HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN International Himalayan Weekly          Sept 20-26, 2014   Blog:jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com

TO TIBET VIA SIKKIM

Kailash Manasarovar Yatra through Nathula

New Delhi, Sept, 19: In a major political gesture, Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposal for the opening of a new route for Indian pilgrims visiting Kailash and Mansarovar in Tibet via Sikkim.

The opening of the route was sought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their first meeting in Fortaleza in Brazil in July this year. Expectations were  high that the route through Nathu La border point in East Sikkim would be part of the big gesture of friendship not only to strike chord with Modi but also the people at large, specially the Hindus and Buddhists considering its religious importance.

Modi wanted the second route for the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, keeping in view the terrain difficulties of the existing routes through Uttarakhand and Nepal which involved arduous journey involving heavy tracking or by mules.

The Yatra being organized by external affairs ministry goes through Lipu Pass, Himalayan pass connecting the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand in India with the old trading town of Taklakot in Tibet. The route was badly damaged in recent floods in Uttarakhand. Tour companies organize similar tours through Nepal which are equally tough, making it difficult for aged and not so healthy people to undertake the pilgrimage.

The journey, however, may become more comfortable through Nathu La pass, used for a limited border trade since 2006, as the pilgrims could travel by vans, bikes  and busses up to Mansorvar and Kailash directly.

Officials say the opening of the post will not affect the nature of the border dispute as the clause states that it is subject to the overall agreement of the boundary and would be specified in any new MOU.

The issue figured in the talks on Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs held here in April this year.

The new route, though longer, takes pilgrims from Nathu La to Shigatse also known as Xigaze, the second biggest city in Tibet after provincial Capital Lhasa by road. From there the pilgrims could comfortably travel to Mansarovar and Kailash using well laid out highway.

Modi and Xi on Thursday agreed to quickly resolve the border dispute and demarcate the Line of Actual Control to improve peace and cooperation between both countries.

Addressing the media after the conclusion of one-on-one meeting with visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping, Modi said India is concerned about the frequent incursions along the border. The Line of Actual Control should be demarcated soon to ensure peace and tranquility in the area, he said.

President Xi, in response, said that China will work to settle the border issue at the earliest date. Since the border is not demarcated there will be some incidents, but both countries are capable of settling it at various levels without causing a bigger impact, he said.

Both sides pledged to improve people-to-people contacts and cultural ties. The year 2015 will be celebrated as a 'Visit India' year in China and 2016 will be celebrated as 'Visit China' year in India.

Nepal leader demanding ‘Independent Madhesh’ arrested

Kathmandu, Sept 19: A prominent activist from Nepal’s Madhesh region who is seeking inclusion of the right to secede in the country’s new constitution has been arrested for anti-national activities.

Dr CK Raut, a PhD from University of Cambridge and a former employee of Raytheon, a US defense contractor, was arrested on Saturday evening in Morang district in eastern Nepal while returning home from a public rally.

“He has been charged with public offence. Investigations are on and more charges could be pressed later if any involvement in anti-national activities is confirmed,” said Nepal Police spokesperson TP Lamsal.

Both the activist and his associate Satyanarayan Mandal who were arrested together were produced in a district court on Sunday and remanded to police custody for six days.

Raut, who returned from US to Nepal in 2011, is the central coordinator of Alliance for Independent Madhesh, which is seeking establishment of an independent and sovereign Madhesh, the plain region in southern Nepal.

His arrest has already created a stir in Nepal with rights activists within the country and abroad terming it extra-judicial and an attack on freedom of speech and expression.

Madhesh, which borders India, comprise nearly half of Nepal’s total population of 27 million. There has been uprisings in past in the region demanding more inclusion and equality for people from the region.

With the country drafting a new constitution the demand has gained more momentum with Madheshi parties seeking inclusion of provisions that guarantee equal rights to Madheshis and ensure development of the region.

Chinese Prez more open-minded, realistic: Dalai Lama

‘Build Sino-Indian relations on the basis of mutual trust’

Dharamsala, Sept 19: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Thursday appreciated Chinese President Xi Jinping as being open-minded and realistic, while expressing hope that he can take the India-China bilateral relations forward.

Speaking to reporters at a time when the Chinese head of state is in New Delhi to take the ties forward, the Dalai Lama however stressed that it is important to build Sino-Indian relations on the basis of mutual trust.

“Xi Jinping's thinking is more realistic and more open-minded, so he can learn more from India,” the Tibetan leader noted, ZeeNews reported.

"I think the Chinese President should learn some of India's experience. Look, east India, south India, west India, north India, different language, different script. But no danger of separation. Isn't it? Democratic rule, rule of law and free media..." he said.

Reacting to Tibetans' protest in Delhi against the visiting Chinese President, the Dalai Lama stressed, "Actually the Tibetan problem (is) also (a) problem of India. Before 1950, you see the whole northern border, really peaceful, no single soldier. So India's problem."

The Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in northern India, however, added that “understanding comes through talks”.

"So sooner or later you have to solve these problems, not by force but by understanding and talk. Understanding comes through talk, only through personal contact."

NATHULA PASS

Historic Route, Historic Move

Throughout Sikkim’s history the Nathula Pass in East Sikkim has played a historic role in the region. It was through this route that the ancestors of Sikkim’s Namgyal Dynasty came to Sikkim in the 13^th century and formed the kingdom. After the British Raj in India became a Protectorate of the former kingdom in 1890 Indo-Tibet trade began through this route. In the early 1990s the British expedition under Colonel Francis Younghusband laid siege on Lhasa using the Nathula route, leading to the establishment of trading posts in Tibet near Chumbi Valley. The Dalai Lama and Jawaharlal Nehru used this route to enter Sikkim or travel to Bhutan through Sikkim.

After the 1962 Indo-China war the Nathula Pass was sealed and it reopened only in 2006 when India and China resumed the traditional border trade. Significantly, 2006 was declared as the year of Sino-Indian friendship. Though resumption of border trade at Nathula has not been too successful the opening of this route for Indian pilgrims to travel to Kailash and Manasarovar in western Tibet is perhaps a major historic event in the region since the China’s takeover of Tibet in 1959 and India’s annexation of Sikkim in 1975. Hopefully, the historic move to open Sikkim’s frontier with Tibet will go a long way in strengthening Indo-China friendship. In the process Sikkim and Tibet should benefit the most in every respect.

Editorial

NATHULA PASS

Historic Route, Historic Move

Throughout Sikkim’s history the Nathula Pass in East Sikkim has played a historic role in the region. It was through this route that the ancestors of Sikkim’s Namgyal Dynasty came to Sikkim in the 13^th century and formed the kingdom. After the British Raj in India became a Protectorate of the former kingdom in 1890 Indo-Tibet trade began through this route. In the early 1990s the British expedition under Colonel Francis Younghusband laid siege on Lhasa using the Nathula route, leading to the establishment of trading posts in Tibet near Chumbi Valley. The Dalai Lama and Jawaharlal Nehru used this route to enter Sikkim or travel to Bhutan through Sikkim.

