Paljor Namgyal- The Pilot Prince of Sikkim

Prince Paljor Namgyal, the first and the only Pilot prince of Sikkim was born on 26thNovember, 1921 at the Royal Palace, Gangtok to the Eleventh Maharaja of Sikkim, Sir Tashi Namgyal, K.C.I.E, K.C.S.I. and Maharani Kunzang Dechen. His original name was Kunzang Choley and he was the eldest son of the Eleventh Royal Couple of Sikkim. In 1930, he was sent along with his younger brother, Prince Palden Thondup Namgyal and their sister Princess Pema Tsedeun to St. Joseph’s Convent, Kalimpong. Prince Palzor Namgyal was further educated at St. Paul’s School, Darjeeling and St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling.

The Crown Prince, Paljor Namgyal was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the Royal Indian Air Force and based at Ambala. He served in World War II in 1940-41. As a true ally of the British Indian Government, Sikkim had greatly served in providing manpower in the said world war. It is to be noted here that many Sikkimese family had also send their children to fight against the English foes and few of them had been able to receive the esteemed Victoria Cross. But, most wretchedly, Paljor Namgyal was killed in active service after he crash landed in flight near Peshawar, on 20thDecember, 1941. He was merely 20 years old then. Regarding the death of the Crown Prince of Sikkim the Bharat Rakshak an official website of Indian Air Force has published this information “On 8th December, war was declared with Japan and the Squadron was ordered to the Burma front on 14th December. The Squadron returned to Peshawar two days later.  As there was a shortage of air gunners, volunteers were called from among the fitters, riggers and other ground crew members. The airmen volunteered almost to a man. They were trained on a fast track basis in less than a fortnight. The Squadron suffered its first casualty on the Lysander on 20th December 1941, when Pilot Officer Paljor Namgyal, who at that time was the crown prince of the Kingdom of Sikkim, undershot trying to land at Peshawar. The aircraft R1989 hit a bund and overturned - killing the pilot and seriously wounding the observer”.

The tragic death of the Sikkimese Prince has also been mentioned by PVS Jagan Mohan in his book ‘The Westland Lysander in Indian Air force Service’ in the following manner “The squadron suffered its first casualty on the Lysander on 20^th December 1941, when Pilot Officer C Dhairyam, with Pilot Officer Paljor Namgyal as his passenger undershoot trying to land at Peshawar. The Air craft R1989 hit a bund and overturned - killing the pilot and seriously wounding the pilot. Palzor Namgyal was the Crown Prince of Sikkim and his death was a major blow to the people of the small Himalayan Kingdom”(P14).

As an Air Pilot Prince Paljor Pic: http://sikhim.blogspot.com

Most unfortunately, we have very little credentials about the pilot prince Paljor Namgyal. Few photographs that include his portrait in the Air force uniform are the only source to write something about him. During my fieldwork, I have been able to get a bit of unwritten information about the late Crown Prince of Sikkim. Few old Sikkimese, especially those who have seen him during their lifetime, have an immense respect and love for Paljor Namgyal. An old person Mr. Harka Bahadur Subba of Chota Singtam along with few old people has informed me that the Prince was a placid and a kind person. Once while hunting Prince Paljor reached to a house of an old Lepcha lady at Nandok in East Sikkim. She was unaware about his gigantic position and she offered Dhero (meal prepared from millet mostly consumed by the poor peasants during feudalistic Sikkim) to him for his dinner. He inquired about the poverty of the old lady and came to know about the forceful collection of Dhurikhajana and the prevalence of Kalobhari, Jharlangi and Theki bethi as forced labor. After spending a night at the home of the old lady the prince recoiled to his palace and informed his father Maharaja Tashi Namgyal about the utter poverty of their subjects and insisted him for the immediate removal of the forced labour and Dhurikhajana. Before the king could do anything in this regard, the Kazis and other feudal elements misguided the king to send his eldest son to join the Royal Air Force and was finally killed in an air crash.

Photo Frederick Williamson Prince Paljor Namgyal standing in front of C. E Dudley Pic: Digital Himalayas

“Maharajkumar jyudo hunuhunthyo bhaney ta Sikkim aarkai hunthyo had the Maharajkumar been alive Sikkim could have been different” was their remark on the untimed demise of the late crown prince Paljor Namgyal.

Kham Sum Ongdi the National Emblem of Monarchical Sikkim

Kham Sum Ongdi used to be the Royal as well as the National emblem of erstwhile Sikkim used by the ruling house of the Namgyals. It is not clear since when the emblem was used by the Sikkimese monarchs to sign the Royal Decrees and Proclamations. Possibly, it came into vogue after Sikkim’s contact with the British East India Company in the 30’s of 19^th century. A shell, regarded as a holy article both by the Hindus and the Buddhists is at the top of the seal which is guarded by the two Gaduras that is considered as the vehicle used by Lord Vishnu, the protector of the extraterrestrial world by the Hindu and Buddhist mythology. The interesting feature of this Royal Emblem is that even after loosing its sovereignty, the State Government of Sikkim uses it as the Government insignia. The words Kham Sum Ongdi in Sikkimese Bhutia mean “Conqueror of the three realms”.

Lost Days of Sikkim Monarchs

Inside Father's Car- Prince Tenzing Namgyal and Prince Wangchuk Namgyal

Prince Tenzing Namgyal getting ready for a "Test Drive"?

Prince Tenzing Namgyal

Football is always a favorite sport in Sikkim- Prince Tenzing with his fellow players at the palace ground 

These pictures bear copyright of http://gxp1201.tibetcul.com (A website of People's Republic of China) I am greatly indebted to Tempa Transhimalayan Arts Taipei Taiwan for sharing link of these incredible pictures of erstwhile Himalayan Kingdom of Sikkim.  

