....ALAS..

What pushed the Rongs’ backs against the wall…

Well the starting of the hunger strike in Kolkata by the Rongs made me think hard-amongst all minorities and Scheduled Tribes in the Himalayas, Rongs are the only ones who have to resort to such extremes.

Then I considered as a Rong and tried to grasp the situation. It’s the genuine sense of belonging that pushes the Rongs. The hills are our home and when problem arises in home we try to solve it anyhow and not ignore them and seek refuge in another neighboring nation.

The History has not been too kind to the Rongs. Scattered across the hills of this part of the Himalayas Rongs had their own clans and chieftains who were much in tranquil with their co-existence with the nature. I know of many new age historians armed with one sided argument walk away with the laurels while making the facts even stranger than fiction. The ancestors of our “blood brothers” came down the passes and swore allegiance to the treaty of “KAYUSA VEE LAONG TSAOKS” only to rule over us for another 300 years. The Namgyals (the ruling family of Sikkim) tried to rein in the hostility that arose due to the usurping of the land by taking into confidence the Rong ruling class and giving them, titles and offices in the Royal House. The resentment towards the taking over never really died down but the historians were careful enough to forget many such upheavals and conspiracy so that the theocratic set up would not be disturbed. While post 1835 and the conniving tricks played by Grant and Lloyd with Chogyal Tshugphud Namgyal, the Rongs in Darjyulyang too were facing new domination which had started after the massacre  of Chongjod Bholod’s family in 1828. Then the white trash of this side of Atlantic, which by now were already well entrenched on this side of the Indian Ocean, ensured that “the Buddhist prayer wheels were rapidly replaced by Hindu Mantras”. And in this historic cacophony the Rong spirit, unity and spiritual affinity towards Mayel Lyang (the utopia of the Rong conciousness) gradually disintegrated into two classes: the oppressors and the oppressed. It was the oppressed who by all means stuck to their heritage and culture and language as these were the only binding forces to remain of a culture that was once the most prolific and spread out across the Himalayas.

And of the Rongs in Damsang Lyang (present day Kalimpong sub-division) Gaybu Achyok (Gyelpa Achog) had erected Laong Tsaoks (stone pillars) all the way to Tibet to demarcate the his domains from that of the Bhutia Chogyal in Sikkim. His assassination only led to the House of the Paro (no wonder Rongs still call Bhutan as PROLYANG or Paro Lyang) to take over Damsang Lyang (Thank you Anum Azuk). Sikkim did not bat an eyelid because the descendants of the Minyak house  were never the warrior kind (remember they were the spiritual leaders in the first place with Buddhist agenda of the fleeing Nyingmapas during the the strife with the Gelugpas in Tibet).

India happened and yet nothing happened for the Rongs.

            This is the story of the oppressed Rongs who never had a voice even on their own lands and today the oppressed has come out in the open.

LEPCHA HEROES-II

General Satrajeet or Changzed Chyokthup

Son of Changzod Karwang, the minister in the court of Gyurmed Namgyal and Phuntsog namgyal II during the early 18^th century in Sikkim. He is believed to have been descended from Thekong Tek himself through one Tasa Aphong who became a minister in the court of Tensung Namgyal the second chogyal of Mayel Lyang or Bras Ljongs.

In 1775-76 the Nepal King Pratap Singh Shah started making plans to invade Sikkim. Deb Tshang Rinzing Thakarpo and Changzed Chyokthop (Satrajeet) departed to stop the invaders from the western borders of the Kingdom. Changzed Chyokthup with his able guidance and shrewd tactics managed to defeat the advancing Gorkha forces at 17 battlefields in Morung now in Nepal. So severe were the defeats that the Gurkha forces retreated and the Nepal’s history remembers him as Satrajeet while his own Kingdom the present state of Sikkim does not even remember him.

He was a true hero with a sense of pure patriotism in Sikkim who without any hesitance went forward to protect the Kingdom from alien invasion. He did not have any personal agenda in the war and thus his sincerity paved the way for his 17 convincing victories over the Gurkhas while his comrade in arms Deb tshang Rinnzing was shot down in the battle of Chainpur.

He had only a daughter, married to Yapa-Tsi.suh of the Ta-karpo family, who thus became his adopted son; from them is descended the present Kazi family of Rhenock.

