#Sikkim News

[ssuofficial]

Sikkim Skill University has been awarded in the International Business Summit and Awards - Dubai in the category of Best Emerging University in India for Skill Development, Business Management, Technology and Law Courses.

The prestigious award was presented by Guest of Honor HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Ahmed Bin Hamdan Bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, Shri K.C. Tyagi- Secretary General of Janta Dal(U), Shri Rajeev Shukla Former Union Minister (Govt. of India), Vivek Oberoi and Bhagyashree- Bollywood Actors in the International Business Summit and Awards Ceremony held at Dubai on 17th Sept 2022.

To receive the award Dr. Shruti Priya, Chancellor, Sikkim Skill University, Prof. Ajay Kumar Mishra, Vice-Chancellor and Dr. Kamal Goyal* Chairman of Sikkim Skill University represented the University.

While receiving the award Dr. Shruti Priya thanked the Sikkim Skill University and exulted that it has been presented by honoured delegates.

[head-post]

At least 40 people dead after glacial lake flooding in Himalayas

A glacial lake outburst and flash floods in the Himalayas have left at least 40 people dead, Reuters says. Rescuers are still searching for the missing.

The disaster occurred on Wednesday when a cloudburst triggered heavy rains and an avalanche, causing flooding on the Teesta river and the outflow of Lhonak Lake in the mountainous northeastern state of Sikkim.

It is one of the worst disasters in the region in 50 years and the latest in a string of extreme weather events that have caused widespread devastation in the South Asian Himalayas in recent years. Scientists believe climate change is the cause of the disaster.

Read more HERE

[petnews2day]

Dog attacks: Instead of whipping up fear, we need to concentrate on solutions. There is only one effective way to reduce street dog population

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/lkXHf

Dog attacks: Instead of whipping up fear, we need to concentrate on solutions. There is only one effective way to reduce street dog population

News Opinion Columns Dog attacks: Instead of whipping up fear, we need to concentrate on solutions. There is only one effective way to reduce street dog population Mass elimination of street dogs does not work. We should learn from places like Jaipur that have implemented the Animal Birth Control programme effectively. The ABC programme wherein […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/lkXHf #DogNews #DogAttacks, #ABCProgramme, #AnimalBirthControlProgramme, #BasicBehavioralLessons, #CreatingAKinderAndGentlerWorldForAll, #DogSterilisation, #DogVaccination, #EffectivePublicityPush, #EliminationOfRabies, #Goa, #Jaipur, #MassDestructionOfStreetDogs, #PublicSupportAndParticipation, #RegularFeedingOfDogs, #Sikkim, #StreetDogPopulation

[collegetour2]

Sikkim Manipal University MBA Fees

A candidate should always cross-check the fee structure of the university. Here it is about the Sikkim Manipal University MBA Fees. The courses and programs provided by the university are known to be the best and the most accepted specializations. The fee structure at the university is minimal and budget-friendly for everyone.

[travelaashiq06]

Sikkim Adventures: 5 Places to Add to Your Itinerary

Sikkim is the brother state of the seven sisters. It is situated in Northeast India. It is a paradise land that has magnetic views of the great Himalayas. If you have not visited or not thought of visiting this state then you are truly missing something really beautiful.

Sikkim is like a pocket of wonders with bewitching meadows, snow-capped and sky-piercing Himalayas, and the mesmeric charm of its vibrant culture. You can visit this paradise either by air or by train, or in your vehicle by hitting the road.

A quote says that “Wonders do come in small packages.” Sikkim is one such place that perfectly suits the quote. This state is a perfect picturesque state in India. Tucked away in the majestic and enchanting Himalayas.

After Goa, Sikkim is the second smallest state in India. Though it is the second smallest state in India, its prismatic beauty and mesmeric charm will make you wonder about this place.

The entrance to India’s North-Eastern Corridor lies in Sikkim. It is not only a place of beauty but also offers an engrossing list of things to do and places to visit.

Sikkim’s improved connectivity with the rest of the country even being landlocked with other sister states in the Northeast has made many tourists attracted to this place every year. This place is excellent and the people of Sikkim are nicer.

