SIKKIM OBSERVER                                  Nov 21-24, 2012

CJI Altamas Kabir to visit Mt. Hermon on Nov 24

Darjeeling, Nov 20: Chief Justice of India Justice Altamas Kabir will arrive here on Saturday to attend Mt. Hermon School’s annual Speech Day function to be held on the same day.

Justice Kabir is an ex-student of Mt. Hermon, founded by American missionaries in 1895, and studied there in mid-fifties. It is on the initiative of the Hermonites, alumni of the school, that Justice Kabir has been invited as Chief Guest on this special occasion.

Justice Kabir will be accompanied by Hermonite Justice Indrajit Mohanty of Orrisa High Court and Hermonite Krishna Goenka from Delhi.

At least 150-200 ex-students and ex-teachers from India, Nepal and Bhutan will be present at the school during the Speech Day function. Former teacher Miss P. Russell will be among those who will be present during the ‘grand reunion’ in Darjeeling. Russell, who comes from UK, is expected to visit Kalimpong and Darjeeling.

A grand reunion dinner has been organized by the Darjeeling Hermonites Association for the Hermonites on the eve of Justice Kabir’s visit here at Mayfair resort on Friday.

The Sikkim Hermonites will host a reunion dinner for Russell at Hotel Tashi Delek (Gangtok) on November 26.

Following Justice Kabir’s elevation to the high post on September 29 this year, a delegation of Sikkim and Delhi Hermonites called on him at his residence in New Delhi to felicitate him.

Justice Kabir’s visit to his alma mater is significant as the school is going through a tough period in all respect. Global Hermonites, including past principals and teachers, have urged the owners of the school, the Methodist Church of India, to take strong measures to strengthen the school with a view to regain its past glory.

Chinese diplomats visit jailed Chinese national

Gangtok, Nov 20: A three-member Chinese delegation led by Minister Counsellor Fan Fei arrived here on Sunday on a three-day trip to the State.

While the main purpose of the visit could not be ascertained the team met Chief Secretary Karma Gyatso and also met a Chinese national, Langta Jaincan, who has been detained here at the Rongyek jail since last month.

Jaincan, who has been booked under Official Secrets Act for alleged espionage activities, was caught taking pictures on Indian territory in Nathula in east Sikkim last month.

According to reports, the visit of the team was cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs.

It is interesting to note what PTI filed from New Delhi on the visit: “For the first time, a high-level team of Chinese diplomats are in Sikkim on Monday in connection with consular issues, a “reconfirmation” of Beijing’s stance of accepting the State as part of India.”

It added, “The visit is expected to be seen by the South Block as “acknowledgement and reconfirmation” of changed stance of Beijing, which has accepted India’s sovereignty over Sikkim in last eight to nine years.”

The report went on to add, “China had questioned Sikkim’s accession to India and refused to grant visas on this ground to people from the state, even if they were listed as part of an Indian government delegation.”

Mount Hermon: Rising up from the ashes

By Jigme N Kazi

Knowles

Founder: Miss Emma L. Knowles (1840-1924)

When Miss Emma L. Knowles, an educational missionary under the Women’s Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States, founded Mount Hermon School on March 11, 1895 the school was called ‘Arcadia’ and was located below Chowrasta facing Lebong in Darjeeling.

Miss Knowles had already spent many years in India as Principal of schools for European girls at Nainital and Calcutta before coming to Darjeeling.

Emma Knowles played a major role in establishing the Wellesley Girls High School in Naini Tal and having worked at the Calcutta Girls' School she realised the need for a similar school to be set up in Darjeeling's favourable climate.

She began ‘Arcadia’ with only 13 students. Deeply religious and a committed Christian, Miss Knowles was convinced that it was God’s will to establish a school for girls in Darjeeling. Within threes years of the founding of the school a terrible earthquake in 1898 completely damaged the school building, killing several of its students in the tragic incident.

