Vikki Thapa, Winner of Nepali Kavita Dhamari 2017
On the occasion of the 90th birth anniversary of one of the most eminent poets, Shri Agam Singh Giri, Nepali Sahitya Sanstha, Siliguri organised a…
On the occasion of the 90th birth anniversary of one of the most eminent poets, Shri Agam Singh Giri, Nepali Sahitya Sanstha, Siliguri organised a…
Introduction Language is considered as the lifeblood of human civilization. The Cambridge dictionary defines language as “a system of communication consisting of sounds, words and…
Amid vibrant cultural festivities, former students of the Central School for Tibetans (CST), Darjeeling, joined by members of the Tibetan communities from New York, New Jersey, and Minnesota, gathered on June 4 at the Tsuglagkhang Temple Complex in McLeodganj to offer a heartfelt “Tenshug – long life prayer ceremony”, to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
Tenshug refers to a ceremonial and devotional request made to a great spiritual teacher to live long and continue turning the Wheel of Dharma for…
As we travelled in the airport taxi, he didn’t ask about home, our neighbours, or old friends. Nothing.
After his house was burned down during the 1986 political movement for Gorkhaland in Darjeeling, his parents had passed away the following year. Perhaps it was the overwhelming grief and exhaustion from losing their home. That was what the locals believed, too.
The British discovered Darjeeling by coincidence. It was a stroke of sheer luck that the British chanced upon Darjeeling in the year 1829 and its discovery ended years of search for a Hill station in the Bengal province
As an international river, there have been serious issues on table with regard to the management and sharing of its water between India and Bangladesh. Besides several existing and proposed mega hydro-dams in the Sikkim-Darjeeling catchment, the Government of West Bengal has diverted almost entire Teesta Water via artificial canals at Teesta (Gajoldoba) Barrage in Jalpaiguri to irrigate its thirsty North Bengal leaving little or no water for Bangladesh.
Any book on Kalimpong which intends to document the past and present of this town would be shorn of its credibility if it does not tell the story of Gyalo Thondup, the elder brother of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and arguably the most colourful personality in Tibetan politics in the second half of the 20th century.
Born on July 25, 1945, in Phoobsering Tea Estate, Darjeeling, Kajee Singh’s lifelong dedication to the preservation and formalization of Nepali folk music began in his early years. The son of Maadalaacharya Indrajeet Singh Sardaar, he inherited a deep-rooted passion for music from his family, which had been cultivating the classical folk music tradition of the Gorkha community for generations. His father’s influence, along with his own keen interest in traditional culture, would shape his path and inspire him to bring the Maadal — a revered Nepali musical instrument — to the forefront of Indian music.
Deusi is a quintessential Gorkha tradition. It is not just a part of our culture, but it is also one of the threads that binds our community together. It is truly disheartening to hear from my mother that this time around, no one came to our home for Deusi – not even in our entire village. What’s even more troubling is how the vibrant tradition of Deusi, once played with so much vigour and enthusiasm in the hills of Darjeeling, is gradually fading away. Today, the youths who continue to carry forward our tradition can perhaps be counted in the tip of our fingers. It’s a painful reminder of how quickly we are losing touch with our cultural roots.