Trade between India and Tibet in the Colonial Period

Nathu-La has played a noteworthy role for the endorsement of British trade in the colonial era. It not only served as an access to Tibet for the British merchandise but from this very doorway the British haNathu-La has played a noteworthy role for the endorsement of British trade in the colonial era. It not only served as an access to Tibet for the British merchandise but from this very doorway the British had been able to set up an amiable relation with the sleeping giant i.e. China. The picture shows how trade and communication were undertaken by both the parties. The chief means of transportation (as shown in the picture) in those days was of the mules. We can clearly notice the condition of roads probably constructed by the British Government for their trade and commerce in the far flung land of Tibet. It is to be mention here that, after having their upper hand in the administration of Sikkim, they started to construct the roads and bridges from the Himalayan Kingdom which connected British India with Tibet. Even I was told by Mr. A.D. Moddie that, before the triumph of Communist China over Tibet, the similar trading features were prevalent between the two countries. Regarding the transportation system that was available in Sikkim in 1957 he writes:-

“…As there were only two ways, a trader’s or a pilgrim’s permit, I opted for the former. I wrote to our agent in Gangtok, Sikkim, to arrange a mule and a muleteer for me; I would walk. When I arrived in Gangtok and enquired about the mule arrangement, the Agent prevaricated. He shyly disclosed he had arranged twenty mules. He was taking advantage of a sahib-type, who also knew the Political Officer, Gangtok, to send his mules train in, for greater security, under my leadership. When I met Apa Pant, the P.O. for my permit in English, Hindi and Tibetan, I thought I would amuse him with the story of one mule becoming twenty. Apa Pant saw no humor in it. In serious official style, he advised me to take all twenty mules saying, “One mule no status, twenty mules status”.

The writings of Moddie are justified by the documentation preserved by Das Studio Darjeeling. It probably is the only document potted in India associated with Tibetan trade. We are grateful to the proprietors of Das Studio for preserving the antiques which are so prized to peep inside our past.

Second Letter of Mrs. Indira Gandhi to Mr. K.B. Adhikari of Rhenock...

This letter is also sent to Mr. K.B. Adhikari of Rhenock by the then Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi. I am again obliged to Mr. Deepak Bhandari Sharma of Rhenock for sharing this implausible document with me. The correspondence is a response from the Prime Minister to Mr. Adhikari about the invitation made by the latter on his son’s wedding. In the letter dated 17th February 1979, Mrs. Gandhi has congratulated the folks of Mr. Adhikari and conveyed her best wishes to the newly wedded couple. But, due to the negligence made by the person with whom this document was conserved, the signature made by the Indian Prime Minister is not properly detectable.

Kanchenjunga....The First Nepali News based journal of Sikkim.

Sikkim, on the eve of Indian independence, was a closed book as far as the political activities were concerned. Few movements were taking place in some far-flung places of Sikkim but, they did not have much impact on the political enlargement of the country. They can be considered as an act of waywardness by the peasants against their feudal lords and those acts were flattened down with iron hands. This all was happening due to the political oblivion among the subjects of Sikkim. They had an intimidation in their minds, an intimidation of confiscation of their private property therefore; they could not raise their voices against the atrocities imposed upon them by their Masters (Kazis).  There was no question of education in such a situation where one loaf of bread was dearer then the philosophy of Marx, Engel, Gandhi and Socrates.  

For the establishment of an egalitarian government, journalism has always played an essential role. Journal not only provides information about the fresh developments but also provides broader sphere for arousing the feeling of liberty, parity and democracy among the browbeaten and mistreated section of a society. Before the birth of ‘Kanchenjunga’ there were very few journals like Amulya-Ratna (hand written journal) published in 1948 and 'Pushpanjali' of the APATAN literary society and The Pole-Star published in 1951 by Mahananda Poudyal were in the scenario but, they were not able to reach at the doorsteps of the ill-treated section as they focused mostly on the literature feature, ignoring the political aspects. To fill-up the inadequacy in the political process of Sikkim the publication of a monthly Nepali journal ‘Kanchenjunga’ was started on 15^th August 1957. The editor of this journal was Nahakul Pradhan but, the entire important workout for the publication of 'Kanchenjunga' was completed by Mr. Kashiraj Pradhan. It is to be noted here that 'Kanchenjunga' was the first news based journal of Sikkim written in the language of the majority i.e. Nepali.

