SIKKIM OBSERVER Sept 12-16, 2011

Demand for Karmapa’s return to Rumtek raised in Rajya Sabha

Gangtok, Sept 11: The State Government has urged the Centre to allow the 17^th Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorjee, to visit his seat-in-exile at Rumtek monastery in east Sikkim.

The lone Rajya Sabha member from Sikkim, OT Lepcha, while speaking in the House Wednesday said the 17^th Karmapa should be allowed to visit Sikkim to uphold the “religious sentiments” of the people.

Lepcha said despite repeated requests to the Centre on the issue by the State Government and various social organisations in the past so many years “no progress has been made in the matter.”

“I request the Central government to permit the visit of His Holiness 17^th Karmapa to Sikkim keeping in view of the religious sentiments of the people,” Lepcha said in the Rajya Sabha.

If the Centre does not allow the Karmapa to visit Rumtek monastery in view of the “controversy” associated with several claimants to the Karmapa seat then the Karmapa may be allowed to visit Ralong or Phodong monasteries in the State, which belong to the Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

“His followers are now demanding that if, in view of the controversy involved in the Rumtek monastery, it is not possible to allow Karmapa to visit his seat there, he may be permitted to visit either Ralang monastery or Phudong monastery for darshan and blessings,” said Lepcha.

The 16^th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, who passed away in 1981, built the Rumtek monastery (Dharma Chakra Centre) after he was given a piece of land by the 11^th ruler of Sikkim, Chogyal Tashi Namgyal, following the Karmapa’s escape from Tibet before the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959.

Ralong gompa, the first Kargyu monastery in Sikkim was built in1730 during the reign of the 4^th king, Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal, who met the 12^th Karmapa lama, Changchub Dorje (1703-1732) in Tibet during his visit to that country.

Though almost all monasteries in Sikkim, a former Buddhist kingdom, belong to the Nyingmapa order (old school) of Tibetan Buddhism, the State has three main Kargyu monasteries – Ralong, Phodong and Rumtek.

Both Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and his predecessor Nar Bahadur Bhandari have been demanding the early return of the 17^th Karmapa, who presently resides in Dharamsala, to return to Rumtek.

Why has worship of Sikkim’s guardian deities reduced to a bazaar affair?

SIBLAC objects to ‘intentional distortions’ on Sikkim history

Jigme N Kazi

Gangtok, Sept 11: The fight against dilution of Sikkim’s cultural heritage is out in the open. The State Government’s failure to correct distortions regarding celebration of Pang Lhabsol has been condemned by an apex body of the minority indigenous Buddhist Bhutia-Lepcha tribals in the State.

If the IPR Secretary KS Tobgay had not intervened the Sikkim Bhutia-Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) would have burnt copies of the Sikkim Studies Series, which allegedly carries distorted version of Sikkim’s history.

That this would have taken place on the eve of the annual Pang Lhabsol celebrations would have been a great embarrassment to the Chamling Government. According to SIBLAC Convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia, it was Chief Minister Pawan Chamling who released the Sikkim Study Series in the capital on August 28, 2004.

“SIBLAC has frequently been approaching the Government pointing intentional distortions and unacceptable errors in the same, demanding early rectifications, for the benefit of all,” Bhutia said in a press statement and added that the failure of the government to correct the distortions despite assurances has angered the minority community in the State.

“However, owing to the prompt and immediate response” of the IPR Secretary , the organization has “decided to withdraw its scheduled plan to burn the copies of the existing edition” of the Sikkim Studies Series.

Apart from wrong dates on celebrations of this unique festival names of many historical characters are also incorrect. Worse still is the allegation that the Chogyals of Sikkim have been labeled as “instruments of colonial expansions.”

“The authors have blatantly used phrase like “instruments of colonial expansions” (Page 110, last Para). What is the intention of mentioning the King of the Land as Colonial Expansionist? Does the Study Series consider Sikkim Chogyals as expansionists? Doesn’t it see difference between an Expansionist and a Ruler? The Chogyals and their ancestors were Rulers of the Land for over 700 years. The authors, it seems have not understood Sikkimese History and its implication. It is very misleading that the glorious rule of Namgyal Dynasty is concocted with derogatory remarks,” said SIBLAC.