If you visit this state you can get to explore some impressive hospitality from this place. Below mentioned are some places to visit in Sikkim that give you an idea to plan a trip to Sikkim. This article may give you an idea to plan a beautiful and perfect trip to Sikkim.

Read More - Click Here

[umeacadmy]

Sikkim Manipal University MBA

Here are some important specifics regarding the Sikkim Manipal University MBA. The university is well known for providing some electives and specialties in its MBA programs. The program is offered with a two-year course commitment. The university is well known for being respected throughout India.

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Thursday 16 May 2024

The new ruby-red leaf rosettes and stems of Euphorbia sikkimensis (Sikkim spurge) add to the display of the early herbaceous border. Later in the season there will be terminal clusters of bright yellow flower-heads followed by blue-green seed pods contrasting with vivid lime collars. The sap of this plant can be a skin and eye irritant.

Jill Raggett

[somerabbitholes]

Hi C,

I am visiting Delhi soon. I so want your recommendations on some things please. Any bookstores(i know Fakir Chand), places to shop for jewellery or stationery shops. I would love to know anything particular you'd think is wonderful to check out in Delhi.

Thank you🌻

Hello! That's so exciting, is this your first time?

I'm going to leave the monuments-y stuff out, because I'm sure you've heard that enough and you'll figure that out just fine on your own. Outside of that, here's all I love doing (with map locations):

I don't actually care for Fakir Chand all that much, it's not the best store browsing-wise. I do love The Bookshop, Midland, May Day and Bahrisons (I've linked their oldest store, but they have multiple locations). You should also find stationery in Khan Market or Connaught Place -- I didn't have specific stores I went to, honestly. Please get your jewellery from the Janpath market

Also, a bunch of food places/cafes: Rude Chef for Northeast Indian/Southeast Asian food, Devan's for coffee, the restaurant at New Sikkim House, The Piano Man Jazz Club, Ama, Triveni, Cafe Lota.

If you have the time and if you like ceramics, you should go to the Hauz Rani market in Malviya Nagar which sells ceramic crockery and stuff, and it's fairly cheap. And Dilli Haat for general handicrafts stuff.

While you're there, you can also check what plays are running at all the theatres at Mandi House! They'd all be on Bookmyshow, or on the theatre's social media.

Have the nicest time!

[radical-revolution]

Openness is a door to realization.

(translation errors are mine)

"Unconditional openness - to be free of all opinions is nothing more than the realization of shunyata. To be totally free of prejudice is to have no opinions and be completely free and light in consciousness, in this mind. To set aside any idea we might have about this and that is to be completely prejudiced.

Everything is based on the mind in exactly the same way as all reflections are based on a mirror. The view of Mahamudra and Dzogchen is nothing but removing strong opinions. We won't find a reflection separated from a mirror. You will not find any experience, thought, feeling, sense impression separate from the mind. The mind is the foundation of everything. Without mind there is no experience. Only consciousness, mind, can feel and know.

It is also this mind which can confuse itself and it is called samsara. It is this mind that can allow confusion to disappear and it is called liberation. Confusion and liberation do not occur elsewhere separate from this mind.

Some people say we live in samsara. This is total nonsense. It is this mind that is either samsara or not samsara; that is not the world. Some people say that now we live in the relative world, and the absolute truth is somewhere else that we can recognize later, at another time. It's also complete nonsense, statements from Westerners, because dharma is so new in our culture.

True dharma is not polluted by opinions and wrong ideas. We don't live in that relative world. Relative world is just another word for when this mind is confused. Confused means being wrong what is what. It's not a world that is confused. The five elements - earth, water, heat, air, space - are neither confused nor liberated. They are exactly what they are. It is this mind that is either confused or freed.

Nagarjuna said samsara is nothing but your thinking, it's a way of thinking. When the mind doesn't know itself, it forms false beliefs and wrong assumptions about everything. It's called samsara. This mind is samsara. And it's so wonderful because then it's possible to clean up. If this is the world that is samsara, then we can't really tackle it, we have to clean the whole world. Endless work. So it's nice, it's not like that at all."

~ Erik Pema Kunsang from a couple of lectures he gave during a retreat in France a few years ago.

