We know Sir, you must have multiple agenda and issues to deal with nationally, so I felt I will help you with avoiding some issues, while you relax with your family here, and perhaps meet with politicians who have won the recent elections and ink a few deals on “Political Solution” (fact that Mamata Banerjee hasn’t said a word against your presence here is a dead give-away).
Baje always carried a radio set with him; a radio set he was very proud to own because it was given to him personally by Durga Malla. He often reiterated that Durga Malla received that radio as a gift from Netaji Subash Chandra Bose. While giving the radio to Baje, Malla had said; “One day ‘good news’ for the Gorkhas will come from this radio”. Therefore, Baje has been keeping the radio secure, and patiently waiting for the‘good news’ to finally come.
The hills were gripped by election fever in 2019 when the General Election was held, as a small window of hope was seen in the re-election of the Modi-led NDA. Modi, of course, had famously declared, “Gorkha ko sapana mero sapana”, The dream of the Gorkhas is my dream too!
They Say “Blood is thicker than Water” and A friend in need is a friend indeed and Sikkim has proven the old adage true once again. Sikkim stands with us not just as our neighbour and friend but also our extended family of Blood and Bones.
Elections to Darjeeling Municipality have never been so consequential. Will it pave way for new regionalism or sabotage the Gorkhaland statehood demand forever?
Back in 2017, when the agitation of Gorkhaland was going strong. People were killed, jailed, the internet was banned but the hope then was strong. At least for me- I had an entrance exam at Shillong. A good escape from the reality of being inept to the land, which I loved the most.
For many TheDC might just be a page and a website posting news. But if you look deeper enough, it is a voice – yours, mine and everyone else’s. It represents independence, freedom and truth even when there have been uncountable attempts to shut it down and destroy it. It represents hope to endure, with nothing in hand but a pen, passion, an idea and the truth.
Much has been said and written about the so-called ‘Permanent Political Solution’ from many quarters. There are online discussions, zoom meetings, and political rallies galore, on ‘Permanent Political Solution’ (PPS). Some seem to believe it will be the panacea to all the issues confronting our region and people, while others believe it will be just another ‘Hawa-Mithai’.
I came to Darjeeling for my college 10 years back and one of my dear friends who was staying in Darjeeling for many years gives me a tip on the first day that was “you cannot predict and trust the weather in Darjeeling it is unpredictable ” anytime it can be rainy, sunny, cold, windy and so on”. It was very hard for me to understand until I went to Lebong to watch the Gold cup match on a very sunny day and ended up seeing fog most of the time, and the players and football only occasionally.
Darjeeling is a land blessed with music, “Educators” continue with the glorious musical traditions of our land. Different from the recent deluge of “Folk-Pop” that has dominated the Nepal music scenario, we are happy to introduce the “Educators”, a band that is rooted in rock. “Educators” are a Nepali rock band formed in 2018. All the band members are teachers at Turnbull Higher Secondary School, Darjeeling. The band is influenced by rock and the new wave of Nepali heavy metal and soft rock music. They like to experiment with music by blending mainstream traditional concepts with rock/soft rock genres.