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Horizontal connectivity between many human beings, courtesy of the World Wide Web, is the great cultural and technological disruptor of the 21st Century, and it will ultimately change the world. Human connectivity has heretofore been one-to-one, hierarchical — such as the institutional connectivity associated with school, employment, church or government — or limited to mass gatherings, be they familial, social or those built around a stage of one form or another. We could be connected to a movement, for example, but even that association was in the abstract until some sort of meeting or rally.
Connectivity's prize is control, for the ability to put people together — such as in a crowd — brings with it influence and value. Marketing to the mass became the art-cum-science of modern era commerce, manipulation of the one-to-many, hierarchical connection.
Horizontal connectivity disrupts everything, but especially the mass. So complete is the disruption that even back channel conversations during a mass event compete with the event itself for the attention of participants. Attention is the quest of the marketeur, but his target — the pejorative "consumers" — are now the masters of their own attention. Content that was used to create a mass was at one time scarce. Now attention itself is the scarcity.
Horizontal connectivity also disrupts all business paradigms by interfering with equilibrium, that state of balance in any system in which one force cancels out another. In modernist logic, equilibrium is what makes everything "work," because stability is what creates opportunity for those with enough power or intelligence or money or knowledge or resources. The whole concept of modernism itself demands equilibrium, for the opposite is viewed as chaos to the logical mind. Science was birthed to tame chaos, and this is especially true with the science of business.
Change is the constant threat of business, but in times of change, there is always the view that equilibrium will eventually follow, that the ship will be righted. This is the great error of contemporary business thinking in the face of disruptive elements of today's digital technologies. We think that once we harness these things, everything will settle back into equilibrium.
Isn't this what Apple is attempting to do with its iPhone and iPad closed systems? Isn't this what Google and Verizon hope to accomplish with defining the mobile Web as cable? Equilibrium is the goal, some sort of balance that allows those with the smarts or the resources to take advantage of it for profit.
The issue is what Deloitte & Touche's John Hagel III and John Seely Brown are exploring in their work as co-chairmen of the Deloitte LLP Center for the Edge in California. Their views are radical and compelling, for they believe that equilibrium may be a thing of the past.
The combination of these forces - a rapidly evolving digital infrastructure and public policy shifts favoring freer movement - defines a world of constant change. If this premise is right--that the pattern of disruption followed by stabilization has itself been disrupted--then it may be we're facing the mother of all disruptions, a big shift into a world without equilibrium, one that will continue to shift rapidly even once the current recession has passed. A world in which companies lose their leadership positions at an increasing rate. A world in which extreme events, such as the ongoing financial turmoil across global markets, become increasingly likely. A world of shifting product economics, and increasing volatility in brand equity, share values, and commodity prices.
Equilibrium to media companies is certainly in a state of flux, for everything about media — from content to the way it is supported — is in change, and yet there remains a fervent belief at the top of media companies that eventually everything will settle back into equilibrium. But what if that's not true? What if the only constant we face ahead is the seeming chaos of change? How will we forecast business, much less meet budget expectations of the current quarter? These are the types of difficult questions we ought to be asking at the highest levels, for waiting around for normal to return is the little boy whistling in the dark in hopes that the monsters will go away.
The Web disrupts equilibrium for media by introducing the variable of horizontal connectivity. This creates problems in the sustainable business model of media at least five ways:
If consumption of media is one-to-one instead of one-to-many, it becomes a measurable commodity, which means that audience sizes determined by diaries, meters, panels or any other scientific method are less meaningful than direct measurement. This impacts what media can charge, and any real data "correction" is likely to be less than what any audience survey produces. Moreover, the audience for the advertising message itself can be measured, and this will not be favorable for content-driven, audience-based media.
The advertisers themselves are connected to consumers in the same way media companies are, so the "need" that advertisers had for media companies is dramatically lessened. Advertisers are themselves media companies, and this will increasingly impact our bottom lines.
Our authority as "the press" is weakened by this horizontal connectivity, because, as Jay Rosen has so beautifully pointed out, connected people can talk to each other and back to us about the news we present to them. Gone are the days of media-as-lecturer, media-as-omniscient, media-as-gatekeeper.
Hyperconnected people can make their own media, and many of them are. Grass roots journalism is springing up all over, aided by aggregators like AOL who can help them monetize their little businesses.
Horizontal connectivity empowers the bottom of what used to be the top-down universe of modernism. The ability to talk back to power and to each other in real time is something the world has never known before, and it is highly resistant to manipulation. Horizontal connectivity destroys Walter Lippmann's "manufacture of consent," because the messages that create consent can be so easily challenged.
And within the media hegemony, no one needs equilibrium more than Madison Avenue. It's here, where big money changes hands in a system that rewards manipulation of a certain "balance," that media finds its greatest enemy in responding to change. Madison Avenue wants no part of anything new, and so it resists and continues to feed the beast it knows so well and from which it draws its sustenance. Big advertisers still turn big money over to agencies — both internal and external — who spend it based on traditional measurements and theories, and media companies are the biggest beneficiaries. That benefit, however, comes with a risk.
It is this deliberate blindness that leads big agencies to press ahead with television upfront buys in the face of evidence that people skip ads or change channels during commercial breaks. A new study in the UK, for example, found that 86 percent of people viewing time-shifted programs — those recorded on a DVR — skip through the advertisements. 86 percent! Respondents said shorter ad breaks, more memorable campaigns and shorter ads would encourage people to watch more advertising, but the advertising world is disincentivized to make any such changes.
Television advertising still "works" and is still the most remembered kind of advertising, but many of these big money advertisers are experimenting elsewhere, and the longevity of their love affair with television isn't a sure thing. The issue isn't whether Madison Avenue will continue to support media; the question is at what level, and this is the risk that media companies take in continuing to stand still with the expectation that equilibrium will return.
At the local level, when Nissan's agency calls and wants to "place" a $20,000 online buy, the media company needs to have in place a system that allows for this, and so resistance to change is again rewarded. The advertiser is hoping to tilt equilibrium's balance in its favor by outspending — although it's often disguised as outthinking — its competitors. Strategically, the business of the media company, therefore, is to create the size and kind of audience Nissan is seeking, and managers are rewarded through bonuses for doing just that.
It's all pretty straightforward, until the elements that work together to create the equilibrium are disrupted. The biggest disruptor is, of course, the economy, for money is what makes the whole thing work. Recessions historically have hurt every level of the system, but the system knows that all it needs to do is hang in there, because equilibrium will soon return.
Hagel and Seely Brown are suggesting that things are so different today that equilibrium is perhaps not coming back, and if that's true, then media companies are the least prepared for the future. We must maintain our abilities to capitalize on monies available through traditional means while creating new value and shaping new business models for tomorrow. This is not an option. The media industries have typically not spent a lot of resources on development, but these are not typical times. If we truly desire a seat at tomorrow's media table, then we need to consider at least some of the following:
Get into the ammunition business. The deer now have guns, and if we want future relevancy, we need to support this. We need to help people know what we know and do what we do. There are agencies springing up everywhere to help local businesses with, for example, Facebook and YouTube. That business should be ours. Anything that involves teaching businesses how to function as media companies ought to be in our sweet spot, and we should pursue it with everything we have.
When our core competency is being disrupted, we need to look to our edge competencies. The most obvious edge competency for media companies is its employees: the individual people who gather and report the news and the people who have deep roots in the sales community. Develop their brands, so that they can be much more flexible and participatory in the community. Sales people need to learn to become business consultants — and not simply to drive business back to the brand — because those who need their help can spot that a mile away.
We need to stop demanding a knowable return on investment as we build for tomorrow. This has been the biggest deal-breaker for media in the area of innovation, because projecting revenue can only draw that which is known into the business development equation. Managers need spreadsheets; leaders don't, and the media industries desperately need leaders. Meanwhile, proximity-based applications, couponing applications, Google and social media applications and a host of others have sprung up around us. We have to stop waiting for others to figure things out and take some chances on our own.