I am greatly indebted to Miss Pabitra Bhandari for sharing with me the aged page of the ‘Kanchenjunga’ which seems to be the 26^th issue of the journal. Published on 15^th September 1959, it provides us information about the asylum of the Dalai Lama of Tibet at Mussouri in India.  It is stated further in the journal that the Gyawa Karmapa had taken his refuge at Rumtek monastery, nearby Gangtok, along with his 80 followers. A refugee Committee was formed on the chairmanship of the eldest princess of Sikkim Pema Choden to take care of the Tibetan refugees. According to the reports of Kanchenjunga of 15^th August 1957, three to four thousand refugees were to be permitted to come to Sikkim to work as the labourers for the construction of roads under Public Works Department, Government of Sikkim. The first group of such refugees which comprised 271 Tibetans had already reached Sikkim and was executing its duty as the labourers in North Sikkim.

Probably, this is only the piece of information related with the Tibetan refugees in Sikkim which is obtainable from our state. 

Letter of Mrs. Indira Gandhi to Mr. K. B Adhikari of Rhenock...

I am greatly thankful to Mr. Deepak Bhandari Sharma of Rhenock, East Sikkim for sharing this valueable piece of information with me. The letter pasted here has been sent to Mr. K. B Adhikari of Rhenock by the Late Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi. It is to be noted here that, with the accession of Sikkim into India there was still  resentment among the Sikkimese people against the Indian Government for having been cheated by the authorities during the referendum process. Therefore, they were opposing Indian overlord ship upon them and were against the visits of the Indian leaders to Sikkim.
The letter dated 19th September' 1978, reflects how the Indian Tri-Colour was insulted unknowingly, as it was put up-side down, by few "miscreants"  during the visit of Mrs. Indira  Gandhi. In the letter Mrs. Gandhi has defined the act as a "deliberate". It was Mr. K. B. Adhikari a Mandal of Rhenock and an important figure of the democratic movement of Sikkim, who informed the authorities to keep the flag in the order. With the steps taken by Mr. Adhikari, a  national insult was averted in Sikkim.

Wake-Up Dude....!!!

This again is an evidence of our indifference towards our traditional riches. The captions added below the photograph suggest that it is a Sikkimese monastery. From the outer looks, it can be conjectured that this is the monastery of Tashiding. It seems that a religious rite is captured by the photographer who was really serious about preserving these valuable moments. We need to pay our sincere courtesy to the Das Studio, Darjeeling for collecting and conserving the rare sight. On the contrary, we may put the so called aristocratic rulers of the then Sikkim into the hot suit for being so indulgent in their materialistic perspectives and thus ignoring the interest of the greater institution. This is a serious point of discussion--- if the photograph could be procured by a studio of Darjeeling, why could the same not be done by the much acclaimed Sikkimese nationalists? Once again, we come to the observation that either they were too conservative to share those belongings with mass people or they did not really think about the importance of the same because they were well accomplished in their realms of wealth and power.

Paradise Forgotten

The photographs pasted here show an insulted heritage of old Sikkim. It is a bridge located at Ranipool in the east district of Sikkim. It is barren today to look at and describes its pathetic condition from its superficial look itself. Indeed, we have forgotten to pay honour to the traditional heritage of ours and speak in big words about our present development and civilization. The desolate looking bridge which has been the subject of utter dismay today was once the lifeline of Sikkim. Transportation and communication of every means were possible from Gangtok to other parts only over this bridge. Constructed in the times of British Rule in India, it was certainly the witness of the then scenario which was gradually moving towards the modern day civilization. But, the ignoring attitude of the policies of our present day system has let it go for its untimely demise. What can be more pathetic than this that we are not serious enough to preserve our old prosperity and claim ourselves to be the most brilliant creature? If we happen to move on to the cities like London, Paris and Rome and even to our own Kolkata, we can see how old tradition and heritage is preserved. The example of the train looking vehicle plying on the streets of Kolkata with hardly one or two passengers is enough to make a distinction between our indifferent attitude towards heritage and their keen interest in those things.

