Dr. D.C.Roy
A good number of holy or sacred places of the Lepchas, the autochthonous inhabitants of the Eastern Himalayas, are lying scattered all over Mayel Lyang, the original land of the Lepchas. Most such places are related with the Lepcha mythology while some others have historical origin. Most legendary sacred places are located in and around Sikkim like Faokraam Tukraam (original Lepcha name of Dzaongoo), Naamprikdang, Tendong Lho etc. Some events or happenings make some places historically important and sacred to the Lepchas. Blood Brotherhood Treaty between Thikong Tek, Lepcha leader and Khy-Bumsa, Tibetan leader has made Kabi Longtsok a historical sacred place. The rule and dedicated life of the last Lepcha king Pano Gaeboo Achyok make Damsang-Daling another blessed place to the Lepchas.
Located at the elevation of 6,300 ft on Kalimpong-Rishi road, Damsang fort is strategically important to keep watch on the intruders from all sides. Making a 16 km journey from Kalimpong to the north east before Pedong, the fort can be approached by a bridle-path. It is on the main route to Tibet via Jelap La and can be used as an alternate route for Gangtok via Rhenok. Now the fort is under the renovation and protection of Pedong and Kashyon Kyong Shezoom (Lepcha village organisation).
Damsang Gree or i.e Damsang fort is one of the important historical holy or sacred places of the Lepchas of Kalimpong in particular and Darjeeling, Sikkim, Ilam and Bhutan in general. It was not only a fort but a palace of Pano Gaeboo Achyok, the last Lepcha king of the region. “Achyuk had his capital or headquarters at Daling Fort near the plains, and another, a subsidiary one, the Tamsang or the Damsang Fort, in the hills near Pedong” (A.R.Foning, 1987: P – 123). But most Lepchas believe that Damsang was the main and the only palace of Gaeboo Achyok. Kalimpong sub-division in those days was known as Damsang which “was an independent country ruled by Pano Gaeboo Achyok and his forefathers. After the death of Pano Gaeboo Achyok, Damsang was annexed by Bhutan until 1865 when the British defeated the Bhutanese at Daling Fort, Damsang, and annexed it into British India” (L.S.Tamsang, 2008 : P-IV). As per the name of the fort and the region, the Lepchas residing in this region even today are known as Damsang Moo. The other Moos or clans on the basis of their place of residence are : Renjyong Moo (Lepcha residents of Sikkim, Darjeeling, Siliguri and Kurseong), Ilam Moo (Lepcha residents of Nepal) and Pro Moo (Lepcha residents of Bhutan).
Each year on 20th December, Lepchas celebrate the birth anniversary of their last king Pano Gaeboo Achyok. The celebration starts at Damsang, the palace of the king early in the morning with Chi Faat by the Boongthing and Mun. Chi is offered in the name of the soul of Gaeboo Achyok, the Pano or the king and Pundee Nalimit, the Queen. The priests thank the king for dedicating his life for the cause of the Lepchas. They narrate the tale of the brave activity of the leader and express their gratitude for saving the community from destruction. By remembering the act of his treacherous murder by the Bhutanese, the Lepchas take oath of remaining united to fight against the enemies. The offering and the prayer are performed as per typical Lepcha style. Mun Jermit Lepcha, Mun Norden Lepcha, Boongthing P.T. Lepcha, Boongthing O.T. Lepcha, Boongthing Gaeboo Lepcha are some of the prominent Lepcha priestesses and priests who perform the role of offerings. There is no written prayer for this particular occasion and the whole business is verbally and spontaneously carried out by the priests. The chanting of mantras is in pure Lepcha language and the invocation tune is melodious and in pure Lepcha style.
Lepchas from all over the district and also from Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and other parts of the country assemble at Damsang to take part in the birth anniversary of the king. It becomes a typical Lepcha ethnic cultural function and perhaps the highest annual community gathering of the Lepchas. The Lepcha males in their colourful Daam-praa and the females in their beautiful Daam-dem make the gathering picturesque. The young and the children not only look smart in their community attire but this inculcates the sense of community pride among them. All Lepchas irrespective of their age, sex and place of residence anxiously wait throughout the year to pay a visit at Damsang and get blessings from the divine soul of Pano Gaeboo Achyok, the saviour of the community.