After the 1962 Indo-China war the Nathula Pass was sealed and it reopened only in 2006 when India and China resumed the traditional border trade. Significantly, 2006 was declared as the year of Sino-Indian friendship. Though resumption of border trade at Nathula has not been too successful the opening of this route for Indian pilgrims to travel to Kailash and Manasarovar in western Tibet is perhaps a major historic event in the region since the China’s takeover of Tibet in 1959 and India’s annexation of Sikkim in 1975. Hopefully, the historic move to open Sikkim’s frontier with Tibet will go a long way in strengthening Indo-China friendship. In the process Sikkim and Tibet should benefit the most in every respect.

RN Chamling wins Sikkim Assembly seat as independent

Losers are SDF & BJP-SKM alliance

Gangtok, Sept 19: Independent candidate RN Chamling won Rangang-Yangang assembly seat by 708 votes defeating his nearest Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) nominee Kumari Mangar in Sikkim.

While chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling's younger brother RN Chamling, who fought the seat as an independent candidate polled 4,788 votes, Kumari Mangar of the ruling SDF got 4,080 votes.

BJP's Bikash Basnett came third with 351 votes.  BJP allied with Sikkim Krantikari Morch (SKM) for the polls. Basnet was SKM’s  Assembly candidate for the same seat in the recent Assembly polls. Bishnu Prasad Adhikari of Congress finished last with only 28 votes, less than 46 votes cast under NOTA.

The byelection was necessitated following relinquishing of the seat by the chief minister as he retained Namchi-Singithang constituency which he had also won in the last assembly elections.

With RN Chamling's win, SDF is down to 21 MLAs in the Assembly. Opposition bench increases to 11.

“This is not my victory but the victory of the people. In a democracy, such things should happen where an independent manages to win an election. This was not happening in Sikkim for a long time. I will work with the entire Rangang-Yangang people for the development of the constituency,” said RN Chamling after the results were out.

Gorkhaland movement has moved to Delhi

Darjeeling, Sept 19: The movement for creation of Gorkhaland has moved from Darjeeling hills to New Delhi. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha which is spearheading the demand for a new State has begun demonstrations in New Delhi since yesterday.

"The movement will begin with a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on 18th to 19th December. To be followed by a public meeting at Talkotra Stadium on 20th," said Bimal Gurung, GJM President .

Every board members of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the autonomous administrative body of Darjeeling have been instructed to volunteer two months’ salary for the movement.

Party members have been asked to be present in Delhi for the rallies.

Darjeeling’s Makaibari tea most expensive in country

Darjeeling, Sept 19: After being sold at a record price of $1,850 (around R1.12 lakh) per kg, Darjeeling’s Makaibari tea estate has become one of the most expensive tea producers in India.

“It is a matter of great pleasure and pride that Indian Tea, Makaibari, has booked orders at a record price of $1,850 per kg. That the orders have come from Japan, the UK and the US is also noteworthy,” Tea Board chairman Siddharth said.

He said at a time when the Tea Board and the tea industry are grappling with the issues of value addition and brand building, this news has come as a shot in the arm, PTI reported.

“Makaibari has been an iconic tea garden and we are very pleased to note that even after its ownership has recently changed hands, the high standard of its quality and recognition has grown further,” Siddharth said.

Raja Banerjee: King of Makaibari tea estate

Darjeeling Tea Association secretary Kaushik Basu said this is the highest ever price he has ever heard of for Indian tea. “But this is a one off case. We have heard that it was a small sale of around 5 kg. I don't think it was a commercial sale or auction. It may have been sold on charity,” he told PTI.

Located in Kurseong, Makaibari is the ancestral property of Raja Banerjee who had recently sold off 90% of his stake to Luxmi group.

Assam DGP commits suicide after CBI raids

Guwahati, Sept 19: Former Assam Director General of Police Shankar Barua, quizzed recently by CBI in connection with Saradha scam, allegedly shot himself dead at his residence on Wednesday (September 17).

Guwahati Senior Superintendent of Police A P Tiwari told PTI that Barua was rushed to a local nursing home at around 12 noon and was declared dead there.

"Barua is no more. We are investigating. We cannot say anything now. Only after the investigation we can talk about details," Tiwari said. Barua's body has been sent for post-marten. He was admitted to another hospital last week after he complained of heart problems and was released from there this morning.

"He came home and within half an hour he went to the terrace and shot himself with a pistol. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital by family members,'' a close family member said. Barua's name got linked with the scam after an employee of Saradha's media house here alleged last year that he had provided 'protection' to them in Assam which was arranged by popular Assamese singer and filmmaker Sadananda Gogoi on behalf of the group.

Gogoi was taken to Kolkata by CBI for further questioning and was subsequently arrested on September 12. CBI had conducted raids on 12 premises on August 28 in connection with the multi crore rupees ponzi scheme scam. The raids were carried out at the residences of two former Assam ministers, including that of former health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Barua and Gogoi, among others.

Glimpses of the HIMALAYA

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology holds three-day Buddhist Festival

The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, has been promoting Buddhism in a big way, and this week’s 3-day Boudh Mahotsav Buddhist Festival at the world-renowned Namgyal Institute of Tibetology (NIT) in Gangtok  is part of its concerted efforts to promote Buddhism in the same land where the Buddha himself once preached and in the former Buddhist Kingdom of Sikkim.

It is, therefore,  fitting that the Buddhist Festival is being held at the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology that has, for over half a century, worked tirelessly to preserve, document and disseminate the knowledge of all the four Sects and Schools of Buddhism, as well as Bon. The Institute is today a centre for excellence in Buddhist studies in North East India.

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok (Pix: Sonam Deki)

    Inaugurated by Cultural Affairs Minister GM Gurung on September 16, , some of the events being showcased at the Buddhist Festival were : Lama chanting, Cham dance, Sand mandala, Butter sculpture, Thangka painting, and promotion of Sowa Rigpa, the Ancient Tibetan Science of Healing.

The Black Hat Lama Dance (shanag) performed during the Festival dates back to 841 AD when Tibet was ruled by its 43^rd King Langdharma, who was destroying Buddhism in Tibet. During the course of the dance Lhalung Palghi Dorji assassinated the King using a bow and arrow. The Black Hat dance, therefore, symbolises the subjugation of evil and negative forces.

Participation of folk dance troupes from seven states of the country, mainly from the Himalayan region, were an added attraction for the Festival.