Now, some questions come to our mind.

Why are we not paying proper heed to our heritage? Why can’t we preserve and rejuvenate these legendary belongings? Why do we disregard the values of these memorable evidences? Who can answer?

This ,again is a question!!!

Report of the Fourth Annual Session of Sikkim State Congress 1952

The Fourth Annual Session of the Sikkim State Congress was held in 1952 at Gangtok. This document reflects the important decissions taken by the Sikkim State Congress on the annual session of the Party. It is to be noted here, that the foundation of this political party was held on 7th December 1947 at Paljor Stadium then known as Polo Ground, Gangtok. The party was the outcome of the amalgamation of the three small political parties of Sikkim which were sprang up in Sikkim in the 40's of the previous century. They were Rajya Praja Sammelan, Rajya Praja Mandal and Praja Samaj Sudhar party . On 7th of December 1947, all the three parties gathered themselves at Polo Ground and decided to launch a joint movement against the corrupt practices of the Sikkimese administrative system such as Kalobhari, Jharlangi, theki bethi, Kuruwa etc. by which the then Sikkimese society was greatly suffered. The foundation of the said party was a landmark on the history of democratic movement of Sikkim. It not only united the different political ideologies of the State under the same roof but, also paved a way for the spread of the democratic ideas among the Sikkimese peasantry. 

On the Fourth Session of the State Congress, Mr. Tashi Tshering was unanimously elected as the President for next one year. Similarly, The charge of the Vice- President was given to Mr. Kashi Raj Pradhan, who later has witnessed many upheavels in the democratic process of the State. Captain Dimik Singh Lepcha, an important figure of then Sikkimese politics was appointed as the Secretary of the Party along with Mr. Ram Prasad and Tsanglu Pala as his subordinates. The important decisions made by the Party are mentioned in the document, which have a great importance for the study of the political movement of Sikkim. 

The proceedings of the State Congress on its Fourth Annual Session of 1952. The proceedings were written in Nepali language which had by then become a lingua-franca of Sikkim.

Jeewan Theengh.... The National Poet of Sikkim..

Jeewan Theengh, popularly known as 'Maato Kavi' (Poet of the soil) is regarded as the national poet of the independent Sikkim and even after its merger with the soverignity of the Indian Union, the valour of Lt. Theengh is unprecedented. Born on the 19th December, 1955 at a small place named Namchi (presently the district head quarter of South Sikkim), Lt. Jeewan Theengh had a keen desire to look at his motherland as the abode of god and goddess. Blessed with affectionate parantage, his childhood and puberty got passed in and around Namchi where he had started his schooling. Born and brought up in a middle class sikkimese family, he was well nourished with ethical principles and moral values. He had graduated from St. Joseph's College Darjeeling and pursued his Masters in Political Science in North Bengal University. Lt. Jeewan Theengh did have an immense respect for his mother tongue, i.e, Nepali which ultimately steered him towards Nepali literature. He was so prolific in his writings that his  sentimental attachment towards his country and his race got perpetually reflected in his memorable creations. He was literally against the notion of Sikkimese merger into India which resultantly turned  him into  a poet of Revolutionary cadre. We can cite many examples to bring our point home, but the following excerpt best portrays the reason of the title Maato Kavi conferred upon him by his followers :

Timiheru Veer

Aaba Canvas ma desh ka Simana Lekhdai Jau

Timro Suvidha ley bhaye jati

Jaatah bhabhi Sima haru Kordai Jau

Jati sukai sima haru Badaundai laaijau.

( You all are paramount; now you can draw the border of your country on a canvas according to your convenience; keep on marking the fence lines and enhance your geographical sphere)

In the excerpt, we find Jeewan Theengh attacking the Indian Sovereignty in a mocking tone. This establishes the fact how sincerely the poet's sentiments were devoted towards his land. This kind of temperament is, no doubt, the culmination of patriotism.