QUESTION

It was just the other day that we all were gathered in this  Rong cultural event. The event marked the cultural integration of the Rongs and like always we (youth with intentions) were sharing our views on the present scenario of the Rongs living in different parts of the world. The views were all different and conflicting at times but we all enjoyed the interactions as we would go home with some new ideas. Little did I know that what I would go back home with would come from a young rongkup (maybe still lingering in his late teens) with a hairstyle that reminded me instantly of the animal planet and his attitude was all jumpy and speedy. Actually we passed him off for a young English educated rong with ideas to find a simple rong nyom, his mother would like, in this event. After all most of our Cultural get togethers usually ends with lots of couples and weddings not to forget heartbreaks and sobbing. He came up and started edging his way into our talk with slight nods and a word or two here and there but before long he too was throwing in some wonderful remarks that made us think for a while.I don’t even know whether he just threw his ideas casually or was really serious about his intention. All he asked was “where do we stand as a rongkup in this nation of India or even in the neighboring countries of Nepal and Bhutan?”

This is one simple question that has been thrown around a lot in family get togethers (tungboang faat, namko bree, sunglyon etc.) cultural events and even in picnics and parties. Today many of us have left our “mainland” (Nye Mayel Lyang) in search for work and better opportunities but our ties with the “mainland” is as strong as ever even though we have adopted new strategies to establish our identities. For example I know many Rongs who so confidently refer themselves as “we Nepali (recently replaced by gorkha)” in conversations with their office colleagues. Then there are youngsters who are so thrilled to be “Sikkimese” and give an extra effort to remind friends and peers about his/her adopted identity. In fact I have met some over enthusiasts who even write “Denjyongpa” (of Sikkim) as sir names. And there are others who safely conceal their individuality behind “khansarpas, barfungpas,” or simply Namgyals, Dhondups, Wangchuks, etc. It’s kind of strange to meet youngsters who are just “Vivian” or Sylvestor or even Richard with their Sir names revealed only in their tribal certificates and school certificates.

Some of the “we” thought that it was the growing influence of media and the alien culture preached through them. In fact there was a point there as we see more of our brothers and sisters looking more Koreans than the Koreans themselves. Some of the “we” thought it was the years of sharing our villages and fields with the people of neighboring nations who came by looking for better opportunities. This point too has its validity as we have come across youngsters who claim “nepali” as their mother tongue as a safeguard because they cannot converse in their own language. Then yet again (like always) the religion factor was brought onto the table and another hour or two went by discussing the vices and virtues of the two important religions that have affected the Rongs the most-Buddhism and Christianity. The mild form of Buddhism practiced by the Rongs has in fact brought about a new kind of religion with Bongthingism and Buddhism side by side. The One God theory preached by the Christians had to go extra length by making the Rongs forget the entire age old tradition of Bongthingism and Munism and teach about the life of Jesus and his disciples. Here the Buddhist supporters claimed that at least the culture of the Rongs was preserved during the conversion of the Rongs. But yet again the Christian supporters elaborated that most Buddhist Rongs of Mayel Lyang have not in fact come to terms with the real culture of the Rongs of yore. The rituals and practices are more Buddhist in origin than the genuine Rong culture. So went on the ever increasing discussions of what really happened. In fact many Rongs have adopted the language of the preachers of these two religions as their own. Yes there are many Rongs in Buddhist hinterland of the Renjyong Lyang who are more comfortable with Bhutia language (the “royal language”) while our Christian brothers and sisters utter English words at the drop of a hat. Not to forget the more popular Mom and Dad instead of Aabo and aamu.

