Sikkim Teachers promote buddhist culture through songs in Bhutan

Bhutan stamp on Sikkim CD
July 25: A music album by two teachers in Sikkim to promote Yuksom and Tashiding has paid rich dividends with the Bhutan government releasing two postal stamps recognising the duo’s efforts to showcase Buddhist culture and heritage.

The songs in the video album, made to promote Yuksom and Tashiding as pilgrimage centres, were recorded in Bhutan capital Thimpu.
While one stamp features the cover of the album, the other shows the coronation site of the first monarch of Sikkim at Norbugang in Yuksom. The two stamps were released by the Bhutan Postal Corporation Ltd in the second week of June. Nima Lhamu Bhutia and Phurba Tshering Bhutia, the two behind the CD, Yuksam Drayang (Melody from Yuksom), could not initially believe that their creation had won recognition in Bhutan.

“Then, we received a letter on July 20 posted by a friend in Thimpu containing the two stamps. We were told that the stamps had been released in the second week of June,” Phurba Tshering told journalists here today.
The 28-year-old Phurba Tshering is an assistant professor of political science at Namchi Government College, while Nima Lhamu, 32, is a teacher at Yuksom Secondary School in West Sikkim.

The stamps are available in Bhutan currency Ngultrum (Nu) 15, Nu 10 and Nu 5 each.The first stamp contains the cover of the CD which shows Phurba Tshering and Nima Lhamu between an image of the Eight Lucky Signs of Buddhism.

Yuksam Drayang has five songs in Bhutia language on the historical and cultural legacy of Yuksom and Tashiding. The album has also a six-minute narration on the two places with English subtitles.

Pic:The envelope with the two stamps sent to Nima. 

The second stamp shows Yuksom, the coronation site of the first monarch of Sikkim. The place is the first capital of ancient Sikkim and is known as “throne of Norbugang” too.

In a certificate from the Bhutan Postal Corporation Ltd faxed to the duo here, the government said the album had been well appreciated by all the Bhutanese people in terms of its contents and quality. .
“Such a product has brought in tremendous effect on cultural unity among the peoples of Bhutan and Sikkim. The CD is distributed to schools, community centres and even foreign tourist as the contents purely portray cultural aspects of Sikkim,” said Tseten Geltsen, the managing director-cum chief executive officer of the postal corporation, in the certificate.

While Nima Lhamu has written the lyrics and produced the album at a cost of Rs 3 lakh, the CD was directed by Phurba Tshering. The album was shot extensively at Yuksom and Tashiding and the CD was released on December 9.
Highlighting the importance of Yuksom in the history of Sikkim, the duo said the place was not only the first capital of Sikkim in the 17th Century but was also a holy place as it had been blessed by Guru Rimpoche in the 8th Century. “We have also focused on Tashiding, a holy place and a centre of Buddhist pilgrimage,” said Phurba Tshering.
He said the album had done well in Bhutan and a lot of people from the country had started coming to Yuksom and Tashiding. “The album has promoted the pilgrimage potential of Yuksom and Tashiding.”

American trekker last rites performed in Sikkim

Gangtok, Nov. 1: A 69-year-old American trekker, who had died from high altitude sickness, was cremated according to Buddhist rituals in the presence of a large number of people at Yuksom on Friday.

The body of John M. Campbell was brought to Yuksom from Tshoka, just below the base camp of the 13,780-feet Dzongri in West Sikkim on October 29, a day after the death.

A 10-member US group had embarked on a trek along the Dzongri route on October 22. Police sources said Campbell had fallen sick along the trek and was returning when his conditions worsened and he died at Phedang — 11,500-feet high and 20km from Yuksom — the nearest human habitat in the remote corner of West Sikkim.

The decision to cremate him at Yuksom was taken with the consent of his 48-year-old daughter, Tamara Campbell, who was also in the team. Yuksom, which is scenic and considered a holy land by Buddhists, is the first capital of erstwhile Sikkim kingdom ruled by the chogyals. Three saints had consecrated Phuntshog Namgyal as the first chogyal or king of Sikkim in 1640 at a place now called Norbugang in Yuksom.