The showpiece of the Buddhist Festival  has remained  the NIT Museum which has a substantial collection of rare Buddhist artifacts. There  was also a free Medical Camp where the Sowa Rigpa team from the Central University of Tibetan Studies, Saranath, Varanasi will see up to a maximum of 60 patients in a day and provide free consultation and medicines for a month.

 On the second day of the Festival Governor Shriniwas Patil witnessed colourful cultural programme showcasing folk dances from Arunachal Pradesh named as Aji Lhamu, Ghasayari from Uttarakhand, Kinnauri Nati from Himachal Pradesh, Sangrai Mog from Tripura, Ghusari Dance from Andhra Pradesh and Singhi Dance from Sikkim on the occasion.

Since its establishment in 1958, the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology has sponsored and promoted research on the religion, history, language, art and culture of the people of the Tibetan cultural area which includes Sikkim. The NIT library holds one of the largest collections of Tibetan works in the world outside Tibet and a museum of Tibetan iconography and religious art.

The site on which the institute was established was donated by the late Chogyal (king) of Sikkim Sir Tashi Namgyal. The foundation stone of the institute was laid by the 14th Dalai Lama on the 10th of February 1957 and the Institute was declared open by the late Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on the 1st of October 1958. The institute’s main building is an imposing monument and a splendid example of Sikkimese architecture.

In 2002, the NIT's new director, Tashi Densapa,  a retired Secretary of the Sikkim Government, undertook to expand the Institute, restructure its research wing and open its doors to international collaboration. This is being done through the creation of new research and fellowship programs, the holding of lecture series, seminars and international conferences, the publication of the Bulletin of Tibetology, monographs and conference proceedings, and through collaboration with foreign scholars.

The Institute has now become a dynamic research centre in the Eastern Himalayas actively promoting Buddhist and Tibetan Studies, including its sub-field of Sikkim Studies.

ENVIRONMENT

Give the public a role in ‘Clean Ganga’ project, says Rajendra Pachauri

Rajendra Pachauri

India’s holiest river is due for a clean-up, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking personal responsibility for restoring the Ganga and ridding the 2,500 km long river of industrial effluents and untreated sewage.

Uma Bharti, Modi’s minister for water resources and Ganges rejuvenation, has said the river would be clean in three years. Earlier this month, India’s Supreme Court asked the government for a roadmap on the project so that the court could monitor it.

Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), spoke to Reuters on the Ganga project, the need for transparency and how the public could help.

Excerpts from the interview:

Reuters: A lot of government money has been spent since 1986 on cleaning the Ganga and the new government has created a separate ministry for it. Where do you think we have fallen short?

Rajendra Pachauri: Frankly, this is symptomatic of many other programmes where government money has been spent on a large scale, without commensurate results. Government cannot implement this as an activity which is going to be totally under government control. If you look at the sources of pollution, they come from a whole range of activities. Even if you have sewage treatment plants, they are not functioning. Another major problem is the community is not really being involved. I personally think it will work if you make it a movement involving all the stakeholders. Central government can be releasing money, but where is the assurance that the money is utilized properly for the right purposes? What you really need is the mobilization of all the stakeholders.

Q: The project is also largely in the hands of bureaucracy – there is hardly any public involvement.

A: I won’t minimize the role of bureaucracy, but what you would like to see is an enhanced role of the public and other stakeholders, for they have not actually been brought into the efforts to clean the Ganga. They have to feel part of it, they have to feel responsible for achieving results. You can set up citizen bodies in the habitations you have along the river.

Q: How can we ensure the big industrial houses fall in line?

A: Of course, you need transparency. If somebody, no matter how big the unit is, violates rules, that should be highlighted, that should be monitored and made known to everybody.

Q: The new government has said it would develop the river for tourism, transportation, fisheries and power generation. Are cleanliness efforts driven more by commercial interests than ecological concerns?

A: I agree, but let me give you an example. You look at the river in Paris. Everybody wants to walk around that river. You have restaurants and other attractions, places where people want to go to. By this, these people themselves become stakeholders in keeping the river healthy. You are actually enhancing the value of cleanliness by giving people an opportunity to benefit from the cleanliness.

Q: There are mixed opinions on whether the exploitation of natural resources, development of industries and urbanization has upset the ecological balance.

A: You need to create a balance. See what happened in Pune [referring to a recent landslide]. You cut down the trees on a slope and start living. Now when there is rainfall, obviously you are going to have mudslides. In Uttarakhand, you allowed construction in the flood plain of the river at that height. You have eight-storey buildings, which is absolutely ridiculous in a hill location like that. In Punjab also, water has been chemically polluted to such an extent that it is leading to high incidents of cancer.    

   How are we enhancing the welfare of human society by creating this kind of damage? I don’t say you don’t have to increase the output of goods and services, for we are a poor society and there are people who are still deprived, but why can’t we do it in a way that is environment friendly. That’s the whole purpose of the legislation we have.

Q: How do we strike this balance?

A: I think we need a system by which we carry out evaluation of the environment impact. This also requires changes in our institutions. At the stage of design of a particular project, you need to take into account all the environmental implications and try to redress them in the design of the project itself. What is even more important is a proper follow-up. You see, often you have a project where you have given a clearance, which requires certain actions to be taken. Is there any monitoring of those actions? No. Once the project has got cleared, then the people are at freedom to implement it the way they want. There is absolutely no oversight of how the project is implemented.

SIKKIM OBSERVER Saturday Sept 13-19, 2014

Blog: jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com

CBI coming to Sikkim to hang corrupt leaders: Union Minister

We have been fooled on ‘organic state’ claim: BJP

(L to R) SKM President PS Golay, BJP candidate Bikash Basnet and Union Tribal Minister Jual Oram in Rabongla, South Sikkim, on Thursday. (Pix: Prabin Khaling)

Gangtok, Sept12: The clock seems to be ticking fast on Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s stay in power. The Centre has taken a strong view on issues regarding alleged misuse of public money and corrupt practices of Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and his former and present Cabinet ministers.

While urging the people to vote for BJP candidate Bikash Basnet for the Rangang-Yangang Assembly constituency by-polls, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said the BJP and the Central Government want a “corruption-free Sikkim”.

Realising the state of affairs in Sikkim, Oram declared that CBI will soon come to Sikkim and threatened to place all corrupt leaders behind bars. He even went on to say that Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) chief PS Golay would become the next chief minister if BJP wins in the by-polls.

“It is a matter of great concern that despite release in the Central government fund, the Sikkim government has failed to start the construction of Sikkim University (in Yangang). This is very unfortunate and I will take the matter with HRD Minister,” the Union Minister said during his address at a public meeting in Rabong, South Sikkim yesterday.

Both the Union Minister and the BJP-in-charge for Northeast, Parmanand Raut, attacked the SDF government on its ‘Organic State’ claim. They stated that wrong information was given to the Prime Minister, who had been misled on the matter. "The real updated information will be reported to the Union government soon so that proper monitoring of funds to Sikkim can be done," they said, Talk Sikkim reported.