But, alas!!!!

This pious son of Sikkim who highly felt the grandeur of his motherland was only a blessing for 23 years. This great soul succumbed to the afflictions of incurable disease and breathed his last on 5th July 1978. Though, the life span of this eminent poet was tiny, his works and marks on the society are invaluable. He not only advocated the cause of Sikkimese integration and the Nepali unity, but he also spreaded the message of universality amongst human beings. We can best appriciate or rather worship this great legendary figure by reading and preserving his immortal creations which really speak of Maato, the soil.

( Further writings about this great poet will feature soon in the blog) 

Trade in the Pre-Independent scenario- Sikkim and Darjeeling

The photograph in the inset is once again a long preserved historical document (courtesy the Das Studio Darjeeling) which is shared with me by Mr. Dweep Subba, a student of B.A. III semester of Namchi Government College. This is a photograph of a Sikkimese Carpet Seller probably of 1910's taken at Darjeeling. The person in the photograph is a typical Bhutia or Tibetan as his dress suggests. These traders used to bring carpets from Darjeeling to Sikkim and then they used to send it to Tibet. The British provincial Estate of Darjeeling had then been the centre of trade and commerce of the places like Kalimpong, Kurseong, Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal. Tradesmen from Nepal, Bhutan and many other neighbouring places used to come to Darjeeling to attend the Sunday HAAT (Market) to have their trade dealings. This is to be cited here that they used the Silk Route which connected Kalimpong with Tibet via Sikkim for their trading purpose. The background of the photograph shows one portion of Darjeeling which seems to be comparatively developed in the then scenario. The posters and hoardings written in English suggest that Darjeeling was a pioneering place to amalgamate with the English language. The photograph itself is a testimony to the fact that technological instruments like camera, electricity, and, of course, the system of photo developing marked the advancement of Darjeeling in comparision to other adjacent places.

The Bridge over the Rungeet- The Life-line of Sikkim and neighbouring British Provinces.

This photograph of the old bridge has been shared with me by my student Dweep Subba of B. A. IIIrd Semester (Eng. Hons). The Picture was taken by Das Studio, Darjeeling in the 1880's. The bridge was a life line towards Sikkim during those days. It is to be noted here that Colmon Macauley has also talked about the existence of a similar kind of bridge over River Rungeet between the Kingdom of Sikkim and British province of Darjeeling while he was going to Tibet for a trade mission. Probably this might be the bridge which Macauley had crossed while heading towards Sikkim in the 80's of the 19th century. The bridge was made up of bamboos. It became the main way of transportation of the British when they caught hold of the politics of Sikkim. Probably, via this way only the British came to Sikkim to stabilise the political upheavels poised by the then Sikkimese monarchy. This bridge played a vital role in the treaty of 1861 between Government of Sikkim and British India if it is the same bridge which has been referred upon. In the photograph, we can see a couple of Britishers along with one or two local who might have been the porters to carry their loads towards Sikkim. Certainly, the bridge bears a historical value in the context of Independent Sikkim and its relation with the British India. Das Studio, Darjeeling obviously deserves special sense of gratitude for having preserved such an important photograph and we are greatly indebted to the owners.

Passport to Tibet.....

This Old Passport belongs to Mr. A.D. Moddie of Nainital which is still preserved by him as a sovenir at his Bhim Tal residence Savera. The mandatory options in the passport has been written in three languages viz English, Hindi and Tibetan. This Passport was issued to Mr. Moddie by the Indian Government on 15th September 1957 and it was valid upto 15th of March 1958. On the left side of the passport the detail about the visitor's stay in Tibet is mentioned in all the three above stated languages. From the rubber stamp visible on the passport it can be noticed that before entering Tibet the Passport had to be varified at PANDRA MILE Checkpost.

