www.kalimpong.info

-By Janice Mukhia

Imagine a talent show being the litmus test to your identity. On any given day that would seem absurd? I don’t get it and neither do I expect you to. But believe it or not……..Indian Idol III, or more importantly so, the aftermaths of its results is what made me reflect on the gravity of a very “grave situation”.

As any member of a hyphenated community, be it Indian-American, African-American, Asian-American…..I inevitably fall into that unenviable grey area of not knowing where exactly it is that I belong. Consequently, I inherit quite a raw deal called a “torn-sense of identity”. But then again, I guess it comes with the territory. In my case, I am an Indian of Nepali origin, now turned American after being an Alien for “N” number of years. Go figure!!! It’s been a transition to say the least.
For the most part, I would like to call myself a Kalimpongey from Dungra busty but since that turns out to be an inconvenience to the geographically challenged, I’ve settled for the wider picture…..A Darjeelingey. But I digress.

Coming home to my original point, the results of Indian Idol III has indeed driven home a very somber issue for me and for a thousand other Nepalese living in the area. Here was Prashant Tamang, the 23-year-old contestant who put Darjeeling on the map in more ways than one. Quite unknowingly he became an icon for the Nepalese not only in the Darjeeling Hills but for Nepalese throughout the world. Quite involuntarily he no longer was a mere participant on a national competition……he came to symbolize an entire community. A community nevertheless, that has suffered suppression, deprivation and starvation for decades. In him we identified with all our unmet needs. In him we identified with our unheard demands and he became the voice for our unheard cries for justice. And so we proceeded with a passion to ensure a victory in the “ONE” battle of our lives that we knew we “HAD” to win. It was important for us to prove our skeptics wrong. It was important for us to show the cynics we’d awakened from our deep slumber. We did what any community would do. We rose up to the challenge and emerged as victors not the vanquished.

But as we stand at the brink of our victory……..it saddens me to see that today we stand alone. The country which we have called our motherland looks upon our victory with contempt. It looks to us with the same suspicion it reserves for the outsiders. It looks upon us as a competitor not a companion. As in everything else, our country and our fellow countrymen raise their fingers in condemnation for a crime we’re not responsible for. Today we stand defending ourselves from false allegations. Today we stand defending the very legitimacy of our identity.

Indeed it makes me wonder…… if the very country we call “Our Motherland” rejects us in such a loathsome manner, where then should our allegiances lie? Which flag do we turn to? Where then should we look to for support and encouragement? What then is our self-respect? Where then is “Our Home”??

Nay my brethren, we are indeed marooned in our own land. We are indeed an “Orphan Nation” ………….orphaned not in a foreign land, but in our own motherland which we call home.

www.telegraphindia.com

Sept. 28: Unfounded rumours of hooliganism by supporters of Indian Idol 3 winner Prashant Tamang led to street riots in Siliguri today, prompting police firing, army intervention and an indefinite curfew.

Some 5,000 marchers, including 800 schoolchildren, were protesting against a Delhi radio jockey’s controversial remarks about Tamang’s Nepalese origins when a local mob stoned, chased and besieged them for eight hours since 11.35am.

The mob later clashed with the police, leaving at least 50 people injured, including two men hit by police bullets. The army and the BSF were patrolling the town tonight.

The rumour that the marchers had beaten up patients near a hospital (see chart) turned out to be false but a minor quarrel may have taken place between some of the rallyists and a patient’s relatives.

When the marchers came under attack, about 800 of them ran into the compounds of a court and the district telecom office and were trapped inside till the army rescued them around 7.45pm.

“There were more than 50 schoolchildren with us. They had nothing to eat through the day,” said Avinash Tamang.

Indian Idol, a TV music talent hunt decided by voting via text messaging and phone calls, had stoked regional sentiments but failed to divide Siliguri. All communities had united to vote for Tamang, 24, helping him beat Shillong’s Amit Paul, 25, on Sunday.

Many Nepalese, however, saw RJ Nitin’s comments as an insult. The marchers, mostly Nepalese from in and around Siliguri, set out from Darjeeling More towards the subdivisional office 2km away to hand over a written demand for an apology from the FM channel.

Red FM said Nitin had “used some humorous phrases” which were “misinterpreted”. The RJ has apologised saying if any listener “misinterpreted my intent and felt hurt or insulted, I am extremely sorry”.

In the first few minutes of the clashes, the rallyists, too, vandalised about 50 makeshift stalls outside the courthouse but soon most of them fled.