We need to admit that our real competitors are not the other media companies in town and stop reacting only to what they do. We're being nickel and dimed to death online by Internet pureplay companies that don't have a stake in the communities we serve. All they do is suck money out, and this is not good for local economies. Yet, we're helpless to stop it absent direct action. Build local ad networks. Become local business consultants. Use our legacy media outlets to promote our new things, because it's our competitive advantage. We may even — God forbid — want to work with our offline competitors to find an advantage online.
We need to create new value in the form of databases. All of these pureplay companies know something that we don't: data is the future. Building a database — any database — immediately creates value, because it's something nobody else has. Set yourselves, for example, to create a database of every email address in the market. That's a doable strategy with a very real payoff. "But that's not our business," you say. That instinct is why we're letting outsiders come in and steal from us.
We need fat Facebook fan pages — many of them — and lively YouTube channels. Why? Because that's where people are today, and we cannot assume that they will ever come "visit" us on our terms. There are individuals making good six-figure incomes on YouTube. Why are we not involved in that? Monetizing Facebook is a reality, but we shouldn't base our efforts on Facebook on how much money we can make (see #3). Another value-creating strategy is to attempt to recruit the entire market to be our fans, in one form or another.
Horizontal connectivity doesn't have to work against us, but in order for us to exploit its strengths, we have to be prepared to think in ways that are counterintuitive to mass media. That's a big task for most and the real challenge for tenured managers. Can old media horses learn new media tricks? Of course they can. I've seen it many times.
New world knowledge begins by doing. Who and what are your horizontal connections?
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Statement: I have no, none, zero inside knowledge of David Hall's actions, or anything else going on at PCGS, for that matter. I didn't even know he is a seller. That said, I can think of less obvious reasons that could explain the selling, but it is pure speculation on my part. I just wouldn't jump to any conclusions.Best wishes,Peter AnthonyChina PricepediaThe Gold & Silver Panda Coin Buyer's Guide 3www.pandacollector.com
Why is a statement necessary, do you work for PCGS these days?
All knowing KeyDatePanda1/2s, please predict where the DOW Jones is headed next. I want to know if you truly are profetic, or just another Harry Dent :)
Why would D Hall be a big seller of PCGS stock? NGC grades over 2 million coins a year. Could the bulk of rare world coins be graded?Lots of new grading companies in China. Could technology be taking over human inspection of coins?Just my guesstimate.....
Peter thinks personal reasons. I believe that when you sell 1/3 of your holdings (600K shares at start of year to 400K now) over a course of a year in a company you have been part of for 30 years it is a strategic decision. He has every right to sell and if I were him I would sold 100% of my shares once they broke low 20s. What is interesting is the flawless timing of it, just as many of us dealers were turning against bullion type coins the sale transactions started occurring. One advantage of being a dealer vs collector or investor is as a dealer we saw all this IRA bullion and collector/investor start to come to market in a big way as Trump pro business agenda was unfolding and stock market continued to climb with little volatility and crytos caught the attention of many. This was a clear message that bullion will be in trouble later in the year, which means grading companies would struggle as their primary revenue is grading new bullion issues. The worst part was you couldn't short CLCT, because it had high dividend and that carrying cost made the short very expense to hold. PCGS dominance is in vintage coins, there are very few of these floating around that need certification, their big push has already happened and from a grading perspective this will be a declining revenue forever. China grading companies I don't know if that matters, but what does matter is mint and/or dealers prefer to sell in fancy boxes rather than slabs all the newer issues. There are dealers that are looking into computer graded coins, I don't know how close we are to a true AI algo to do this, but it would certainly be a good investment to make.
It doesn't work that way with timing for major inside owners. You have to set up a trading plan months in advance that sells during certain unrestricted periods, so you can't be acused of insider trading. I have spent a lot of time studying insider trading plans to help make decisions which sectors to invest in.
Guess they all found their way back to China........
I wonder if medals can legally be melted by mainland dealers.
Chart of the day, PCGS stock price. 35% drop after reporting bad earnings. Buying opportunity or first nail in the coffin?https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/CLCT?p=CLCT
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The letter pasted here is the response made by the University of Calcutta to Sikkim Durbar regarding the selection of English teachers at Sir Tashi Namgyal High School Gangtok. As per the Orders made by this letter, an appointment of Mr. C.E. Dudley and Rashmi Prasad Alley was to be made as the English Teachers at the said School. It is appealing to know that, possibly due to the lack of Education Department in Sikkim, the conscription procedure was done according to the parameters framed by the British Indian Government. The letter further says-"Teachers who possess qualifications as laid down in section 9(B), read with section 9(D) of Chapter XXI of the Regulations are qualified to teach English in recognized High Schools". This correspondence was sent to the Judicial Secretary to His Highness the Maharaja of Sikkim (Mr. R.B. Rai) from The Registrar Calcutta University (J. Chakravorti). The dispatch also underscores the fact that, the administration of Calcutta University was then also watch over by the Senate House. The Letter was sent to the Sikkim Durbar on 30th of May 1941 from the Senate House Calcutta.
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Response of Calcutta University to Sikkim Durbar(1941)...
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Saturday, December 4, 2010
Labels: Calcutta University, Gangtok, Senate House, Sikkim, Sikkim Education, Tashi Namgyal High School / Comments: (1)
Letter of Sikkim Durbar to The Calcutta University (1935)
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Labels: Calcutta University, Letter, Maharaja Tashi Namgyal, Sikkim Durbar, Sikkim Education / Comments: (0)
The modern system of education was adopted by the Government of Sikkim in the first decade of the last century. In my last post I have talked about the foundation of Gangtok School in 1906. The interesting fact about the then education system is that all the schools of Sikkim were affiliated to the Calcutta University. From the correspondence between the Judicial Secretary to His Highness the Maharaja of Sikkim and the Registrar Calcutta University it appears that, the appointment of the teachers in various schools of Sikkim was also watch over by the said University itself. The letter gives the impression that; a list of desired candidates was to be forwarded by the Sikkim Durbar to the University of Calcutta for the approval. As the endorsement letter of the University reached to the concerned department, the Sikkim Durbar had to assign them as the teachers in the different schools.
A Rare photograph of Lepcha Bhutia and Nepali.....
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Saturday, November 27, 2010
Labels: Bhutia, Darjeeling, Das Studio., Lepcha, Nepali, Sikkim / Comments: (3)
This is a rare photograph of three ethnic groups of Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalaya which is being preserved by Das Studio Darjeeling since a long time. These kinds of document are few ladders from where we can reach to the past. It really makes us miserable when we are not capable to get it from our own state. I am not getting regionalist nor have I ever supported this evil perception. But, this is the veracity of our state where one has to depend upon other states to get information about Sikkim. May be this is the first instance about the matter. After the Indian independence, people of Sikkim were clamoring for democracy which they finally got in 1975. Now it seems that our people are satisfied, they do not need those documents because for them it is a dead past. However, being a great admirer of history of this forgotten kingdom I sometimes ask myself…Where are those documents and accords which were signed between India and Sikkim? Where are those Royal Decrees issued by the Sikkim Durbar? Where are other priceless credentials of Sikkim? Very few of them are available in National Archives, NIT Gangtok and a small number of them are at the Sikkim State Archive.But, what about the rest? Did an independent kingdom of Sikkim only have a handful of papers? I have a hesitation to say, but, I believe that they are still in the possession of erstwhile super class of Sikkim and it is very tough for a present meager to get them....
(Pic. L-R Lepcha, Nepali and Bhutia village men in their traditional attire)
A hand written Hall Ticket of Calcutta University issued in 1932...