Undaunted by the terrible disaster and faith in the Almighty, Miss Knowles purchased a piece of land near the railway station in Darjeeling town just above the Hill Cart Road and continued with the work. By 1902, the school had at least four dwelling houses and a three-storey building. The enrolment of the school rose to 50 and the school was renamed Queen’s Hill School (QHS).

Miss Carolyn J. Stahl

From the beginning of the century till 1929, it was Miss Carolyn J. Stahl, who really served the school, first as an assistant to Miss Knowles, and then as the Principal from 1918 to 1929.

Stahl

Queen’s Hill School was nearly closed down in 1914 due to shortage of funds but because of the concern and dedication of both Miss Knowles and Miss Stahl the school survived. Miss Stahl, also from America and a member of Women’s Foreign Missionary Society, believed that “any great task can be accomplished by the exercise of boundless faith, much intercessory prayer and ceaseless work.”

By 1918, the enrolment rose to 163 and the school authorities felt the need to find a suitable site for expansion of the school.

Queen's Hill School was primarily for the children of missionaries and other Europeans as most white people were called. The students were taught a British curriculum.

Bishop Frederick Bohn Fisher

Though he did not become Principal of the school, Bishop Frederick Bohn Fisher is regarded as one of the four Founders of Mt. Hermon School. Born in Pennsylvania in the US in 1882, Bishop Fisher was elected to the Episcopacy and came to India as a missionary and became the Bishop of Calcutta and served in the Thoburn Methodist Church in Calcutta.

As a prominent Methodist Church leader, Rev. Fisher took a live interest on Queen’s Hill School. The present location of the school was purchased from Lebong Tea Company, Grand Hotel (Calcutta) and Mount Everest Hotel (Darjeeling) in 1920. Bishop Fisher played a vital role in the purchase of the new estate.

The inauguration of the new school building, which has been described as “one of the finest buildings in the Orient,” was performed by Lord Lytton, then the Governor General of Bengal, in May 26, 1926. Initially, the school had around 100 acres.

Fisher

In 1929-30, Rev. ES Johnson of the Thoburn Methodist Church (Calcutta) became Principal of the two schools located in the new campus – Queen’s Hill School for Girls and Bishop Fisher School for Boys – and in the same year (1930) and for the third time the school was renamed Mount Hermon School and became a co-educational institution.

In their honour Mt. Hermon still continues the tradition of awarding best girl and boy students every year during its annual Speech Day: Miss Stahl Cup for Best Girl Student and Bishop Fisher Cup for Best Boy Student.

Bishop Fisher knew Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore on intimate terms. “He seemed to me to be one of the few Christians who walked in the fear of the Lord, and, therefore, feared no man,” was Gandhi’s comment on Bishop Fisher, who died of a heart attack in 1938.

Among the former principals of Mt. Hermon after Miss Stahl, Mrs. Lila Engberg (Principal – 1931-1935) needs a special mention mainly because it was she who helped and inspired MH to move forward after the devastating January 15, 1934 earthquake that caused severe damage to the main school building.

Mrs. Engberg not only managed to mobilize huge amount of funds to rebuild the school building but also made sure that repair and reconstruction works were done on time to enable the school to begin its next academic session in March 1935 without much difficulty.

Rev. Halsey E. Dewey

Mt. Hermon endured another major crisis in the early 1940s. The effect of the Second World War hit the school badly as most of its students were from abroad. The school was nearly closed down in 1943. Not only were the funds low the enrolment also dropped to only 120. The uncertainty of the future of the mission in India also had an adverse effect on the school.

Dewey

But it was Rev. Halsey E. Dewey, who became the Principal in 1938, who was chiefly responsible for keeping the school going during one of its darkest periods. Rev. Dewey, who is one of the four Founders of the school, had heavy responsibilities for mission work in Bengal and as staff were hard to get he found it increasingly difficult to keep the school going and was nearly closed down in 1952. Between 1938, when Rev. Dewey became the Principal, through to the 1940s and 1952, when Rev. Dewey left, MH had two other Principals: Rev. M.A. Clare (1942) and Mrs. R. Forsgren (1947).

