Sikkim Coronation: From the Collection of Dr. Alice S. Kandell’s Photographs

Picture of Dr. Alice S. Kandell 

Sikkim Coronation 1965- The King and the Queen Pic: Dr Alice S Kandell

Guest at Sikkim Coronation- Photographer Dr. Kandell on the queue to put Khada to the King 

King and Queen getting ready to fly Bhutan Pic: Dr. Alice S Kandell

  

King and Queen on the Royal Throne Pic: Dr. Alice S Kandell

King and Queen during Coronation Pic: Dr. Alice S. Kandell

The Chogyal receiving salute from Sikkim Guards Pic: Dr. Alice S. Kandell

Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal and Gyalmo Hope Cooke of Sikkim Pic: Dr. Alice S Kandell

Marketplace of Gangtok in 1965 Pic: Dr. Alice S Kandell

Nepali Naumati Baja on the day of Chogyal's Coronation Pic: Dr. Alice S Kandell

Nepali Girls on the Coronation Day  Pic: Dr. Alice S Kandell

Princess of Sikkim Standing on Right Pic: Dr. Alice S Kandell

Royal Procession on Chogyal's Birthday Pic Dr. Alice S Kandell

The photographs taken by Dr. Alice S. Kandell in Sikkim used to be rare until she dedicated her rights to the public domain as a generous gift to the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division in 2010. It is from this website we also have been able to get the erstwhile glimpse of Sikkim. Dr. Kandell captured these flamboyant pictures in order to document a vanishing culture of the Sikkimese society. During her visits between 1965 and 1979 (primarily 1965-1971), Dr. Kandell received special permission to photograph Buddhist monks and lamas, ceremonial dances, and monasteries; people working on farms, in canning factories, and at special crafts; and the royal palace and chapel at Gangtok, including the last king, Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, his American wife Queen Hope Cooke (Dr. Kandell's college friend), and their family.

Apart from the Royal pictures Dr. Kandell has also taken various pictures of far off villages like Singhik and Lachung, the mountains of Kānchenjunga, the Ralang Hot Springs, and the Gangtok bazaar as well as different ethnic groups including the Kirati (Kiranti), Lepcha, Nepalese, and Bhutia people.

Other photographs taken by Dr. Kandell are available at http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?st=grid&co=kskm

Some Rare Pictures of Her Highness Hope Cooke Namgyal- The Gyalmo of Sikkim

Her Highness at a Center of Technical Education  

Working on Buddhist Manuscript

Possibly at Namgyal Institute of Tibetology

Her Highness getting ready in National Costume 

Her Highness with Prince Palden

Her Highness attending a function

Her Highness at a  Hand loom center

Probably searching Sikkim's destiny in the Map of Asia

Her Highness in her reading room

In the palace   

These pictures bear copyright of http://gxp1201.tibetcul.com (A website of People's Republic of China) I am greatly indebted to Tempa Transhimalayan Art, Taipei, Taiwan for sharing the link of these incredible pictures with me.

Pandit Nehru’s 24 hours visit to Sikkim on 28th December 1957

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India also known as Chacha Nehru had a great admiration with the erstwhile Himalayan Kingdom of Sikkim.  During his tenure as the Prime Minister of India he has visited the tiny Himalayan Kingdom of Sikkim and had received approbation from its subjects. As per the report of Kanchenjunga, the first news based Nepali journal of Sikkim, the late Indian Prime Minister reached Rangpo, a bordering town (that bordered Sikkim with India) in the morning of 28^th December 1957 on his way to Gangtok, the Capital of Kingdom of Sikkim. He was warmly welcomed by then Maharaja Sir Tashi Namgyal, the heir apparent Palden Thondup Namgyal, Nari K. Rustamji the Indian Dewan and the Executive Councillors of Sikkim Assembly. The journal further informs that the Indian Prime Minister was greatly welcomed by the people of Rangpo. “A crowd, busy in watching football match get into the town after hearing his arrival to wave their hands to the Prime Minister” the journal reports.  After the grand welcome at Rangpo Dak Bunglow, Pandit Nehru inspected the working at Rangpo copper Mining. He further insisted for the creation of own Indian machines for the development of such mines in Sikkim. After his brief visit to Rangpo Copper Mining the Indian Prime Minister visited Singtam Bazar and acknowledged the greetings made by the people of Singtam at School Phatak. At Singtam, he visited food preservation factory, constructed under the Seven Years Plan adopted by the Royal Government of Sikkim.

Indian Prime Minister Nehru at Palzor Namgyal Girls School 

He was also warmly welcomed by the people at 32 NO Ghattey School (now Brihaspati Parsai Sr. Sec School) Ranipool Golai, Deorali and Gangtok Bazar. The jeeps accompanying the Indian Prime Minister made several rounds of the capital clamouring the slogan of Panchseel Zindabaad.  On the same day, the Indian Prime Minister also visited Technical Institute, Tashiling Secretariat and STNM hospital and made a round of the Capital Town. In the evening, Pandit Nehru attended Garden Tea Party at Sikkim Palace hosted by the King Shree Panch Maharajadhiraj Sir Tashi Namgyal.

The report of Nehru's Visit to Sikkim published in Kanchenjunga 

The Report of Pt. Nehru’s visit was published in Kanchenjunga, (Vol.5 year 1957) the first News based journal of Sikkim. A copy of this journal is preserved by Shree Ganesh Kumar Pradhan of Rhenock at his private museum Ramgauri Sangrahalaya Rhenock East Sikkim)

Glimpse of Royal Weeding of Sikkim

A guest drinking CHANG, a millet beer served in bamboo mugs, at a reception organized by the groom's sisters after the wedding.

The Royal couple being greeted by the Commoners

Hope Cooke dancing with her stepson Tenzing Namgyal

Photographer Marilyn Silverstone at wedding of Crown Prince of Sikkim

The Royal Weeding in its process

Sikkimese Bhutia dancers at the wedding festivities

Tsuklakhang Royal Palace. March 20th, 1963. Guests arriving at the wedding with gifts.

Hope Cooke being prepared for the marriage ceremony

The Royal Couple 

Tsuklakhang Royal Palace. The Maharaja Tashi Namgyal (70), head of State of Sikkim, sits on a 5 foot throne during the wedding.

Tsuklakhang Royal Palace. Reception held after the wedding. A young Sikkimese serving traditional beverages.

 Late Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal with his American Gyalmo Hope Cooke on the Wedding Day

March 18th, 1963. The day before her wedding, Hope Cooke tries on the replica of her wedding dress, which is made out of a golden tissue, in "Mokye" (Sikkimese)

Photographer Marilyn Silverstone in Sikkimese Traditional costume at wedding of the King of Sikkim.

US Ambassador to India John Kenneth Galbraith at the wedding reception. 1963.

Denzong Cinema. Representation of classical Indian dance by Indrani Rahman, given after the wedding.
In the front row: the Royal couple and the King Tashi Namgyal 

Royal Palace of Tsuklakhang. The American Ambassador, Kenneth Galbraith (left), being welcomed by the Maharaja Tashi Namgyal.

All the photographs were taken by Marilyn Silverstone on the day of Royal Weeding on 20th of March 1963. For more information visit http://www.magnumphotos.com. These pictures abide copyright of Marilyn Silverstone.