But the question of the “modern rong” youngster hit me in totally different area. And it set me thinking the reasons behind our life of denial. Most of us actually are not aware of a Rong hero to worship or to idolize. Our culture is close knit one and the answers given to us by our Thyukungs and Nyukungs are the ultimate and we do not question further. We are by nature tuned to follow what they have to say and advice. Without under estimating our Thyukungs and Nyukungs I believe there are many questions that they do not have appropriate answers to. And I have heard of our Thyukungs and Nyukungs jealously guarding secrets and taking them to their graves thus leaving many of the youngsters unaware. This I believe has contributed to many of our youngsters adopting foreign cultures and their complexities as their own and thus neglecting their own indigenous culture. There is a certain prejudice amongst our elders and wise of under estimating our growing curiosities and eagerness to learn more. In fact they are almost expected to develop Rongsum just by attending Cultural events and singing Rong voms. So I believe the impatient and curious youngsters, in a rush to find acceptance, pick an easy way out-adopt the more prevalent foreign culture as their own. The Buddhist had texts and monasteries to train young ones, the Christian had their churches and seminaries to induct new missionaries. But the Rongs do not have any institution to impart the knowledge of the yore. We simply pass it on from one generation to the other by means of folklores and tales. So in retrospect is it the Rong Youngster to blame for his inability to converse in Rong aring? Why did he adopt cultures foreign to Rong? Did his parents and thyukung and nyukungs play the role that earlier generations had played in case of them?

The rich cultural heritage we have is way beyond comparison to many communities. The age old practices and rituals we have kept alive are as virtuous and sacred as that of other major religions. We even have festivals and occasions through out the year to mark different aspects of our relationship with our immediate environment and nature as a whole. We have heroes who have walked this earth with the same pride and valour as those found in other mythologies. We have an intricate system of social parameters that define our very existence in this planet. We are as complete as any other community which our youngsters so easily adore. So where did we go wrong? Or did we ever go wrong? And the question lingers…..s

History

RONGSA HISTORY

1. The Lepcha General of Sikkim’s army who with his troops defeated the advancing Gorkha forces under Pratap Singh Shah 17 times in the battle of Chainpur seventeen times in 1775 AD. He was feared by the Gorkha forces and was called by the name Satrajeet.-General Chyok Thop
2.   A famous Lepcha explorer who worked as a Pundit and was sent by the British Capt. J Harman to trace the course of the Brahmaputra River in Tibet in 1879. He was sold as a slave 2 times in Tibet yet he managed to fulfill his mission. He returned to Darjeeling after full 4 years but was rewarded and recognized for his services only in 1913 when he was found working as a tailor and living an impoverished life. The Great Trigonometrical Survey of India benefited greatly by the efforts of this great explorer. Kinthup
3. The Lepcha prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sikkim (Renjyoung Lyang) who managed to save the Namgyal dynasty of Sikkim in about 1740. After the death of Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal, a local Bhutia governor by the name of Changzod Tamding with his group refused to recognize the 1 year old prince Phuntsog Namgyal II as the heir and hence tried to take over the throne. The Lepcha prime Minister stepped in and fought a civil war for nearly 4 years   before defeating the enemies of the throne and installing the rightful Phuntsog Namgyal as the chogyal of Sikkim. Changzod Karwang
4. The Lepcha Prime minister of Sikkim (Renjyoung Lyang) who was assassinated by the orders of Chogyal Tshugpud Namgyal in 1826. The Tibetan influence in the court of Sikkim was slowly becoming dangerous and as such the Lepcha subjects were being mistreated. The Lepcha interest in the Court was being neglected and as such there were major quarrels between the Bhutia King and the Lepcha prime Minister who happened to be the brother of the Lepcha queen mother, Anyu Gyelum. As soon as after the death of his Lepcha mother the chogyal immediately ordered the assassination of his maternal uncle, the Lepcha Prime Minister. Chongjot Bolod
5. The Lepcha hero who is believed to be the designer of the Lepcha script. He is mentioned in “History of Sikkim” by Maharajah Thutob Namgyal, to have guided Lhatsun Chempo, one of the 3 lamas who met in Yoksum to consecrate the first Bhutia King of Sikkim.- Thikung Mensalong
6. In the History of Sikkim (Maharajah and Maharani of Sikkim (1908)) he is referred to as Shal-ngo Achyok and elaborates that he welcomed the Bhutanese army into Sikkim as he was not in good terms with the then Chogyal.Ren A.R. Foning accounts him to be from the Longshyol Kyoung in Kalimpong (then under the Sikkim). History of Bhutan remembers him as “AMCHOG” from Sikkim who resisted the construction of the Damsang Dzong by the 4^th Deb Tenzin Rabgye in Kalimpong. Gaybu Achyok