Indrajatra 2022 Sikkim Finale
(Concluding Part)
One-to-One Talk – How we fared – Well!
Being with Sikkim Newar Guthi at Rhenock
It is sad that not only many others but even our senior Newar scholars like Prof. Dr. Pratap Chandra Pradhan in his Indrajatra Parvako Mahatva posted on 31 August 2022 failed to write the exact year Indrajatra started in Sikkim. In 2010 it was for the first time in the Capital - but not in Sikkim and was only in Gangtok and not also in Singtam or Namchi as he mentioned therein. Many like him might have escaped reading “Indrajatra 2022 Sikkim – A Curtain Raiser” by this Author in the Sikkim Express as well as on his Facebook wall and www.karunaguthi.com, where details carried with press clippings dating from 2000 the Year of the Millennium. That year on May 30 – 31, Karuna Devi Smarak Dharmarth Guthi celebrated at Jaisri, Rhenock the historic Sahasra Chandra Darshanam / Maharatharohan or Jankwa on the auspicious occasion of sighting a thousand moons (83x12 and four months) by Buba Jai Shanker Lall Shresta* in association with Rhenock Newar Guthi and Sikkim Newar Guthi. This led many to believe that the Indrajatra in Sikkim later held on 12th September 2000 was inspired by this great occasion in the annals of history to revive the age-old culture and tradition of the Newars worldwide. Then President Sikkim Newar Guthi Khagendra Mani Pradhan was here to give their maiden public performance with a traditional Puja on the eve of the Newar Cultural Evening at Sri Krishna Cinema Hall as well as the next day during the procession at Rhenock Bazar with the newly-trained students/artistes from the Institute of the Newar Language and Culture with Principal Durga Kasaju at Namthang Kothi.
Early morning this Indrajatra day, Sanyukta Shrestha, President of the World Newah Organization (WNO) from London enquired when Indrajatra started in 2000 or 2010 and whether Sikkim was earlier than the USA. A post that day on Facebook/the Gundruk was found incorrect then, he mentioned. When we were invited to YenYa/Indrajatra 2015, we took the opportunity to felicitate Newah Organization of America (NOA) and thought it to be their second but 2011 to be correct as they celebrated their 10th this year. Knowing that Raman Shresta was felicitated by the Sikkim Newar Guthi Indra Jatra Celebrations Committee at the hands of Governor Ganga Prasad, Sanyukta Shrestha congratulated him and looked forward to his London visit in November under the Fellowship of the British Council. He then asked what day Rachna was established in 1979. It was Akshaya Tritiya day around April or May, to which he shared jovially that Rachna was exactly six months older than him! Around the same time, our daughter Rachna was also born and many quiz whether Rachna is named her or vice-versa! Also informed him that the masthead for both the First Newa: Mhu Pau the Newsletter of Sikkim Newar Guthi and also for the Sikkim Herald Newar Bhasha Edition in Ranjana Lipi was artwork by her as no font or its computer facility was available then. Both publications were started on the personal initiative of this Author as Secretary of Information and Public Relations Government of Sikkim. The same year 25 years ago, he brought out Newa Varna, Lipi ra Bhasha Parichaya co-authored with Ranjana Shresta, his wife and its 2nd Revised, Enlarged and Modified Edition in 2001, a total of 5,000 copies in all. While the Founder-President Mohan Pratap Pradhan* had agreed to my proposal to bring out Newa: Mhu Pau after much persuasion personally while Sikkim Herald Newar Edition was approved “willy nilly” by the Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, who was also the Minister-in-Charge of Information and Public Relations Department in 1996. The main English edition of the Sikkim Herald had seen its first-ever reincarnation-look after 40 years when Mohan Pratap Pradhan*, C. D. Rai* and T. S. Gyaltshen* had started it way back in 1956 (its Nepali, Lepcha, Tibetan and Limbu followed it) – the year this Author came to study in Gangtok under the guardianship of Sanu Mama Mohan Pratap Pradhan, who became the first Chief Secretary to the Government of Sikkim from the Nepalese community.
Curtain drawn
Anil Sthapit and another group from Lipi Guthi of Bhaktapur had come looking for our Newa Varna Lipi ra Bhasha Parichaya when the Author and Ranjana were there in Nepal way back in 1996. It was thus a long journey for Anil Sthapit and that too in his fourth visit to Sikkim, this time when we were in the Capital, come with the Ranjana Lipi Calli-Jatra @ Sikkim during the Indrajatra on the 8th September at M. G. Marg. During the Pandemic, we were planning to publish its third edition for which Anil had helped with Kutakshar Newa: Parichaya and draft cover design while Shiela Thami of Himadri here at Nam Nam was given for the type-setting of the book. There was a spree for online Newar language and scripts classes and they too had started online classes for Ranjana Lipi Calli-Jatra while many others including Sunita Dangol former Miss Nepal had charmed her way with online classes for learning easily the Newar language as well. Some had then come even with online editions of Nepal Bhasha books and dictionaries not only from Nepal but elsewhere too. So, we found our project better be shelved yet another time finding it difficult to reach readers during the Corona period. Rather remain satisfied with whatever was done to the cause of promoting our alphabets, scripts and language with little doses of culture and tradition as well as popular songs more than 25 years ago, when it was most needed in the nascent days here in Sikkim, neighbouring Darjeeling Hills as well as the Mainland Nepal. Its first edition itself found mentioned as a Reference book in Vivaranatmak Granth Kosh published by Nepal Rajakiya Pragya Pratisthan. “It must have caused a revolution. And I really hope all these copies have been doing exactly what it has done to me and for me. It's definitely a very valuable no wonder Nepal Academy has included it as a reference.”, wrote Reshu Pradhan, Vice President: Sikkim Newar Guthi. Under the auspices of our Karuna Guthi, we had also brought out Daya Shakya's Newah Bhaye Learner with CD-Rom launched by the Newah Nhyaluwa Padma Ratna Tuladhar* in the august presence of Lakshman Rajbanshi* and other Newar celebrities on the New Year's Day 2011 at Madhyapur-Thimi during the Shankhadhar Sirpa/Award Ceremony invited by the Secretary Ganesh Ram Lachhi.