In the relics of Damsang fort one can find separate rooms for the king, queen, their bath rooms and rooms for the guards or the soldiers. It is not a palace or a fort in the modern sense of the term and one needs to investigate it from the angle of a small community like the Lepchas who ruled in these remote, hilly areas of Eastern Himalayas in the ancient days. The fort was constructed absolutely with locally available materials like stone and mud and there is no evidence of any imported materials or skill. It is a fine evidence of typical architecture which Lepchas use and it simply supports the claim of the Lepchas that they are the builders of the fort. Strategically the fort was constructed at the top of the hill from where one can keep a close watch on the intruders from all sides. History witnessed frequent attacks on theLepcha land by the Bhutanese from the east, by the Tibetans from the north, by the Nepalese from the west and by the British from the south. The location and the height of the fort favoured the Lepchas to fight with their traditional war equipment like bows and arrows and stones from the above. Naturally the hill top added some advantage to the Lepchas over their enemies. The importance of Damsang as strategic point for military post has also been recommended by British Colonel D.J.F.Newall. In one letter to the British government dated 04.01.1873 he wrote: “It occurs to me to remark that several very promising plateaux for sites for “military colonies” or “reserve circles” such as have at times been advocated as a means of frontier defence, exists in this district; such are found at “Damsong” “Kalingpoong” on the Bhootan frontier to the east across the Teesta”. (Quoted by J. Sen, 1989 : P 102). The letter speaks itself about the strategic importance of the place and the foresightness of the Lepchas in choosing the site as one of the military posts in those days.
There are two schools of thought about the period when Damsang fort was constructed and the community who constructed it. The European writers, explorers, administrators believed that the fort was constructed by the Bhutanese. Such statements are simply due to the fact that this area for one hundred and sixty five years (1700 – 1865) was under the Bhutanese control and naturally those who visited this place during the period witnessed the fort under the possession of the Bhutanese. In fact, writings on the Damsang fort, whatever fragmentary and meagre, are available only after the British took over Darjeeling in 1835. Again British captured the fort from Bhutanese in December, 1864 through the second Anglo-Bhutan war which is popularised as Duars War. D.F.Rennie narrated the capture of Damsang by the British as: “Captain Perkings, with a few Sebundy sappers, proceeded across the hills and took possession of Dhumsong fort, a small quadrangular building constructed of stones and mud; its beautiful situation being the only thing worthy of note connected with it. No attempt at resistance was made, the place being quietly given up. Colonel Haughton proceeded there and arranged that it was to be occupied by a detachment of fifty men of the 17th Native Infantry, who were accordingly sent from Darjeeling under the command of Lieutenant Dawes, and reached Dhumsong with their baggage, after a journey characterised by no ordinary difficulty and fatigue” (D.F.Rennie 1866,
2005: P- 175). J.C.White also mentioned about the occupation of Damsang and other forts of the region by British. “Mynaguri, Daling, Damsong, Samtsi, Dongna, and Buxa were successively occupied by the two left columns, with but little loss on our side, and the military occupation of the Bengal Duars was completed by the end of the year” (J.C.White, 1909, 2005: P- 278). But the mere occupation of Damsang from the Bhutanese by the British does not sufficiently prove that the fort was constructed by the Bhutanese. There are ample grounds to believe that before the occupation of this area by the Bhutanese in 1700, there were a number of forts including the Damsang fort in this part of the Himalayan belt1.
Lepchas claim that Damsang Gree was originally constructed by them and later it was occupied by the Bhutanese by treacherously killing their last king Pano Gaeboo Achyok at Daling. Later in 1864 British captured the fort by defeating the Bhutanese in war. Lepcha folktale narrates the treacherous killing of Gaeboo Achyok by the Bhutanese. Gaeboo, the Lepcha leader of Damsang area, fought for the freedom, liberty and peace against the Bhutanese attack, plunder, pillage of cattle, food grains, properties and molest of women and children. After several defeats the Bhutanese authority sent some presents and appealed for friendship and peace. Gaeboo responded positively and attended a party given by the Bhutanese at Daling fort. “But that very night when very body was in deep sleep, the treacherous Bhutanese General Ashyik Doogey killed the sleeping king Gaeboo Achyok by chopping off his head, but miraculously to the very eyes of the murderer, Ashyik Doogey, king Gaeboo Achyok’s chopped off head flew away and fell into a deep water gorge of the nearby ‘Chel’ river and until this day, this deep water gorge is well known by the name of ‘Bhootey Daha’, meaning devil’s pond” (K.P.Tamsang, 2005 :P – 7). Even today both Lepchas and Bhutanese are scared of the place and offer prayer to the departed soul, which they believe to be present, while passing along the path.
Beside Damsang, Lepchas claim that they have constructed a good number of forts all over the Eastern Himalayan region where they were the rulers in the ancient days. Within and around Mayel Lyang several forts were constructed to protect the land from foreign attacks which in those days were very frequent and common. Forts in the eastern region were constructed to prevent Bhutanese attack; in the west to counter attacks from Nepal; in the north to protect the land from Tibetan attack. “The innumerable huge and rugged Lepcha forts of Damsang, Daling, Fyung, Savong Dang, Mungzing, Laiti, Songsaw, Tusaychyok and many smaller ones that are still proudly standing in Darjeeling district are the most typical examples of the art of Lepcha architecture” (K.P.Tamsang,1983: P – 71).