Incredible pictures of Hope Cooke Namgyal with Prince and Princess of Sikkim

Prince Palden Namgyal and Princess Hope Leezum of Sikkim 

Her Highness Hope Cooke Namgyal with Princess Hope Leezum

Princess Hope Leezum

Her Highness with the Prince

The Pride of being a mother- Her Highness with her children 

These pictures bear Copyright of http://gxp1201.tibetcul.com (A Website of People's Republic of China) I am greatly indebted to Tempa Trans-Himalayan Arts, Taipei Taiwan for sharing the link of these valueable photographs with me. 

Some Rare pictures of the Last Days of Sikkim Royals

A Royal Lady with Sikkim Guards

Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal & Hope Cooke Namgyal with princess Hope Leezum and Prince Palden

The Royal Couple at the King's Birthday

Gyalmo Hope Cooke Namgyal during her Reading Hours

The Chogyal being greeted by his subjects

Chogyal's beloved Hope-La

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

Last Days of Sikkim Royals- The Chogyal and Gyalmo

The Chogyal and Gyalmo during a religious gathering at the Palace

Meeting commoners during Royal tours

The King with his beloved queen Hope-La

During Religious Celebration

During Rituals

On the palace lawn 

Chogyal and Gyalmo

The royal couple inside 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. 

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.

ABOUT NEW YORK; When East Met West and Walking Around Led to Brooklyn

TO gain a sense of place it really helps to walk around a lot. That is what Hope Cooke did when her world turned bleak and rotten 20 years ago and now, as a result, the 52-year old Brooklyn resident, who is also the last reigning Queen of Sikkim, says she feels more rooted than she has ever been.
"I can honestly say I really know where I am," Ms. Cooke said in the cozy and sweet-smelling ground-floor kitchen of her 1878 house on the periphery of Brooklyn Heights.
Upstairs, her second husband, Michael Wallace, a history professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, was working on a manuscript. Her own book of walking tours of New York City has just been issued by Temple University. Now she is hoping to put together a video series describing issues of city life like immigration, racial division and gentrification in their historical contexts. She has lectured on the social history of New York and organized walking tours.
About a month ago she was at a party where there were many local history buffs. "At one point," she recalled, "I was introduced to a young man who, as he shook my hand, blurted out, 'Oh you're Hope Cooke, the Hope Cooke? Hope Cooke, the walking tour guide?' It made me so happy. It was a real turning point."
Over the last 30 years there had been so many other introductions drawing responses, spoken or silent, that were very different. Hope Cooke? Oh, yes, the New York debutante, the Sarah Lawrence student, the one who met and married the heir to the throne of that tiny kingdom tucked between Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and India. Wasn't she the Grace Kelly of the Himalayas who in 1963 went to live in a palace in Gangtok as the bride of the Chogyal, a man revered by his subjects as the reincarnation of an ancient Buddhist holy man?
And later there must have been many others who tried to fit the name with what they could remember of old newspaper accounts. Yes, she had lived as the Queen of the remote kingdom with its steep paths, silk-clad archers and prayer wheels. She had borne a son and daughter, but then, despite predictions of court astrologers, the marriage turned stormy.
But the little country was running into greater problems as India moved to absorb it. Crowds, organized by agents from New Delhi, marched on the palace calling for an end to the monarchy. Ms. Cooke fled with her children, coming back to New York, a city she hardly knew. "It was a period of intense and painful dislocation," said Ms. Cooke. "I literally did not know where I was."
She had been born in the city but her experience with it was very limited. Her mother died when she was 2, probably a suicide. Her mother's well-to-do parents kept her father away. She was raised by Scottish governesses whose lilt and burr still mark her speech.
"I don't remember ever going to the zoo or walking anywhere as a child," she said. "We would just take the Chapin school bus down Park Avenue and back. Those of us who lived on the avenue felt sorry for the Chapin children who lived on the side streets. Later there were dreadful dancing classes." After that there was boarding school, Sarah Lawrence and then the palace at Gangtok.
One of the news articles that appeared at the time of her marriage quoted a Sarah Lawrence classmate of Ms. Cooke's as saying, "Hopey was always a little out of place in the West." Ten years in Sikkim could not possibly ease the alienation.
"That's when I started walking and looking," she said. "At first it was a matter of orientation and diversion. Later it grew into a passion. Now it is what I do."
When she first came back, she says, her major concern was being a single mother, living in an apartment with very little furniture and a constant flow of guests from Sikkim. The king was then under house arrest back in Sikkim, which had been swallowed up by India. For a while she lectured about her experiences and then she wrote about them in a book "Time Change." And all the while she was venturing out into neighborhoods, figuring out where she was and how she and her fellow New Yorkers had gotten here.
Eventually, she lectured on New York City history at Yale and at one time wrote regular columns on city landmarks for The Daily News. Her children finished school, the son becoming a banker, the daughter a public relations representative. Her marriage grew estranged and then ended in divorce two years before the dethroned Chogyal died in 1982. She met Michael Wallace at a meeting of historians and 10 years ago they moved to the house in Brooklyn.
Now, quite clearly, she has grown into the city, taken on a new identity. She really is "Hope Cooke, the guide to New York." And though her newest book traces the destinies of immigrants, bankers and writers, it also marks another passage -- her own. "I am rooted here," she said. "Life has become sheer fun."
(A version of this article appeared in print on Wednesday, February 24, 1993, on section B page 3 of the New York edition.By Michael T. Kaufman)