Gorkha

Darjeeling Hill Transport Composite Complex

Articles November 2, 2025

Gorkha Hill Transport Composite Complex – A betrayal

During the tenure of Subhash Ghisingh and under the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), a vision was laid out to create a Gorkha Hill Transport Composite Complex in Darjeeling More, Siliguri – a project inspired by the Sikkim Nationalised Transport Composite Complex.

The plan was to build a unified transport hub that would serve as a lifeline for the hill population, designed to benefit both local passengers and hill taxi drivers across Darjeeling.

That vision has been betrayed today

Mahakal Mandir

Articles October 31, 2025

Mahakal, The Mandir I Knew

For me, being Hindu was never about rigid codes or centralized doctrines. Dara Mandir became a shared identity, a Darjeelingey or “Gorkha” way of being that embraced diversity and coexistence. I’ve met practicing Christians in Chowrasta who hold Dara Mandir in reverence, not out of religious obligation but out of respect for its place in our collective memory.

Special Intensive Review (SIR)

Elections, News October 30, 2025

Special Intensive Revision – A basic intro

The Special Intensive Revision is a comprehensive overhaul of the electoral roll, where voter verification is done from scratch. This is different from the regular annual summary revision that accounts for new voters, deaths, and migration. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered this for Bihar, and now it will be implemented in 12 states and UTs, including West Bengal.

Since 1951 to 2004, it has been done 8-times. The last SIR was done in 2002-2004.

The hills deserve better

Articles October 30, 2025

The hills deserve better

The people of the hills are yearning for genuine change, and the only weapon they possess is their vote. It is therefore imperative that we do not fall prey to the propaganda machinery that thrives on rhetoric and raw emotions. We must decide wisely, lest we spend another five years trapped in regret, lamenting unfulfilled promises and watching our backyards crumble further.

Culture of Peace Research Support

Articles, Dr. Binu Sundas August 27, 2025

Culture of Peace Research Support: How important is this for us and our narrative?

The advertisement for the research grant for the Culture of Peace research programme by Zubaan in collaboration with Heinrich Boll Stiftung becomes significant to us. It is open to applicants from the eight Northeastern states, along with those from Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong. The advertisement further states that our region has been included as a contiguous region. Though the institutions do not have any political reasons for our region’s inclusion but for us it is politically a very significant development. It indicates that certain organisations, have started to understand that our region’s inclusion is of paramount importance to establish the continuity of the northeast region.

Crispin Chettri

Dr. Binu Sundas July 26, 2025

Crispin Chettri – The Pride of the Nation

Crispin’s achievement and contribution to the nation should be documented in the annals of Gorkha history. This beleaguered community has been fighting to establish its identity in India for a long time. Crispin’s achievement is historical not only for the nation but also for the Gorkha community. The Gorkha community of the country has to be thankful to Crispin for bringing the community into the imagination of the nation.

Parakampan

Articles March 27, 2025

PARAKAMPAN – Aftershocks

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.