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Friday, November 26, 2010
Labels: Calcutta University, colonial era., Gangtok Boarding School, Nepali Education, Sikkim Education / Comments: (1)
This hall ticket of Calcutta University is in all probability an oldest certificate as far as the education of Sikkim is concerned. Issued in 1932, the document has given detail information about the subjects that were taught at Calcutta University during the colonial era. The important feature of this hall ticket is that it is hand written. In that period, there were very few schools in Sikkim and most of them were providing education only up to the primary level. The first Government school of Gangtok was Gangtok School which was started in 1906, and this is where the late Maharaja of Sikkim, Sir Tashi Namgyal also studied as a first batch student. Later, the name of the Gangtok School was changed as Gangtok High School.
Before 1920, there were two Boarding Schools at Gangtok: The Bhutia Boarding School and The Nepali Boarding School. It was due to the diligent endeavor of late Rashmi Prasad Alley both the Schools were united which later played a vital role for the foundation of first ever high school at Gangtok. The Gangtok High School was later named after the name of its first batch student and the then Maharaja of Sikkim Sir Tashi Namgyal. Though, with the efforts made by Lt. Rashmi Prasad Alley Gangtok got its first ever High school but, it was not an easy task for him to run it successfully. Due to the lack of higher institution in the proximity of the Kingdom, the only High School of Sikkim (Gangtok High School) was then affiliated to the Calcutta University.
I am greatly indebted to Dr. Parshu Ram Poudyal Assistant Professor, Namchi Govt. College for sharing this valuable document with me.
Sunakhari-The Pioneering Nepali Literary Journal of Sikkim...
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Labels: Apatan, Devkota, Gangtok, Nepali Journal, Sikkim, Sunakhari. / Comments: (0)
Sunakhari is one of the pioneering Nepali literary journals of Sikkim. A contemporary of Kanchenjungha, the earliest news based journal of the previous Himalayan Kingdom of Sikkim, Sunakhari has played an imperative part for the endorsement of the literary ideas among the Sikkimese masses. The journal was started in 1957 by the earliest Nepali Literary Association of Sikkim, Apatan Sahitya Parishad, Gangtok. The picture pasted with this post is of Sunakhari which was published on the special eve of Bhanu Jayanti on 13th July 1958 (B.S 2015). Published by the very famous Apatan Sahitya Parishad, the front page of this issue is all about the introduction of Apatan Sahitya Parishad the first Nepali Literary Association of Sikkim. Published through typewriter, this issue of Sunakhari has given detail information about the various literary figures of then Sikkim with their portfolios in the Literary Association.
According to the report of this issue, the late Rai Saheb Hari Prasad Pradhan (M.A. L.L.B) was elected as the first President of the Apatan Sahitya Parishad. Further, through this issue of Sunakhari, the Apatan Sahitya Parishad has express gratitude to the eminent Nepali writers of Nepal like Bal Krishna Sama, Lakshmi Prasad Devkota, Mahananda Sapkota, Tara Chandra Sharma, Narayan Upadhyay, Shiva Kumar Rai (A Sikkimese by birth, latter settled in Darjeeling) and to Dev Kumari Sinha. The most interesting facet of the publication is that on every issue of Sunakhari the word Sikkim is written as Suk-kim.
(Picture Above Sunakhari published on 13th July 1958 from Gangtok)
According to the report of this issue, the late Rai Saheb Hari Prasad Pradhan (M.A. L.L.B) was elected as the first President of the Apatan Sahitya Parishad. Further, through this issue of Sunakhari, the Apatan Sahitya Parishad has express gratitude to the eminent Nepali writers of Nepal like Bal Krishna Sama, Lakshmi Prasad Devkota, Mahananda Sapkota, Tara Chandra Sharma, Narayan Upadhyay, Shiva Kumar Rai (A Sikkimese by birth, latter settled in Darjeeling) and to Dev Kumari Sinha. The most interesting facet of the publication is that on every issue of Sunakhari the word Sikkim is written as Suk-kim.
(Picture Above Sunakhari published on 13th July 1958 from Gangtok)
Talk of Mr. A. D. Moddie at Capital Hall Nainital...
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Sunday, November 14, 2010
In my earlier posts, I have published little information about Mr. A. D. Moddie who is a Historian, a gigantic stature in the Himalayan Studies, an IAS, a well-known figure in the corporate world, a thinker, a writer, a mountaineer and of course an adoring and a loving husband and a father. The most important thing about him is that he was the first Indian mountaineer who scaled Mt. Lama Aden in North Sikkim in the pre independence period. Further, Mr. Moodie had visited Gangtok in the late 50's as a trading agent of Unilever Company and went up to Gyantze in Tibet via Nathu-La with a passport issued to him by the authorities from Pandra Mile in Sikkim. During his stay at Gangtok, he had been able to meet our Chogyal Sir Tashi Namgyal who according to him was a very pious person. I got an opportunity to be present at a talk by the most ascribed person that I have ever interacted, today at the Capital Hall, Nainital. The arrangements for the event were made by People's Association for Himalaya Area Research also known as PAHAR, Nainital. The topic of his talk was 'Opening of Himalayan Doors 'Jewel in the Lotus' to Geo-Politics'. The subject matter itself was an enthralling one for a student of history like me. I reached the venue nearly 15 minutes before the given time to interact to that old man of 90, who was going to have a discussion on the Himalayan Doors.
On his discussion, Mr. Moddie covered almost every sphere like the social, political and economic subject of the Himalayas. He focused on the aspect that the political boundaries are the brain child of the colonists and due to it the present Himalayan states are under pressure. They were having their own norms of governance and owing to the imposition of the laws gifted by the British they are agitating. In his talk of nearly two hours, Mr. Moddie described the Himalayas in three different phases. "First, the early centuries of the jewel of Lotus, the second phase of Shangri-La and the last half century of turbulent geo-politics, and restless people in rapid transition to the uncertainties and chaos of modern times".
As Mr Moddie had to cover the entire Himalayas at a short time, he discussed about Sikkim in a brief. He said "the spirit of adventurous discovery also brought the early European natural scientists to the region to explore Nature's secrets in Shangri-La. The most memorable Example was Dr. Hooker (A Botanist friend of Darwin) to discover Sikkim's Rhododendron high hills in 1840's". Mr. Moddie further stated that Sikkim is a good instance of transition from kingdom to democratic development.
The important rationale of the event was to felicitate Mr. Moodie by the PAHAR along with various other distinguished personalities of Uttarakhand. The entire event was a mesmerizing one not only for me, but, for everyone who have their interest to explore the unseen and neglected spheres of the Himalayas.
(Pic. Above Mr. Moddie delivering his lecture at Capital Hall, Nainital on 14th Nov.2010 , Pic. Below publication of PAHAR on his topic of Discussion)
First Helicopter at Gangtok....
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Friday, November 12, 2010
Labels: Gangtok, Helicopter, Palzor Stadium, Sikkim, Wright Brothers / Comments: (0)
Detached from all these developments in the West, Sikkim preferred to live a secluded life even after its contact with British India. The then society of the former Himalayan Kingdom had never imagined about such kind of "flying machine" which was by now witnessed by the contemporary West. At that time, our society was for ever and a day guided by the mythologies which do not put up with any judgment in today's perception. The people had a great faith on their mythological stories written in their religious books which always lacks logic and scientific standards to get fit in the modern perspectives. Accordingly, they might have a conception that an enormous religious person or the creator only can fly and take a round of sky.
Such a social set-up of Sikkim was able to witness the huge "flying machine" nearly after five decades of its innovation by the Wright Brothers. This rare photograph is preserved by the Alley Family of Gangtok which was taken on the day when the unimaginable flying object landed at Palzor Stadium then known as Polo Ground. We do not have a clear idea about the event but, the huge crowd behind the helicopter suggests us that how curios were the Sikkimese commoners to see the "flying machine" in front of them. It arrived at Gangtok at such an age when just to see a vehicle was not less than a great fortune to a commoner.
