In the tranquil mountains of Sikkim, nestled within the heart of Gangtok, it’s hard to miss a bookstore. It’s a three-story building that quietly ignites its own revolution. This place, Rachna Books, is more than just a bookstore. It is complemented by a cozy café called Café Fiction, creating a unique space where stories and coffee blend seamlessly.

The beating heart of this oasis is the dynamic husband-and-wife duo, Raman and Sarvada. Raman Shresta is the book enthusiast, meticulously curating and managing the bookstore’s diverse collection, while Sarvada, with her warm hospitality, runs the café alongside her team of young women. A former flight attendant, Sarvada’s experiences from around the world breathe life into the café. Her creativity shines not only in the delicious baked goods she crafts but also in the artworks she creates — pieces that adorn both the walls of the café and the cozy rooms of the adjoining BnB.

​Over the years since it was first introduced in the year 2000 at the heritage Namthang Kothi premises, Indrajatra has been the most awaited festival not only of the Newars in Sikkim but also to others to enjoy the cultural extravaganza the celebration brings in for over a week to end with the finale in all its grandeur on the last day, 29th September in the Manan Bhawan here in the capital. Like the last year, this year too an elaborate line-up of ambitious programmes has already been drawn and announced for this year's 8-Day long eventful celebrations to unfold. Some major events needed month-long curricula of activities like announcements, registrations, auditions, etc. have shown that there has been greater enthusiasm from the participants throughout the State. Soon after the Independence Day Celebrations, the Newars in Sikkim happened to witness the cultural shows in all brilliance giving impetus to the forthcoming Indrajatra. It was while observing Sa Ya or Gai Jatra at Rhenock, the only place outside Nepal (until a few years ago introduced in Maryland USA) where it has been observed since the days of yore. Gai Jatra is brought out by the families in memory of those who departed during the past year. Procession used to be solemn without much fun and frolics like last year when the deceased’s family wanted that way. This year, however, it was organised with much pomp and grandeur with Lakhey and other cultural dances in a manner different altogether, though. This Author shared its video on Facebook/Karunaguthi as well. Soon followed the Bhimsen Jatra in honour of the God Bhimsen from the temple at Rongli Bazar believed to be a century old and the only one outside Nepal - after one at Kurseong - perhaps. Bhimsen is the God of Success in commerce and Prosperity especially popular among the business/trading Newar community. This Jatra too was equally grand and brilliant with Lakhey and other dance performances and was attended by the Newars from neighbouring surroundings and far-off places as well.
 
Background
It is worthwhile to recapitulate that Indrajatra was celebrated in the capital for the first time in 2010 (this Author was away in the USA) when the Sikkim Newar Guthi was brought back to the State capital, a Newar bastion and a melting pot of all the communities contributing their best to uphold and raise the glory of Sikkim as the jewel in the crown of the Mother India with the Guardian Deity Mount Kanchenjungha, the highest peak in the country. It was during the tenure of the fourth President Rohit Kumar Pradhan* that the Indrajatra was recognised as a State Festival and declared as a Gazetted public holiday by the Government from the year 2012 onwards - a major achievement not only for the Newars in Sikkim but for all the Newars worldwide. It was hailed as the most significant milepost ever since the recognition of Newar language as one of the State languages - along with five others at par with English, Nepali, Lepcha, Bhutia and Limbu in 1995. This honour of securing landmark approval - after the registration of the Sikkim Newar Guthi as a non-political social organisation the previous year after 12 years of its being proclaimed by this Author on May 27, 1982 - goes to the Founder President Mohan Pratap Pradhan* and General Secretary Keshab Chandra Pradhan, both former Chief Secretary to the Government of Sikkim. Glancing through the list of Promoters it is, however, to record here as ridiculous to find everyone included – proverbial cheaper by the dozen - but no mention of the Pioneer (this Author with three others) who should have preceded them for it was them who blew the bugle to raise the fellow Newars from the slumber. A communiqué in the shape of the inland letter announced that the Newars should also have an apolitical social body of their own in the name and style of ‘Sikkim Newar Guthi’ to preserve, promote and practise their language, culture, rituals, traditions and heritage. Otherwise, though Sikkim was the 22nd State of India if they thought of some activity towards this goal, it was looked upon suspiciously as if some communal uprisings were around the corner!
 