 “Vote for BJP candidate Bikash Basnet to win and see what happens to ‘chalaak, chatur’ Chief  Minister of Sikkim within six months”, the Union Minister said. He added, “In name of organic farming Chamling has not only fooled Janta but also fooled India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

“This is a harsh reality that the Prime Minister is being grossly misguided by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling who is saying that Sikkim is becoming an organic state, which is not true at all. I have come to know that chemical fertilisers are still being used here. I will inform the Prime Minister about the matter once I reach Delhi,” the Minister said, The Telegraph reported.

“Give us one seat. That will be a stepping stone for PS Golay to become the Chief Minister as we support him," Oram assured. SKM is in alliance with BJP for the by-polls.

Golay and BJP State unit President Palden Wangchuk Khangsarpa were present during the public meeting.

The by-poll was necessitated after Chamling resigned from the seat and retained Namchi-Singhithang, having contested and won from both the constituencies in the April Assembly polls. Basnet took on Chamling in the April polls on a Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) ticket but lost by over 3,000 votes.

Independent candidate Rup Narayan Chamling, who is the Chief Minister’s brother, is giving a tough fight to the ruling SDF candidate Kumari Mangar.

There are over 11,700 electors, who will cast their votes in 14 polling stations in three sectors. The votes will be counted Sep 16. Irrespective of whoever wins the political situation is likely to hot up from next week.

WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR

Jigme N. Kazi

People power must win over money power for democracy to triumph in Sikkim

Gol

 Gola

Gangtok, Sept 12: It took nearly three years to merge the NB Bhandari-led Sikkim Sangram Parishad (SSP) with the Congress party in 2001-2003. It has taken less than  three months to forge the SKM-BJP alliance in Sikkim this year.

Golay

Had the leaders of the alliance taken up the matter more seriously the opposition would have been in a better position today. However, they are to be applauded and congratulated for their efforts and achievements. BJP Sikkim unit President Palden Wangchuk Khangsarpa and Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) President PS Golay were able to stitch an alliance and field Bikash Basnet, formerly with the SKM, as BJP candidate for the by-polls of Rangang-Yangang Assembly constituency.

Irrespective of the by-poll results the new development in itself is a big achievement for Sikkim. Aided by their able lieutenants Khangsarpa and Golay are expected to take the alliance to greater heights as this is the need of the hour.

   By choosing Golay over Chief Minister Pawan Chamling the BJP has sent the right message to the people of Sikkim and India as well. For many national parties and politicians Sikkim is a testing ground where most of them have failed miserably. The BJP has taken the right step and at the right time.

The reason why SSP-Cong merger could not take off fast as planned was because Congress leaders in the State as well as at the Centre were ‘managed’ and influenced by money-power (My book The Lone Warrior: Exiled In My Homeland gives a detailed account on this issue). This has not happened with the BJP this time and it is a good sign that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah are serious about their campaign on corruption-free India.

Khangsarpa

However, when the going gets tough the tough gets going and Pawan Chamling will do all he can to have his way. He may already be working overtime to get in touch with the BJP-SKM camp and BJP’s central leadership through the backdoor to ensure that competent and committed persons do not play a vital role in rejuvenating the BJP in Sikkim. Already things are moving too slow in making things difficult for the present dispensation. This is a warning which must be heeded at the earliest otherwise all tall claims of the BJP-SKM alliance will come to naught.

Editorial

MADAN MOHAN RASAILY

Hail to The Jewel of Sikkim

He was the first senior officer close to the former Chogyal of Sikkim to get the boot for his open defiance and firm opposition to Sikkim’s takeover in 1974-75. He is perhaps the only Sikkimese to be awarded the Denzong Thuki Norbu (The Heart Jewel of Sikkim), the highest civilian award of the Kingdom of Sikkim. Madan Mohan Rasaily, who passed away peacefully at 90 in his homeland last week, will surely rest in peace for he remained a true and loyal ‘Son of Sikkim’, when his king and country needed him the most and when others deserted them and took the easy way out and yielded to pressures and lures of life.

    And while “‘little men’ who rule the roost in Sikkim will have been consigned to dust,” posterity will look back to men like MM Rasaily who, despite life’s trials and tribulations, stood firm and remained loyal to their motherland and to the high ideals and values they uphold in life. The ‘merger’ era was a testing time for Sikkim’s leadership – political and administrative. Those who went for short-term gains or who had their own axe to grind were used by the authorities to go against the Chogyal and Sikkim. But men like the former Home Secretary-cum-Additional Chief Secretary and Auditor-General of Sikkim stood like a rock and “sacrificed petty considerations for the lofty ideal” they espoused. Such men will surely have a place in Sikkim’s long and chequered history. And because of men like MM Rasaily and his mentor Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal true and faithful sons and daughters of Sikkim “will be able to walk with their heads held high whatever their circumstances in life happen to be.”

NIT’s Buddhist festival begins on Sunday

Gangtok, Sept 12: The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology (NIT) is organising a 3-day Boudh Mahotsav Buddhist Festival in Sikkim from Sunday under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The festival is intended to showcase some of the tangible aspects of Buddhism and to promote the values of peace, non-violence, compassion and loving kindness practiced by the Buddha.

The Ministry of Culture has been promoting Buddhism in a big way, and this Boudh Mahotsav is part of its concerted efforts to promote Buddhism in the same land where the Buddha himself once preached, a NIT release said.

It is fitting that the Buddhist Festival is being held at the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology that has, for over half a century, worked tirelessly to preserve, document and disseminate the knowledge of all the four Sects and Schools of Buddhism, as well as Bon. The Institute is today a centre for excellence in Buddhist studies in North East India, the release added.

    Some of the events being showcased at the Buddhist Festival are: Lama chanting, Cham dance, Sand mandala, Butter sculpture, Thangka painting, and promotion of Sowa Rigpa, the Ancient Tibetan Science of Healing. The showpiece of the Buddhist Festival will be the NIT Museum which has a substantial collection of rare Buddhist artifacts. Additionally, folk dance troupes from seven states of India will be participating.

There will be a free Medical Camp where the Sowa Rigpa team from the Central University of Tibetan Studies, Saranath, Varanasi will see up to a maximum of 60 patients in a day and provide free consultation and medicines for a month.

Lachen Rinpoche remembered during Pang Lhabsol celebrations in Lachen

Lachen, Sept 12: The Pang Lhabsol celebrations in Lachen, North Sikkim, this year was a special occasion to remember and honour Late Lachen Rinpoche who passed away in 2012.

