mount Kanchanjanga and Dzongu as their sacred and holy land. It immensely pains when they see and observe their holy and sacred land, Dzongu, being polluted, defiled and dishonoured
Past history relates, the Lepcha tribe then a nation called NEY-MAYELYANG (the land of the hidden paradise) , inhabited and ruled practically the whole of the Sikkim Himalayas with boundaries extending to even parts of western Bhutan in the east, parts of Nepal in the west up to the plains of Jalpaiguri and Nepal in the south and even Chumbi valley in Tibet. Considering this historical antecedent, the present status of the Lepcha indigenous tribe has been marginalized all over the Darjeeling Sikkim Himalayas . Considering , the remaining Lepcha lands are under due threat of being totally overtaken, wherein Dzongu remains the last abode and historical property of the Lepchas. All aspects of ‘Lepchas the Vanishing Tribe’ is expressed in the much researched book of the same name by the late Arthur Foning, who happened to base a majority of his research project in Dzongu itself, which presently is under threat of total ecological disaster if the proposed mega hydroelectric dam projects are implemented.
Dzongu has always occupied a protected area status specific to Lepchas to preserve the ancient history, culture tradition and ancient cult of “MUN”, being a soothsayer and an oracle of trible communities practiced till date . Since the days of Chogyal ,(Kings of Sikkim) succeeded by following democratic governments entry to Dzongu region by the outsiders are resticted by Law under article 371F. Also corollary to the restriction of entry by non Lepchas purchase of Land of Dzongu Lepchas are more restrictive.
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To support the protected status Dzongu was declared a protected area since the days of the Chogyal (Monarchy) and in 30th August1956. The above was further strengthened by further amendment by the Govt. of Sikkim, Home Dept, Notification No. 3069/ O.S. by which even entry, settlement or occupation by any outsider (non-indigenous) is a criminal offence. This laws were incorporated inside Article 371F in the mutual agreement between the Govt. of Sikkim and Govt. of India within the framework and constitution of India entirely for providing safeguard to the tradition, culture, and religion .
Whereas, the government fails to address the grievances in real terms. The acceptance of Dzongu as the last sacred, reserved land for the Lepchas, not withstanding the other existing conditions of a government protected area, national sanctuary, bio-spheric reserve, biodiversity gene pool area and the only pure and pristine Lepcha tribal, cultural region in the world.
April 12, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Dear Barun,
Very nice that you are back with your most interesting articles. Sad though that it seemes to be a hard time for the people of Darjeeling Hills in the near future. Can not imagine how it could be so peaceful during our twelve days stay in the beautiful and most amazing region up there in late March. We will always remember and inspire others to know more and to visit Darjeeling Hills and Sikkim. Hopefully we will be able to come back in some years as well
to see more and to meet all our new lovely friends.
Best regards,
Anita
April 12, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Dear Friends,
Greetings from Darjeeling! And thank you very much for your concern. I have had to go through a lot of harassment in this few days due to my work, however, I think that I am now certainly on the right path. I especially sorry to Anita for not being there with you when you arrived in Darjeeling from Sweden. I hope that we could meet someday and that I could take you around the Hills and the Terai. Yes, situation is not that good. Things have already started boiling down to racial clashes in the Terai and the Hills Plains border which is a matter of great concern. I have gathered a couple of reports and news stories which you should find both eye opening and disturbing. In fact, I was so concerned about taking into what was happening at grassroot level throughout the hills and dooars terai that I took a Leave of Absence from all my works. The coming days and months will be crucial for all of us scribes. I hope and pray for your support.
Regs
April 12, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Dear Mr. Hemant,
You could send me the pic at my email address: barunroydarj@gmail.com. Please offer all details and your full name so that I could mention you as the contributor. You could attach the pic to the mail.
Deepest regards and best wishes