Articles by Guest Author

Reflections in the Times of COVID19

It is appalling to reflect how things unfold, causing fear across the globe, petrifying individuals to the core, and making people skeptical of others’ well-being. Things might have turned out to be so in the glare of COVID19; however, the situation was not of this seven months ago. When I think of all these eventualities, nestle in my quarantined space, at home, I look around to find a warm environment: lush green plants, panoramic view of the hills and tea gardens, occasionally a glimpse of the majestic mountains at five in the morning, and the erratic tantrums of the weather―clear in the morning, then the blanket of fog parading over the hills in a stealthy routine followed by spasmodic drizzle. This exquisite being of Nature and my quarantined state cozily bulwark me from the deathly situation out there, but the thought keeps striking a chord, on my mind, of what transpired all this time.



Tibet is Shangri-La, A Home We Never Saw

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama celebrated his 85th birthday on July 6 and given the border dispute with China; proposals for him to be conferred the Bharat Ratna started pouring in. In the tiny Himalayan state of Sikkim too, the demand is picking up.


A Proposal for New Methodology of Online Teaching In Developing and Underdeveloped Nations

In the year of pandemic, 2020, India, a developing nation started having its first cases of infection in the month of February. By March 22nd, there were enough cases for Govt. to call for a lockdown of the nation with the immediate closure of all educational institutes. This led to the start of a new era of a method of teaching in this sphere of the Globe called Online Teaching. This might be a common practice in developed nations like Europe and the US, but it was new for the Indian subcontinent, where there is one of the largest populations of the young generation undergoing their basic education.


Guru Purnima – How Lord Shiva became the first Guru on this day

In our mountains we celebrate today as Bhadaure Purney!! as it is believed that today the 1st Jhyakri (shaman) got his gyaan from is guru. Today our traditional shamans (Jhyankri, Fedangba, Bijuwa, Dhami etc) visit their Guru and thank them for their teachings and the nurturing they gave.


गायक स्व. जीतेन्द्र बरदेवाको 25औं पूण्यतिथिमा सश्रद्धा भावपूर्ण श्रद्धाञ्जली अर्पण

2 जुलाई 1995 सालमा दिवंगत हुनभएका महान संगीतकार, शब्दकार, गायक स्व. जीतेन्द्र बरदेवाको 25औं पूण्यतिथिमा सश्रद्धा भावपूर्ण श्रद्धाञ्जली अर्पण गर्दै यो सानो लेख्न प्रस्तुत गर्ने प्रयास गरेकी छु। – मेनुका प्रधान, दार्जीलिङ


Cup of Tea

When I wake up this morning, the thirst for drinking cuppa made me look at my kitchen-shelf and found out that my tea container was nearly empty. I thought, will ask some tea leaves from my neighbour then it occurred on my mind that they have been on home quarantine for almost a week. Since we are tackling this apocalyptic situation venturing outside just for one particular supply deemed not as essential. So reckoning, what will be of my next tea time, I prepared for now with some left-over tea leaves which I enjoyed immensely as it was my last deoch an doris.


Intricacies of Drug Abuse

Are we responsible parents? Are we a part of responsible civil society? Is every school and every teacher taking up responsibility? It’s high time we pull up our socks and get ourselves on our toes if we want to see every flower that we have sown blossom and spread its fragrance.



Blunder, Blunder, A Biggest Blunder!!!

Allowing tourism in Darjeeling from 1st July, 2020 is a blunder. I understand the plight and hardships the stake stakeholders of tourism industry are facing due to recent COVID19 pandemic crisis. I too am going through this adversity, as I myself am involved in tourism management in Darjeeling and Sikkim since past many years. We are facing extremes pressure to pay loans, EMIs, lease rent to the hotels, salaries to staffs and drivers, renewing and maintaining trade license of hotels, travel agency office, vehicles etc.