Rev. David G. Stewart

Mt. Hermon really and truly emerged as a great educational institution in the sub-continent when Rev. David. G. Stewart of the New Zealand Chinese Inland Mission (now renamed Overseas Missionary Fellowship) took over the school as its Principal in 1954.

From only about 100 students in early 1950s, the school grew to well over three hundred students by the time Rev. Stewart left at the end of 1963. The school grew not only in strength but in standards and character. In 1961-62, Mt. Hermon was adjudged the best boarding school in India.

Stewart

By mid-1950s MH had a mix of children of different nationalities - American, Australian, New Zealanders, British, Europeans, Indians, Anglo-Indians, Tibetans, Sikkimese, Burmese, Bhutanese, Nepalese, Chinese and even students from Thailand who used to fly all the way out to India for the school term.

It was in 1960 that the school was divided into four Houses named after its Founders and Heads: Knowles (green), Stahl (red), Fisher (yellow) and Dewey (blue).

G. A. Murray

Mr. Graeme A. Murray of New Zealand was already the Acting Principal during Rev. Stewart’s last year in MH. He naturally took over the school as Principal in 1964 after Rev. Stewart’s departure. Mr. Murray finally left MH after 24 years of service to the school in 1978.

Mr. Murray built on the solid foundation laid down by Rev. Stewart and Mt. Hermon blossomed and went from strength to strength during his tenure as Principal. Under Mr. Murray’s leadership Mt. Hermon maintained its high standard in all spheres – academic, sports & games, music, plays & dramas etc.

Mr. Murray was blessed by a group of dedicated and competent members of the staff: Mrs. Joy Rongong, Mr. and Mrs. Mathai, Miss C. Hawke, Mr. and Mrs. W. Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Johnston, Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Gardner, Mrs. Alexandra, Miss P. Russell, Miss Bilcliffe, Mr. and Mrs. Lunnon, Mr. and Mrs. Ismail, Mr. and Mrs. West to name a few.

Rev. J. A. Johnston

Rev. John Johnston, whose association with MH goes back to 1959, became the next Principal in 1979 after Mr. Murray left at the end of 1978.  Rev. Johnston from Australia was a quiet, soft-spoken gentleman. During his tenure as Principal Darjeeling went through an uncertain political period when the main demand of the local Gorkha (Nepali) population was for creation of a separate state of ‘Gorkhaland.’

Because of the new political environment most schools in Darjeeling, including MH, faced many difficulties during this period. However, Rev. Johnston somehow managed to stay the course and MH was able to pull through the turbulent period.

    Mr. and Mrs. Johnston with GA Murray (centre)

Uncertain future

Jeff Gardner, an ex-teacher of MH, who later became Rector of St. Paul’s School, Darjeeling, took over the school in 1992 after Rev. Johnston left in 1989.

The school’s future after Rev. Johnston’s departure was uncertain. It may be recalled that most senior teachers of the school left MH in 1978 and this created a huge gap in the teaching faculty.

Mr. Gardner was already the Senior Master when Mr. Murray was the Principal. His taking over the school as Principal in 1992 gave much hope and confidence to all Hermonites and well-wishers of the school that the school was in good hands.

The manner in which the school was run after Mr. Johnston and Mr. Gardner left (1993-94!)  prompted Hermonites in the region to urge the Managing Committee, which runs the school on behalf of the Methodist Church of India, to make Mr. George Fernandes, who was on the staff from 1977 during Mr. Murray’s tenure, the Principal to ensure stability of the school. Mr. Fernandes and his wife Saroj (Pradhan) Fernandes (a Hermonite), who took charge of MH in 2000-01 have made much contribution to keep the school going and to stabilize the situation when it seemed MH was being troubled on all fronts.