The image of 16 Karmapa - pointing directly to the photographer's mind - was taken by one of the first Danish practitioners during a visit to Sikkim.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 12.18

Holidays

Answer the Phone Like Buddy the Elf Day

Arabic Language Day (UN)

Australian Christmas (Team Fortress)

Baranth Do (Elder Scrolls)

Day with the Wallet Holder (Mexico)

Earl ‘DMX’ Simmons Day (New York)

Final Fantasy Anniversary Day

Flake Appreciation Day

Founder’s Day (Qatar)

Hug a Soccer Player Day

Incwala Day (Eswatini, f.k.a. Swaziland)

Insurance Employee Day (Kyrgyzstan)

International Migrants Day (UN)

Kissan Day (Pakistan)

López Jaena Day (Iloilo, Philippines)

Military Counterintelligence Day (Ukraine)

Minifig Day

National Crime Junkie Day

National Deborah Day

National HODL Day (Bitcoin)

National Jeremy Day

National Scrooge Week begins (according to Mr. Ed)

National Twin Day

Nutcracker Day

Nyempa Guzom (Sikkim, India)

Pink Panther Day

Play Bingo Day

Police Day (Moldova)

Republic Day (Niger)

Sunday Newspaper Day

Truffle Day (French Republic)

Tulya’s E’en (Beginning of Yule Season; Orkney Island)

University Unity Day (Iran)

Voice From Space Day

Wear a Plunger On Your Head Day

World Minorities Rights Day (India)

Yuletide Lad #7 arrives (Hurdaskellir or Door-Slammer; Iceland)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bake Cookies Day

Let's See What We Find in the Fridge Day

National Ham Salad Day

National “I Love Honey” Day

National Muffin Day (Brazil)

National Roast Suckling Pig Day

National Stilton Day (UK)

Independence & Related Days

Egypt (Declared British Protectorate; 1914)

New Jersey Statehood Day (#3; 1787)

Qatar (1878)

3rd Wednesday in December

Hump Day [Every Wednesday]

National Early Signing Day (NCAA Football) [3rd Wednesday]

Wacky Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Wandering Wednesday [3rd Wednesday of Each Month]

Website Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Wiener Wednesday [3rd Wednesday of Each Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning December 18 (3rd Full Week of December)

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Week (thru 1.1.2025)

Winter Festival (Birth of the God Diev & Rebirth of the Sun; Latvia) [thru 12.20]

Festivals Beginning December 18, 2024

London International Horse Show (London, United Kingdom) [thru 12.22]

Night of the Proms (Erfurt, Germany)

Winter Festival (Birth of the God Diev & Rebirth of the Sun; Latvia) [thru 12.20]

Feast Days

Alfred Bester (Writerism)

Edward Willis Redfield (Artology)

Epona (Celtic Book of Days)

Eponalia (Feast of Epona; Roman goddess of fertility)

Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Christian)

Fantastic Finkleman (Muppetism)

Feast of Our Lady of Expectation

Feast of Our Lady of Solitude (Mexico)

Flannán (Christian; Saint)

Gatianus (a.k.a. Gatian) of Tours (Christian; Saint)

Jonathan Yeo (Artology)

Michael Moorcock (Writerism)

Mimmo Paladino (Artology)

O Adonai (2nd O Antiphon or Great Advent Antiphon; Christian) [2 of 7]

Paul Klee (Artology)

Priestley (Positivist; Saint)

Rufus and Zozimus (Christian; Martyrs)

Running of the Roboderos (Church of the SubGenius)

Saki (Writerism)

Saturnalia Day 2: Saturn’s Release (Pagan)

Sebastian (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Unusual Music Instruments Day (Pastafarian)

Urdhyauli Parwa (Festival of the Animals; Nepal)

Willem van de Velde II (Artology)

Winibald (a.k.a. Winebald; Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Tycho Brahe Unlucky Day (Scandinavia) [37 of 37]

Premieres

Anchorrman 2: The Legend Continues (Film; 2013)

Another Round (Film; 2020)

Avatar (Film; 2009)

Baby Buggy Bunny (WB MM Cartoon; 1954)