Jamling Norgay, son of Everester Tenzing Norgay and organiser of the trek, was also present at the funeral. He thanked the people of Yuksom, stakeholders of the tourism industry in Sikkim and the monks who helped cremate the trekker’s body.

“I want to thank the monks from Dubdi, the oldest monastery of Sikkim, who performed the last rites and rituals,” said Jamling.

Campbell’s death had been attributed to old age, ill-health and breathing problems in the high altitude areas along the Dzongri trail. Sources said he was prepared for the worst when advised that he stay behind.

A post-mortem had to be carried out on the body at the district hospital at Gyalshing before the cremation since this was a formality, according to the police.

The body was brought to Yuksom from Tshoka on foot by porters. The other trekkers of the US group also returned, the police said.

Yuksom appeal for retrieval of Mumbai Mountaineers bodies from Thingchingkhang

Yuksom,November01: The residents of the Yoksom have started expressing their deep concern over the dead bodies of two Mumbai mounatineers Mangesh Deshpandey and Sadaseven Sekhar which till date remain stranded on Mount Thingching Khang ever since the duo were killed in an avalanche there last week.
Yousom Panchayat secretary Buddhahang Subba while speaking to local media stated that people workship the mountains as gods and argued that dead bodies should hence be removed rom their immediately .In this regards,residents have appealed to the State Government  to expedite the needful and ensure early retrieval of two bodies of the unfortunate mountaineers from Mount Thningching Khang.
Mr.Subba added that the responsibility to do so should not be of State government alone but also of the tour and travel agents who earn from the route and have responsibilities towards Yoksom people.

Yuksom mulls over ‘Zero Waste’

GANGTOK, October 25: The Mountain Institute (TMI)-India jointly with Khangchendzonga Conservation Committee organized a pre-consultation meeting at Yuksom yesterday which was attended by Yuksom secondary school principal along with teachers, block officer (KNP), members of local tours and travel operators.
A press note informs that the meeting included the presentation on the present waste management practice at Yuksom by Kinzong (KCC) followed by a presentation on ‘Zero Waste’ concept by Nima Tashi from TMI-India. This presentation was followed by a group discussion on the key emerging issues like a need for a proper waste segregation centre, proper monitoring, awareness among service providers, and involvement of community, Community Based Organizations, Self Help Groups and other stakeholders.
One of the key outcomes of the meeting was to have an immediate consultation workshop of the stakeholders at Yuksam to decide on a proper long-term strategy for waste management. A tentative date has been fixed on November 13 and the final date, programme schedule will follow after having a discussion with some key stakeholders
An appeal has been made for all kind of support and innovative ideas from all stakeholders in making ‘Yuksom-Dzongri, a Zero Waste destination’.

An international team to climb peaks in West Sikkim

Gangtok,October24: A five member international expedition team led by famous mountaineer Roger Payne has proceeded on a 15 days’ mountaineering trip to West Sikkim.
The other team members are Kenneth Brain (Canada), James Astill and Simon Pike of (US) and Gustavo Ferro-Carrion (Ecuador). The team will be touring and exploring the mountaineering prospects of the alpine peaks above the base camp of Foktey Tar (4200m), it is informed.
The team has proceeded to West Sikkim accompanied by their tour operator, Barap Namgyal Bhutia of Sikkim Holidays. Before proceeding towards West Sikkim, Ferro-Carrion, a medical doctor based in USA said that he has done mountaineering in Himachal Pradesh and that he had been interested for an adventure in Sikkim. “I want to seek the mountains of Sikkim especially Mt. Kanchandzanga and climb at least one peak”, he said.
Mr. Payne is scheduled to make a presentation to Travel Agents Association of Sikkim (TAAS) and other tourism stakeholders on mountain rescue and guide training which should be interesting in view of the recent avalanche mishap at Mt. Thingchinkhang in which two climbers were killed

Sikkim Avalanche: Relatives return home with Survivors

Gangtok,October23: The parents and relatives of the two mountaineers from Maharastra killed in the avalanche on Mount Thinchenkhang in West Sikkim on October 19, and other rescued mountaineers,met with the civil administration and TAAS representatives and other concerned organisations at Yuksam today and left for their homes in evening.
The three rescued mountaineers from the expedition of 5 ,also returned with them to their respective homes.
Sources further informed that although the dead bodies of the two mountaineers have been spotted,inclement weather and unstable snow have rendered evacuation impossible thus far. A special team of the local climbers are camped at the site and wil be extracting the dead bodies in a few days time.The avalanche struck when the duo mountaineers were returning from a successfil summit on Mount Thinchenkhang.