‘MH Revival’ Campaign

In order to revitalize all aspects of the school’s life Hermonites from all over the world from the beginning of 2012 have been unitedly urging the Managing Committee to appoint a competent Hermonite as Principal to set things in order so that the school regains its past glory and continues to give valuable service to society.

 Despite overwhelming concern shown by global Hermonites throughout 2012 on the school’s future survival and success the school authorities, Managing Committee Members and the Methodist Church of India have not responded to the Hermonites’ call for ‘MH Revival’.

   The main building of the school has been badly damaged after the September 18, 2011 earthquake, staff cottages which were burnt down or in disrepair have not been rebuilt or maintained, school campus has been encroached and worse is the rapid fall in the enrolment…the present strength of boarders is said to be just over 200. There is also the justifiable apprehension that MH may be closed down in the near future or die a natural death if its problems are not properly addressed at the earliest.

Editorial

CHANGE OF GUARD

Hope In Tibet

The Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay’s statement that it is time for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet has come at a time when Chinese Communist Party has endorsed Xi Jinping as the country’s next President. Sangay made the statement in Dharamsala last week while inaugurating the three-day Second Special International Tibet Support Groups Meeting. “This special meeting will send a clear message that Tibetan supporters will make sure that the Tibet issue remains alive till freedom is restored and Dalai Lama's return to Tibet,” Sangay  said.

Though talks with the Chinese government has failed the Dalai Lama still hopes to return to Tibet one day. When that day comes he has promised to return his power to create a local government under Chinese rule.  His proposal for ‘genuine autonomy’ for Tibet under China has yet to receive positive response from China. With Xi taking over reins of power in China shortly there is much optimism for an amicable solution to the Tibet issue. Earlier, political experts thought that Beijing is not really looking for a solution to the issue, but simply waiting for the Dalai Lama to die. However, this perception may change with the change of guard in China.

The Dalai Lama (77) once had a special relationship with Xi’s late father Xi Zhongxun, a liberal-minded former vice-premier. He recalls the elder Xi as "very friendly, comparatively more open-minded, very nice." Xi senior had a close bond with the Tibetan leader who once gave the elder Xi an expensive watch in 1954, a gift that the senior party official was still wearing decades later. Xi senior, who died in 2002, was believed to be a dove in the party, championing the rights of Tibetans, Uighurs and other ethnic minorities. He also opposed the army crackdown on the 1989 Tiananmen student protests and was alone in criticising the sacking of liberal party chief Hu Yaobang by the Old Guard in 1987. Tibetan exiles see other small signs that Xi could take a softer line on Tibet - his wife is a Buddhist, and Xi went out of his way in 2006, while party boss of Zhejiang province, to host the first World Buddhist Forum in the provincial capital.

PEOPLE & PLACES Bhutan&Sikkim

‘Sikkim has a very deep cultural and religious link with Bhutan’

By Jamyang Dorjee

     Denzong Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal during Bhutan King Jigme Singye Wangchuk’s coronation in Thimphu in      

     1974.

Dassain holiday this year was most memorable as I visited Bhutan with my family for a pilgrimage to Paro, Bumthang, Wangdue Phodrang and Thimpu. I would like to share some of my thoughts here.

Liu Duenpa seven line prayers spoken by Guru Rinpoche in the 7th century, which most Nyingmapa practitioner recites every day even orally states " Paro Taktsang Kewtsang ru……maong Semchen namla thukje sik " meaning; in the cave of Paro Taktsang, where I subdued the evil spirits and meditated, all the sentient beings who visits in future will be blessed. It is therefore considered fortunate for a follower of Guru Rinpoche to be able to visit these places of pilgrimage, sit and contemplate there for a while, recite the texts and reflect upon the great deeds of this spiritual master. Paro is little more than 4 hrs drive from Indian border at Phuntsokling. It is recommended to start the 3 hrs uphill trek to Paro Taktsang cave early in the morning so that one reaches the cave and Lhakhangs before sunrise.