 SIBLAC has also highlighted the manner in which a religious affair such as Pang Lhabsol sacred to Sikkim’s history and religion has been turned into a bazaar tamasha. Despite objections and pleas by concerned Sikkimese the Chamling Government has turned a deaf ear to the demand that celebrations of this unique event be restored to its original glory.

Today, the celebration of Pang Lhabsol has become a political and business affair with singing, dancing and speeches at the bazaar.

The worship of the presiding deities of Sikkim on Pang Phabsol is a solemn and sacred occasion. Farcical focus on ‘unity and communal harmony’ by those who resort to ‘divide and rule’ to stay in power may be done on another day but not on Pang Lhabsol.

SIBLAC has rightly pointed out: “The main function of Pang Lhabsol is and never been organised at the venue of the Statues of Unity (at MG Marg) as wrongfully mentioned” in the book.

“In fact, on the final day of the week-long long observation, Pangtoed Chham is performed at the Royal Tsuglhakhang as a musical offering to the presiding deities of Sikkim,” Bhutia said.

If Chamling wishes to continue staying in power he ought to remember this dictum: “whom the gods wish to destroy they first make them mad.”

Chamling ought to know what former chief minister NB Bhandari told me from his hospital bed here last month, “Though they are quite slow in their reaction there is devi-dewta in Sikkim.”

Gandhi Jayanti body to felicitate Bhaichung

Gangtok, Sept 11: Former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia will be felicitated by the Gandhi Jayanti Celebration Committee of Sangmoo, south Sikkim.

The decision to felicitate Bhaichung was taken because of his immense contribution to the game, said Wang Tshering Shangdarpa, chairman of the celebration committee.

 “Bhaichung has made us proud at national and international level and inspired hundreds of locals and outsiders to follow the game of football, said Shandarpa during a press meet here yesterday.  

The celebration is scheduled to be started from September 14 with an open Boys Football tournament at the play ground of Sangmoo Junior High school. Former Minister D D Bhutia will inaugurate the celebration. The finals will be held on October 2, during Gandhi Jayanti.

At least 35 teams are expected to take part in the tournament.

Editorial

SIKKIM’S FUTURE

Take Time To Think

As anti-Chamling campaign gains momentum in a State ruled by one party, the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front, for more than 17 years there is always the temptation to forge  some sort of unity among the Opposition to take on the ruling elite. This happened when NB Bhandari, Chamling’s predecessor, reigned supreme for over a decade and half and the people rallied behind the ‘Mandal Messiah’ in a bid to topple the Bhandari regime. Chamling’s think-tank at that time thought that the newly-formed SDF (formed in early 1993) was capable of ousting Bhandari in the 1994 Assembly elections. If it hadn’t been for dissidence within Bhandari’s ruling Sikkim Sangram Parishad that finally ousted Bhandari in mid-May 1994 Chamling may not have been able to come to power. Even without Bhandari in power and with a weak and friendly Congress government ruling the State for six months prior to the November 1994 Assembly polls Chamling’s party managed to get only 19 seats in the 32-member House, leaving Bhandari with 10 seats.

   There was a serious move in early 1993 to form a ‘tribal party’ to unite a section of the Opposition and oppose Bhandari. The leaders of this section were not in favour of placing all eggs in Chamling’s basket. In fact, they did not trust Chamling, who was in the Bhandari Cabinet before he formed his own political outfit based on OBC support. The fact that Sikkim is politically back to square one goes to prove how trustworthy Chamling has been. Sikkim today faces very much the same situation and many people want all anti-Chamling forces to come together and join the PS Tamang (Golay) camp. Though Golay has not come out openly against Chamling his supporters are very active and it is only a matter of time when the SDF rebel takes on Chamling openly. For those who are fed up with the Chamling regime and want a change there is always the temptation to place all eggs in one basket. The recent squabble within the Sikkim National People’s Party (SNPP) may be influenced by those who want a section of its leadership to join Golay. Is this a wise move? Sikkim does not have the luxury of repeating the same mistakes again. The Sikkimese people must not allow repetition of what has been witnessed in the last several decades in the name of democracy and economic development.