Injured West Sikkim Sherpas stable at Paramount Nursing Home

Gangtok, Oct. 22: The bodies of two mountaineers killed in an avalanche on Mount Thingchinkhang could not be brought down because of bad weather, but two injured Sherpas have been airlifted from Tshoka, located below the base camp, to Bagdogra.

The second of the two victims has been identified as Sekar Sadasivan. The death of team leader, Mangesh Deshpande, had been confirmed yesterday. According to members of the rescue team, Deshpande’s body had been sighted while Sekar’s was yet to be located.

The avalanche had occurred on Sunday after the team of four mountaineers had descended 500 metres from the summit at 19,712 feet. They had been accompanied by five Sherpas and the liaison officer of the Sikkim home department.

Speaking over the phone from Yuksom, 138km from here, in West Sikkim where Mount Thingchinkhang is located, rescue team members said Shantanu Pandit and Parag Pendharkar have been reunited with the fifth mountaineer Anju Paniculam at Tshoka. Anju did not make the ascent as she had fallen ill at the base camp at 14,000 feet.

Deshpande, like Pendharkar, was from Pune. Sekar and Anu are from Mumbai while Pandit lives in Vashi in Navi Mumbai. The Mumbai trio are members of city-based Chakram Trekkers.

“All of them were brought down to Tshoka (about 10,000 ft above sea level on the way to summit) and they are doing well but are still in a state of shock. They will be airlifted either to Gangtok or to Siliguri once the weather improves,” a rescue team member said.

Sources in the West Sikkim district administration said Sherpas Mingma Sherpa and Ang Dorjee Sherpa had been airlifted to Bagdogra this morning to be taken to Paramount ,a Siliguri nursing home. Their condition was stable.Two porters also admitted for treatment.

News of the avalanche and one of the deaths first reached Gangtok on Tuesday after a porter came down to Yuksom. The second death was reported yesterday when another porter descended the peak.

IAF chopper to make second evacuation attempt today

Gangtok, October 21: The death toll in the avalanche incident of Monday afternoon in West Sikkim reached to two with authorities confirming the death of a Mumbai mountaineer and other unidentified climber even as efforts to evacuate the other injured climbers by Indian Air Force proved futile after 72 hours since the mishap occurred.
District Collector (West) S Pradhan told media that the first deceased was identified as Mangesh Despande, the team leader of the four member Mumbai expedition team that had successfully scaled the 6010 m Mt Thingchinkhang peak in West Sikkim on Monday.
The team accompanied by two Sherpas was descending down to their base camp at Thangshing when an avalanche hit them at an altitude of 5400 m on Monday afternoon.
While Despande was blown away by the avalanche, one more member of the team succumbed to his injuries, it is informed. However, details are yet to filter in the site which is very remote and without any communications network and the identity of the second deceased is not yet informed to us, said the District Collector.
Tourism stakeholders here engaged in the rescue and evacuation efforts informed that the body of Despande is visible to the rescue team but could not be recovered due to bad weather conditions.
A rescue team had reached the site yesterday evening and had brought down the surviving members of the expedition team to Thangshing where two choppers from the Indian Air Force were supposed to land and airlift them to Gangtok or Siliguri for medical treatment.
The choppers had flown today morning from the Bagdogra airport in Siliguri but could not land at Thangshing due to bad weather conditions. It is informed that the surviving members including one Sherpa who sustained serious injuries in the incident are being manually brought down to Tsoka where arrangements are made for transferring them to the nearest hospital.
The choppers which returned back to their base will again make an attempt to land at Thangshing tomorrow morning while that the recovery team will try to bring back the bodies from the incident site to the landing site.
As per the information received late in the afternoon, the rescue team have sighted the body of Despande locked in a snow field while the body of the second unidentified person is trapped in a crevasse. It could either be a Mumbai climber or a porter but confirmed details are yet to come to the authorities here and in West Sikkim.
Meanwhile, a two member special team from Sonam Gyasto Mountaineering Institute here, Kunzang Gyatso and Bishnu Tamang reached Yuksom today on a chopper and will be assisting the team engaged in recovering the bodies from the avalanche site.
A team of four mountaineers from Mumbai had scaled Mt. Thingchinkhang on Monday and were hit by an avalanche while returning down to their base camp in the same afternoon.
A porter had rushed down from the base camp to the nearest habitat to inform about the incident and the authorities with active support of Travel Agents Association of Sikkim had scrambled a rescue-relief team and dispatched them to the incident spot yesterday morning.
According to forest officials posted in west side of Khangchendzonga National Park at Yuksom, a team of five mountaineers-Mangesh Despande, Anju Paniculam, Sadasivan Sekar, Shantanu Pandit and Parag Pendharkar- from Mumbai had passed through their check post on October 12 on their way to the peak. They had a permit pass till October 24 and were accompanied by five porters and one liaison officer from the State Home department.
It is informed that Anju Paniculam stayed back at the base camp due to ill health and the other four climbers went ahead with the ascent along with some members of the support team. They successfully scaled Mt. Thingchinkhang and had ascended down some 500 m when an avalanche hit them, killing Despande and injuring others