According to Lachen Pipon Janam Lachenpa, the function was organized in Thangu in Lachen to honour Lachen Gomchen who was the real source of inspiration when the celebrations began at the newly-constructed Thangu monastery a few years back.

   The Pipon and Lachen Pang Lhabsol Committee member Rinzing Chewang were in Gangtok to invite all well-wishers of the Late Rinpoche to grace the occasion.

    While the annual function in hounour of Sikkim’s Guardian Deities was held  at the Tsuklakhang Monastery in Gangtok, similar function was also organized in Rabong, South Sikkim, and Pemayangtse Monastery, West Sikkim, and other monasteries in the State.

Pang Lhabsol, a festival commemorating the conservation of Mt. Kanchenjunga as the guardian deity of the State, is unique to Sikkim. It 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.

The occasion also commemorates the treaty of brotherhood between the Lepchas and Bhutias, where Kye Bumsa the then Bhutia leader signed the brotherhood treaty with the Lepcha Chieftain Thekong Tek at Kabi Lunstok in North Sikkim in the 13^th century.

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Jupiter Yambem

Jupiter Yambem became part of World History 13 years ago: Laba Yambem

It was a solemn and sad day for us here at home.I still remember him taking me atop the World Trade Centre way back in 1991 and watched an aircraft flying below.10 years later I watched in horror seeing the aircrafts crashing in at the WTC. It was literally watching my brother being killed thousands of miles away on TV.At first I thought it was a new Hollywood blocbuster that had just been released. Then I saw the streamers Breaking News WTC under attack, then I said to myself my god that is where Jupiter works. It was with a sense of despair and hopelessness that I spent the next few hours as all communications with New York was down. His body was mercifully recovered and cremated there but his ashes returned home to be sprinkled over the Loktak Lake here in his homeland in faraway Manipur.

In 2002, I accompanied my late father who was well in his 80s then to pray at Ground Zero which then resembled a bombed out place.We prayed for his soul then.Then 10 years after 2001 came the news if Bin Laden' s own death.I had then said that 'now with his death my brother' s soul can now rest in peace' and also' may Allah the merciful forgive you Bin Laden'.

2014 marked the 13th anniversary of his death and we had a simple ceremony at home where I offered Tarpan according to Hindu Vedic rites and the priest read out a passage from the Shrimad Bhagwat Gita- it was on the Karma Yogi dealing with duties of a man on earth.

Laba Yambem

Two of his Manipuri friends now in the USA, L.Somi Roy from New York and Devdas Laishram from San Fransisco were present and so were Dr.Kh.Ratankumar Singh Minister Works, Irengbam Hemichandra Minister PHED, R.K.Anand MLA besides his childhood friends Pradip Phanjoubam Editor Imphal Free Press, Hawaibam Dileep IAS Director Education, Moirangthem Lakhsmi IAS Secretary Transport, Shyamcharan Singh Chief Engineer Police Housing Corporation and a host of other well wishers and friends and relatives had gathered.

I also wish to thank all my FB friends for showing solidarity with us on this day that our beloved Jupiter Yambem became part of World History 13 years ago.

North America Tribute to Jupiter Yambem

Jupiter Yambem was born and raised in the remote state of Manipur in the northeast corner of India. At the age of 21 he came to the United States and promptly took up a career in some of New York City's most famous restaurants, including the Rainbow Room and then Windows on the World, where he worked as a banquet manager. But even as he planted hardy roots here, marrying a woman from Syracuse, settling down in Beacon, N.Y., joining an environmental group dedicated to protecting the Hudson River, becoming friends with Pete Seeger, signing on as assistant coach for his son Santi's soccer team Mr. Yambem, 41, held fast to his Indian past. Retaining his Indian citizenship, he co- founded the North American Manipur Association, a small group of Manipur families that sought to promote and preserve the culture of their homeland over here. He had two purposes, said his wife, Nancy Yambem. He wanted his son to know something of his heritage, to see the dances and hear the music and taste the food. But he also wanted to construct a bridge, however modest, between two vastly different cultures.

A Sept 11 family honours a proud Manipuri

New York: Born and raised in Imphal in Manipur, Jupiter Yambem, 47 lived the immigrant’s dream in America. At the top of his class in SUNY New Paltz, he was snapped up by some of New York City's most famous restaurants, including the Rainbow Room and then Windows on the World, where he worked as a banquet manager. He thrived on the energy of New York and adored his curly auburn-haired American wife from Syracuse who he met in college in the early eighties and their son.

Jupiter Yambem’s wife, Nancy McCardle Yambem, remembers frantically calling her husband on September 11. He never answered. Everyone in the Windows of the World restaurant on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center survived the impact when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower at 8:46 am, but died when the tower collapsed after burning for 102 minutes.

Nancy Yambem with her late husband Jupiter Yambem and son Shanti.

On the 10-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks, Yambem and her son Santi whose name is pronounced Shanti, like others who lost family on September 11, 2001 carry the heavy legacy of that day.

“It has been ten years and we miss Jupiter. We will always miss him. He was amazing. We have a small Hindu shrine in our house to Jupiter,” said Yambem whose house is cluttered with photos of her college sweetheart.

Jupiter came to America at the age of 21 from India to work in a summer camp with children with visual impairment. After he got done with the camp he decided to stay on in America and went to college at the State University of New York at New Paltz.

“We met in college in 1981 and hung out with the same crowd. We started seeing each other in 1984 as a couple. We married in 1991 so I knew him — know him — for 20 years,” said Yambem still finding it painful to use the past tense.

For those kids who lost a parent on 9/11, fitting in and getting back to life as usual is an ongoing process. Jupiter was a hands-on dad and signed on as assistant coach for his five-year-old son’s soccer team.

“Santi is trying to be as normal a kid as he can. He is in the 10th Grade now. He was in kindergarten when his father died. His life has changed greatly from being a five-year-old to a teen,” said Yambem about her tall boy who plays rock guitar and trumpet in the school band.

Santi was traumatized by his father’s death and had trouble sleeping after the 9/11 tragedy. Jupiter called his son Chinglailakba or dragon tamer in Manipuri. Not someone who fights dragons, Yambem explains, but someone who tames them.

“Jupiter used to call Santi Chingalai or Paki Chingalai, kind of Papa’s dragon tamer,” said Yambem, who has kept Santi close to his Indian roots.

“We have a home in Manipur. We go every two years. Santi has been since he was a year old. He is very familiar with Manipuri culture and his family back home. It is basically our second home.”

Jupiter held fast to his Indian roots. Keeping his Indian citizenship, he co-founded the North American Manipur Association (NAMA), consisting of a small group of Manipuri families that sought to promote and preserve their culture. NAMA has since expanded into a network of 40 Manipuri families and supports causes in Manipur.

