Creative Traditions, Flourishing Cultures A chronicle of 23 years of cultural development in Sikkim ACHIEVEMENTS & INITIATIVES (1994-2016) Cultural Affairs and Heritage Department Government of Sikkim Gangtok First published August 2016 by Cultural Affairs and Heritage Department Government of Sikkim Gangtok Photo Credit: Department of Information and Public Relations Cultural Affairs and Heritage Department Government of Sikkim Gangtok & Trysts & Traces Designed and Printed by: Trysts & Traces 2 Shri Pawan Chamling Chief Minister of Sikkim Foreword I am indeed happy that the Cultural Affairs and Heritage Department has come out with a compendium highlighting the milestones we have achieved in the preservation and promotion of art and culture from 1994 to 2016. A perfect example of “unity in diversity” exists in Sikkim, a land bejeweled in the Himalayas, as various ethnic communities rich in their myth and tradition display a spellbinding mosaic of peace and tranquillity. Preservation of this rich and diverse tradition, culture, language and heritage of Sikkim has been central to the policies and programmes of the state government with the belief that if ‘we lose our tradition and culture we lose our own identity’. Towards this front, all the main languages in Sikkim have been given the status of State language. Lepcha, Bhutia and Limboo languages have been introduced up to college curricula, while other languages such as Rai, Gurung, Newar, Mangar, Tamang, are being taught till secondary level of education. This is in itself a unique characteristic of Sikkim. The state government has declared community festivals and rituals as government gazetted holidays such as Tendong Lho Rum Faat, Guru Rinpoche’s Trungkar Tsechu, Sirijunga Sawan Tongnam, Sakewa, Losar, Sonam Lochar, Tamu Lochar, Indrajatra and Barahimijong. This has helped in preservation and promotion of indigenous identity of the ethnic communities as manifested in cultural festivals, food habits, traditional costumes, local dialects, etc. We have also made significant effort in the development of infrastructure of cultural importance. Some of these include the state-of-the-art museum in Gangtok, Nepali Literature and Cultural Research Centre in Geyzing and Multi Purpose Cultural Centre, Manan Bhawan. Some of the major projects coming up are the statue of Mahatma Sirijunga Singthebe at Hee Bermiok, Chenrezig Shingkham at Pelling and Stairway to Heaven project at Daramdin. The efforts made by us for the past twenty-two years in the field of art and culture are here for everyone to see. It has indeed brought about tangible cultural rejuvenation in the state. I congratulate the department for their contribution towards the state’s progress and cultural development, and at the same time hope that this compendium serve as a stepping stone to even grander goals. Pawan Chamling 3 Shri G.M. Gurung Minister Cultural Affairs and Heritage Department Government of Sikkim Message I congratulate the Cultural Affairs and Heritage Department for successfully bringing out the achievement report of the department from 1994 to 2016 in the form of a book. With the inception of the new government in 1994, the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Pawan Chamling has laid special focus on the preservation, protection and revival of Sikkim’s unique cultural traditions and ethnic communities. Since then, we are ardently undertaking promotion of cultural heritage of all the communities of Sikkim. The department has also initiated a number of schemes in preservation of traditional houses, documentation works and conservation works at historical areas and promotion of tangible and intangible heritage. Successful completion of these projects will put Sikkim in the heritage tourism map of India. The construction of State Museum in Gangtok, Nepali Literature and Cultural Research Centre in Geyzing and Multi Purpose Cultural Centre, Manan Bhawan are other major achievements of the department. There are many more upcoming cultural infrastructures such as statue of Mahatma Sirijunga Singthebe at Hee Bermiok, Chenrezig Shingkham at Pelling and Stairway to Heaven at Daramdin. This achievement report is a reminder on what we have achieved and what is yet to be achieved. I once again applaud the department for coming out with the achievement report. G.M. Gurung 4 Contents Foreword 3 Promotion and Preservation of 22 Message 4 Sikkim’s Tangible and Introduction 6 Intangible Heritage Initiatives under Archives & Development of Cultural 10 Archaeology Section Infrastructure Major Projects Completed 11 Workshops, exhibitions and 26 Nepali Literature and Cultural conservation works Research Centre, Geyzing Manan Bhawan, Gangtok Initiatives under Song & Drama Unit 34 Sikkim State Museum, Gangtok Statue of Chogyal