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Ranipool School at Ghatttey Hill in the 60's
Since my school days I was always curious to know about the
founder of the school from where I got into the world of knowledge and
acquaintance. It was indeed a slumbered historical sense that was at its
initial stage which forced me to know much about the founder of my school. I
also had a big question on my infant mind why my school was entitled as Ghattey School? Few people informed me that before the establishment
of a school at the earlier site there used to be a Pani Ghatta (Grinding machine that runs with water power)
and the place was thence known as Ghattey Dara (Ghattey Hill). Hence after the commencement of a Primary
School at the Ghattey Hill the school got its name as Ghattey School.
Few others informed me that the school was founded by a person from Namli
called Brihaspati Parsai. This was the only knowledge that I had been able to
acquire about Government Senior Secondary School Ranipool before I accomplished
my Twelfth Standard.
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| Teachers' and Students' in the 60's |
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| Late Brihaspati Parsai collecting funds for the School |
To
acquire more knowledge about Government Sr. Sec. School Ranipool I decided to
meet the descendents of the founder of my School during my fieldwork. I met Mr.
N. B Parsai one of the sons of Late Brihaspati Parsai from whom I had been able
to extract many unheard and unknown facts about the establishment of the said
school. According to him the founder of Ghattey School Late Brihaspati Parsai
had never seen any schools in his childhood. During the construction of NH 31A
he worked there as a labour and later became an A Class contractor. In 1944 as a
contractor he took up the task of “Cutting off Land” where he had to suffer a heavy
loss. The Officer of Public Works Department Fakir Chand Jali (who was also the
First Overseer and First Chief Engineer of Sikkim) told him that he incurred
loss owing to his lack of knowledge in English language. That incident was a
turning point for the foundation of Ranipool School. Immediately after this event
Late Parsai with the help of a supervisor started a school in 1945 at Labours’
Quarter. Later Brihaspati Parsai asked a piece of land from one Langadey
(Limp) Kazi for the construction of a school. The Kazi was kind enough to
donate a piece of land to start a school at Ghattey Dara. Thus, the foundation
of Ranipool School was laid with the efforts of an illiterate at the Ghattey
Hill.
Mr.
N. B Parsai has given me additional information about the first teachers of
this school. According to him, Late Jayadev Sharma of Rumtek and Damber Gurung
were the first teachers to serve Ranipool School. He further updated me that
the school was once visited by Maharajkumar Sahib Palden Thondup Namgyal. “It was in the summer of 1946 a Wyllian Jeep
came to the school compound and a gentleman in a royal costume came out of it. We
did not pay much heed to know about him as we were busy in playing. The gentleman
looked us for a while and moved into the office. Within a minute Jaydev Sir
came out and introduced him as Maharajkumar Sahib. Maharajkumar Sahib Palden
Thondup Namgyal encouraged our teachers to impart good education to the
children. It was indeed a great moment for all the students to get a glimpse of
the Maharajkumar Sahib at our School Compound”.
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| Welcoming the dignitaries during an event in the 60's |
Late
Brihaspati Parsai had a deep lament that he could not study therefore; he had a
determined thought that the children of peasants would be suppressed until they
do not get education. Hence, with the intention of educating everybody he
raised donation to run the Ghattey Hillock School. For several years he himself
paid the salary for the teachers and other staff. Later the Royal Palace turned
the Ghattey Hill School into a government aided institution and began to
provide a grant of Rs. 30/- per month. But, the sanctioned amount from the
Royal Sikkim Government was not enough to run a full fledged school. Therefore,
late Brihaspati Parsai moved from door to door asking for donation for the
salary of the teachers.All
the students of today’s Brihaspati Parsai Memorial Senior Secondary School are
greatly indebted to its illiterate founder who had an extreme faith in
educating the masses for a colossal change.
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| Students and Teachers with new furniture on the day of becoming a Govt. aided school |
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| Recent picture of Brihaspati Parsai Memorial School |
Respecting
the contributions of Late Brihaspati Parsai to impart modern education among
the peasantry of Sikkim the Sikkim Government has changed the name of
Government Sr. Secondary School Ranipool as Brihaspati Parsai Memorial Senior
Secondary School. For the encouragement among the students the Parsai family of
Namli is providing a scholarship of Rs. 10,000/- each every year for the best
two students of the school founded by their grandpa late Brihaspati Parsai.
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