Once the rest were hemmed in, the mob stood guard outside the court and telecom office, braving the police batons and tear gas and ignoring back-to-back proclamations of Section 144 by the district and subdivision administrations.

The rumours spread across the town prompting crowds to torch a Tata Sumo with a Sikkim number plate at Collegepara and a police vehicle at Hospital More in the afternoon. Outside the court, a motorbike was in flames.

The police, who had driven four buses and three vans inside the court compound abandoned plans to rescue the rallyists and called for BSF and army help.

The BSF could do little till the army arrived from Sukna at 7pm. The first batch of besieged rallyists was taken out in three police buses, three army trucks and two police vans, escorted by troops. The second batch came out at 8.30pm in five vans.

The police fired “seven rounds” around 4.30pm. One bullet struck Biswajit Das, a shopper from Jalpaiguri district, in the back while a second lodged in trader Acchalal Prasad’s right thigh. Ten policemen, including the Darjeeling superintendent, were injured, too.

www.telegraphindia.com

Gangtok, Sept. 28: The relay hunger strike by Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) completed hundred days today.

The ACT members are protesting against the mega-hydel power projects proposed for the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu in North Sikkim.

ACT had launched its hunger strike on June 20 at BL House on Sonam Gyatso Marg here. The organisation’s general secretary Dawa Lepcha and member Tenzing Gyatso had also sat for a continuous fast for 63 days.

Over 200 members of ACT and other supporting organisations have participated in the relay hunger strike in the past 100 days.

Chief coordinator of ACT Tseten Lepcha said during the hunger strike he and his associates had been successful in creating awareness about the ill effects of dams and this is their biggest achievement. He also said ACT had been able to voice the concerns of a section of suppressed people in a democratic and non-violent manner.

Lepcha added that three official meetings between ACT and the state government had been held since the hunger strike began. Around 12 letters were also exchanged.

RAJEEV RAVIDAS
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Kalimpong, Sept. 28: A four-member dance troupe of St Joseph’s Convent here today left for Bangkok to participate in the Northeast India Trade and Investment Opportunities Week to be held from October 1 to 4.

The troupe comprising Rhea Gurung, Bitisha Thapa, Yankeela Bhutia and Shivani Karki — all students of Class IX — will perform yak and Nepali folk dances.

“Our girls will also be part of a Mizo dance since some members of the Mizoram troupe could not get their passports made on time,” said Maria Goretti, the teacher-choreographer accompanying the girls. The troupe may also be asked to perform on the third day

Goretti told The Telegraph on phone from Guwahati before taking a flight to Bangkok that the students have been rehearsing in the Assam capital for the past few days.

“We are excited and consider ourselves lucky to have got an opportunity like this,” said Bitisha. “We only got two-three days to practise back home, but tried to compensate by practising till late in the evening,” added her friend Rhea.

Organised by the Union DoNER ministry and the Thai ministry of commerce together with the Indian Chamber of Commerce, Calcutta, the event will showcase possibilities of doing business with Northeastern states. The cultural items are an add-on to the main programme.

The principal of the school, Sister Erica, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for the students to showcase their talent to a global audience.”

www.telegraphindia.com

Kalimpong, Sept. 27: The Kalimpong subdivision observed a 24-hour strike today to protest against an alleged derogatory remark made against the Gorkha community by a radio jockey of a Delhi-based FM radio station recently.

The strike, officially called by the Kalimpong unit of the GNLF, had the support of the ordinary people who came out on the street in droves to register their protest against the provocative statement of the radio jockey. They shouted slogans against him and burnt his effigy at Dambar Chowk in the heart of the town.

In a letter addressed to information and broadcasting minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, the president of the Kalimpong unit of the GNLF has demanded an unconditional apology from the radio jockey through the national print and electronic media.

The Kalimpong Bar Association has decided to file a case against the radio jockey under Sections 153, 153A and 153B of the Indian Penal Code for disturbing public tranquillity and provoking communal disharmony. The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, an umbrella organisation, on its part, wants the jockey to come to the hills and apologise.

The FM channel had denied the allegations yesterday.

www.telegraphindia.com

Kalimpong, Sept. 26: Students of Himali Boarding School, Kurseong, will stage an adaptation of Bombay Dreams at Town Hall here on October 2.

The proceeds from the two shows to be staged on the day will fund an anti-drugs and an AIDS awareness campaign of Himalayan Anti-aids and Narcotic Drugs Society (HANDS), which is hosting the programme.