Palden Thondup Development of Library in Sikkim 40 Namgyal Awards Instituted 44 Ongoing Projects 18 Sikkim Samman Sammilan Chenrezig Shingkham – Riwo Sikkim State Civilian Awards Potala, Pelling Statue of Mahatma Sirijunga Singthebe, Hee Bermiok Stairway to Heaven, Daramdin Major Conservation 20 Works Undertaken Ongdichi Palace Ruins, Tumlong Budang Gadi, Central Pendam Ruins of Taktse Fort, Pangthang 5 Introduction The “wealth” of a state and a nation is Affairs Department. The Hon’ble Chief often gauged by its cultural and social Minister, Mr. Pawan Chamling renamed the advancement. Sikkim is wealthy in this department in 2004 as the Cultural Affairs respect. The splendour and diversity of and Heritage Department, and it has since Sikkim’s art, literature, rituals, culture grown into a vibrant, engaged department and dances, with its lyrical appeal and with his support. To augment the functions of richness, are incomparable. Sikkim’s the department, the government constituted ethnic communities and sub-communities two boards in 2014: the Sikkim Culture, have their own language and distinctive Heritage and Communal Harmony Board, folk traditions as varied and beautiful as and the Sikkim Music, Drama, Dance and the people themselves. These have been Film Board, each headed by a chairman. The nurtured and allowed to flourish aided by department was also given administrative a series of important initiatives by the state control of two autonomous bodies: Namgyal government since 1994. Institute of Tibetology, which has taken Pre-1994, matters of culture and heritage up significant research work in Buddhist like preservation of ancient monuments, studies, and Sikkim Akademi, set up in 2002 cultural shows, compilation of folk songs, for development and promotion of literature etc., used to be administered by a single in the state. In 2001, the state government, it department, the Press, Publicity and Cultural may be added here had renamed the erstwhile 6 6 Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology as to preserve, protect and revive cultural Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. traditions and ethnic communities in Sikkim’s cultural traditions have been the state, thus maintaining a balance of rejuvenated and ethnic diversity has peace in Sikkim’s multi-ethnic society. His flourished under the democratic leadership government has aided long-term preservation of Chief Minister Mr. Chamling. While and conservation of indigenous tribal dance, many leaders across the world may suppress music and literature – all with the conviction ethnic communities to bolster their power, that protecting diverse cultural practices and Chief Minister Mr. Chamling has supported lifestyles is akin to protecting the identity of inclusion and diversity, giving importance the people themselves. to all those who belong to Sikkimese society, The people of Sikkim may speak different their language, tradition, religion and culture. languages, but live as one harmonious In over two decades as chief minister of society. All the main languages spoken Sikkim, Mr. Chamling has made significant in Sikkim have been given the status of a interventions to preserve and promote the “state language”. Notably, Bhutia, Lepcha cultural heritage of Sikkim. The art, dance, and Limboo languages have been included music, festivals, cuisines and lifestyles of all in college curricula, while other languages, the people of Sikkim have been recognised. such as Rai, Gurung, Newar, Mangar and He has passed a specific government policy Tamang, are taught till secondary school. 7 7 Financial help is directly given to different April 2011, beneficiaries have increased by communities to promote research in their 20 per cent per constituency. respective languages. Festivals of every Having recognised the social contribution ethnic community, such as Lepcha’s Tendong of faith healers, the State government now Lho Rum Faat, Bhutia’s Losoong and Pang wishes to go one step further by establishing Lhabsol, Limboo’s Teyongshi Sirijonga Sawan a folk healer centre in Assam Lingzey, east Tongnam, Tamang’s Sonam Lochhar, Rai’s Sikkim. The centre will showcase all the Sakewa, Gurung’s Tamu Lochhar, Mangar’s traditional healers belonging to the different Barahimijong, Newar’s Indrajatra, and Dasain ethnic communities of Sikkim and conserve and Tihar of Bahun, Chettri and other for posterity the rituals, local incantation, Nepali sub-communities, have been declared religious products, beads, butter oil lamps gazetted holidays. To help continue traditions and prayer wheels used by faith healers. in future generations, a Phedangma school has The cultural centres and community been set up in west Sikkim and a Bongthing bhawans, such as the Sherpa community school in north Sikkim aimed