(On the picture Family of Lt. Rashmi Prasad Alley of Gangtok at Palzor Stadium, behind them the first Helicopter at Gangtok.)
First Nepali literary meet of Sikkim...
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Monday, November 8, 2010
Labels: Apatan, Bal Krishna Sama, Devkota, Gangtok, Lekhnath Poudyal, Nepali literature, Padam Singh Subba Apatan, Sikkim, Tulshi Apatan / Comments: (0)
The growth in the awareness about the Nepali literature in India was undoubtedly pioneered by the Nepalese of Darjeeling. People of that expanse got enlightened about their language and literature due to their propinquity to the British. Sikkim was thence in a nap which was a sleep of illiteracy and unawareness. Very few of the Sikkimese were educated on the eve of the First World War and who belonged to the Super class and were not engrossed to make their subordinates aware about their literatures nor did they themselves had written anything. They were simply cramped in their revenue making practice. In such a state of affairs, to imagine a literary society was not less than a hallucination in the Sikkimese scenario. When Chandrika (A Nepali Newspaper edited and published by the jewel of Indian Nepali Literature lt. Paras Mani Pradhan) was widely circulated in the contiguous of Darjeeling, there were hardly a small amount of people in Sikkim who could write their names in their language. Though, the establishment of educational institutes was taken place in the first decade of the 20th century, but they were unable to produce the literary minds with their out dated theological syllabus. It was only after the arrival of Lt. Rashmi Prasad Alley to Sikkim the system of imparting education in Nepali language was started. The vigorous attempts of Lt. Alley are unforgettable and would be considered the same by every Sikkimese ceaselessly.
The credit for the prologue of the Nepali language in the Sikkimese schools goes to the then Maharaja Tashi Namgyal who allowed to approve Nepali as a language for the idea of giving out education to his Nepali subjects. With the introduction of Nepali as a vernacular language in the educational institutes, Sikkim had contributed lots in the Nepali Literary world. Many radical and rational writers were born in Sikkim among them the writers of the APATAN literary society are of importance. The Apatan Sahitya Parishad is the pioneer literary association of Sikkim founded by four eminent Sikkimese Nepali poets namely Agam Singh Tamang, Padam Singh Subba, Tulshi Bahadur Chettri and Nima Wangdi Lepcha. They had a cry in their writings a legitimate cry against the crooked practices customary in the society like landlordism and its associated vices.
Under the inventiveness of the APATAN literary society, the first literary meet was organized at White Hall Gangtok on 18th and 19th of November 1952. The important literary figures who were present in that meet were Kavi Siromani Lekh Nath Poudyal, Lt. Rashmi Prasad Alley, Bal Krishna Sama, Padam Singh Subba Apatan, Tulshi Bahadur Chettri Apatan, Lt. Kashi Raj Pradhan and among them the figure of great importance was Mahakavi Lakshmi Prasad Devkota. The conclusion of the first literary meet had a far reaching impact in the Sikkimese literature in general and the Nepali literature in particular. The essential accomplishment of the meet was the publication of the first news based journal of Sikkim Kanchanjunga from 15th of August 1957. The Newspaper was edited and published by Lt. Kashi Raj Pradhan which had played an imperative ingredient in heralding a new epoch of democracy in Sikkim.
(In the picture tall man in suit is Rashmi Prasad Alley, left to him in black suit is Kavi Tulshi Bahadur Chettri Apatan, Right to Alley is Bal Krishna Sama, next to Sama tall man in Nepali attire is Padam Singh Subba Apatan, the last man on the row in a black coat is Kavi Siromani Lekh Nath Poudyal)
Muna Madan: A Play in the Jhyaure Folk Tradition
Muna Madan: A Play in the Jhyaure Folk Tradition
Mahakavi Laxmi Prasad Devkota at Gangtok.....
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Labels: Apatan, Devkota, Gangtok, Maharaja Tashi Namgyal, Nepali literature, Sikkim / Comments: (2)
Lakshmi Prasad Devkota is regarded as the propounding father of romanticism in the Nepali literature. Devkota was deeply influenced by the writings of William Wordsworth, P.B. Shelley, Byron and John Keats. He is the pioneer of modernity or modernism in Nepali literature, especially in essays and poetry, and he is also regarded as 'Anshu Kavi'(spontaneous poet). He could write poems in a spontaneous manner and even while signing autographs for his fans, he used to write a poem before putting his signature. Devkota's poetry depicts the romantic characteristics like humanism, metaphysical relationships, aesthetic values, past glories, praise of nature etc. Apart from romantic writings, he wrote some potent revolutionary poems possibly under the impact of P.B.Shelley.
The masterpiece which renders him the loftiest position in Nepali Literature is his 'Muna-Madan' in which he tried to depict the deplorable economic condition of Nepal in the most celebrated characters of two youths Muna- a Nepali village girl and Madan- a Nepali peasant. The short epic can be compared to 'Romeo and Juliet' of William Shakespeare in the context of love and emotion 'Muna-Madan' is written in Jhyaurey prosody, the typical Nepali folk lore. This work of Devkota has been translated into several languages like German, French, English, Russian, Hindi, Japanese, Chinese etc. and it has gained same popularity as it gained in the Nepali literary world.
The glorious Nepali poet had once visited the Demasong Valley. He was invited here by the APATAN Sahitya Parishad in November 1952. The Apatan Sahitya Parishad is the pioneer literary association of Sikkim founded by four eminent Sikkimese Nepali poets namely Agam Singh Tamang, Padam Singh Subba, Tulshi Bahadur Chettri and Nima Wangdi Lepcha. This Association has contributed a lot for the propagation of literary ideas among the Sikkimese society. He was felicitated at White Hall, Gangtok on November 15th 1952, where Lt. Kashi Raj Pradhan made an introductory speech about Devkota and Padam Singh Subba read the Letter of Appreciation, which was presented to him. The then Sikkim Maharaja Tashi Namgyal roared in laughter when Devkota recited an English poem in Vedic prosody. His Majesty, the Maharaja of Sikkim Sir Tashi Namgyal was splendidly hailed by Mahakavi Lakshmi Prasad Devkota in a poem which reads like the following:
Hail! Glorious ruler of this mount in state,
Sikkim, the paradise of peaceful peaceful hills,
This lively sweet abode of angels, great,
Great in thy name. Thy well known bounty fills
With plenty of thy kingdom. Stainless soul,
Deeply devoted to the God that thrills
Thy inmost depth, thou findest him all whole
Thy own angelic subjects in their wills
Amassed forever in love to their great good
Selflessly hast thou lived, the Buddha life
In thy keen veins where human love must brood
And multiply, rich and intense to thrive
Thy teeming millions to whom a holy shire
Thou dost with sense of human sacrifice aye in spire.
(The tall man in a coat in the middle of the row is Lt. Rashmi Prasad Alley, to his right Mahakavi Lakshmi Prasad Devkota, Right to Devkota is Padam Singh Subba of 'Apatan' literary association of Sikkim, to the left side of Alley, is Bal Krishna Sama a legendary figure of Nepali Language. The picture was taken at the palace corridor Gangtok in November 1952)
The pioneer of Nepali Education in Sikkim.....Rashmi Prasad Alley
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Sunday, October 31, 2010
Labels: Gangtok, Gangtok Boarding School, Nepali, Nepali Education, Sikkim, Sikkim Education / Comments: (1)
Rashmi Prasad Alley was born in 1898 at a place called Gwalpara in Assam. He was a writer, a devoted teacher and a great devotee of the Nepali language. Lt. Alley was the first person to introduce the system of imparting education in Nepali language in Sikkim. He came to Sikkim in 1920 when the country was at the core of illiteracy, poverty and was crammed with the ignorant oppressed masses. There was no stipulation of giving out education in Nepali language in Sikkim when Lt. Alley came to Gangtok in 1920. He insisted the Royal Government to make a provision to convey education in the widespread language of the Sikkim Subjects. But, none of the authority paid any concentration to the ideas made by him. Aggravated from the Government's retort he himself started to teach his students in their local tongue on every Saturday and Sunday at his own residence. After his meticulous attempt the Nepali language got its recognition among the masses which greatly helped for the expansion of the Nepali literature in Sikkim.
