Special Issue IkkIM HERAL S Vol. 63 No. 05 visit us at www.ipr.sikkim.gov.in Gangtok (Tuesday) January 15, 2019 Regd. No.WB/SKM/01/2017-19D

Maghey Mela 2019 The beginning of every the waters of holy rivers like the ban tarul, raw or cooked. Thus, It also provides an Sikkim (CATCH), AROGYA new year in Sikkim is marked Ganga-Yamuna-Saraswati and begins the colourful harmonious impetus to the tourism sector Mela, Career Counselling (Job with the auspicious celebration the Teesta-Rangit. Hence, these festival of Maghey . with a great number of tourist Mela), amusement games of Maghey Sankranti Mela. confluences witness higher In Sikkim, the Maghey flocking into the State, in order (Meena Bazaar), adventure Every year on the ninth month concentration of religious Sankranti Mela coalesces into a to witness this grand sports like rock climbing, para of the Hindu Lunar Calendar, devotees as well as tourists synthesis of culture, community celebration. gliding, etc. and photo contest people of different communities during this period. It is believed and tradition. It is more than just Overall, it is a time when (my selfie moment) have been come together to celebrate one that on the Sankranti eve, Lord a religious practice. The festival the spirit of togetherness and added to the itinerary. of the most ritualistically and himself ascends at the is symbolic of the brotherhood unity in diversity is The evenings will religiously significant harvest water bodies and blesses the and fraternity among the various strengthened. witness musical extravaganzas festival, the Maghey Sankranti. devotees who have taken the communities. The Maghey Sikkim has come a long with performances by local and The festival begins with sacred bath. Sanskranti plays an important way since the first celebration guest artists. the Makar bath, which is taken The sacred dip is followed role in showcasing the various of Maghey Sankranti. The JOB Mela: in every household, spring or by “Ban-tarul tika” smeared on tradition, practices, art, culture, festival has not only grown but Job melas are conducted any other source of water. It is the foreheads of the devotees. costume of the diverse it has evolved and imbibed every for schools, recruiters and considered sacred to immerse in Then, the devotees consume the communities of Sikkim. aspect of the Sikkimese way of employees to meet with life. The Chief Minister’s policy prospective job seekers and earnest efforts in wherein companies like Tata successfully implementing the Consulting Services, organic mission has added to the Concentrix, Maruti Suzuki, richness of the festival. The Denevo Educational Society, innate agricultural trait of the Indigo, Vistara, Trident Oberoi, ethnic communities is JW Marriot, Jet Airways, Spice highlighted through the display Jet, Sodexo, Speciality and sale of the organic products Restaurant, Axis Bank, Café of the farming society. Coffee Day etc. participate in Today, the Maghey Mela it. Candidates are selected and is a quintessential celebration of placed in various job sectors the co-relation between man and like Hospitality, Airlines, BPO, nature, between culture and Banks, Automobiles, Airlines tradition and between faith and etc. It is a platform which unity. provides a host of career The mela includes a opportunities at the doorsteps varied display of cultural for the local educated wealth in the form of dances, unemployed youths of Sikkim. cuisines, handicrafts and to SARAS Trade Fair : perfectly balance the State level SARAS Trade traditional norms with the on Fair is organized under the going trends, art and flower Sikkim Rural Livelihood exhibitions (SARAS mela) Mission every year to facilitate along with health awareness mass sale of beautifully crafted camps like Chief Minister’s rural products, handlooms and Comprehensive Annual and Total Checkup for Healthy Contd.on page 2 SIkkIM HERALD Gangtok (Tuesday) January 15, 2019 2 Maghey Sankranti Cultural programme and other activities Maghey Sankranti is a Sikkimese festival observed on the first day of Magh in the Vikram Sambat (B.S.) calendar (on 14 January) during Maghey Mela bringing an end to the winter month of Poush. Date and significance Generally falls on 14 January, and is called Maghey Sankranti or other names in the Indian subcontinent. The movement of the sun from one zodiac sign into another is called Sankranti and as the Sun moves into the Capricorn zodiacal sign known as Makara, this occasion is named as Makara Sankranti in the Pahari context. Maghey Sankranti is regarded as marking the beginning of an auspicious phase in Sikkimese culture. It is cited as the 'holy phase of transition'. It marks the end of an inauspicious phase which according to the begins around mid-December. It is believed that any auspicious and sacred ritual can be sanctified in any Hindu family, this day onwards. Scientifically, this day marks the beginning of warmer and longer days compared to the nights. In other words, Sankranti marks the termination of winter season and beginning of a new harvest or spring season. Makar Sankranti and the Winter Solstice Many combine this festival with the Winter Solstice, and believe that the sun ends its southward journey (Sanskrit: Dakshinayana) at the Tropic of Capricorn, and starts moving northward (Sanskrit: Uttarayaana) towards the Tropic of Cancer, in the month of Poush on this day in mid-January. While there is no overt solar observance of Winter Solstice in the Hindu religion, the Vaikuntha festival, calculated on the lunar calendar, falls the closest. Further, the Sun makes its northward journey on the day after winter solstice when day light increases. Therefore, Makar Sankranti signifies the celebration of the day following the day of winter solstice. Scientifically, currently in the Northern Hemisphere, winter solstice occurs between 21 and 22 December. Day light will begin to increase on 22 December and on this day, the Sun will begin its northward journey which marks Uttarayaan. The date of winter solstice changes gradually due to the Axial precession of the Earth, coming earlier by approximately 1 day in every 70 years. Hence, if the Maghey Sankranti at some point of time did mark the day after the actual date of winter solstice, a date in mid-January would correspond to around 300CE, the heyday of English mathematics and astronomy.

