British spy smuggled famous Darjeeling Tea from China in 1848 - Malcolm Ferris-Lay

2:21 PM

•

Live News

Darjeeling Tea  history - British tea expert Malcolm Ferris-Lay narrated a history of intrigue and industrial espionage in 1848 when the East India Co. sent a spy to China to smuggle out tea plants. These were later planted in Darjeeling and came to be globally famous as the unique “Darjeeling Tea”.

Tea Planter with Tea Pickers, Steinthal Tea Estate 1930s

Since 1664, East India Co did a flourishing trade in exporting opium to China and bringing in shipments of tea to India. In the 1680’s, a pound (454 gm) of tea cost $6 which at current exchange rate would mean £ 1068 for a pound of tea. Robert Fortune, a daring young man born in Scotland, was roped in by the British in May 1848 to collect information from China on tea industry.

Robert Fortune disguised himself as a Chinese, with a shaven head and pigtails, from a distant province, learned Mandarin and secretly entered Fujian and Jiangsu, which were forbidden to foreigners. He managed to collect 20,000 plants and seedlings and ship out to Kolkata by sea. The knowledge gained by Fortune and the seedlings planted in Tukvar in Darjeeling were instrumental in setting up the remarkable Darjeeling tea brand.

According to an expert in ITA, the product is identical to the tea grown in China with the difference that Chinese green tea is steamed and dried. The liquor is greenish and yellowish and light. On the other hand, Darjeeling tea is fermented and roasted. It has a brown-ochre colour and smoky flavor.

Ref. : THE ASSAM REVIEW & TEA NEWS, 26TH Feb. 2014
Vo. : 102 No. 12
[Courtesy: Sangam Rai]

Source : DT

READ MORE

Sunil Chhetri is on the verge of surpassing Bhaichung Bhutia’s record

5:35 PM

•

Sunil Chhetri

India and Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri is on the verge of surpassing Bhaichung Bhutia’s record of scoring most goals by an Indian in a single edition of the National Football League (NFL) or I-League. The Indian football icon scored 14 goals for JCT in the inaugural NFL season in 1996-97 and that tally is yet to be bettered.

Bhaichung and Sunil Chettri - Photo Credit: AIFF Media

Sunil’s current tally this season is 13 and he has four matches to score two more and break the 17-year long record. The Arjuna Awardee has already equalled the record of most goals scored by an Indian in a single I-League season (since 2007-08).

Previously Mohammed Rafi (Mahindra United – 2009-10) and Jeje Lalpekhlua (Indian Arrows – 2010-11) have scored 13 each in one campaign.

Sunil is also aiming to become only the third Indian to finish as the highest scorer in a single NFL or I-League season and the first to do so in the I-League era. The first two editions of the NFL – Bhaichung Bhutia (1996-97) and Raman Vijayan (1997-98) – saw Indians finishing as top scorers but for the last 15 seasons that accolade has gone to a foreigner.

Here is a complete list showing the Indian highest scorer in each campaign. Bhaichung has been the top scorer from India on five occasions while Sunil and Raman Vijayan have achieved it twice each with the former set to do it for a third time this season.

Season	Player	Goals
1996-97	Bhaichung Bhutia (JCT)*	14
1997-98	Raman Vijayan (FC Kochin)*	10
1998-99	Raman Vijayan (East Bengal)	10
1999-00	Francis Silveira (Churchill Brothers)	10
2000-01	RC Prakash (Mohun Bagan)	10
2001-02	Praveen Kumar (Punjab Police) & Alex Ambrose (Salgaocar)	7
2002-03	Ashim Biswas (Tollygunge Agragami)	11
2003-04	Bhaichung Bhutia (East Bengal)	12
2004-05	Bhaichung Bhutia (East Bengal)	9
2005-06	Bhaichung Bhutia (East Bengal)	12
2006-07	Sunil Chhetri (JCT)	11
2007-08	Bhaichung Bhutia (Mohun Bagan)	9
2008-09	Sunil Chhetri (East Bengal)	9
2009-10	Mohammed Rafi (Mahindra United)	13
2010-11	Jeje Lalpekhlua (Indian Arrows)	13
2011-12	CS Sabeeth (Pailan Arrows)	9
2012-13	CK Vineeth (United SC)	7
2013-14	Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru FC)**	13

* Finished as overall highest scorer

** Season still active

13 more

The reigning AIFF player of the year still needs 13 more goals to become the highest Indian scorer in the combined history of the NFL and I-League. Unsurprisingly that record also belongs to Bhaichung, who has scored 88 times, playing in 12 editions for four different clubs – JCT, East Bengal (three spells), Mohun Bagan (two spells), and United Sikkim (as player, coach and co-owner).