“We started NAMA with the idea of getting Manipuri families together once a year over the long Fourth of July weekend to eat Manipuri food, teach the kids Manipuri dance and have them perform. It has evolved over the years and supports Manipuri causes,” said Yambem who went to the NAMA convention this year in Edison, New Jersey with her son Santi and current husband.

Yambem has moved on in many ways. She's in a new home and has remarried but says she is seldom separated from the constant reminders of the 9/11 tragedy.

“Being a 9/11 family is kind of constant. You are brought back to it because it is always on the news, or on TV. In a normal death situation you usually get a break from the death, but in our lives you kind of see it almost every day. If you have a day where there is nothing related then all of a sudden you spot a bumper sticker on a car that says ‘Never Forget’. You see a picture of the Twin Towers and you are brought right back to it,” said Yambem.

“I try to put it aside, but it is never really put aside. It is a difficult kind of death to deal with. My new husband has been incredibly understanding of that and knew coming into the relationship that we are a 9/11 family. He has been supportive in my continual grieving process and at times missing Jupiter. He is a good guy.”

They will be attending the opening on Sunday of the September 11 Memorial in New York, designed by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker. The memorial will open for the first time on Sunday, for a ceremony for family members of 9/11 victims. The public will have a chance to see it beginning Monday. The memorial complex spreads out over eight acres, encompassing the pavilion of the 9/11 Memorial Museum, more than 400 oak trees and a grassy glade.

“A lot of work has gone into the memorial so it’s nice that it is finally done. It is a beautiful memorial for those who died including Jupiter,” said Yambem who is still emotional and raw as she talks about Jupiter, who was seen as the “life of the party” by his many Indian and American friends.

Jupiter was a man with feet in two worlds and his last rites reflected his love for India and America. He was cremated on September 18, at the Cedar Hill Hindu Crematorium in New York and his ashes were scattered in India, along his favourite hiking trail in Tiger Hill, in Darjeeling. Jupiter’s friend, American folk singer Pete Seeger sang “Turn, Turn, Turn” at his memorial service at Beacon Riverfront Park on the banks of the Hudson River. (The Hindustan Times - Sept 11, 2011)

SIKKIM OBSERVER Saturday Sept 6-12, 2014

Blog:jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com

TEACHERS’ DAY AWARD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani with Sikkim’s Tashi Namgyal Academy (TNA) Principal Kuldip Singh Heran (back row right) and other teachers on the eve of Teachers’ Day (Sept 5) in New Delhi. The teachers/principals have been selected for National Award on Teachers’ Day.

Battle between ‘people power’ and ‘money power’ has begun, says RN Chamling

PK Chamling

Gangtok, Sept 5: Unfazed by his brother and Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s threats, Rup Narayan Chamling, says the ensuing by-polls in the Assembly constituency of Rangang-Yangang in South Sikkim, is a battle between dhan shakti (money power) and jan shakti (people power).

   The Chief Minister reiterated during his election campaign in Yangang on Wednesday that his younger brother did not have his “blessings”, that he never discussed about contesting the by-polls with him,  and that if he wins he would not be taken into the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF). Chamling, instead, urged the people to vote for SDF candidate Kumari Mangar.

    “SDF will not take Rup Narayan should he win. The doors of SDF are closed forever for him”, Chamling said and added, “My brother does not have my blessings. He is also my opponent, do not be fooled by his misleading statements.”

In response to this RN Chamling reacted, “This is a fight between money power and people power. The SDF umbrella is almost broken and rusted. It needs to be changed.”

 “I have been forced to contest after seeing SDF using all its power against the innocent people. SDF has brought in all its ministers, MLAs and senior leaders here to trample the aspirations of the people of Rangang Yangang,” he said at a public meeting in his constituency.

RN Chamling

If the SDF succeeds in convincing the people that its real candidate is Mangar and not RN Chamling, locally known as ‘Rupen’, then the fight would be between Chamling’s brother and his party’s official candidate.

However, BJP’s candidate Bikash Basnet is likely to put up a tough fight given the fact that he is backed by both the BJP and Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) to which he belonged before he switched over  to BJP just before the by-poll process began. In fact, Basnet gave a tough fight to Chamling from Rangang-Yangang during the recent Assembly polls.

The seat remained vacant as the Chief Minister retained the Namchi constituency. The Chief Minister is originally from Yangang, where members of his family still reside.

Sikkim Lokayukta to probe corruption allegations against SDF ministers: Subba

Gangtok, Sept 5:   The Lokayukta will inquire into all allegations of corruption against 18 former ministers of Sikkim afresh, despite the clean chit given to them by the Justice R K Patra Inquiry Commission.

Law Minister R B Subba told the Assembly that the cases automatically stood transferred to the Lokayukta as the Lokayukta Act was now in force in Sikkim, PTI reported.

The State unit of the Congress had levelled allegations of corruption against 22 former ministers of the SDF government in 2010. A commission of inquiry, headed by Justice (retd) R K Patra, was set up by the State Government to look into the allegations.

The commission's report was tabled in the Sikkim Assembly this week. Of the 22, the commission had "not fully accepted the explanations furnished" by four former ministers - Sonam Gyatso Lepcha, N K Pradhan, T T Bhutia and Menlom Lepcha. These are all ex-ministers of the ruling party.

Law Minister RB Subba

The commission had directed the state government to "inquire into certain aspects" of allegations levelled against them. Subba told the Assembly that the Lokayukta would look into the allegations against these four ministers separately.

"In effect, allegations against all the 22 have been forwarded to the Lokayukta for further inquiry," he explained.

The Law minister said he himself had received summons from the Lokayukta to appear before him on September 16.

No talks being held with Beijing: Tibetan PM

Dharamsala, Sept 5: The head of Tibet's government-in-exile has rejected a claim by Chinese authorities that the Dalai Lama is in talks with Beijing through his envoys about the possibility of his return to Tibet.

"As we have always been transparent, right now there isn’t any official contact or dialogue taking place [with the Chinese leadership]," Tibet’s Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay told  Radio Free Asia.

"If dialogues are to take place, as we stressed earlier, it would be between the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and representatives of the new Chinese leadership," he said. "It has been like this before and will remain like this in the future."

China’s government in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) claimed last week that the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, was in discussions with Beijing through his “personal envoys” but the talks were only about the possibility of his return to Tibet.

Wu Yingjie, the deputy secretary of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's Committee for Tibet, had told a group of Indian journalists on a special visit to the TAR capital Lhasa that the talks with the Dalai Lama were “ongoing and always smooth, but we are discussing only his future, not Tibet’s.”

Talks held on Tibet’s status between envoys of the Dalai Lama and Beijing were stalled in January 2010. There has been no progress in the discussions since then despite calls from U.S. President Barack Obama and other world leaders for a resumption of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue.