Two mountaineers feared killed in WestSikkim avalanche

Mumbai, Oct 22 (IANS) Two mountaineers from Maharashtra, who were on a climbing expedition to the Himalayas in Sikkim, were killed when an avalanche hit them Monday, a member of the team said Wednesday.

The five-member team - sent by Chakram Hikers, Mulund - had gone to scale the 6,010-metre Mt. Tinchen Khang in western Sikkim, its vice-president Kiran Deshmukh told IANS here Wednesday evening.

The group included Mangesh Deshpande, 43, and Parag Pendharkar, 46, both of Pune, and Sadasivan Sekhar, 26, of Thane.

Both Deshpande and Sekhar have been killed, Deshmukh said.

There were two Mumbaikars - Anju Panikulam, 38, of Goregaon suburb, and Shantaram Pandit, 46, of Chembur suburb. 'On receipt of the first SOS, we organised search and rescue operations in the region which is presently witnessing very bad weather and lot of snow,' he said.

On Wednesday morning, two army helicopters made unsuccessful sorties to the region where the two victims are believed to have lost their lives.

However, on account of inclement weather conditions in the upper reaches, they could not land.

The Maharashtra team was accompanied by a five-member team of local guides-cum-porters on the expedition which had started more than 10 days ago.

Deshmukh said that the remoteness of the region coupled with bad weather is making even basic communication with the base camp and other agencies in Sikkim impossible.

According to an office-bearer who has rushed to Sikkim from Mumbai, the sole woman member - Anju and two associates could not make it to the peak on account of bad health.

The remaining two, accompanied by the guides, reached the peak and were returning when the avalanche struck.

West Sikkim Man attacked by wild bear

Gyalshing,Sep16: A trip into the forest to fetch grass and firewood turned fatal for 58 years old Kubir Singh Subba and his two other friends from Timpong Village, Upper Rimbi in West Sikkim when Kubir was attacked by a wild bear at about 12:30 pm on September 14.

While the bear attacked Kubir from the back, two other friends ran away. However, after fighting with the bear for about 10 minutes, Kubir finally managed to escape from the animal’s grip but sustained injuries. His two friends came back to the spot and brought him to Gyalshing District Hospital where he is presently undergoing medication.

Suraj Thatal, Wild DFO West expressed his sorrow over the incident. At the same time, the DFO said that if anyone enters the forest without the consent /permission of forest officials then the department will not be responsible for this kind of incident. He further urged the people not to enter the forest on their own. 
According to reports although attack of wild animals in West Sikkim is not unusal but local farmers were concerned of damages done to their agricultural crops by wild animals and causing them to lose only source of income. They also expressed their concern of inaction by officals of concerned department despite many submissions on matter.
The victim was undergoing treatment for his injuries at Gyalshing district Health Center, which are not considered life-threatening.He has sustained minor injuries to his face and hands.