Raj Bhavan to produce organic tea

Observer News Service

 Gangtok, Sept 11: Eight acres of land at Raj Bhavan here will be brought under organic tea plantation in a phased manner.

Temi Tea Estate, producers of Temi Tea in the State, will provide technical expertise to the project and the produce will be used by the Raj Bhavan, according to an official release.

The project is an initiative of Governor BP Singh, who wants to make Raj Bhavan “an exemplary place having variety of organic flowers and plants.”

A tea plantation programme was carried out in an acre of land in Raj Bhavan yesterday where the Governor was present along with Commerce and Industries Minister Ms Neeru Sewa, Tea Board Chairman Gagan Rai and government officials.

The participants of the programme planted tea saplings at the Raj Bhavan Organic Garden yesterday morning.

Raj Bhavan was earlier known as The Residency, the official residence of India’s Political Officer in the former Himalayan Kingdom. Located on a hill above the town, the Residency was built after Sikkim’s first Political Officer, Claude White, took charge of the administration in the then kingdom in the latter part of the 19^th century when Sikkim became a British Protectorate.

PANG LHABSOL : Worship of Sikkim’s Guardian Deities

J. Kalzang

This unique Buddhist festival celebrates the eternal bond between the people, nature and the mountain gods.

Pang Lhabsol, a festival commemorating the conservation of Mt. Kanchenjunga as the guardian deity of Sikkim, is a unique Buddhist festival in the Himalaya.

The lotus-born tantric master, Guru Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche, who introduced Buddhism in the Himalayas and Tibet in the 8^th century, is believed to have visited Sikkim and bound the mountain spirits on oath to protect the people. The four sacred caves in Sikkim where Guru Rinpoche meditated are perhaps the most sacred pilgrimage centres for Buddhist devotees in the former kingdom of Sikkim.

There is also the belief that Pang Lhabsol has its origin in the Lepcha people's belief that the mountain is their place of origin. It is also believed that the festival has its roots in Lhatsun Chenpo's (the propagator of Buddhism in Sikkim) vision. It is said that while meditating in a cave at Dzongri in west Sikkim, the mountain the guardian deity of the state appeared to him in a vision.

Subsequently, Chador Namgyal, the third Chogyal of Sikkim, introduced the "pangtoed" dance and dedicated it to Kanchenjunga as a war deity. The actual origin of the festival is said to be the blood-brotherhood pact between the Lepcha bongthing, Thekung Tek, and Khye-Bumsa, the ancestor of the Namgyal Dynasty of Sikkim in the 13^th century. During the signing of this historic pact, the local deities were invoked to witness the event.

Pang Lhabsol combines masked dance with warrior dance, giving the festival an inherent drama, which surpasses that found in other Buddhist festivals. There are resplendent costumes and colorful masks, and the choreography is spectacular. Kanchenjunga itself is represented by a dancer wearing a red mask mounted with five human skulls, on top of which are mounted flags.

Yabdu, Kanchenjunga's Supreme Commander, wears a black mask, while the warriors who accompany them are attired in the traditional Sikkimese battle dress, complete with helmets, swords and shields. The dramatic entry of Mahakala, the protector of the dharma, or faith, is one of the highlights of the dance. It is Mahakala who commands Kanchenjunga and Yabdu to defend the faith and bring peace and prosperity to Sikkim.

Shouts of victory greet his appearance as it is he who commands the god Khangchendzonga, to defend the faith and bring peace and prosperity to the people. Three horses with attendants in the fashion of Kham, form where the Namgyal dynasty came, are held ready to be mounted by Dzonga, Yabdul and Nyenchen Thangla, a mountain god from Tibet.

A week prior to the dance, the lamas of Pemayangtse monastery (Sikkim’s premier monastery) in west Sikkim, where the festival takes place, offer prayers, invoking Dzonga - the popular local name for Kanchenjunga - to protect the land and look after the people. The festival of Pang Lhabsol is held on the 15th day of the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar, which falls around August-September.