What amazed me more was the effort by the Royal Government of Bhutan in constructing a much secured footpaths on the last and the most difficult leg of the steep cliff, have security guards maintaining the sanctity; ensuring that citizens of Bhutan while visiting the cave/Lhakangs wear their traditional dress, making sure foreigners enter the area in a respectful attire, ban mobile phones, cameras, tobacco or tobacco products inside the compound. Just like the Sikhs insists that a devotee cover their head while visiting a Gurdwara, the Bhutanese zealously guard the holy place, make you feel that they respect pilgrims but at the same time do not encourage casual tourists who might fancy taking a photograph sitting on the lap of Guru’s statue.

Guru Rinpoche referring to Bumthang in the Liu Duenpa prayer text further says ‘Lho chok monkha ri la ku je shak” meaning; I leave the prints of my body on the southern hills of Monkha ri (Bumthang). Bumthang is about 8 hours drive from Paro, where visitors require a special permit.

We were fortunate enough to be at the time of Bumthang Tsechu, an annual festival where a giant appliqué thangka of Guru Rinpoche is displayed to the masses and mask dances are performed.

We were blessed to see the imprints of Guru’s body well preserved on the rocks inside Kurje Lhakhang, a giant juniper tree believed to be planted upside down by Guru Rinpoche provides shade to the main Monastery and the famous ‘drup chu’, a natural spring water believed to have miraculous healing power is just a walking distance from the compound.

Across the hill from Kurje Lhakang is another holy five hundred years old monastery called Tamshing Lhakang; the original monastery of Terton Pema Lingpa who also said to have visited Sikkim and constructed a small Lhakang in west Sikkim at Pelling.

Few minutes’ drive from Tamshing Lhakhang, we visited the Jampa Lhakhang commissioned by Choegyal Songtsen Gambo of Tibet in the 7th century. I was told that of the 108 such Lhakangs commissioned by him, only two survived and that is one in Bumthang and another in Paro. Guides tell you that when Tibet was occupied by China in 1959, the two dragon’s carvings behind the statue shed tears of blood for many days! One can actually see the traces of the tears and this is a very strong evidence of the emotional bonds between Tibetans and Bhutanese. Every Tibetans must come and re-visit history and appreciate the efforts by the people and the Government of Bhutan for maintaining the monastery so well even today.

Bhutan today is the only surviving Buddhist kingdom practising the Nalanda tradition or Tibetan Buddhism as a state religion, their King being the unifying factor. Interestingly, I also learnt that during the Nepali Dassain festival, the Bhutanese of Nepali origin paid their respect to His Majesty the fifth as an avatar of Vishnu, a Hindu god, which is unique. It is a universal fact that every sentient being wants happiness and nobody wants suffering but the pursuit of happiness is different in different countries. Both United State’s mixed economy theory heavily dependent on measuring GDP and China's reformist leader Deng Xiaoping’s slogan “to be rich is glorious" have not necessarily made the American or the Chinese citizens happier, as projected by the never ending violence, cut throat competition, corruption, nepotism and cynicism around the world every day.

GNH or Gross National Happiness, the guiding principle of the government and Constitution of Bhutan believes that the progress of a nation should be viewed not only through the lens of economics but also from spiritual, social, cultural and ecological perspectives. During my travel, I could visibly see the impact of the GNH in at least two most important development sectors in Bhutan which is the hydro power generation and tourism. The hydro power projects in Bhutan have ensured that there is no demographic change because the Bhutanese themselves manages the project after its completion. Instead of dolling cash to the land acquired from the public, the project builds markets, schools and houses for the families, like in Wangdue Phodrang areas thus ensuring sustainable income to the public for generations to come. By and large people are not only happy but proud of this balanced development.