Lt. Alley got his basic education in Bangla medium in Assam and taking Assamese as his key subject, he accomplished his High School in 1913. He did his Plus Two (then known as I.A) from Cotton College Guwahati. In 1919 he came to Darjeeling and worked for Chandrika (a Nepali News Paper Edited by Lt. Paras Mani Pradhan). It was in 1920; Lt. Alley got his appointment as a Head Master at Gangtok Boarding School. There were two Boarding Schools at Gangtok: The Bhutia Boarding School and The Nepali Boarding School. It was due to his diligent endeavor he was able to unite both the Schools and also played a vital role for the foundation of first ever high school at Gangtok. He worked as a teacher till 1941 at the Gangtok High School and during this period the system of dispensing education among the Nepali students started in Sikkim.
Apart from a teacher Lt. Alley was a great philanthropist who along with Raghu Bir Singh Basnett founded Dukha Niwarak Samity for the destitute. Lt. Alley was appointed as the Forest Minister in the 'Popular Ministry' of 1949. But, due to some circumstances the said Ministry was dissolved within 29 days of its formation.
(The photograph was taken in front of Gangtok Boarding School in 1930, Lt. Rashmi Prasad Alley can be seen in the middle row)
Old Pictures......
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Monday, October 25, 2010
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Chak Tha Rimponche.....A fact or an anecdote?
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The history of Sikkim is always surrounded with the folklore, mysteries and fictions. It is covered by a thick blanket of legend and mythology in which one can find births, re births and incarnations and much mythological bits and pieces which in fact have no credibility in history. But, even being mythological in nature they cannot be ignored entirely as they have their roots in our times of yore. The photograph pasted here belongs to a person who was then known as Chak- Tha Rimponche, who according to the people of Tashiding West Sikkim, used to be a conventional Buddhist. Chak Tha was a Bhutia by caste who hailed from Tashiding (Gangyap), West Sikkim and a Lama by profession. But, according to the few natives of Tashiding, at a distance from his occupation he used to tame cattle in the forest of Pokhri- Dara and its neighboring area. The descendents of those cattle tamers believe that Chak Tha had some paranormal power by which he could even control the nature. It was due to his clairvoyant smack he could fly like a bird which (according to the belief of the local people) could prove a great calamity for them. Therefore, to avoid such disaster Chak Tha was kept like a captive by his village men and Lamas by tying him with an iron chain which weighed more than a quintal. Due to the lack of evidences it is not possible to ascertain his definite period. But, when we stumble upon with the photograph of the Rimponche it becomes clear for us to understand that he certainly lived in Sikkim after the latter's contact with British India. Because, before the advent of the British, camera, photographs and sketches were dreamlike things to the Sikkimese society.
The account of Chak- Tha greatly allured me in the beginning but, when I heard the whole narrative I found it to be larger-than-life. The half naked body along with some other unknown object proves that he was a great Tantric Lama who certainly was the follower of Tibetan Tantricism. The Dammaru in front of him (right hand side), his hair-style, and a Trisul kind of entity on his left hand makes it clear that Chak- Tha was a great Tantric Lama who in all probability exhibited his acquaintance in front of the villagers and those acts of the Rimpoche later became the legends in the village and transferred from one generation to another. But, apart from all other issues, it is a fact that Chak Tha was a native of Tashiding (Gangyap) and his family still lives at the very same place where he had his eminence.
The picture was possibly taken by some British officials on their way to the famous Tashiding monastery.
Trade between India and Tibet in the Colonial Period
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Thursday, October 14, 2010
Labels: East Sikkim, Gangtok, Nathu-La, Studio., Tibetan Trade / Comments: (2)
Nathu-La has played a noteworthy role for the endorsement of British trade in the colonial era. It not only served as an access to Tibet for the British merchandise but from this very doorway the British haNathu-La has played a noteworthy role for the endorsement of British trade in the colonial era. It not only served as an access to Tibet for the British merchandise but from this very doorway the British had been able to set up an amiable relation with the sleeping giant i.e. China. The picture shows how trade and communication were undertaken by both the parties. The chief means of transportation (as shown in the picture) in those days was of the mules. We can clearly notice the condition of roads probably constructed by the British Government for their trade and commerce in the far flung land of Tibet. It is to be mention here that, after having their upper hand in the administration of Sikkim, they started to construct the roads and bridges from the Himalayan Kingdom which connected British India with Tibet. Even I was told by Mr. A.D. Moddie that, before the triumph of Communist China over Tibet, the similar trading features were prevalent between the two countries. Regarding the transportation system that was available in Sikkim in 1957 he writes:-
"…As there were only two ways, a trader's or a pilgrim's permit, I opted for the former. I wrote to our agent in Gangtok, Sikkim, to arrange a mule and a muleteer for me; I would walk. When I arrived in Gangtok and enquired about the mule arrangement, the Agent prevaricated. He shyly disclosed he had arranged twenty mules. He was taking advantage of a sahib-type, who also knew the Political Officer, Gangtok, to send his mules train in, for greater security, under my leadership. When I met Apa Pant, the P.O. for my permit in English, Hindi and Tibetan, I thought I would amuse him with the story of one mule becoming twenty. Apa Pant saw no humor in it. In serious official style, he advised me to take all twenty mules saying, "One mule no status, twenty mules status".
The writings of Moddie are justified by the documentation preserved by Das Studio Darjeeling. It probably is the only document potted in India associated with Tibetan trade. We are grateful to the proprietors of Das Studio for preserving the antiques which are so prized to peep inside our past.
Second Letter of Mrs. Indira Gandhi to Mr. K.B. Adhikari of Rhenock...
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Friday, October 8, 2010
Labels: East Sikkim, Indira Gandhi, Letter, Rhenock / Comments: (1)
This letter is also sent to Mr. K.B. Adhikari of Rhenock by the then Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi. I am again obliged to Mr. Deepak Bhandari Sharma of Rhenock for sharing this implausible document with me. The correspondence is a response from the Prime Minister to Mr. Adhikari about the invitation made by the latter on his son's wedding. In the letter dated 17th February 1979, Mrs. Gandhi has congratulated the folks of Mr. Adhikari and conveyed her best wishes to the newly wedded couple. But, due to the negligence made by the person with whom this document was conserved, the signature made by the Indian Prime Minister is not properly detectable.
Kanchenjunga....The First Nepali News based journal of Sikkim.
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Thursday, October 7, 2010
Labels: Apatan, Kanchenjunga, Nepali Journal, Rumtek, Sikkim / Comments: (2)
Sikkim, on the eve of Indian independence, was a closed book as far as the political activities were concerned. Few movements were taking place in some far-flung places of Sikkim but, they did not have much impact on the political enlargement of the country. They can be considered as an act of waywardness by the peasants against their feudal lords and those acts were flattened down with iron hands. This all was happening due to the political oblivion among the subjects of Sikkim. They had an intimidation in their minds, an intimidation of confiscation of their private property therefore; they could not raise their voices against the atrocities imposed upon them by their Masters (Kazis). There was no question of education in such a situation where one loaf of bread was dearer then the philosophy of Marx, Engel, Gandhi and Socrates.