Contd. from front page brought a revolution in the concept of healthcare in Sikkim by offering early diagnostics Maghey Mela... and care. CATCH programmes are traditional arts made by rural also held during the mela artisans of Self- Help Groups celebration where from within and outside the comprehensive checkup which state like Assam, Nagaland, is annual and periodical total Odisha etc. are displayed and (Head to Toe) health check up sold. The visitors shows is done for the public. interest to interact with the AROGYA Mela: participants and appreciate the AROGYA mela is a efforts of the SRLM and comprehensive health fair on encourage the Self Help Ayurveda, and Groups to actively take Naturopathy Unani, Siddha, forward the efforts made by Sowa- Rigpa (AMCHI) and them in a sustainable manner. Homeopathy aimed at The Department of Rural promoting and popularizing the Management Development Indian System of medicine informed that around 120 stalls among the general public as will be installed to accomplish well as bringing the industry a major component of SARAS up to date about new mela wherein more than 20 developments in the sector. states have already given their AROGYA in Sanskrit means to confirmation. live a life without disease. This Chief Minister’s fair was held for the first time Comprehensive Annual and in 2017 organized by Health Total Checkup for Healthy Care, Human Services and Sikkim (CATCH) : Family Welfare Department in Physical fitness is vital collaboration with Ministry of for an individual to keep ones AYUSH, Government of India mind and body healthy and and Indian Chamber of functioning at its best. The Commerce during the Government of Sikkim with this Jorethang Maghey Mela 2017. vision has forayed into During the fair, free clinic transforming Sikkim into a services, free distribution of healthy State with its healthy medicines, live yoga security based programme demonstration, tips on healthy “CATCH”. The programme food, technical lectures are organized by Health Care, provided. The rural public who Human Services and Family come to seek help for common Welfare Department has ailments are benefitted. Log on to www.ipr.sikkim.gov.in SIkkIM HERALD Gangtok (Tuesday) January 15, 2019 3 Stalls put up during Maghey Mela

CLEAn SIkkIM GREEn SIkkIM SIkkIM HERALD Gangtok (Tuesday) January 15, 2019 4 Past celebrations of Maghey Mela

Curtain raiser for Maghey Mela 2019 Jorethang Badminton Premier League is a the Curtain raiser event for Jorethang Maghey Mela 2019 where a total of 10 players in each team from top 60 badminton players of Sikkim were selected through an Open Auction held on November 25. Alken Laboratories was the title sponsors for the Badminton League, while IPCA Laboratories and Casino Mahjong Sikkim with the support of locals were among other sponsors of the tournament. The first Franchisee based sports event, kicked off on a grand note with a total of 6 teams at the Badminton Hall above Jorethang Car Plaza with their respective team flags on December 29, 2018. The Jorethang Badminton Premier League Title carries a cash award of ` 2.00 lakh for the winner and `1.25 Lakh for the runners up team. All the teams will play a round robin league with the best four teams going to the knockout stage and the grand final. The games are being played on the Indian Badminton league with trump match format. A total of 60 players are participating in the competition with format requiring all the players to get an opportunity to play a game. Unique Shuttlers emerged as the winners of the league and walked away with a grand prize of ` 2 lakhs while Namchi Smashers finished behind as the runners-up with a winning amount of ` 1.25 lakh. Mr. Kapil Mani Shilal and Minister and owner of Red Panda, G.M.T.S, Mr. G..M. Gurung were declared the winner and runners up of the exhibition match. The Fair Team Award was conferred to team Racqueters. The four franchises that qualified for the semi-finals were Jorethang Rising Star (JRS), Unique Shuttlers (US), Namchi Smashers (NS) and The Racqueters (TRQ). All the other franchisee owners-Mr. Roshan Rai of Racquetters, Mr. Tarundeep Rai and Mr. T.P. Ethenpa of Namchi Smashers, Mr. Satyam Rai of Southern Phoenix- were also present during the League.

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