Another important sector is tourism. Bhutan realized that its strength lies in its rich cultural heritage and pristine environment. Keeping this in view they invested in maintaining the existing holy places, providing international quality roads, encouraging locals to invest in hotels with a touch of tradition and discouraging multi storied concrete structures. In order to attract quality tourists the Government standardized the fees for foreign tourists as 250 USD per person per day, which many believes will discourage tourism initially but today seeing the number of tourists coming in, people do realizes the far sightedness vision of their Government.

 Almost all the guides that I came across were dignified, well educated, well versed with Buddhist philosophy and above all proud of their culture. In Sikkim, I recall with great respect, the farsighted vision of former Chief Secretary K. C. Pradhan, under whom I was fortunate to serve for few years. He also had similar vision, always insisted on quality tourism in Sikkim and in fact suggested a standard rate for Dzongri trek. But unfortunately, nobody heeded his advice and the sanctity of Dzongri trek is no more.

As a human being, especially somebody like me who retired after working for a long time in Sikkim Government in tourism and culture sector, naturally one feels to reflect upon the development here and try to learn a lesson or two. Recent years in Sikkim, we have seen series of tourism projects both implemented and on pipeline for construction of huge statues of Buddhist deities on hill tops besides a magnificent Char dham Hindu temple at Namchi. It is certainly encouraging and may have the potential to attract tourists but its spiritual benefit to the land and people will depend on the motivation of the investor at the first place, irrespective of the fact that these monuments were blessed by spiritual masters or not.

Interestingly, I met many friends and retired officers from Sikkim en route at Paro Taktsang. The guide told me that this week alone, two thousand Sikkimese visited the place. Sikkim has a very deep cultural and religious link with Bhutan. The first 5- year development plan of Bhutan was scripted by Burmiok Athing Densappa of Sikkim. He was deputed by Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal on request of His Majesty the 3rd King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk of Bhutan.

As I mentioned above, the traces of culture in Pelling, West Sikkim could be found rooted in Pemalingpa monastery at Bumthang. In Sikkim today, only a small Menthang exists at the tri-junction of Pelling Bazar and the name of the place is attributed to the Terton. Baylangdra Nye at Wangdue, another sacred cave is believed to be the place where Terton Dorji Lingpa discovered a Buddhist text on the Dorling lineage in the 8th century. Later he established his main monastery in south Sikkim at Burfung called Doling Gompa and a branch in Bhutia Busty, Darjeeling. Darjeeling originally known as Dorjeeling was named as a place for Terton Dorji Lingpa.

Coming back to Sikkim and its developments, it will be equally important to do a SWOT analysis and understand the strength of Sikkim. For Buddhists it is the hidden paradise blessed by Guru Rinpoche and for nature lovers like Hookers it is the kingdom of rhododendron. Driving through Sikkim is like going through a beautiful album provided the roads are good. Guru Padma Sambhava in fact according to the text “Denjong Neyik” has given a complete geographical description of the sacred places including the four holy caves etc.

Maintaining these existing holy places as described by the Guru Rinpoche will definitely attract the follower of Vajrayana Buddhists numbering to 20 million besides casual tourists. Khadro Sangphu, at Rishi used to attract thousands of Bhutanese pilgrims during the winters for hot spring. Today this sacred site remains neglected and even marginalized by the hydro projects. Preservation efforts of these places will not only bring sustainable economic benefits to the people but will maintain the sanctity of the place for many more generations to come.

Swami Vevekanada had said “Half of our life we waste in trying to be somebody who we are not and by the time we realize who we are there is nothing much left to do” It is time to be realistic, understand the strength within and develop Sikkim as it is and not try to make something which it never was at the first place. A balanced development must have national security, cultural, spiritual and environment factors incorporated into it. (The writer is former civil servant, Government of Sikkim and Regional Coordinator for the Conservancy of Himalayan Arts and Culture, a nonprofit NGO based in Washington DC. He can be reached at jamyangdorjee@yahoo.com)