Sunil is also in his 12th top-flight campaign and has featured for seven different clubs – Mohun Bagan (twice), JCT, East Bengal, Dempo, United SC, Churchill Brothers and Bengaluru FC and has 76 goals to his name. In two of those seasons he has played on loan from foreign clubs in only the latter parts of the campaign – (Kansas City Wizards to United SC in 2010-11) & (Sporting Lisbon ‘B’ to Churchill Brothers in 2012-13).

Source:Sportskeeda

READ MORE

Darjeeling in the middle of political crossroads, squat of unity - Himalayan Talk

10:15 PM

•

Politics

HIMALAYAN TALK

A great street sweeper who performed shoddily

Darjeeling in the middle of crossroads, squat of unity

If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say “Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Darjeeling in the middle of crossroads, squat of unity - Himalayan Talk

Darjeeling and its people are in the middle of crossroads, caught between mainstream politics and the demand for Gorkhaland. Here we have some sketching developmental note and there we get voices saying ‘I would speak for the demand’. Difficult task for the people has come to knock its door, to choose from the one between a leader who wants development and others who are ready to raise the demand at the highest level.

Bimal Gurung’s so called fearless and last battle for Gorkhaland is nowhere nearing to achievement. The people had entrusted you to be that great street sweeper but your lack of knowledge on Michelangelo Painting or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare poetry has been clearly exposed. You have lost the battle even before you started it. A battle is won when you leave little option for the opponent to makes its move, infact no option at all. 

Dr. Mahendra P.Lama, a noted academician and one of the candidates in the poll fray, turning down a request from Gurung to support BJP for the Darjeeling parliamentary seat holds right in every respect. CPRM backing out to support BJP holds right in every respect. GNLF trying out its own options for making its political survival also hold right in every respect. Let us leave Bhaichung Bhutia. He is not entitled to utter even the letter ‘G’ of ‘Gorkhaland’ because he is a burrowed player from the opponent team. 


That Gurung and his aides failed even to go a step further for their last battle for Gorkhaland can be attributed from the above facts. The GJM failed to bring all these forces in a single platform. That, if supporting BJP in the ensuing election will make the battle easier is the sincere logic of the GJM, then it would have been wiser for it to discuss the matter first at the local level with all political and apolitical forces. When you were in trouble you did form the Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee (GJAC). Once you were out of the trouble you forgot about it. 

You played football where you seem to be the ball itself. You join hands sometime at Brigade with Didi, now with a Punjabi brother but no relation with your brothers. The lack of political maturity has been exposed. 

‘Gorkhaland’ does not belong to Bhaichung Bhutia or S.S. Ahluwalia. It is not their demand. It is the demand of the people of the Darjeeling hills, hitherto the demand of the Gorkhas scattered in the country who has been facing an identity crises. It is not about development only. More than that it is the people’s aspiration who wants to be recognized as Indian rather than a perception that they are a citizen from Nepal who migrated to India.


With every move that you make let not the GenNext Gorkhas curse you rather than calling you a great street sweeper. With votes beginning to divide in the hills even before nominations are being filed, one cannot deny the fact that the TMC would grow stronger by the end of the polls. Time has allowed once again to the hills to reunite and choose a consensus MP in a bid to have atleast one in the parliament who would speak for us.

Submitted by Vivek Ghatani to Indian Gorkhas

Vivek Ghatani is a freelance journalist working since the past 10 years covering Darjeeling, North Bengal and Sikkim. He has already worked with publications like The Statesman, The Telegraph, The Himalayan Mirror and Civil Society Magazine apart from contributing in many local magazines from time to time.