Old picture of Lama Anden(North Sikkim)

This picture of Lama Anden (North Sikkim) was taken by Mr. A.D. Moddie in 1946 when he scaled the peak for the first time. He was attracted by Sikkim due to his deep interest in the Himalayas. Besides a mountainer Mr. Moddie is a Historian, a Civil Servant, a Coloumnist and a Humanist from the heart. During his conversation with me at his residence, Savera located in Nainital, he described about the road conditions of Sikkim in those days. He also stressed upon the transportation as well as communication problems of those days of his remembrance. He told me that in the later phases of development, the places, the waysides and the households   near the roads got developed and township came into existence.

Old and New Nathu-La…..How different it is now….

This photograph of old Nathu-La was taken by Mr. A.D. Moddie in 1957 when he went to Gyantze in Tibet as an Indian trader. The telegraph post for Tibet installed by the British Indian Government can be seen clearly in the picture. A white stripe behind the telegraph post is the Ghorey Sadak (Horse Road) to Tibet. The snow clad land seen in the picture is Sikkim and the land on which the Ghorey Sadak is visible is Tibet.

The New Picture of Nathu-La is also shared to me by Moddie Shaab(as Mr. A.D. Moddie is popularly known in Nainital).

The first Indian to scale Lama Anden (A mountain peak in North Sikkim)

The first Indian to scale Lama Anden a mountain lays left of Lachung is Mr. A.D. Moddie who is also the first batch IAS of independent India. He scaled this peak in North Sikkim in 1946. Recruited in 1948, Mr. Moddie served as an IAS officer in Bihar’s Madhubani district and later resigned and joined Hindustan Liver. I met Mr. Moddie at his Bhim Tal Cottage at Nainital which once belonged to Col. John who was assigned with the charge of administration of the Kumaun and Garwahl region by the British Government. Mr. Moddie bought the house from Mr. Elgin, the last British Officer of the region in the 60’s of the last century. When I reached at his cottage an old man of 90’s opened the door. He still has the very same charm on his face which he used to have 60 years back. I greeted him and our course of interaction about Sikkim started. Mr. Moddie has shared with me some of his great experiences at Gangtok while going to Lhasa as an Indian trader. He told me that Gangtok was then a small town with few houses at present days M.G. Marg. About the least bothered attitude of the then Indians towards the trans-Himalaya in his book Witnesses to our Times he has written the following lines:-

“No one then bothered about the Trans-Himalayan Central Asia. In due course, after a discussion with Harishwar Dayal (then Indian Political Officer to Sikkim) I found myself posted as a trade agent to Gyantze in Tibet……… I think I got my posting on the strength of two earlier treks and a climb on Lama Anden in Sikkim- all I could show of my meager expertise of Central Asia. But my imagination was full of the old Shangri La, the Silk Route, the early Everest story and the earlier Pundits of the survey of India”.

Regarding the perplex situation that he had to face at Gangtok he writes:-

“As there were only two ways, a trader’s or a pilgrim’s permit, I opted for the former. I wrote to our agent in Gangtok, Sikkim, to arrange a mule and a muleteer for me; I would walk. When I arrived in Gangtok and enquired about the mule arrangement, the Agent prevaricated. He shyly disclosed he had arranged twenty mules. He was taking advantage of a sahib-type, who also knew the Political Officer, Gangtok, to send his mules train in, for greater security, under my leadership. When I met Apa Pant, the P.O. for my permit in English, Hindi and Tibetan, I thought I would amuse him with the story of one mule becoming twenty. Apa Pant saw no humor in it. In serious official style, he advised me to take all twenty mules saying, “One mule no status, twenty mules status”.

Apart from the information which he has written in his book Mr. Moddie shared few valuable information about his meeting with the then Maharaja of Sikkim late Sir Tashi Namgyal. He told me that the late Maharaja was a pious person who had nothing to do with politics and who always kept himself busy in religious paintings. Mr. Moddie still has a great love towards the Himalayas and Sikkim has a special place at his heart. When I asked to take few pictures of him he preferred to take them under the pictures of Sikkim which he had taken during his visit.

Mercedese Benz of the last Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal

The car which was once used by the Sikkimese  Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal  was a Mercedez Benz   ( class C). This car was gifted to the present owner i.e owner of  Hotel Royal Demasong Gangtok by him in 1970. This very car has been preserved and displayed as an antique piece by him in his hotel.