Darjeeling’s Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) recently celebrated the graduation of participants from the Bihar Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (BIPARD) adventure and survival skills course. The event showcased the Institute’s dedication to fostering inclusivity, perseverance, and excellence in mountaineering.
TheDC was born ON 18th of Nov, 2013 . It was born at a tumultuous time, when the West Bengal government had banned all local news outlets following the Gorkhaland Andolan of 2013, and we did not have a collective platform reporting on local issues, from local perspectives. The narratives about our place, our people and the perspective about Gorkhas were being shaped by news that were mostly being reported from Kolkata, which were predominantly devoid of grounded truths
In the past 12-years, like a little kid growing up, we have seen Darjeeling Chronicle – the platform you all have cared for, shared, criticized, scolded, but above all loved – GROW.
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.
The budgetary allocation for the NE States has increased significantly, with over 285% growth in the past 8 years from Rs 24,819.18 crores in 2014-15 to Rs 70,874.32 crores in 2021-22. The Government has dedicated over Rs 336,640.97 crores solely for the development of the NE Region, indicating a future of multi-faceted possibilities for the people of the region, economically and socially.
It is heartening to see the Central Government finally take notice of the concerns of the erstwhile peripheral states of the NE, whose inclusivity and integration were not a prime focus of earlier governments. In a similar vein, North Bengal, especially the Darjeeling hills and the Terai and Dooars areas,
I was going through these two receipts from Reliance Smart and could not stop thinking and writing about the plight of our Darjeeling’s tea garden workers and their ongoing demand for 20% Puja bonus.
This article shares a disheartening incident involving a 36-year-old woman from Darjeeling, who was molested. She courageously shared her traumatic experience, in the hopes of inspiring other women, who may be suffering in silence, and encourage them to stand up for themselves. Her goal is that more victims will find the strength to voice their sufferings, rather than suppress it, in order to raise awareness about molestation and protect others, especially children, from such vicious acts.
As per Greek mythology, when Prometheus stole fire from Heaven and brought it to the mortal world, Zesus, the King of Gods angered by this act, decided, in vengeance, to create Pandora, the first mortal female, and presented her as a wife to Epimetheus, who was the brother of Prometheus. The Gods presented her with a box and instructed her never to open it but unable to contain her curiosity, she opened up the forbidden box, unleashing sickness, death and many other evil effects, which the box contained. The Greeks believe that her stupidity is the root cause of all worldly evils. This is the story of the Pandora’s box.
Imagine the traumatic experiences every Indian woman can recount from childhood to adulthood: unwanted glances, unwanted touches, and unsolicited advice on how they should conduct themselves to stay “safe” forever etched in their core memory.
The Balwabas bridge shows the power of collectivism. The power of a dedicated group of individuals bringing change, making things possible. This bridge marks the renissance among the Gorkhas, it showcases that when we unite, we don’t need to look towards others to uplift our community, we are capable. This bridge marks a new beginning for our region.
How often have we heard the term Kanchi Ama ko Chora being used in reference to the treatment that the Hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong gets from the State and Center Governments. Kanchi Ama ko Chora is a term which in English means “Step motherly treatment”.