Old Election Manifestos of Sikkim

Election Manifesto of Sikkim Gorkha League for the Election of 24th December 1984

Continuation of the same

Appeal to the voters by Sikkim Gorkha League Party 

Election Symbol of Sikkim Gorkha League Party

Election Pamphlet of Sikkim United Independent Front for 1974 Election  

Further information about these two political stalwarts Late Lal Bahadur Basnett and Late Durga Prasad Rajalim will be updated soon. 

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)

Antique Lepcha House at Tashiding Chongrang

The Old Lepcha at Chongrang

Antiques and artifacts have always fascinated me since my childhood which was possibly the rudiments in my unripe infant mind for an advanced historical investigation in my days to come. I have just loved these relics and have always enjoyed their structural designs. They are just awe-inspiring and are the bystanders of the “massive alter” which has utterly changed the very face of a human society. During my Post Graduate  Days in Pune University, I always enjoyed to sit and study at Saniwarwada, the remains of the erstwhile palace of the Peshwas. Though, it was burnt down by the British after their antagonism with the Peshwas, but it still has many features to drag the attention of a history lover. The other such structures where I always wanted to visit in Pune were Vishrantawadi, Aga Khan Palace, Deccan College, and Ferguson College and so on. They have always inspired me to love such remains with a great sense of respect.

There are many such antiques scattered throughout the state of Sikkim, but, our tendency of chirping into the History of Sikkim from the windows of marvellous edifice of Gangtok has compelled such antiques to remain behind the curtail. It is an irony to say that the objects of historical importance are not dragging any attention of any NGOs and authorities. This is a tale of an old Lepcha House, counting its last days, situated at Chongrang at Tashiding in West Sikkim. The present owner of the said Lepcha House is Mr. Tshwang Tashi Lepcha. He has informed us that it was constructed somewhere 140 years before by his great grand father. If we have to believe on his aphorism, the House was constructed in 1871 and bears all the traditional features of a Lepcha House.

Plastic Cover- A temporary measure

The old Lepcha structural design is standing on the huge log pillars on every corners of the foundation. For the further support to the house, stone walls on the two sides are constructed and has left open to serve other village purpose like keeping the ripe crops or may say keeping livestock during rainy season and so on. Above the walls and wooden pillars rooms were separated for the residential purpose. The floor in the upstairs is made up of firewood, which are kept crisscrossing each other. This sort of built-up not only makes a structure strong but also provides warmth to fight against the chilling winters.

The roof of the House

The most interesting part of this house is indeed its roof which is still covered with Siru (a local grass used by Sikkimese peasantry to serve the purpose of covering a house or shed). I still can remember my childhood days when we too had a house which had a roof of Siru and during rains it had considerable leaching. To tie up the said grass with the bamboo piece, the ancient Lepchas had use Choya (a thread made by pilling a bamboo). To give a final touch to the roof, they used Choya in a most synchronising manner so that the grass could remain intact to protect the house from seepage.

Another striking feature of this house is that it was constructed without using a single nail. To keep other beams and woods firmly, they made holes on the huge wooden pillars so that it could remain at the exact place where it was suppose to be. The floor of firewood was pasted by a thick layer of clay that could give them warmth and they could also keep fire burning the whole night during winters.

Mr. Tshewang Tashi Lepcha-the present owner

This old Lepcha House is at the verge of its demise and its owner, Mr. Tshewang Lepcha is unable to maintain it due to his poverty. The stones of its wall are getting away from their places and its roof has got many holes. He has now made a temporary arrangement by covering its roof by a plastic to keep his family members safe from the rain. Likewise, the floor is decaying and to get rid of it the owner is still following traditional method of pasting those patches with clay. This house needs an immediate attention from the concerned authorities or else it will be decayed within a few years.