The Ballad of the Green Berets, recorded by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler (Song; 1965)

*batteries not included (Film; 1987)

Bellboy Donald (Disney Cartoon; 1942)

The Big Blast or A Many Splintered Thing (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 81; 1960)

Boris Lends a Hand or Count Your Fingers (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 188; 1962)

Boris on a Broomstick or The Flying Sorceror (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 187; 1962)

Born to Boogie (Music Documentary Film; 1972)

Brazil (Film; 1985)

The Bridge on the River Kwai (Film; 1957)

Broadcast News (Film; 1987)

Caspar’s First Christmas (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Special; 1979)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Film; 1968)

Cholly Polly (Phantasies Cartoon; 1942)

Cinderella Liberty (Film; 1973)

The Color Purple (Film; 1985)

Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe (Play; 1592)

Dragons of Ashida (Animated TV Show; Jonny Quest #14; 1964)

A Flintstone Family Christmas (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Special; 1993)

Her (Film; 2013)

Isle of Caprice (Ant and the Aardvark Cartoon; 1969)

The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun (Film; 2015)

Last Train to Christmas (UK Film; 2021)

The Lion Sleeps Tonight, by The Tokens (Song; 1961)

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (TV Series; 2020)

McCartney III, by Paul McCartney (Album; 2020)

Moonstruck (Film; 1987)

Mother Goose in Swingtime (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1939)

The Nutcracker, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Ballet; 1892)

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (US Film; 1969) [James Bond #6]

Out of Africa (Film; 1985)

Overboard (Film; 1987)

The Painter and The Pointer (Andy Panda Cartoon; 1944)

Parking Space (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1933)

The Pink Phink (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1964)

The Prince of Egypt (Animated Film; 1998)

Riff Raffville, Parts 1 & 2 (Underdog Cartoon, S2, Eps. 45 & 46; 1965)

Twistin’ the Night Away, by Sam Cooke (Song; 1961)

The Two Towers (Film; 2002) [The Lord of the Rings #2]

September in the Rain (WB MM Cartoon; 1937)

Sisters (Film; 2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Film; 2015) [Star Wars #7]

The Steal Hour or A Snitch in Time (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 82; 1960)

Touché, Pussy Cat! (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1954)

The Yearling (Film; 1946)

You’ve Got Mail (Film; 1998)

Today’s Name Days

Philipp, Wunibald (Austria)

Bosiljko, Dražen, Gracijan, Malahija (Croatia)

Miloslav (Czech Republic)

Lovise (Denmark)

Neeme, Neemo (Estonia)

Aapo, Aappo, Rami (Finland)

Briac, Gatien (France)

Esperanza, Gratian, Luise (Germany)

Floros, Sebastianos (Greece)

Auguszta (Hungary)

Graziano (Italy)

Jordisa, Klinta, Kristaps, Sarmis (Latvia)

Eivilė, Girdvilas, Gracijus (Lithuania)

Kate, Kristoffer (Norway)

Bogusław, Gracjan, Gracjana, Laurencja, Wilibald, Wszemir (Poland)

Daniil (Romania)

Sláva (Slovakia)

Esperanza (Spain)

Abraham (Sweden)

Griffin, Griffith, Ruff, Rufina, Rufus, Russ, Russell, Rusti, Rusty, Ty, Tyrus (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 353 of 2024; 13 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of Week 51 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ngetal (Reed) [Day 25 of 28]

Chinese: Month 11 (Bing-Zi), Day 18 (Bing-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 17 Kislev 5785

Islamic: 16 Jumada II 1446

J Cal: 23 Black; Twosday [23 of 30]

Julian: 5 December 2024

Moon: 86%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 17 Bichat (13th Month) [Cavendish]

Runic Half Month: Jara (Year) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 87 of 90)

Week: 3rd Full Week of December

Zodiac: Sagittarius (Day 27 of 30)

[brookston]

Holidays 12.30

Holidays

Cleaning Day (Haiti)

Falling Needles Family Fest Day

Feast of the Holy Family

Festival of Enormous Changes at the Last Minute

Flail Day French Republic)

Freedom Day (Scientology)