“Our aim is to start a rehabilitation centre here since Kalimpong does not have one,” said Sharda Mukhia, the president of HANDS. The NGO runs a counselling centre here. It also conducts awareness campaigns in schools and peer-counselling sessions for addicts.

Himali School is doing the programme for free to support the cause being espoused by HANDS. “The issue (relating to drug abuse and AIDS) needs to be addressed by people in the hills. By performing for such a worthy cause, our children will also be aware of the problem,” said Robindra Subba, the school director.

The original Bollywood-themed musical was written by Meera Syal and was produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The music was composed by A R Rahman and lyrics by Don Black. “As the original musical was written to introduce India to a Western audience, we have made some changes in the script to suit Indian viewers,” said Subba, who directs the approximately two-hour long play.

The school has earned a reputation for producing top-draw musicals. In the past, its students had performed plays like Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar in Delhi, Calcutta and Bhutan. “After Kalimpong, we will stage Bombay Dreams in Kurseong,” said Subba.

www.telegraphindia.com

Sept. 24: Thousands of people took to the streets in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong today in what promises to be the beginning of a week-long carnival to celebrate Prashant Tamang’s win in Indian Idol.

The party had begun last night itself, as soon as news filtered in that the 24-year-old from Toongsoong in Darjeeling had beaten Amit Paul of Shillong to win the nationally televised music talent hunt contest. Today, the party just got bigger.

“I have come to Darjeeling with my colleagues to celebrate Prashant’s success,” said Rajesh Subba, the principal of Green Shield Academy, Takdah, enjoying an extended weekend.

The principal was not alone. Be it teachers, or government employees, no one wanted to miss out on the fun. All schools and colleges in the hills remained closed and attendance in government offices was low.

Students in the hills are keeping their fingers crossed: local GNLF leaders in Kalimpong and Darjeeling have already appealed to school authorities to declare holiday on the next two days as well.

Tea gardens in Darjeeling remained shut to enable workers join the celebrations. In Kalimpong, owners of business establishments and private taxis have been requested to give their staff a holiday tomorrow. Unlike in Darjeeling, most shops in Kalimpong and Kurseong remained open today.

The scenes on the streets were carnival-like. Strangers hugged each other, people distributed sweets and at some places tourists joined the revelry. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I want to make the most of it,” said James Tamang in Kalimpong.

Political leaders from the hills sought to cash in on the Prashant wave by making themselves seen and heard at victory rallies. However, Bimal Gurung, a GNLF leader from Singmari-Tukvar and the secretary of Prashant Fan Club, Darjeeling, had a word of warning for them. “MPs and MLAs had no role to play in Prashant’s victory. It is the ordinary people who ensured his triumph,” he said.

The ordinary people included the Sikkimese who voted for Prashant in droves and Gurung was lavish in his praise for them. He even proposed that Prashant should first visit Sikkim before returning to his hometown. “After all, we can have him anytime,” Gurung reasoned.

People seemed to share the sentiment as they shouted slogans in favour of Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling, the one leader who had publicly supported Prashant.

RAJEEV RAVIDAS
www.telegraphindia.com

Kalimpong, Sept. 23: Prashant Tamang had a victory song dedicated to him a day before he was crowned the new Indian Idol.

“Ayo changba ayo, changbaley mitho gayo/Ayo changba ayo, changba idol bhayo (Here comes the youngest one, he sings so sweetly/Here comes the youngest one, wearing the Idol’s crown),” runs the chorus of the song, Timinai Indian Idol (You are the Indian Idol).

The single-track video CD was released by a group of musicians here last night.

Bipin Syangden, who penned the lyrics, said Prashant has brought enormous joy to the Gorkha people. “The song celebrates that joyous spirit,” he said, quoting the English lines of the bilingual song: “Sing a song of cheer, happy days are here again.”

In keeping with the mood here, music composer Manoj Tamang has come up with peppy a mix of rock and Nepali folk for the song. The beat of madal provides the folk element in the music, as Kiran Chettri, the song’s arranger, explained.

Thupden Bhutia has sung the song while a few local schoolgirls have lent their voices in chorus. The song has been produced by Nexus Creative Media Partner.

Prashant Tamang

Indian Idol 3

CONGRATULATIONS PRASHANT !!!!!

You have made us all proud!!!!

Inside sources have it that Prashant Tamang has won by three crore votes.
Confirmation coming soon… Confirmed

Vote for Prashant!