The Author had the rare opportunity to be invited to the Indrajatra / Yen Ya celebrations organized by the Newah Organization of America (NOA) in 2015 being held on September 27. They had introduced it there in 2011 only - the first ever Indrajatra held overseas while the honour for holding it first outside mainland Nepal was Sikkim. What could be better than this to felicitate them with the Jai Smarak Samman under the aegis of our Karuna Guthi “in recognition of their exemplary outstanding works of excellence dedicated towards promotion, preservation and protection of the Newah Culture, Language, Heritage, Customs and Traditions worth-emulating by the Newars world-wide.” It was in 2010 that they had invited this Author even before he had left the shore for his first visit to America, to attend and deliver a talk on the Newars in Sikkim during their 9th Newah Organization of America Convention on 30th May. This year they are celebrating their 12th Indrajatra at the same venue Black Hill Regional Park, Boyds, Maryland on Saturday 7th October with Kumari Rath Yatra, Pulu Kisi, Lakhe, Live Cultural Dance and Traditional Samay Baji - entry, food and parking, as usual, is free this time too. Each year they have added a new feature from the rich Newar cultural heritage and this time it is the significant Khyak Dance about which most of us are not much in know and curious to look forward and welcome the star attraction par excellence, as expected from them all these years having given the best always.

​Our Alma mater Darjeeling Government College turns 75 this month on 5th August 2023. It would be worthwhile here to open this tribute of mine with a “Short History of its Establishment and Development – Darjeeling Government College owes its origin to insistent local demand for an institution imparting higher education to meet the needs of the educationally backward hill tribes. Although primarily meant for boys and girls belonging to the hill-tribes, students belonging to other communities will be admitted, if accommodation is available. The spacious buildings of the former St. Michael’s School on the Cart Road, Darjeeling were requisitioned by the Government of West Bengal for the purpose, and the Intermediate Classes in Arts and Science were opened in August, 1948. It was raised in 1950 to a first grade Arts and Science College with Honours Courses in some important subjects.” Sourced  ‘University of Calcutta in The Calendar 1956 Part I, Page 1976 No. 59, Darjeeling  Government College, Darjeeling, West Bengal. (Published in 1958) First Affiliation, 1948.’ Further to it, The Statesman Thursday, August 5, 1948 gave the news captioned “College for Hill Tribes at Darjeeling that “…For the present the college will be in the building of the now defunct St. Michael’s School … Teaching will be provided for te present up to the Intermediate Standard in English, Sanskrit, Pali, Nepali, Bengali, Logic, History, Civics, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Biology. Admission to the first year classes in Arts and Science will commence immediately,. There will be no second year class during the current session….” C. Rajagopalachari was the First Governor of West Bengal while Dr. S. K. Majumdar the Founder Principal.
 
Without wasting time,  straight into the crux of  the matter, would be of interest to recapitulate here my days rather years from 1962 – 1969 that was mentioned as the Golden Era though it was celebrating much later in my article for the souvenir on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Darjeeling Government College. Prof. Ram Lal Adhikari requested an article from me while visiting one Sunday afternoon at our Government Quarters 8-Unit Building, Development Area in 1997.  Did not know the fate whether this Souvenir or even my reminiscences given was as such published at all. Perchance when in Siliguri for bringing out my book The Newars World~Wide – Connecting the Dots : Sikkim in 2016 I came across it when checking the works earlier done by the Press. Owner was kind enough to gift me the copy there knowing about my story Darjeeling Sarkari College - Ek Swarnim Yug carried in the souvenir Darjeeling Sarkari Mahavidyalaya – Sthapanako Ardhashatabdi. This too was after two decades since it was published long back in February 2001!

