‘My father taught me how to fight and survive’

REMEBERING DAD ON HIS 20^TH DEATH ANNIVERSARY

He was only 68 when he passed away on May 21, 1998, in Gangtok after a brief illness. It is now 20 years since he left us but all of us still have him close to our heart.

‘Lachen Yapla’, as he was popularly known, was the son of Rhenock Yap Tseten Tashi and Libing Chum Seden. Unfortunately, dad (Aba) did not have a stable childhood. He was separated from his father at a young age and sent to Yangang, south Sikkim, with his mother. The elders in the family thought it best to force the separation as both my Azyola (grandfather) and Anyola (grandmother) belonged to the Takarpa family of the Bonpo-Ngadik clan of the Sikkimese Bhutias.

Aba was studying at the Tashi Namgyal Academy (TNA) and living at the Libing House premises in Gangtok when at around the age of 17 he was married to the daughter (Chum Yangchen) of Lachen Pipon, Cho Ledon Nima Gyatso. In those days it took at least seven days to reach Lachen (north Sikkim) from Gangtok or Yangang.

My mom died when I was just 2-3 years. Dad  then got married to Amla’s younger sister, Chum Phigu. Later in 1960, when my Amchung (Chum Phigu), too, passed away my father got married to her cousin sister Chumzay, eldest daughter of the late Lachen Pipon, Cho Wangchuk Palden.

Altogether five sons and two daughters were born to the three wives. The eldest son, Tenzing Danen, died in 2011 during the tragic earthquake that struck north Sikkim. All of us were born and brought up in Lachen and though most of us live away from Lachen we still consider Lachen our home and ‘motherland’.

Just before he passed away Aba had a word with me: ‘Temiharo sab melay ra bosnu’ (you all live together in harmony). This was his final benediction.

Over the past six decades Lachen Yapla’s family has gone through a tough time. But our struggle has kept all of us together so far and I’m sure our descendants will, too, stay the course.

A former Sikkim chief minister once told me: “You are a great survivor”. I think I learnt this from my dad. We all miss him and remember him on this day, his 20^th death anniversary. May he continue to enjoy the bliss that he so rightly deserved.

  HAIL MOUNT HERMON!

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep...”

  By Jigme N.Kazi

 In the two years from now, MH will celebrate its 100^th birth anniversary on March 11, 1995. Hermonites all over the world, particularly in India and the neighbouring areas, are making preparations to make the centenary year a grand success. This has led to the setting up of the All Indian Hermonites Association (AIHA) with its headquarters in Darjeeling. Pratap Singh Rai (MH 1964-68), who is in-charge of the Association’s activities in this field, have been very active in his work. The ex-students in Siliguri have recently formed The Foothills Hermonites with Jagdish Singh (MH 1962-1971) becoming one of the most active members. The Mount Hermon Alumni Association Nepal (MHAAN) of Nepal led by Tom Creese (MH 1955-63), Sulee Hung (MH 1962-1970) and Annie (Gardner) Vaidya (MH 1968-1979) is also quite active and will definitely participate in the centenary celebrations.

   The occasion will give us an opportunity to focus our attention on the school, which needs help and guidance in various fields. Its problems and prospects will have to be studies in depth and a concrete plan of action has to be initiated by all Hermonites, friends and well-wishers of the school to take our 

dear old MH into the 21^st century and beyond.

 We live and die, but life must go on. The ideals and values and the high standards set by the school must continue to enrich our lives and the lives of those around us. March 11, 1995 will indeed be an occasion for us when we can, once more, join our hands and hearts together, and sing the school hymn in full-throated voice and mean it:

“Beloved Mount Hermon, we greet thee,

Thy daughters and sons from afar

As of as we pause in our toiling

To hail thee whose children we are.

Hail, Mount Hermon! Hail, Mount Hermon!

Safe for aye in memory's shrine.

Hail, Mount Hermon! Dear Mount Hermon!

Praise and love be ever thine.

     I loved MH and wanted to stay back, but something in me pulled forward and I had to finally move out. And as 1979 approached, I knew it would be my last year in MH. By then I had made up my mind to leave the teaching profession. MH had given me so much and the only way to show my gratitude was to give myself for the school for a few years.

   My attitude to life has always been to give my best to whatever work in undertake. I certainly would not be able to do this if I did not enjoy what I was doing. I realised that I would not enjoy being in the teaching profession if I was not working in MH. It was partly because of this that I opted for another profession and decided to go for law studies.

   My attitude to life is best described in these words from my little quotation book, which I have kept with me since 1967-68: “Behold, I do not give lectures or little charity; when I give, I give myself”. I gave myself to MH fully and completely.

   And as I look back now, I think the most valuable and the lasting thing that I have learnt from MH was not in the classroom, but on the playground; not from my textbooks, but from people and from everyday experiences. Taking part in the various school activities, leading various teams and finally the 1^st XI football team and going through our many defeats and victories on the playing field, have been some of the greatest moments of my life. Giving my best shot and fighting till the very end, irrespective of consequences, is what I have learnt from MH. And as I look back over these fourteen years away from the old and familiar surroundings, I know that whatever MH taught me during my brief sojourn in Darjeeling has withstood the test of time.

   In the final talk to the school on November 25, 1979, I said, “I venture into new frontiers with good intentions, high ideals and faith in God. To those who will be leaving us at the end of this year, let me urge you to give your life to a great cause. The kind of person we are in tea years time will reflect what we have learnt here in MH. I will you all the very best.”

   And with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat, I gave my last few words to the school, which had been my home for sixteen short years: “Sometimes when you reach out for a dream, you have to leave something behind. I leave behind my school, my friends, my home...my MH.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

I left MH at the end of 1979; but a part of me has always remained behind. And, I guess, a part of MH has always been with me. Hail Mount Hermon!