READ MORE

Tenzing Sherpa may get Bharat Ratna If BJP forms Govt

11:28 AM

•

National

Darjeeling: BJP vice-president and Lok Sabha poll candidate for the Darjeeling constituency SS Ahluwalia today said mountaineer Tenzing Norgay Sherpa meets all the criteria to get Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award.

Tenzing Sherpa and Edmund hillary

He said there is all likelihood that Mr Sherpa could be honoured with the award if the BJP form a government at the Centre after the polls.
Mr Ahluwalia today visited the house of the late Mr Sherpa at DB Giri road here and met his son Jamling Sherpa.

"Today is Balidan Divas, and we remember the sacrifice of the three revolutionaries, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, whose names cannot be forgotten when it comes to the Indian freedom struggle. On this day, I am at Tenzing Sherpa's house to respect his contribution to the country," Mr Ahluwalia said.

“It is sad to know that the present Indian government and the Prime Minister never thought about conferring the highest civilian honour on honorable Tenzing Sherpa. Even leaders in Bengal never appealed to the Indian government on this matter," he added.

"When the BJP comes to power, we will likely confer the award on him," Mr Ahluwalia said.
According to him, even the Reserve Bank of India should have issued coins of Tenzing Sherpa.
Mr Ahluwali further said that the award should also be given to other Indian sportsmen like Sunil Gavaskar, Chuni Goswami, Jora Singh Dhyanchand and Milkha Singh. 
According to Mr Jamling, his father being honoured with the award would mean an honour for the whole of Darjeeling.

The United Sherpa Association in Darjeeling has been demanding that the late mountaineer, who, along with Edmund Hillary, was the first to scale Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak on May 29, 1953, be given the civilian honour. Members of the association had met chief minister Mamata Banerjee during her visits to Darjeeling and had appealed to her to press for the Bharat Ratna on Mr Sherpa. Mr Sherpa has already received the Padma Bhusan (1959) and the President's Gold medal.

Source: sns

READ MORE

Mahendra Lama's interview with Hindustan Times

11:20 PM

•

Mahendra P. Lama

The following is the exclusive interview of Dr Mahendra Lama with Hindustan Times in Darjeeling. In the interview Dr Lama talks about Gorkhaland for identity and development and Gorkhaland for  strengthening national security.

Mahendra Lama taught at Jawaharlal Nehru University and then headed Sikkim University. Now contesting as an independent, he spoke to HT at his Darjeeling residence. Excerpts:

Photo - Mahendra P Lama Sampreshan Ep 30 Promo

Why do you support Gorkhaland?

All Himalayan regions in India have a separate state except this patch of land. This is a common geographical demand. Nepali-speakers want a state to protect identity. Bengalis will get a larger playing field. Marwaris can sense a business opportunity. Adivasis want it for their rights, identity and development.

We can name it something else too. But this is a national security issue because the region is connected to four international borders – Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and China. Chicken's Neck, which connects Northeastern states to the rest of India, is also in Darjeeling district.

There is threat because of unregulated borders and free movement of people, encouraged by the Bengal government. If you have a good government and powerful prosperous state here, it will strengthen security.

Even if you win, how can a lone independent MP get a state?

The problem has been that Darjeeling has either elected candidates who don't know Delhi, or MP's who know Delhi but don't know the hills. Baichung Bhutia knows neither Delhi nor Darjeeling, and Ahluwalia has nothing to do with this place.

I will focus on the 500 MPs – all those except from Bengal – and mobilise Northeast, hill and tribal MPs to support the cause. There were only three Nepali-speaking MPs in 1992, but we managed to get Nepali language officially recognised.

Do you see yourself as Darjeeling's Kejriwal?

The genesis is the same, of civil society members coming out for the first time. I have written to AAP to support me here.

Source:hindustantimes

READ MORE

Jairam Ramesh against Gorkhaland and Bodoland but supports Vidharba

11:06 PM

•

Live News

Union Minister Jairam Ramesh has said that he supports formation of a separate Vidarbha state, but is opposed to the idea of carving out Gorkhaland and Bodoland.

Union Minister Jairam Ramesh

Ramesh, who had just days ago made a strong pitch for division of Uttar Pradesh, said that the state was ungovernable in its present forms and could be split into as many as four states.

He said he would not support formation of Gorkhaland because of strategic issues, but would support formation of Vidarbha if all parties involved agree to the demand.