For the establishment of an egalitarian government, journalism has always played an essential role. Journal not only provides information about the fresh developments but also provides broader sphere for arousing the feeling of liberty, parity and democracy among the browbeaten and mistreated section of a society. Before the birth of 'Kanchenjunga' there were very few journals like Amulya-Ratna (hand written journal) published in 1948 and 'Pushpanjali' of the APATAN literary society and The Pole-Star published in 1951 by Mahananda Poudyal were in the scenario but, they were not able to reach at the doorsteps of the ill-treated section as they focused mostly on the literature feature, ignoring the political aspects. To fill-up the inadequacy in the political process of Sikkim the publication of a monthly Nepali journal 'Kanchenjunga' was started on 15th August 1957. The editor of this journal was Nahakul Pradhan but, the entire important workout for the publication of 'Kanchenjunga' was completed by Mr. Kashiraj Pradhan. It is to be noted here that 'Kanchenjunga' was the first news based journal of Sikkim written in the language of the majority i.e. Nepali.
I am greatly indebted to Miss Pabitra Bhandari for sharing with me the aged page of the 'Kanchenjunga' which seems to be the 26th issue of the journal. Published on 15th September 1959, it provides us information about the asylum of the Dalai Lama of Tibet at Mussouri in India. It is stated further in the journal that the Gyawa Karmapa had taken his refuge at Rumtek monastery, nearby Gangtok, along with his 80 followers. A refugee Committee was formed on the chairmanship of the eldest princess of Sikkim Pema Choden to take care of the Tibetan refugees. According to the reports of Kanchenjunga of 15th August 1957, three to four thousand refugees were to be permitted to come to Sikkim to work as the labourers for the construction of roads under Public Works Department, Government of Sikkim. The first group of such refugees which comprised 271 Tibetans had already reached Sikkim and was executing its duty as the labourers in North Sikkim.
Probably, this is only the piece of information related with the Tibetan refugees in Sikkim which is obtainable from our state.
Letter of Mrs. Indira Gandhi to Mr. K. B Adhikari of Rhenock...
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Friday, October 1, 2010
I am greatly thankful to Mr. Deepak Bhandari Sharma of Rhenock, East Sikkim for sharing this valueable piece of information with me. The letter pasted here has been sent to Mr. K. B Adhikari of Rhenock by the Late Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi. It is to be noted here that, with the accession of Sikkim into India there was still resentment among the Sikkimese people against the Indian Government for having been cheated by the authorities during the referendum process. Therefore, they were opposing Indian overlord ship upon them and were against the visits of the Indian leaders to Sikkim.
The letter dated 19th September' 1978, reflects how the Indian Tri-Colour was insulted unknowingly, as it was put up-side down, by few "miscreants" during the visit of Mrs. Indira Gandhi. In the letter Mrs. Gandhi has defined the act as a "deliberate". It was Mr. K. B. Adhikari a Mandal of Rhenock and an important figure of the democratic movement of Sikkim, who informed the authorities to keep the flag in the order. With the steps taken by Mr. Adhikari, a national insult was averted in Sikkim.
The letter dated 19th September' 1978, reflects how the Indian Tri-Colour was insulted unknowingly, as it was put up-side down, by few "miscreants" during the visit of Mrs. Indira Gandhi. In the letter Mrs. Gandhi has defined the act as a "deliberate". It was Mr. K. B. Adhikari a Mandal of Rhenock and an important figure of the democratic movement of Sikkim, who informed the authorities to keep the flag in the order. With the steps taken by Mr. Adhikari, a national insult was averted in Sikkim.
Wake-Up Dude....!!!
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Labels: Buddhism, Heritage, monasteries, Studio / Comments: (1)
This again is an evidence of our indifference towards our traditional riches. The captions added below the photograph suggest that it is a Sikkimese monastery. From the outer looks, it can be conjectured that this is the monastery of Tashiding. It seems that a religious rite is captured by the photographer who was really serious about preserving these valuable moments. We need to pay our sincere courtesy to the Das Studio, Darjeeling for collecting and conserving the rare sight. On the contrary, we may put the so called aristocratic rulers of the then Sikkim into the hot suit for being so indulgent in their materialistic perspectives and thus ignoring the interest of the greater institution. This is a serious point of discussion--- if the photograph could be procured by a studio of Darjeeling, why could the same not be done by the much acclaimed Sikkimese nationalists? Once again, we come to the observation that either they were too conservative to share those belongings with mass people or they did not really think about the importance of the same because they were well accomplished in their realms of wealth and power.
Paradise Forgotten
The photographs pasted here show an insulted heritage of old Sikkim. It is a bridge located at Ranipool in the east district of Sikkim. It is barren today to look at and describes its pathetic condition from its superficial look itself. Indeed, we have forgotten to pay honour to the traditional heritage of ours and speak in big words about our present development and civilization. The desolate looking bridge which has been the subject of utter dismay today was once the lifeline of Sikkim. Transportation and communication of every means were possible from Gangtok to other parts only over this bridge. Constructed in the times of British Rule in India, it was certainly the witness of the then scenario which was gradually moving towards the modern day civilization. But, the ignoring attitude of the policies of our present day system has let it go for its untimely demise. What can be more pathetic than this that we are not serious enough to preserve our old prosperity and claim ourselves to be the most brilliant creature? If we happen to move on to the cities like London, Paris and Rome and even to our own Kolkata, we can see how old tradition and heritage is preserved. The example of the train looking vehicle plying on the streets of Kolkata with hardly one or two passengers is enough to make a distinction between our indifferent attitude towards heritage and their keen interest in those things.
Now, some questions come to our mind.
Why are we not paying proper heed to our heritage? Why can't we preserve and rejuvenate these legendary belongings? Why do we disregard the values of these memorable evidences? Who can answer?
This ,again is a question!!!
Report of the Fourth Annual Session of Sikkim State Congress 1952
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Friday, September 24, 2010
The Fourth Annual Session of the Sikkim State Congress was held in 1952 at Gangtok. This document reflects the important decissions taken by the Sikkim State Congress on the annual session of the Party. It is to be noted here, that the foundation of this political party was held on 7th December 1947 at Paljor Stadium then known as Polo Ground, Gangtok. The party was the outcome of the amalgamation of the three small political parties of Sikkim which were sprang up in Sikkim in the 40's of the previous century. They were Rajya Praja Sammelan, Rajya Praja Mandal and Praja Samaj Sudhar party . On 7th of December 1947, all the three parties gathered themselves at Polo Ground and decided to launch a joint movement against the corrupt practices of the Sikkimese administrative system such as Kalobhari, Jharlangi, theki bethi, Kuruwa etc. by which the then Sikkimese society was greatly suffered. The foundation of the said party was a landmark on the history of democratic movement of Sikkim. It not only united the different political ideologies of the State under the same roof but, also paved a way for the spread of the democratic ideas among the Sikkimese peasantry.
On the Fourth Session of the State Congress, Mr. Tashi Tshering was unanimously elected as the President for next one year. Similarly, The charge of the Vice- President was given to Mr. Kashi Raj Pradhan, who later has witnessed many upheavels in the democratic process of the State. Captain Dimik Singh Lepcha, an important figure of then Sikkimese politics was appointed as the Secretary of the Party along with Mr. Ram Prasad and Tsanglu Pala as his subordinates. The important decisions made by the Party are mentioned in the document, which have a great importance for the study of the political movement of Sikkim.
The proceedings of the State Congress on its Fourth Annual Session of 1952. The proceedings were written in Nepali language which had by then become a lingua-franca of Sikkim.
Jeewan Theengh.... The National Poet of Sikkim..