Incwala Day (Eswatini, f.k.a. Swaziland)

International Day of Indian Cinema

Kodachrome Day

Let's Make A Deal Day

Lhosar (Gurung People, Nepal)

National Cheryl Day

National Resolution Planning Day

New Year’s Eve Eve

Rizal Day (Philippines)

Smart Highway Day

Take a Walk Show

Tamu Lochar (Sikkim, India)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bacon Day [also 8.31]

Baking Soda Day

Coffee Day (Hawaii)

Drink With a Straw Day

International Day of the Donut

Kona Coffee Day

National Bicarbonate of Soda Day

5th & Last Saturday in December

Evergreen Tree Day [Last Saturday]

Last Saturday of the Year [Last Saturday]

Independence Days

Day of the Declaration of Slovakia as an Independent Ecclesiastic Province

Midget Nation-in-Exile (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

Northern Federation of Occidental Republics (Declared; 2012) [unrecognized]

USSR (Established, 1922)

Xenlandia (Declared; 2021) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Abraham the Writer (Christian; Saint)

Anysia of Salonika (Christian; Saint)

Boxing the Jesuit Day (Church of the SubGenius)

The Clam (Muppetism)

Ecgwine of Worcester (Christian; Saint)

Egwin of Evesham (Christian; Saint)

Felix I, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Frances Joseph-Gaudet (Episcopal Church)

Gall (Positivist; Saint)

Get Drunk Early for Hogmanay Day (Pastafarian)

Kwanzaa, Day 5: Nia (Purpose)

Liberius of Ravenna (Christian; Saint)

Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée (Artology)

Maximus (Christian; Saint)

Obatala’s Day (Pagan)

Ralph of Vaucelles (Christian; Saint)

Roger (a.k.a. Ruggero) of Cannae (Christian; Saint)

Sabinus, Bishop of Assisi, and his companions (Christian; Martyrs)

Sixth Day of Christmas (a.k.a. Bringing in the Boar)

Twelve Holy Days #5 (Leo, the heart; Esoteric Christianity)

Twelvetide, Day #6 (a.k.a. the Twelve Days of Christmas or Christmastide) [until 1.5]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Premieres

Alice, Darling (Film; 2022)

Aqua Teen Hunger Force (TV Cartoon Series; 2000)

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (Film; 1925)

Born to Die, by Lana Del Rey (Song; 2011)

The Curious Puppy (WB MM Cartoon; 1939)

Dallas (Film; 1950)

The Gallopin’ Gaucho (Disney Cartoon; 1928)

Kiss Me, Kate (Broadway Musical; 1948)

Let’s Make a Deal (TV game Show; 1963)

A Man Called Otto (Film; 2022)

The Merry Widow, by Franz Lehár (Operetta; 1905)

My Way, recorded by Frank Sinatra (Song; 1968)

Nelly’s Folly (WB MM Cartoon; 1961)

No Man of Her Own (Film; 1932)

Rob Roy, by Walter Scott (Novel; 1817)

The Roy Rogers Show (TV Series; 1951)

Some Came Running, by James Jones (Novel; 1957)

Sounder, by William H. Armstrong (Novel; 1969)

Tainted Dreams (TV Soap Opera; 2013)

Tangled Up In Blue, recorded by Bob Dylan (Song; 1974)

Tin Yop (Pixar Cartoon; 1988)

Two’s a Crowd (WB MM Cartoon; 1950)

Why Him? (Film; 2016)

Today’s Name Days

Felix, Lothar (Austria)

Feliks, Rajner, Srećko (Croatia)

David (Czech Republic)

David (Denmark)

Taave, Taavet, Taavi, Taavo, Tavo (Estonia)

Daavid, Taavetti, Taavi (Finland)

Roger (France)

Herma, Hermine, Minna (Germany)

Anisios, Filetairos, Gideon, Josef (Greece)

Dávid (Hungary)

Eugenio (Italy)

Dāvids, Dāvis (Latvia)

Dovydas, Gedrimė, Gražvilas, Irmina, Sabinas (Lithuania)

David, Diana, Dina (Norway)