"I would not support Gorkhaland...there are strategic issues involved in Gorkhaland. I would not be in support of Bodoland, but Vidarbha has been a demand in the past.

"In case of Vidarbha the NCP seems to be in favour, the BJP too seems to be in favour. Only the Shiv Sena needs to be brought on board," the Union Minister said in an interview to a news channel.

He added that he also supported division of Uttar Pradesh as it was ungovernable with its current architecture.

"This is my personal view and not the view of the Congress party or the Government of India. I believe that UP with its current architecture is ungovernable. It is a state of over 200 million people, 74 or 75 districts, 800 blocks.

"No political party can govern UP effectively the way the state is configured," Ramesh said.

The Union Minister added that the reorganisation of UP could be into 2, 3 or 4 states, which has to be looked into.

"It could be 2 or 3 or 4 (states)...that needs to be looked at. I think we need to look at UP. This is where the heartland of India lies and in the States Reorganisation Committee, there was a specific recommendation for carving out a separate state of Agra," Ramesh said.

Source:economictimes

READ MORE

BJP candidate S S Ahluwalia reached Darjeeling - supports Gorkhaland

3:46 AM

•

Live News

BJP candidate S S Ahluwalia reached Darjeeling on Wednesday . “The demand for Gorkhaland is justified. We will look into it,” he said. He held a meeting with leaders of the GJM, which is supporting him.

BJP candidate S S Ahluwalia in Darjeeling

"The BJP has always supported creation of smaller states as Jharkhand and Chattisgarh and was in favour of Telangana and so Gorkhaland should also be formed", Ahluwalia told reporters here.

GJM chief Bimal Gurung posted following status in The Facebook  

"I welcome BJP vice-president and nominee for the Darjeeling LS seat, S S Ahluwalia to Darjeeling.
Today in a press conference he voiced his support to the formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland.
He said that the BJP has always supported creation of smaller states as Jharkhand and Chattisgarh and was in favour of Telangana and so Gorkhaland should also be formed.
In a press conference in Siliguri he said that the BJP is in favour of creating smaller states for better administration.
The BJP has always maintained that the problems and concerns of both the Gorkhas and the tribals here will be considered sympathetically.
He has also said the People, who are against the division of the state have the constitutional right to oppose, but at the same time the Gorkhas by demanding a separate state are also not asking for anything unconstitutional.
Thank you for your support for our century old demand."

"Till I am alive, I will not give an inch of land this way. In the interest of politics, the land cannnot be ceded this way. If you think that you will play the same game as you did in Andhra Pradesh, you will not succeed" - Mamata Banerjee on BJP vice-president and nominee for the Darjeeling LS seat S S Ahluwalia's support for the formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland in Darjeeling today.

READ MORE

Subash Ghishing returns to Darjeeling

5:26 PM

•

Subash Ghising

Darjeeling 19-March-2014 - After all the speculations and rumors in the past, finally,  Subash Ghishing, GNLF Suprimo, returns to his home Darjeeling taking everyone by surprise even his own followers.Soon after he left Siliguri for Darjeeling his supporters gathered for his welcome all along the Hill Cart Road.

Subash Ghishing returns to Darjeeling

Despite keeping it all secret that Ghishing will come to Darjeeling today a huge number of GNLF supporters from different parts of Darjeeling, Mirik, Kalimpong,Kurseong has gather to welcome him.

After a long long time GNLF Chief Subash Ghisingh come back to his abandoned house in Darjeeling.

Ghishing addressed huge crowd of his followers ghatherd around his residence in Darjeeling and declared to hold a (Jan Sabha) public meeting very soon.He told his supportes to wait and watch the color of Darjeeling change as Ghishing has returned to Darjeeling now.

The return of the GNLF Supremo Subash Ghisingh in the hills certainly indicates the political importance of the hills. Loksasha elections 2014 is right at the door, he has now become the man of importance in the hills, he has been already approached by the leading regional and hills political parties. Subash Ghisingh is likely to disclose his next step very soon in the political arena of the hills, now considered the decisive factor for the upcoming Loksassbha elections of Darjeeling constituency.

Indian Gorkhas Exclusive

READ MORE