It was a hectic visit for the guests from Nepal as well as for the host Sikkim Newar Guthi. We took out time to meet and thank them as Anil Sthapit with Prof. Dr. Rajan Lal (Ras) Joshi and two of his colleagues both Bajracharya had visited Rachna Books on arrival and given us some very useful books. In fact, it was a great honour to get Siddhima: - Siddhidas Mahajuya Kriti Muna - a Collection of works by Mahakavi Siddhi Das Mahaju on the occasion of his 155th Birth Anniversary being celebrated the world over the week. He is the Adikavi of Nepal Bhasha what Bhanubhakta is to the Nepali language and also the Mahakavi born 42 years before another Mahakavi Laxmi Prasad Devkota. Other books were La: va Gha: - Sanskriti va Sabhyata by Dr. Joshi himself, Newa: Samajya Ghyachu Me – Satirical Songs in Newar Society and Nepal Bhasha Journal - Special Issue on Jya-Janku by Central Department of Nepal Bhasha and the latest on Ranjana Lipi by Nepal Lipi Guthi. Someone had left there earlier a copy of Jin Nan Bakhan Chwaya – I also write stories, by Prof. Narmadeshwar Pradhan of Bakhan Daboo, who was among those visited for Indrajatra 2011 Sikkim on the invitation of the Sikkim Newar Guthi. They too had then visited Rachna Books and all had put up at the Hotel Newa where this scribe reached to thank once again for the visit and bid them farewell - the photographs taken then we treasure till this day in fond memory!
It was only on the last day of departure that we could meet together at Club Mahindra le Vintuna Hotel at Smile Land, Ranipul and thank them all for their successful visit and bid farewell wishing them a safe journey back home. Road breach on National Highway 10 that delayed their onward journey was a piece of disturbing news that morning. But not deterred, we took the opportunity hurriedly to appreciate Anil Sthapit for bringing for the first time the Ranjana Lipi Calli-Jatra @ Sikkim and felicitate him with a token sum of Rs. 10,001/- in support of their ceaseless efforts undaunted taking to some 100 places in Nepal since 2018 and the first across the border while earlier taken abroad to Japan. Their online classes during the Lockdown had national and international participants. A copy of Rachna Katha Anushthan 2005 to each guest and Sikkim - Our Newfound Home in the Black Hill : Newars – Here and There for the Tribhuvan University Library duly mentioning that we had given our magnum opus Sikkim : Three Decades Towards Democracy – Evolution of the Legislative System way back in 2005. Knowing all this, Dhruba Pradhan of Class IX of 1960 TNA writes from Kathmandu, “You have contributed tremendously to safeguard Newar culture in Sikkim in your capacity and determination. There may be others too but I am aware of you only. The tangible pillar. Bravo my friend!!!” So kind of him.
Thought it good to make known to others as well, sent a message to Pramesh Shrestha if it would be possible to have an episode dedicated to Calli-Jatra. He promptly responded by sending a link for the eDaboo January 2020 episode on Callijatra 2020 with Sunita Dangol, Anand K. Maharjan, Bikash Man Shakya and Suyagya R. Tamrakar. In an earlier eDaboo episode this Author had shared about the Newars in Sikkim way back in May 2015.
While thinking of a befitting finish to this report on the Indrajatra 2022 Sikkim, what could be the most heartening news of all than the one from Sanyukta Shrestha in London to share here that read, “... As the newly elected President of WNO's Executive Board, I am sending this notice of gratitude to you for serving our organization as an advisor. We feel that your role as an advisor to our organization has been invaluable. We request for your continued support of our organization in the same role in the coming three years term as well.” It would be worthwhile and befitting in this context that our association with the Newar fraternity worldwide dates back to the Newar Solidarity Campaign (NESOCA) days with Maheswor Shrestha and all in the 1990s. With the new Millennium and our compatriots were spread the world over, the need was felt to have a global body. It gathered momentum during our America visit in 2010 to meet the trio Daya Ratna Shakya and Tribhuvan Tuladhar with Bal Gopal Shrestha connected online with a series of meetings over Skype followed that ultimately led to the constitution of the World Newah Organization in March 2011 in London. this Author is grateful ever to be on the WNO Advisory Board since its inception to continue here again. Worthwhile further to confide here that he is the only Newar from outside Nepal closely associated thus so far, a great and rare honour indeed to be gratefulever! During the 4th World Newah Convention held in New York from 5 – 7 August this year, the Executive Board was reconstituted with President Sanyukta Shrestha of the United Kingdom and others. As if to draw the curtain down, Sanyukta Shrestha shared with me his piece from the day's Kathmandu Post that was forwarded to and published by the Sikkim Express as well since it mentioned Sikkim in 'Taking Indrajatra to the World - The globalisation of the festival is natural as many Newars commemorate it worldwide.'
To sum up in conclusion overall, if curious enough - How we fared? - simply and from the heart, Well, really!
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)