Dawid, Dawida, Dionizy, Eugeniusz, Irmina, Katarzyna, Łazarz, Rainer, Sabin, Sewer, Uniedrog (Poland)

Anisia (Romania)

Dávid (Slovakia)

Judit, Judith, Raúl (Spain)

Abel, Set (Sweden)

Ainsley, Kelsa, Kelsey, Kelsi, Kelsie, Mason (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 364 of 2024; 1 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 6 of week 52 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Beth (Birch) [Day 5 of 28]

Chinese: Month 12 (Jia-Zi), Day 18 (Ren-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 18 Teveth 5784

Islamic: 17 Jumada II 1445

J Cal: 4 Fest; Foursday [4 of 5]

Julian: 17 December 2023

Moon: 87%: Warning Gibbous

Positivist: 28 Bichat (13th Month) [Gall]

Runic Half Month: Eihwaz or Eoh (Yew Tree) [Day 5 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 10 of 89)

Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 9 of 31)

[distancecollege9]

Unlock the doors to a brighter future with Sikkim Manipal Online Education – your trusted partner in online learning excellence. Our dynamic courses are crafted to empower individuals like you, offering unparalleled flexibility and quality education.

Choose Sikkim Manipal Online Education for a transformative journey where learning meets convenience. Our user-friendly online platform allows you to access world-class education from the comfort of your home, eliminating geographical constraints and fitting seamlessly into your busy lifestyle.

Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our diverse range of programs, carefully curated to cater to the evolving demands of today's industries. Join a community of ambitious learners and engage with experienced faculty members dedicated to nurturing your intellectual growth.

At Sikkim Manipal Online Education, we believe in learning that goes beyond textbooks. Our courses emphasize practical skills, ensuring that you are equipped for the challenges of the professional world. Be part of an innovative learning ecosystem that encourages collaboration and critical thinking.

Elevate your career prospects, enhance your skill set, and embrace new opportunities with confidence. Sikkim Manipal Online Education is not just an educational institution; it's a gateway to a world of possibilities. Enroll today and take the first step toward a brighter and more fulfilling tomorrow!

[manousjournal]

Travel Sketches (Nov 2023 - March 2024)

Nov 2023.

Bishnumaya just turned 100 this October. She comes from Pokhari, about 15 kilometers from Mirik town. As we spoke, she recalled old memories, her expressions shifting as if reliving those moments. She seemed elsewhere, gazing past me into the distance, and then, as if continuing a conversation with herself, she said, “Nowadays people ask about caste when they meet someone, and how is that of any use?”

She described how, when she was small, there were no proper schools in her village. She learned to read and write, however little, by arranging corn kernels on the ground to form shapes that resembled letters and numbers. Reflecting on her long life, she added that everyone around her—friends her age and younger siblings—is dead, and she feels like a monster who swallowed them all.

The sun is out, but it’s only warm where the light falls. The history of Mirik is reflected in its lake, which used to be a marshland. According to Wikipedia, the name Mirik comes from the Lepcha words Mir-Yok, meaning "place burnt by fire." It's very green now for a place that was once burnt.

A town fair is underway, offering a range of attractions: a Ferris wheel, flower park visits, fast food stalls, ice cream carts, horse and boat rides, live pop music, card game betting, balloon shooting, local bingo-type card games, and hoopla with prizes up for grabs. Some prizes are cash with notes of 20, 50, and 100 rupees.

——

For the past ten years, I haven't had a permanent home. When I wanted to sidestep the weight of planning and longed for comfort and familiarity, I returned to places I liked a little more than others: Auroville, Dharamshala, Shillong, Aizawl, Nagaland. 

I like meeting new people and have formed what feels like extended families in some of these places. Since I have mostly felt free to move around, sometimes nostalgia of people or a time or a curiosity to see how things may have changed would draw me back to a place.

Earlier in August, while I was temporarily living in Auroville, I got a call about a six-month project called The Great Himalayan Exploration, a collaboration between UNESCO and Royal Enfield. The project aims to document the intangible cultural heritage of local communities in the Himalayan region of Northeast India.