After we felicitated and bade farewell to the guests from Nepal Lipi Guthi and Central Department of Nepal Bhasha of the Tribhuvan University invited for the Indrajatra 2022 Sikkim staying at the Club Mahindra Vintuna Hotel at Smileland that early morning of  11th  September, we thought why not utilize this opportunity to be acquainted with the locality as well.  We were here at the newly developed property by two enterprising Newar brothers Basudev Pradhan and Meghraj Pradhan of Ranipul. Previously, Basudev recalled, the area was a dumping site full of foul smell that they named their venture as Smileland, amusement park with a swimming pool, perhaps the first here in Sikkim. Science Centre was not there those days and incidentally, the Science City in Kolkata is also developed on similar dumpsite.

We were last at Smileland 15 years ago as Basudev reminds us, to attend the reception invited by Ganesh Kumar Pradhan on his daughter Udita’s wedding. Much water has flown down the river Rongni Chu i.e., Rani Khola and Basudev share with us more about their ventures as we congratulate him for excelling all fellow Newars. While as a Contractor he feels blessed to be endowed with plenty of sand and stones, the main material resource, proper care was taken to the large mango trees adding plenty of greenery so much needed for sun-parched riverbed. A huge rock eroded and etched with marks of time embedded in the earth was kept well-protected and fenced as we adore such pieces (a few small ones could be seen at our Rhenock home) with much respect as a tribute to the bountiful Nature, like in America or in Japan Basudev adds.  A riverbed divested by the 1968 Flood, as he revealed, they had acquired a kilometre-long stretch of land from the owner Bharat Singh Basnet knowing well the risk of developing properties nearby a river, but life is itself a risk, we all know!

What many might not know was about the bust of Sir J. C. White that was going to be sold as scrap and lost forever into the oblivion. It was after the place where the Sikkim Public Works Department building presently Nirman Bhavan is located and stored caught massive fire some decades back. It was Basudev Pradhan, a Government Contractor by profession, happened to be there to intervene and stop the deal. Instead, he acquired it himself paying the valuation done for 80 kgs. of the scrap at Rs. 100/- per kg totalling a sum of Rs. 8,000/- for this neglected heritage piece of historical value and significance as an ancestral legacy not for him or his family or the Newars in Sikkim but for everyone here in Sikkim and beyond as descendants of Sir J. C. White visited his place years later accompanied by our legend Keshab Chandra Pradhan. Great Great Granddaughter of Sir J. C. White Claire Nena Hartley from Keno Hill, Isle of Seil, Argyll AA 344 TN, UK sent a letter thanking Basudev after visiting “J. C. White’s Statue… Sir J. C. White and really hope to meet him again as they find so much still for them to discover about.”

Tributes
My salute to all our ancestors for what we are today blessed with and also to the great statesman and hero Sir John Claude White (1853 - 1918) for making Sikkim what it is today. It was constructed as a tribute to the great soul who raised from a petty surveyor with the Government of India to be the first Political Officer for Sikkim and Bhutan in 1889-1908 to survey and conquered not only the heart of the people here but ruled supreme. Even the then Chogyal (King) had to make way for him and go in exile across the border in Tibet now the autonomous region in People ’s Republic of China (Source: Wikipedia 20 February 2011.) I wonder why, may be their unfailing Loyalty to the authority in the Newar blood like Bravery attributed to the Gorkhas, only Newar landholders here in Sikkim had the honour to subscribe to be his obedient servants on their own behalf and on behalf of the other Nepalese Residents of Sikkim. The prominent Newars who came together for this cause to be remembered here today are:
 

1. Hari Dass Prodhan, Rai Saheb,
2. Lambodar Prodhan, Rai Saheb,
3. Tulsi Das Prodhan,
4. Kalooram Prodhan,
5. Latchmi Narayan Prodhan,
6. Dirghbur Prodhan,
7. Dalbahadur Prodhan,
8. Sherabahadur Prodhan,
9. Ratna Bahadur Prodhan,
10. Durga Shamsher Prodhan,
11. Hira Lall Prodhan,