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Thursday, September 9, 2010
Labels: Gangtok, Maato Kavi, Nepali literature, North Sikkim, patriotism, Sikkim / Comments: (4)
Jeewan Theengh, popularly known as 'Maato Kavi' (Poet of the soil) is regarded as the national poet of the independent Sikkim and even after its merger with the soverignity of the Indian Union, the valour of Lt. Theengh is unprecedented. Born on the 19th December, 1955 at a small place named Namchi (presently the district head quarter of South Sikkim), Lt. Jeewan Theengh had a keen desire to look at his motherland as the abode of god and goddess. Blessed with affectionate parantage, his childhood and puberty got passed in and around Namchi where he had started his schooling. Born and brought up in a middle class sikkimese family, he was well nourished with ethical principles and moral values. He had graduated from St. Joseph's College Darjeeling and pursued his Masters in Political Science in North Bengal University. Lt. Jeewan Theengh did have an immense respect for his mother tongue, i.e, Nepali which ultimately steered him towards Nepali literature. He was so prolific in his writings that his sentimental attachment towards his country and his race got perpetually reflected in his memorable creations. He was literally against the notion of Sikkimese merger into India which resultantly turned him into a poet of Revolutionary cadre. We can cite many examples to bring our point home, but the following excerpt best portrays the reason of the title Maato Kavi conferred upon him by his followers :
Timiheru Veer
Aaba Canvas ma desh ka Simana Lekhdai Jau
Timro Suvidha ley bhaye jati
Jaatah bhabhi Sima haru Kordai Jau
Jati sukai sima haru Badaundai laaijau.
( You all are paramount; now you can draw the border of your country on a canvas according to your convenience; keep on marking the fence lines and enhance your geographical sphere)
In the excerpt, we find Jeewan Theengh attacking the Indian Sovereignty in a mocking tone. This establishes the fact how sincerely the poet's sentiments were devoted towards his land. This kind of temperament is, no doubt, the culmination of patriotism.
But, alas!!!!
This pious son of Sikkim who highly felt the grandeur of his motherland was only a blessing for 23 years. This great soul succumbed to the afflictions of incurable disease and breathed his last on 5th July 1978. Though, the life span of this eminent poet was tiny, his works and marks on the society are invaluable. He not only advocated the cause of Sikkimese integration and the Nepali unity, but he also spreaded the message of universality amongst human beings. We can best appriciate or rather worship this great legendary figure by reading and preserving his immortal creations which really speak of Maato, the soil.
( Further writings about this great poet will feature soon in the blog)
Trade in the Pre-Independent scenario- Sikkim and Darjeeling
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Labels: Darjeeling, Sikkim Haat, Tibetan, Trade / Comments: (5)
The photograph in the inset is once again a long preserved historical document (courtesy the Das Studio Darjeeling) which is shared with me by Mr. Dweep Subba, a student of B.A. III semester of Namchi Government College. This is a photograph of a Sikkimese Carpet Seller probably of 1910's taken at Darjeeling. The person in the photograph is a typical Bhutia or Tibetan as his dress suggests. These traders used to bring carpets from Darjeeling to Sikkim and then they used to send it to Tibet. The British provincial Estate of Darjeeling had then been the centre of trade and commerce of the places like Kalimpong, Kurseong, Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal. Tradesmen from Nepal, Bhutan and many other neighbouring places used to come to Darjeeling to attend the Sunday HAAT (Market) to have their trade dealings. This is to be cited here that they used the Silk Route which connected Kalimpong with Tibet via Sikkim for their trading purpose. The background of the photograph shows one portion of Darjeeling which seems to be comparatively developed in the then scenario. The posters and hoardings written in English suggest that Darjeeling was a pioneering place to amalgamate with the English language. The photograph itself is a testimony to the fact that technological instruments like camera, electricity, and, of course, the system of photo developing marked the advancement of Darjeeling in comparision to other adjacent places.
The Bridge over the Rungeet- The Life-line of Sikkim and neighbouring British Provinces.
Passport to Tibet.....
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Thursday, August 19, 2010
Labels: Gangtok, Moddie, Sikkim, Tibetan Trade / Comments: (0)
Old picture of Lama Anden(North Sikkim)
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Thursday, August 12, 2010
Labels: Historian, IAS, Moddie, North Sikkim / Comments: (0)
Old and New Nathu-La…..How different it is now….
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Monday, August 9, 2010
Labels: Moddie, Nathu-La, Tibetan Trade / Comments: (0)
The New Picture of Nathu-La is also shared to me by Moddie Shaab(as Mr. A.D. Moddie is popularly known in Nainital).
The first Indian to scale Lama Anden (A mountain peak in North Sikkim)
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay
Labels: Lachung, Moddie, Nainital, North Sikkim / Comments: (0)
The first Indian to scale Lama Anden a mountain lays left of Lachung is Mr. A.D. Moddie who is also the first batch IAS of independent India. He scaled this peak in North Sikkim in 1946. Recruited in 1948, Mr. Moddie served as an IAS officer in Bihar's Madhubani district and later resigned and joined Hindustan Liver. I met Mr. Moddie at his Bhim Tal Cottage at Nainital which once belonged to Col. John who was assigned with the charge of administration of the Kumaun and Garwahl region by the British Government. Mr. Moddie bought the house from Mr. Elgin, the last British Officer of the region in the 60's of the last century. When I reached at his cottage an old man of 90's opened the door. He still has the very same charm on his face which he used to have 60 years back. I greeted him and our course of interaction about Sikkim started. Mr. Moddie has shared with me some of his great experiences at Gangtok while going to Lhasa as an Indian trader. He told me that Gangtok was then a small town with few houses at present days M.G. Marg. About the least bothered attitude of the then Indians towards the trans-Himalaya in his book Witnesses to our Times he has written the following lines:-
"No one then bothered about the Trans-Himalayan Central Asia. In due course, after a discussion with Harishwar Dayal (then Indian Political Officer to Sikkim) I found myself posted as a trade agent to Gyantze in Tibet……… I think I got my posting on the strength of two earlier treks and a climb on Lama Anden in Sikkim- all I could show of my meager expertise of Central Asia. But my imagination was full of the old Shangri La, the Silk Route, the early Everest story and the earlier Pundits of the survey of India".
Regarding the perplex situation that he had to face at Gangtok he writes:-
"As there were only two ways, a trader's or a pilgrim's permit, I opted for the former. I wrote to our agent in Gangtok, Sikkim, to arrange a mule and a muleteer for me; I would walk. When I arrived in Gangtok and enquired about the mule arrangement, the Agent prevaricated. He shyly disclosed he had arranged twenty mules. He was taking advantage of a sahib-type, who also knew the Political Officer, Gangtok, to send his mules train in, for greater security, under my leadership. When I met Apa Pant, the P.O. for my permit in English, Hindi and Tibetan, I thought I would amuse him with the story of one mule becoming twenty. Apa Pant saw no humor in it. In serious official style, he advised me to take all twenty mules saying, "One mule no status, twenty mules status".
Apart from the information which he has written in his book Mr. Moddie shared few valuable information about his meeting with the then Maharaja of Sikkim late Sir Tashi Namgyal. He told me that the late Maharaja was a pious person who had nothing to do with politics and who always kept himself busy in religious paintings. Mr. Moddie still has a great love towards the Himalayas and Sikkim has a special place at his heart. When I asked to take few pictures of him he preferred to take them under the pictures of Sikkim which he had taken during his visit.