My work on this trip specifically involved photographing the people behind various cultural practices and examining the ecosystems they exist in. To build context, I engaged in various methods, such as scanning old photos from people’s personal albums, taking photos of their living spaces, landscapes, and exploring archival resources. From November to April, we were in West Bengal, Sikkim, Tripura, Mizoram, Assam, Nagaland, and Meghalaya.

------

On our way back to Siliguri from Mirik, we made a lengthy stop near a tea estate. Lalita, from Tingling village, shared that she had spent two decades working on the estate, much like many other women from the village. Their collective hope was to earn a minimum of 500 rupees per day for their labor. Currently, they are receiving 250 rupees per day for an eight-hour shift.

------

Sanchamaya, 74, sits with her friend Bodhimaya in the front yard of her house in Darap, both lifelong farmers of the area and belonging to the Limbu community. They're nice and welcoming. It's our second day in Pelling, West Sikkim, and I've ended up at the wrong house. Today, we're supposed to see a drum dance(chyabrung) performance by local Limbu boys, which I'll catch later.

They talk in basic broken Hindi, with Shusan translating most of it. Sanchamaya leads me to the back of their house, where she proudly shows me trays of dried large cardamoms. Later, we'll visit her cardamom field. They also cultivate Mosambi, oranges, guavas, maize, peas, ginger, and onions. Sanchamaya spends her days with her friend, grandchildren, working in the fields, and cooking in the kitchen.

------

I visited Chuba village, 3 hours away from Gangtok, with Semeon from Haflong, Assam, a textile design graduate from NID and working at Sonam’s design studio called EchoStream based in Gangtok. Semeon was familiar with the village and the community I was there to meet. Arun Gurung and his wife, founders of Chubako, are endeavoring to revive an old tradition of sourcing wool from indigenous banpala sheep to make clothes. They operate a small cooperative called Chubako. In this village of 43 families, one person from each household now works for Chubako. (photo above: Arun Gurung, founder of Chubako)

(photo below: Designed by Sanskruti Shukla, co-created with the craft community of Chubako for Echostream, Gangtok)

Local stories of the craftspeople of Chuba are showcased and incorporated into wool through interactive workshops focused on storytelling and design development. The felted art rugs depict the flora and fauna of Sikkim.

Gangamaya Gurung, 83, Arun Gurung's mother, lit up like a child when she saw Semeon. They shared a bond akin to best friends. Despite her age, Gangamaya remains active, tending to sheep, cutting grass, farming, and weaving. When asked about her leisure activties, she said, "eat, watch TV - eat, watch TV."

Sampati Debbarma, a farmer, returning from work in Takarjala, Tripura.

--------

Jan, 2024.

We have been out on this trip for 3 months. My thoughts scattered in a kind of bardo between the world I know and the world I am coming into contact with. I picture house fronts with flowers in Darjeeling, roads winding, the long cold rivers snaking toward mountains that seem no bigger than my thumb, the snow capped peaks shifting colours, the prayer flags in high altitudes and on house doors. Gangtok’s Lal Bazaar skateboarders flash by, a school in Tripura where a student lives on 700rs a month, nini bung tamo and 4 other sentences I learned in Kokborok nag me like a tune. Sidangcherra to Pecharthal to Panisagar to Damchara checkpoint we make our way from Tripura into Mizoram by road. I think about where I will be later in the summer and see a white fluffed cloud taking the shape of a growing tree far on the horizon.

——

Krismas Ruaitheh(Christmas feast) at Khatla Presbyterian Church, Aizawl. This is my 3rd time in Aizawl. I used to go for dinners, sometime evening tea to my friend’s family house further up the road from the Khatla church. We are here to document the traditional community feast of the Mizos.

Priscilla is currently pursuing her BA in Political Science in Delhi, and she's home for the holidays. She was volunteering at Khatla Presbyterian Church where she and her friends were tasked with serving lemonade, a customary drink after the meal. For Priscilla, the most remarkable aspect of the feast is its longstanding tradition — dating back to pre-Christian times — where the entire community comes together to share its moments of joy and sorrow + they still use Changel Hnah (plantain leaves) — the traditional way to serve meals.