 
Since space and time here do not permit to reproduce the whole text of the Felicitation# in length, a few lines are excerpted to have an idea fair enough for a glimpse of the long lasting impact on the people, society and the land a century ago. “Prior to your taking over the exalted position you have held in Sikkim, we had neither roads nor bridges. But ever since your advent you have constructed a large number of good roads and bridges all over the country and have thus ensured facility of traffic that was quite unknown in this region – a facility which has vastly improved the Commerce and Industry of this State. This will forever be a living monument to your administration of Sikkim and you will be gratefully remembered by its people for this act alone, if not for anything else.

“Besides traffic facilities, you have conferred upon Sikkim many other blessings too numerous to detail in a short address like this. Permit us, however, to mention a few. You have founded Charitable Dispensaries, established Nepalese and Bhutia Schools with Boarding houses, opened Weaving Schools, laid out Beautiful vegetable and fruit gardens and encouraged gardening by afree distribution of seeds and grafts, and above all you have always guided and helped us by your invaluable advice and counsel.”

(#Courtesy: Beryl Hartley, Great grand-daughter of Sir J. C. White, Oxford University, England – 2610.07 Through: K. C. Pradhan, Gangtok – Sikkim 23.11.08)
​
Their names appear amongst those who signed the Felicitation at Gangtok, Sikkim on the 27th June 1908 to bid him farewell on his retirement after long innings here since 1889. Two decades almost was pretty long enough a period if one cares to make all the difference in the State and the society! Sir John Claude White passed away in 1918 and White Memorial Hall was built in 1932 in his memory and so was this bronze bust installed there as centre-piece in the sanctum sanctorum by the public/Newar landlords, unless proved otherwise.

V. H. Coelho, Political Officer in Sikkim writes in 1967 in his book Sikkim and Bhutan (1970/1971), “John Claude White, the first British Political Officer, has described this period in the following term:
‘Chaos reigned everywhere, there was no revenue system, the Maharaja taking what he required as he wanted it from the people, those nearest the capital having to contribute the larger share, while those more remote had toll taken from them by the local officials in the name of the Raja, though little found its way to him; no courts of justice, no police, no public works, no education for the younger generation. The task before me was a difficult one, but very fascinating; the country was a new one and everything was in my hands.

‘These words, descriptive of the state of the country during his residence in Gangtok are perhaps over exaggerated, but partial credit is due to Claude White. He made a sincere effort and with his help Sikkim progressed from a primitive and with his help Sikkim progressed from a primitive feudal country to reasonable efficient one.”
​
“Such was the environment in which one lived and worked. One could not but admire Claude White‘s grit and determination spending eight years in Sikkim consolidating the British hold on Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim. And he was a civil engineer by profession!” writes B. S. Das, who was the Chief Executive to the Government of Sikkim, in Sikkim Saga (1983).“

​Disclaimer: This is neither the work of a research scholar nor that of some historian but the Author’s personal account of memories to cherish and treasure, often on a detour here and there en route to share the joy of the journey called life. Much time and effort are devoted in making to documenting and sharing here for the sake of our progeny and those interested to pursue research works to be rewarding many PhDs. Some names (asterisk* for those no more), quotes, places and events mentioned are just to connect with and no malice whatsoever intended. He can be reached at [email protected] and his books are available at www.rachnabooks.com. 

About the Author 
“Rajiva Shanker Shresta, a retired ace bureaucrat, is a prolific writer-cum-walking encyclopaedia as far as Sikkim is concerned. His monumental book 'Sikkim : Three Decades towards Democracy – Evolution of Legislative System' (2005) is much referred book....” Keshab Chandra Pradhan, Former Chief Secretary to the Government of Sikkim in his Memoir The Life and Times of A Plantsman in the Sikkim Himalayas (Revised/Updated 2018)