There is no doubt and by this time it has been well established and accepted that Lepchas are the original inhabitants of Eastern Himalayas which they call Mayel Lyang. “The boundaries of Sikkim were next fixed. They were Bibdala in the north, Singsa, Dag-yas, Walnug, Yangmang Khangchen, Yarlung and Timar Chorten in the west, down along the Arun and Dud Kosi rivers, down to the Mahanandi, Naxalbari, Titalia in the south. On the east Tagong La and Tang La on the north” (Sir Thutop Namgyal and Yashey Dolma, 1908 : P – 21). Before the Tibetans occupation, Mayel Lyang was ruled by a number of Lepcha leaders, if not the king. “Tarvey Pano (king) or King Tarvey is the first notable figure in the Lepcha history. The period of reign of King Tarvey was 1420 approximately. After the death of King Tarvey, three successive Lepcha rulers (Tur-Sang Pano, Tur- Ageng Pano and Tur-Ayek Pano) sons of their royal father ruled the land. However, C. De B. Stocks, following Lepcha tradition, observed that Tarvey Pano and three other Panos ruled the land apparently at the same period. Then it can be inferred fairly that perhaps the old Lepcha land of Sikkim had more than one principality reigned under these Panos.” (D.C.Roy, T.K.Das, 1999 : P- 12). It is quite natural that these leaders took necessary steps in protecting their land and might have constructed a number of forts all over the region. One such fort might have been constructed by Gaeboo Achyok in Damsang. It thus negates the narration of Gazetteer of Darjeeling that “Damsang contains an old fort of Bhutanese origin” (Govt of West Bengal, 1980: P – 599). The Lepchas consider Damsang as one of the sacred places of Kalimpong and offer their prayer during the birth anniversary of Gaeboo Achyok. In fact, it is one such occasion by which the marginalised Lepchas are trying to rejuvenate their community feeling and acquire energy to revive them.
Lepcha folk-tale claims that Damsang was constructed by the Lepcha king Gaeboo Achyok; the Europeans narrated it as Bhutanese origin. But no scientific study has so far been carried out to unveil the truth. An archaeological survey along with comprehensive historical investigation of the area is urgently called for to investigate and bring into light the fact behind Damsang.
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References:
1. Foning, A.R. (1987) – Lepcha: My Vanishing Trive. Starling Publishers Private Limited. Delhi.
2. Government of West Bengal (1980) – Gazetteer of India: West Bengal. Darjeeling. Calcutta.
3. Maharaja,H.H., and Maharani Dolma of Sikkim (1908) – History of Sikkim. Unpublished Typed Manuscript.
4. Mainwaring,G.B., (1876) – A Grammar of Rong (Lepcha) Language. Daya Publishing House. New Delhi. Reprint, 1985.
5. Rennie, D.F. (1866) – Bhotan and the Story of the Dooar War. Reprint Pilgrims Publishing Varanasi. 2005.
6. Roy,D.C., Singh,A.P.& Das,T.K., (1998) – The Legend of Gaybu A-Chyuk: Recusant and Commoners Hero- A Review of Existing Literature. Article in King Gaeboo Achyok. A Lepcha Bilingual Magazine. The Lepcha Literary Organisation. Kalimpong.
7. Roy D.C. and T.K.Das (1999) – Leaders and Personalities among the Lepchas – An Unending Quest. Article in King Gaeboo Achyok Bilingual News Magazine. Lepcha Literary Organisation. Kalimpong
8. Roy,D.C., (2005) — Dynamics of Social Formation among the Lepchas. Akansha Publishing House. Delhi.
9. Roy,D.C., (2010) – Status of Women among the Lepchas. Akansha Publishing House. Delhi.
10. Sen, J., (1989) - Darjeeling: A Favoured Retreat. Indus Publishing Company. Delhi.
11. Tamsang, K.P. (1983) – The Unknown and Untold Reality about the Lepchas. Luen Sun Offset Printing Co. Ltd. Hong Kong.
12. Tamsang, K.P. (2005) – King Gaeboo Achyok. Article in King Gaeboo Achyok Bilingual News Magazine. Lepcha Literary Organisation. Kalimpong.
13. Tamsang, L.S. (2008) – Lepcha Folklore and Folk Songs. Sahitya Academy. Kolkata.
14. White,J.C., (1909) - Sikkim and Bhutan.: Twenty One Years on the North East Frontier: 1887-1908. Pilgrims Publishing. Varanasi. Reprint, 2005.
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