-----

On an idle walk one evening in Khatla, I find myself in a local thrift store and get invited to meet James Lalhmingliana. He is 80, one of the founding members of Aizawl's first bike club, Aizawl Thunders. He went to school at Sts. Edmund’s in Shillong.

In 1966, he joined the Mizo National Front uprising, fighting for freedom. He went underground for seven years, first in Arakan, Burma, then in 1969 to East Pakistan for shelter. "It was useless," he says. "We wasted our good years. When I came back, I was put in jail, but not for long."

He has been housebound for years due to his health.

———

At 8 am on a cold January morning, we arrive at Joonbeel Mela. (Joon and beel are Assamese terms for moon and wetland. The Tiwa community first organized this in the 15th century to exchange goods between indigenous tribal communities in Assam and the surrounding areas.)

It is known as the only fair in India where people still practice barter, exchanging goods like fish, sweet potatoes, yam, homegrown vegetables, turmeric, chili, kali miri, and rongalau.

Over a few hours, I have brief interactions with people from Jagiroad, Pamlatar, Deosal, Sira, Changsari, Potia Pathar, Bengenabari, Palahguri, ulukunchi, morigaon, Nagaon, Saru Amli, Belguri, Damal, and places as far as Langpih, mawlynnong in Meghalaya.  No one refuses a photo.

—

This is my fifth time in Nagaland. I first came here ten years ago and stayed at Kevesho's home. He is the father of the Tetseo Sisters, a well-known folk group of four sisters from Nagaland.

Kevesho Tetseo, son of Nülhüprü Tetseo was born in 1950s in Thüvopisümi village, Phek District, Nagaland. Initially schooled in the village, he finished his HSLC at Government High School in Kohima and graduated from Kohima College in Arts. He worked in the Education Dept. for sometime and now retired. Active in cultural music, Chokri language preservation, and in church choir since his youth.

(Tati - - a single string musical instrument which is used as an accompaniment with singing of li- indigenous songs by the Chakhesang Nagas.) 

Kevesho learned how to make Tati from observing elders in his village when he was young and has done Tati making work since 1990s and a good number of it has been produced till date by him including improvising it for longer life by using steel wires as strings.

He tells me, the woven shawl he is wearing in the picture is "thipiqhü". It is the most prestigious shawl (indigenous cloth) among many traditional clothes of the Chakhesang tribe. It is a shawl they wear with humility and honour.

“Nagaland is my home and I love my culture, its rich traditional heritage, and the natural beauty.”

-----

Daisy Yaden was born in Zotlang, Mizoram. She studied at the Welsh Mission School in Mission Veng, Aizawl. She will turn 98 this June. She learned to weave shawls on a backstrap loom, stitching, and baking from her mother, often baking cakes in the fireplace. She taught in the interiors of Nagaland, in places like Noklak and Changtongya. She started her career by teaching people self-sufficiency—how to cook, make jams and pickles—skills she picked up from a British magazine called Woman’s Own. She used to compose little tunes for children at Sunday school. She loves flower gardening and her favourite film is "Gone with the Wind."

Photographed at her house in Duncan, Dimapur.

I am sitting with Marian, Daisy's daughter, at her house in Duncan. Marian, now 75, lived in Bombay from 1970 to 2012. She went to college there and worked as an air hostess with Air India for 34 years. In 2012, she returned to Nagaland. We agreed to meet again for lunch and look at her old photo albums.

(below: Marian,16, in Kohima trying a sari for the first time / in Santa Cruz, Bombay in the 80s with James Ferreira and friends)

——-

Khinchi is Christian, and Sindri is Songsarek, belonging to one of the last animism practising communities. I learned a few words in Achik: Khading bo, Methela, Namja, and Manja. Here I am in the extended kitchen space at Sindri's hut, in Sadolpara, Dadenggre, where they are taking a break from cooking lunch. 

-----

First published in Hindustan Times June '24

[collegetour2]

Sikkim Manipal University MBA Fees

In recent times it is difficult to get an affordable professional degree course. We got you covered with the Sikkim Manipal University MBA Fees. The University is a well-established university is known to provide the best specializations and electives for the candidates to choose from. That too in the most convenient modes of education.