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| Late Brihaspati Parsai addressing peasants at Rangpo during Satyagraha
Late Brihaspati Parsai a.k.a Parsai Bajey was born on 30th
June 1899 at Karkaley Pipaley village of Mechi district of Nepal. At the age
of seven he lost his father Tikaram Parsai and two of his brothers due to
chickenpox. In frustration, his mother decided to leave their original place
and took 10 years old Brihaspati to the plains of Jhapa in Nepal. There young
Brihaspati lost his mother due to malaria and became a total orphan. After hiding
the corpse of his mother at a forest at a place called Chandragadi in Jhapa
district, the young lad moved further east and reached Silagadi (now the place
is known as Siliguri). He stayed at Silagadi for a year and thought of
entering Sikkim. Coincidentally, he met a bullock carts’ caravan moving towards
Sikkim and by pursuing it he reached lower Martam (32 Number the place is also
called Middle Camp). It was at Martam the orphan met Chandrasingh Bhansari a Thikadar
(Contractor) of Martam Estate who took him home and gave him the task of
shepherd. Impressed by his truthfulness and diligence, the Thikadar gave one of
his daughters Chulmaya in marriage to Brihaspati. After his marriage he bought
a piece of land at Namli, a village near Ranipool and began to live a life of a
householder.
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| Late Parsai (sitting) with L.D Kazi (Right to him) |
After
the conclusion of First World War Sikkimese peasants also began to witness little
development in their Kingdom. It was during this period the construction of auto
able road from Siliguri to Gangtok commenced which is now known as NH 31 A.
Brihaspati also began to work as a coolie in the construction process, and then
he became a supervisor and finally a contractor. He was a founder member of
Sikkim State Congress and also an educational enthusiast who had played a vital
role for the foundation of Ranipool School at Ghattey Hill. His
contributions and efforts for the foundation of said school will soon be updated
in the blog. After the formation of Sikkim State Congress on 7th
December 1947 late Parsai unconditionally threw him in politics. He became the
Publicity Secretary of the newly founded Sikkim State Congress and began to
raise his voice against the vices of feudalism like Kalobhari, Jharlangi, Theki
Bethi, Kuruwa and Ghar-Lauri. In the beginning, the Central Office of
Sikkim State Congress was raised at Rangpo. Due to his witty and mocking speech
against the exploitation he was arrested during Satyagraha of 1949 at Rangpo
and was put behind the bars for 62 days.
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| Parsai leading a procession at Singtam in 1961 |
Late
Parsai played a vital role for the elimination of parity system from Sikkim. During
agitation of 1973, he led a procession to the Sikkim Palace which was thence
asking for one man one vote. The Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal coming out of
the palace questioned late Parsai “What do you want?” He answered “We want the
King, we do not want the Councillors, and we need Ministry, not one man six
votes but one man one vote”. It is to be noted here that the greatest cause for
dissatisfaction of the peasants during the agitation of 1973 was the notorious
Parity System in Sikkim.
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| People gathered at Alley Ground Namchi to listened to Late Parsai |
During
my field work I got an opportunity to meet one of his sons Mr. N. B Parsai an
ex- teacher who also has a greater involvement for the development of Ghattey
Hill School. He has informed me that his father was a person who always
believed in the theory of Karma enunciated by the Upanishads. It
is because of this philosophy of Upanishad he had been able to contribute a
greater part of his life for the liberation of the Sikkimese subjects from the
clutches of Kazism and Thikadarism. Many of his contemporaries have informed me
that he was a brawny politician who used to speak as if he has nothing to loose
in this world. Most of such contemporaries were inspired by his flamboyant
speech consequently they joined late Parsai to uproot the evils of forced
labour from Sikkim. This stalwart of
Sikkimese politics died at the age of 80 on the evening of 9th June
1979 at his residence at Namli in East Sikkim.
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