Mercedese Benz of the last Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Thursday, June 17, 2010
An antique Kothi of Namchi
Posted by Dr. Rajen Upadhyay on Sunday, June 6, 2010
To the right side of the road towards Bhanjyang from Namchi, an old Kothi (Bunglow) is situated bearing the grace, pride and glory of the Monarchical Sikkim. The old Kothi belongs to the then Mukhtiyar of Namchi Late San Man Tamang. Constructed in 1911, the Kothi is one of the best examples of British architecture at the town. The wooden house was a centre of attraction among the people of in and around Namchi in its earlier days and was known as Naya Ghar (New House)or Mukhtiyar Kothi. The roof is made of thick tin and has not even a single hole over it even after 99 years of its construction. It is said that the materials for the construction of the Kothi were imported to Sikkim from nearby British province of Bengal. They were brought here on the horse back in the absence of motor vehicles as well as due to the poor means of communication. The rooms inside the Kothi have been divided by the wooden planks, which probably are the planks of Sakhua (A strong and durable species of wood plant); and it is due to this, the house still looks like a new one. The windows of the Kothi were initially made of wood, but, later on they were replaced by the modern glasses. The important feature of the house in terms of association and affinity is that the Mukhtiyar family of Namchi has been living under the same roof for five generations. Mukhtiyar Kothi still enjoys an adorable reputation and has been an object of envy for every onlooker. The Kothi was like a court when the Mukhtiyari system was prevalent and lots of decisions and verdicts were conferred upon from the very courtyard of this antique mansion. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of Namchi, there stands the famous Mukhtiyar Kothi with its haughty head holding towards the sky. Certainly, in this scenario, when every one is hankering after the so called sophistication of modernity, the Kothi is calm and sublime recalling the past days in a serene mood. Obviously, the Mukhtiyar and his successors deserve a heart felt praise for the preservation of the rare and incredible wealth of its kind.
(Person sitting in the middle with a turban is the then Mukhtiyar San Man Tamang of Namchi)
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- Dr. Rajen Upadhyay
- Namchi, Sikkim, India
- simply simple........keen to live life to the fullest.......possess a big and open heart...
we are in


text:
LMC Welcomes Cardiologist William Brabham, MD
As an electrophysiologist, he is a cardiologist who has additional education and training in the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of cardiac arrhythmias, or abnormal heart rhythms. Before joining Lexington Medical Center and Lexington Cardiology, Dr. Brabham was an after-hours hospitalist at Kindred Hospital of Charleston in S.C. He is also a member of the AmericanCollege of Cardiology, the American Medical Association and the Heart Rhythm Society.
After graduating with distinction from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville with a bachelor's degree in Physics, Dr. Brabham earned his medical degree at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, where he also served as class valedictorian. He then completed an Internal Medicine residency at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. and achieved his Internal Medicine board certification.
Dr. Brabham culminated his education by achieving board certification in cardiovascular disease and completing a fellowship in cardiac electrophysiology at MUSC.
Lexington Cardiology offers a variety of cardiovascular services delivered with excellence and compassion. Services include cardiac consultations and evaluations, echocardiograms, nuclear stress testing, vascular studies, pacemaker and defibrillator services, heart catheterizations, coronary stenting, coronary angioplasty, peripheral vascular intervention, Bi-V ICD/Pacemaker implantations, atrial fibrillation ablations and atrial septal defect closure.
Lexington Cardiology has three convenient locations in West Columbia, Columbia and Lugoff to serve its patients. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
2601 Laurel Street, Suite 260
Columbia, SC 29204
Phone: (803) 744-4900
Fax: (803) 744-4938
131 Sunset Court
West Columbia, SC 29169
Phone: (803) 744-4940
Fax: (803) 744-4978
1 The Commons
Lugoff, SC 29078
Phone: (803) 729-4610
Fax: (803) 744-4995


text: Lubuntu is a lightweight Linux flavor using Debian, Ubuntu and LXDE as its base. The project's goal is to provide a lightweight and easy to use distribution. Lubuntu is targeted at machines with lower resources, but also runs great on newer hardware. The Linux distribution comes with a simple graphical user interface and a wide variety of applications chosen for their small footprint so you can browse, email, chat, play, and be productive.


text:
Patricia Volk
Photo: © Michael Lionstar
About the Author
Patricia Volk is the author of the memoir Stuffed: Adventures of a Restaurant Family, as well as four works of fiction. She is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and has taught at Columbia University, New York University, and Bennington College. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, New York, The New Yorker, and Playboy. She lives in New York City.


text:
If your job involves handling explosives, probably the last thing you're worried about is whether or not your watch can survive a blast that would leave you dead. But that didn't stop Kaventsmann from crafting this truly over-the-top timepiece that's been torture tested with ten pounds of C4. The verdict: the crystal got scratched, but the watch kept on ticking.
The ideal accessory for demolition experts and bomb squad technicians, the Triggerfish Bronze A2 boasts an incredibly chunky 20 millimeter thick case that's rated to 300 bar. So if you happen to fall into the ocean unconscious and sink, the watch will keep working to depths of almost 3,000 meters. Unfortunately the Triggerfishes are all hand-crafted by Michael Barahona Fernandez, so while they're built to last, only 30 of them will be produced. And you'll have to get used to having your name on a waiting list for a while if you actually want one.
[Kaventsmann (Facebook) via Gear Patrol]


text:
Editor's Note: The following article was written by Jim Rogers, president and CEO of Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA), for the October issue of Woodall's Campground Management.
No matter where you turn, you'll find evidence that future prospects for outdoor activity and campground occupancy growth are extraordinary. KOA intends to combine the best of its past with its best innovation and leadership for the future to assure its continued success for its franchisee partners.
Whether you are reading Dr. Richard Curtin's "The RV Consumer in 2011," the 2010 Harris Interactive Research on "RV Perceptions and Purchase Motivators" or the "Outdoor Industry Foundation/Coleman/KOA Special Report on Camping," you can only conclude that the outlook for all types of camping are outstanding.
Our campers, our prospects and the marketplace they create have changed dramatically, as have the ways we can effectively communicate with them. KOA believes that sales and service strategies going forward must be pro-active and align directly to personal needs, wants, travel/recreational preferences and economics.
KOA will adapt its marketing and services to better attract and serve the ethnic diversity that is present within our population. Today's outdoor participants are over 80 percent Caucasian. But America's largest camper base lives in California where the Hispanic population is approaching 40 percent. Population forecasts further confirm a much wider ethnic diversity throughout the United States in the future. These factors represent significant incremental growth for KOA campgrounds.
KOA will further emphasize its operational focus of thinking from the "outside in" not the "inside out." We think about our customers/guests from their perspective. Outdoor enthusiasts pursue a variety of activities in different ways. A backpacker may own an RV, a kayaker may hike, fish, bike, and use both public and private campgrounds. RVers and campers want greater cooperation between us all. They just want us all to make it easy for them to find and service their gear and to enjoy the many activities that the outdoors provides them.
You can't pick up your favorite form of media and not see a story about the outdoors. It is prevalent in discussions today as it relates to health, youth, tourism economics, adventure travel, the need people have for an "unplugged" peaceful environment and affordability.
The Harris Interactive study concluded that nearly "10 million households nationwide should be categorized as potential RV owners." Wow! Curtain's update pointed out the fact that over one quarter of all former RV owners intend to re-enter the RV lifestyle and that is significant.
The 2011 Special Report on Camping sponsored by the Outdoor Foundation, Coleman and KOA reiterates the magnitude of the camping marketplace. The report on camping estimated that approximately 40 million Americans or 15 percent camp annually. The most cited reason for reducing the number of camping trips was a lack of time due to work and family commitments.
KOA believes that loyal returning customers are the best customers we have. They buy more, recommend to others, reduce marketing costs and are less price sensitive. They are word of mouth/mouse champions and promoters. They also help us by introducing new people to the life style and outdoor fun. And KOA's one-of-a-kind marketing technologies will only improve its abilities for targeted initiatives and improved ROI's on marketing investments for our franchisees and the company.
Camper research also confirms that over half of private campground guests today are "regional" if not "local." Due to time constraints, fuel prices, and the availability of great destination campgrounds close to home, RV families are taking advantage of nearby campgrounds. This trend is here to stay and our campgrounds are rapidly adapting to the different hospitality requirements of these trends.
We know that uncertainty is here to stay. Market indicators substantiate that there are plenty of prospects and a growing interest in camping/outdoors. KOA's high-tech, high-touch strategies are aligned to optimize these trends for years to come.
Let's manage what we can control and create the future together!