Sangay, a Harvard-educated lawyer, was elected Tibet’s exile political leader in 2011 after the Dalai Lama relinquished his political role as the leader of the government-in-exile, ending a tradition spanning centuries of the Dalai Lamas holding both spiritual and political authority.

MM Rasaily hailed as a ‘Great Son of Sikkim’

Gangtok, Sept 5: Forty years after he was sidelined and punished by anti-Sikkim, pro-India authorities in Gangtok  for his principle stand against Sikkim’s ‘merger’ , Madan Mohan Rasaily, who passed away here on Wednesday, is being hailed as an “upright person”  and a “great son of Sikkim”.

Chief Minister Pawan Chamling described Rasaily (89) as “an upright person with impeccable integrity”. He said Rasaily’s demise is “an irreparable loss” to Sikkim.

Recipient of Denzong Thu ki Norbu (The Jewel of Sikkim), the highest civilian award of the then Kingdom of Sikkim, and Pema Dorjee (for dedicated service), conferred by the Late Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal in 1974, Rasaily studied in Mt. Hermon School and completed his Senior Cambridge (class 11) in 1943.

He held many posts in the State Government, including Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Home Secretary. He was with the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front for a brief while in the 1990s after his retirement from service in 1988.

He is survived by his wife Rani Mala Rasaily, two sons and two daughters.

Editorial

SIKKIM BY-POLLS

Drama Or Revolt?

Hardly anyone takes Pawan Kumar Chamling seriously these days. And he knows it and yet he carries on with his usual bluff. Fortunately or unfortunately, no one believes Chamling when he says his younger brother does not have his blessings and is not his ruling Sikkim Democratic Front’s candidate for the up-coming by-polls. Rup Narayan Chamling himself says he is not the ruling party’s candidate for the Rangang-Yangang Assembly constituency by-polls in South Sikkim.  ‘Rupen’, as he is known locally, will find it very difficult to convince the voters that he is not with his brother and the ruling party. Because of these factors the ruling party’s official candidate Kumari Mangar is facing a difficult situation.

The Chief Minister has openly declared that ‘Rupen’ will not be taking into the ruling party even if he wins. While skeptics will have to wait for the polls to be over to find the truth there is a section who believes that CM’s younger brother has revolted against him and his party which has been ruling Sikkim for over two decades. Chamling has sent a full brigade of his party workers to camp in Yangang for the by-polls. Come what may he has to win the seat which he has vacated. Otherwise the ruling party may see a further division of its support base. Already PS Golay’s Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), which has 10 of the 32 seats in the Assembly, is waiting in the wings to wage another assault on the ruling dispensation. SKM’s former candidate of this Assembly seat, Bikash Basnet, who is now the BJP’s candidate for the by-polls, may be lucky if SDF votes get divided and his own vote share remains intact.

Mamata to set up CMO in Darj, thrust on development

Darjeeling, Sept 5: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she would set up a small office in the Darjeeling hills to facilitate administrative work for the people of the region.

“I have decided to set up a small office in the hills to be manned by an official from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO),”  Banerjee, who is on a three-day visit to Darjeeling hills told reporters in Kalimpong.

She said the office in Darjeeling would help in disbursing funds from the Chief Minister’s Relief fund to the people of the hills.

“The Uttarkanya office (secretariat in north Bengal) in Siliguri is functioning well and will continue,” she said.

Banerjee also announced that four hydel power units would come up in the region, while one medical college would be set up under the PPP model in Kurseong.

The chief minister also held a meeting with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders over the transfer of departments to the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha, senior GJM leader Roshan Giri said.

Giri, who was present at the meeting along with five other GJM leaders, said the issue of disbursement of funds from the state to the GTA Sabha also came up for discussion.

Emphasising on exploiting the unexplored areas in Kalimpong for increasing tourism in the district, Banerjee said that thrust would be given on developing new tourist spots in the region for boosting the local economy. "Darjeeling is becoming saturated. There are a lot of unexplored areas in Kalimpong. We have already set up Lamahatta eco-tourism. We are giving stress on home tourism." she told a meeting in Kalimpong on Wednesday.

Chinese TV satellite targets PoK, Sikkim

New Delhi, Sept 5: Indian telecom operators and broadcasters have raised concern over the latest satellite Asiasat-8 launched recently by China which has been designed to keep the border areas of the country away from signals being beamed by these operators and broadcasters.

The operators and the broadcasters point out that the Chinese satellite is not only the most powerful launched so far, but has been designed to take the northern border of India and North East territories out of India beam., agencies reported.

These have been made a part of the China beam as if these are a part of the Chinese territory. The territories, which have been earmarked as part of the China beam include the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan. The satellite was launched by China on August 5.

Reports suggest that the move from China came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the possible SAARC satellite by India to bring the SAARC countries closer.

Asiasat-8 has been designed as a commercial satellite offering VSAT/DTH, Internet and telecommunications capacity for various users in India and China. However,  hidden in its design is to establish its signals on Indian territory, which China has been disputing and claiming as its own.

Lok Sabha member of Parliament from Maharashtra Hansraj Gangaram Ahir has written to Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the perils of the satellite to India.

In his letter Ahir has urged the Home Minister to come out with a notification banning the use of this satellite by any Indian Telecom, VSAT or DTH operator.

Ahir has pointed out that the new Chinese satellite will allow anyone in PoK, Ladakh, Leh, Nepal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and all along the northern border of India and North East to use this high-powered satellite to establish two-way communications from India which will be inaccessible to Indian security agencies and poses grave security threat to the country.

OBITUARY Madan Mohan Rasaily

The Jewel of Sikkim

Born on 22nd September 1928, the fourth son of Manbir Singh Rasaily, Finance Secretary to His Highness, the Maharaja of Sikkim, Sir Tashi Namgyal,  Madan Mohan Rasaily studied upto Class IV at Sir Tashi Namgyal High School, Gangtok,  and went to join Mt. Hermon School, Darjeeling,  as a boarder, from where he completed his Senior Cambridge in 1943.

 He pursued his B.Sc. at St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta, and later shifted to the Government College, Darjeeling, when they introduced the subject Botany. Before going for his higher studies he taught Science and Geography at Sir Tashi Namgyal High School for sometime as there was no subject teacher available at that time.

From the year 1955-58 he underwent Higher Forestry training at Indian Forest College, Dehradun. After successful completion of his training he came back and joined the Sikkim Forest Department as Assistant Conservator of Forest on 1st of March 1960. He became DFO, East when Arjan Singh was the Conservator of Forest on deputation from Punjab. He took the charge as Head of Forest Department as Conservator of Forest after the tenure of Dakman Lama.

