Articles

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.



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.


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.


Mountain Farmers of Sikkim-Darjeeling Dealing with COVID & Nature

Although Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal and the state of Sikkim have been projected predominantly as tourist sites, the mainstay of the rural population continues to be agriculture. According to Census 2011, the majority of the population here are rural (60.58% in Darjeeling-Kalimpong & 75.03% in Sikkim) and agriculture is the main occupation. Here farming communities depend on wage labour, small businesses and tourism (homestays) to augment their income from agriculture and all these were also closed during the lockdown period.


Heads I Win, Tails They Lose: 𝑀𝑒, 𝑀𝑦 𝐹𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝐴𝑟𝑚𝑦

One day a friend’s father told me that I should join the army. He told me that it was great to serve the nation at the forefront. Well for that I had to sit for an exam and then I would be called for an interview at SSB at Bangalore, Allahabad or Bhopal. The journey and stay would be all sponsored by the Indian Army. Well the second part was more exciting for me rather than the first…