(Ref: Inside Sikkim: Against The Tide, Jigme N. Kazi, published by Hill Media Publications, Gangtok, 1993)

DEATH OF A JOURNALIST: END OF AN ERA

Veteran journalist S. Nihal Singh died last month, aged 88. He was a great journalist and author of several books. He edited The Statesman and The Indian Express.

Singh was awarded the prestigious International Editor of the Year Award in New York for opposing the Emergency imposed by former prime minister Indira Gandhi.

As a tribute to an eminent journalist I want to mention what he said about us in relation to press freedom in India. It comes from the Preface of my book, Inside Sikkim: Against the Tide, published in December 1993:

"In his column, Mediawatch, published Sunday magazine of Calcutta, eminent journalist and recently-elected President of the Press Club of India, S. Nihal Singh, observes: “...the fighters of press freedom are not those who declaim the virtues of the freedom of the press at great gatherings, useful as such exercises are as reminders of principles. They are the small-town journalists who spurn temptations of political patronage and personal monetary gain to do their jobs honestly.”

Singh then goes on to add: “The fourth estate has a growing responsibility in pinpointing the evils because it is often the only pillar of democracy to be found in these areas.” He finally comments: “But newspapers need to do more to support lone journalists fighting against great odds...It is, therefore, the duty of the national press to highlight the sacrifices of little-known men and women fighting at the real frontiers of press freedom...The old battle against India Gandhi’s Emergency was fought and won in the capital and other metropolitan centres. The new battles are now raging elsewhere. Let us salute those who are fighting them.”

Salutations, Sir!

GURUDONGMAR-GURU NANAK CONTROVERSY

The latest story on the Gurudongmar-Guru Nanak controversy in Lachen, North Sikkim, carried in The Week this week gives a distorted picture of the issue that refuses to fade away.
There is no Chinese hand in the controversy. The issue needs a fresh look if the authorities are keen on maintaining peace and tranquility in this strategic and sensitive border State.

The authorities have failed to take note of what I said in my book, "The Lone Warrior: Exiled In My Homeland" (published in 2014), where I quoted the statement of the Green Circle (NGO) on the issue:"As you are aware, the Gurudongmar lake is not only one of the most beautiful lakes of Sikkim but also held sacred by the locals. The army, because of its proximity and influence over these area cannot go about misrepresenting facts. Such gradual and systematic distortion of history only serves to sow the seeds of discontent and tension for the present and future generations...
Construction of a permanent structure at 17,200 feet with marble, chandeliers and works is totally uncalled for and changing the surface of the lake by moving earth to create parking space is most deplorable.
In an extremely sensitive ecosystem where even footprints stay for months, the army, we hope will take more responsibility and care of their environs which would be better served than find itself championing chauvinistic cultural imperialism."

RAI BAHADUR LAMA UGYEN GYATSO OF YANGANG
This is the residence of Rai Bahadur Lama Ugyen Gyatso of Yangang. Here he is seen with his wife Chum Changchub Dolma at Yangang Kothi in 1900.

My grandfather Lobsang Gyaltsen and grandmother Chum Seden Kazi of Libing House, who inherited the Yangang Estate, is seen here in front of Yangang Kothi in the 1960s.
The third photo of my wife Tsering T. Namgyal and I were taken at Yangang Kothi during a family wedding in the early 2000.
The Sikkim University is located around Yangang Kothi, Yangang, South Sikkim. Progress means change. And yet there is the need to preserve the sanctity of the past. 
“Take from the altars of the past the fire - not the ashes.”
                                                                ―Jean Jaures

LAST CALL FOR SIKKIMESE UNITY & IDENTITY 
Bonafide 'Sikkimese Nepalese' possessing genuine 'Sikkim Subject Certificate' must be included in the Scheduled Tribes list as 'Sikkimese' and not as Gorkhas as in the case of Sikkimese Bhutia-Lepchas.
Seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly must be reserved for bonafide Sikkimese on the basis of them being 'Sikkim Subjects' and not on the basis of them being Gorkhas.

 (L to R ) Journalist Jigme N Kazi, former Chief Minister, Late NB Bhandari, former Lok Sabha MP, Pahalman Subba, and former Minister, KN Upreti, at a seminar on Sikkimese identity in Gangtok several years back)

Let all Gorkhas in Sikkim, other than Sikkimese Nepalese, be included in the ST list as Gorkhas. Give maximum benefits to the old business community in Sikkim. And let other residents of Sikkim feel that they too belong to this place; treat them with respect and dignity.
HOWEVER, if the Sikkimese Nepalese want to part ways with Sikkimese Bhutias and Lepchas this is the time to speak up loud and clear. Silence is consent. Whatever decision they take must be respected. We may part ways but must live together in peace and harmony. There is no other way.

SIKKIM SALVO ON DOKLAM

With Xi firmly positioned and the Modi magic fading it is time to take a realistic look at the Doklam issue.
Sikkim, now a part of India, became a British Protectorate in 1890. Till early 20th century the Sikkim King (Chogyal) had his Palace in Chumbi Valley, which was then a part of Sikkim.

The 'gifting' of Darjeeling to British India in 1835, led to the annexation of Darjeeling (then a part of Sikkim) in 1860. Britain virtually took over Sikkim after annexing Darjeeling. 

The 1890 Convention between China and Britain ignored the two other stakeholders, Tibet and Sikkim.
Today, only China and India are busy debating over Doklam, where yaks once grazed. Sikkim, Tibet and Bhutan must have their say. 
The two giants of Asia must note that “Security depends on people, not territory.”