He served as a bureaucrat for 35 years. Working in tandem with the vision of the 12th Chogyal of Sikkim, His Highness, Palden Thondup Namgyal, he helped to set up the State Trading Corporation of Sikkim, the State Lottery (for aiding Development Plans), the Sikkim Jewels, the Sikkim Time Corporation and the Sikkim Supreme Factory at Singtam. At the time of Chinese invasion in 1962 he was entrusted with the work of Civil Defence Commissioner.

He was also the Auditor General of Sikkim till 1974. During his tenure he held the responsibilities of Auditor General as well as Secretaries of different Departments like Trade, Industries and Commerce, Tourism, Education, Motor Vehicle, Home and also as Director Vigilance. He retired from the service in 1988 when he was posted as Home Secretary. Apart from the committed service to Sikkim, he was also involved in other activities. He was one of the founding members of the Rotary Club in Sikkim.

He was an avid footballer and played for the school team, college team and also the town team which consisted of officers serving the Chogyal of Sikkim. He accompanied the Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal in his visits to Switzerland, UK and also Birendra of Nepal.

 He also helped strengthen the Sri Satya Sai organization of Sikkim as its President and also helped in designing and completion of the Sai Mandir at Baluwakhani, Gangtok. He was conferred the Denzong Thu ki Norbu (The Jewel of Sikkim), the highest civilian award of the then Kingdom of Sikkim. He received this award in the year 1974 from His Highness, the Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal. He also conferred the Pema Dorjee medal, for his dedicated service. He retired from Government service in 1988 when he was Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Home Secretary.

Tributes to a true and loyal ‘Son of Sikkim’

Rasaily was an upright man: Chief Minister

The Chief Minister Pawan Chamling in his condolence message said that MM Rasaily, who held the high esteemed post of Secretary Home and many other departments in his service career, was known for his professionalism and his able administration.

“Shri Rasaily was an upright person with impeccable integrity and his demise is an irreparable loss to the state” the Chief Minister said.

He was loyal to his motherland Sikkim

With all respect and veneration, we the monks of Sikkim remember great son of Sikkim, Madan Mohan Rasaily on his passing away, early morning today.

The monks and people of Sikkim shall always remember late MM Rasaily with fond memory of his love for Sikkim. We believe he preceded every Sikkimese official, both amongst his contemporaries and present as far as loyalty and love for the motherland is concerned.

 Sherab Tenzing Lepcha

 General Secretary

 Monks of Sikkim

His love and loyalty for Sikkim inspires us

“On the passing away of Shri Madan Mohan Rasaily (Denzong Thuki Norbu’ and ‘Pema Dorje’), former Home Secretary of Sikkim and Ven Dorje Loben Sonam Angay Lama of Sumin Monastery early morning today, I express my heartfelt condolences to the members of the family of the deceased.

Shri MM Rasaily’s contribution and sincerity towards the delivery of his duties are legends in our Sikkimese society. A blue-eyed figure of Sikkim, his loyalty to his duty and motherland shall surely become a source of inspiration for all of us.”

 Sonam Lama

 Sangha MLA

He stood firm, we salute him

“The passing away of Mr. MM Rasaily has left an irreparable vacuum in the Sikkimese society, particularly the one who loves Sikkim. The conferring of Sikkim’s highest Civilian Award of Sikkim ‘Denzong Thuki Norbu’ and others as ‘Pema Dorje’ simply speaks the volume of the very principles and ordeals with which he delivered his responsibilities in high public office, officially and socially.

We particularly appreciate his love for the Sikkim and the Sikkimese people by means of never accepting the coveted IAS which otherwise would have had invited three more non-Sikkimese officials, an exemplary act which abundantly lacks amongst all his contemporaries as well as that of today’s.

We salute the pious stand that he undertook as Sikkim’s Home Secretary during the hour of her trials in the mid-1970s.

On the passing away of Mr. MM Rasaily, ‘Denzong Thuki Norbu’ and ‘Pema Dorje’, this organization bow it’s held in high veneration and respect.

Pintso Bhutia

 President

National Sikkimese Bhutia Organisation (NASBO)

FESTIVALS

Indra Jatra: A festival in honour of Lord Indra

Indra Jatra celebrations in Kathmandu.

Indra Jatra: This festival named after Lord Indra - the God of Rain and also the King of Heaven is celebrated by both the Buddhists and Hindus in Nepal in August/September. It is the biggest religious festival celebrated in Kathmandu, Nepal.

This festival lasts for eight days with singing, mask dancing and rejoicing. The chariot of Kumari – the Living Goddess is taken through the main streets of Kathmandu with much fanfare.

 On the first day, the King of Nepal also pays homage to Goddess Kumari. The crowd of excited people from performers to spectators engulfs the streets of Kathmandu during this festival. People get to enjoy various classical dances like elephant dance, lakhe – a very popular dance of a man with a mask.

The celebrations consist of two events. Indra Jātrā is marked by masked dances of deities and demons, displays of sacred images and tableaus in honor of the deity Indra, the king of heaven. The other event is Kumāri Jātrā, the chariot procession of the living goddess Kumari.

Family members deceased in the past year are also remembered during the festival. The main venue of the festivities is Kathmandu Durbar Square. The celebrations last for eight days from the 12th day of the bright fortnight to the 4th day of the dark fortnight of Yanlā, the eleventh month in the lunar Nepal Era calendar.

Indra Jatra was started by king Gunakamadeva to commemorate the founding of the city of Kathmandu in the 10th century. Kumari Jatra began in the mid-18th century.

Since 2010, this festival is also celebrated in Sikkim by the Newar community.

Pang Lhabsol: A religious festival unique to Sikkim

Pang Lhabsol festival at Tsuklhakhang Monastery, Gangtok.

Pang Lhabsol, a festival commemorating the conservation of Mt. Kanchenjunga as the guardian deity of the State, is unique to Sikkim. It 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 also commemorate the treaty of brotherhood between the Lepchas and Bhutias, where Kye Bumsa the then Bhutia leader signed the brotherhood treaty with the Lepcha Chieftain Thekong Tek at Kabi Lunstok in North Sikkim in the 13^th century.

Subsequently, after the formation of the Namgyal Dynasty in Sikkim Chador Namgyal, the third Chogyal of Sikkim, introduced the "pangtoed" dance and dedicated it to Kanchenjunga as a war deity. The spectacular Pangtoed or warrior dance was choreographed by Chogyal Chador Namgyal, which is said to have appeared to him in a vision.

Khangchendzonga, Sikkim’s Guardian Deity. (file pix by Late Yarpa Paljor Tashi)

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.

Mahakala, 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.

Mahakala chham during Pang Lhabsol celebrations.

A week prior to the dance, the lamas of Pemayangtse 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.

Pang Lhabsol celebrations in Rabong, South Sikkim.

To this day the mountain god is invoked and prayed upon at Pang Lhabsol to continue protecting Sikkim. The festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 7th month of the Tibetan calendar corresponding to late August/early September.