BILINGUALISM IN LEPCHA IN THE MULTILINGUAL SETTING: A DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE (With Special reference to West Bengal)

Satarupa Dattamajumdar

8-9Introduction

The demographic variables like population strength, group concentration, group proportion, rate of population growth, territorial demarcation, inter-ethnic marriages and history of immigration and emigration are important factors that contribute in understanding the social dynamics of an ethnic group and help in describing their bilingual status. In bilingual social situations the members of the speech community use languages other than their mother tongue in socially defined environments and the bilingual cognitive status implies the motivation (or the psycho-social set-up) of a speaker behind choosing and using different languages from individual’s speech network in specific domains of social life. Therefore, the study of demography and its co-variation with the languages in the social network becomes imperative for understanding the nature of bilingualism in the multilingual social set up of the Lepcha speaking community. An attempt has been made in this article to look into the demographic (language) account of the Lepcha speaking population with special reference to West Bengal from the point of view of the socio-political history of the Lepchas of Darjeeling district in West Bengal. 

At the very outset in the context of the dealing with census data, it is pertinent to mention that in spite of many criticisms regarding ‘anomalous handling’ or ‘intentional distortions’ of the census data, scholars opine that language census can serve as a foundation of socio-linguistic enquiries because of its magnitude of   geographical coverage which cannot be expected in individual effort. In connection to the discussion of the use and misuse of language census data Khubchandani (1997:161)[1] states “A language census thus could be used as an important tool to interpret, at the macro level, the trends of population concerning speech behavior and correlating them with other trends, and not as a depository of ‘absolute’ numbers accounting for the speech behavior at the micro level.”

 Demographic Status of Lepcha

The numerical data of the demographic profile of Lepcha according to Indian census are provided in the following in order to have a glance at the ethnic group strength (by region) and language and its growth. Based upon the data comments will be made on the demographic profile of the speech community.

Total Native Speakers by Country

The numerical strength of Lepcha speakers in India (Male and Female), Nepal and Bhutan are given below.

Table -  1: Strength of Lepcha speakers in India, Nepal and Bhutan

Name of  the countries	Total Number of Speakers	Males	Females
India	39,342  (1991 census)            50,629 (2001 census)	20,445 (1991 census) 26,111(2001 census)	18,897 (1991 census)  24,518 (2001census)
Bhutan	34,700 (2000)	Not available	Not available
Nepal	3,660 (2001)	Not available	Not available

Numerical Strength of Language by State/ Region

The distribution of the Lepcha speakers in different states of India according to 1991 census and 2001 census are presented in the following for a comparative picture.

   Table-2: Distribution of the Lepcha speakers in different states of India (1991)

Place Names	Total Population	Males	Females
Arunachal Pradesh	9	7	2
Assam	2	1	1
Bihar	1	1	-
Goa	4	2	2
Maharastra	6	3	3
Manipur	9	6	3
Meghalaya	7	4	3
Mizoram	4	3	1
Rajasthan	3	1	2
Sikkim	29,854	15,535	14,319
Tripura	8	3	5
Uttar Pradesh	8	3	5
West Bengal	9,421	4,873	4,548
Delhi	6	3	3

                                                               

Table-3: Distribution of the Lepcha speakers in different states of India (2001)

Place Names	Total Population	Males	Females
Arunachal Pradesh	23	15	8
Assam	13	9	4
Delhi	9	6	3
Goa	4	2	2
Haryana	6	6	0
Jammu &Kashmir	4	3	1
Jharkhand	2	1	1
Karnataka	40	35	5
Madhya Pradesh	7	3	4
Maharastra	7	1	6
Manipur	5	5	0
Meghalaya	22	11	11
Mizoram	1	1	0
Nagaland	8	7	1
Rajasthan	9	6	3
Sikkim	35,728	18,505	17,223
Tamilnadu	1	0	1
Tripura	5	4	1
Uttaranchal	3	1	2
Uttar Pradesh	1	1	0
West Bengal	14,731	7,489	7,242

The above data reveals that the population strength of Lepcha speakers is more in Sikkim than in West Bengal. (Perhaps the geo-political history of the Lepcha inhabiting region explains the situation, discussed in the following section)

It is to be mentioned here that if the speaker strength of Lepcha is compared with the speaker strength of other languages of the country, it may not occupy a numerically significant position, the percentage being 0.00. However, when it comes to the area where the language is spoken, the percentage is 6.6 in Sikkim (occupying a fourth position in the state) and it is equally significant if we consider the locality, i.e., Kalimpong subdivision of Darjeeling district of West Bengal. 

Numerical Growth of Lepcha Population

The growth of Lepcha population according to Indian census of 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001 are shown below.

Table – 4: Growth of Lepcha Population in India

Persons who returned Lepcha as their mother tongue				Decadal percentage of increase
1971	1981	1991	2001	1971 to 1981	1981 to 1991	1991 to 2001
33,360	27,814	39,342	50,629	-16.62	41.45	28.69

The above table reveals that though the population strength of the speech community is not very high, the growth rate of population is on the rise for last two decades (1981 to 1991 and 1991 to 2001). But there is a decadal decrease of percentage of population during 1971 to 1981 .

Total Bilinguals and Trilinguals

Total Lepcha Bilinguals are 37,654 (2001 census) and total Trilinguals are 12,821 (2001 census). That is, 74.37% of Lepcha speakers are bilinguals whereas, 25.32% are trilinguals according to 2001 census.

Coming to the phenomenon of bilingualism it can be said that the percentage of bilingualism is very high among the Lepcha speakers compared to the national average of bilingualism (i.e., 24.79%). In the incidence of bilingualism among the hundred non-schedule languages of the country, Lepcha occupies the tenth position (highest being 80.63% in case of the Maring speech community). It is equally significant when it comes to trilingualism, i.e., people knowing third language, Lepcha occupies the twenty fifth position among the non-schedule languages.  

 Total Monolinguals

Total monolingual speakers in Lepcha are 12,975 (2001 census) of which total monolingual males are 6,267 and monolingual females are 6,708 in number according to 2001census.

Bilinguals by Language

The number of bilingual Lepcha speakers speaking different languages according to census data of 2001 is presented in the following.

Table – 5: Bilingual Lepcha speakers speaking different languages

Name of the  language in which Lepchas are bilingual	Number of Speakers
Assamese	3
Bengali	31
Hindi	2,119
Kannada	1
Nepali	30,471
Oriya	14
Sanskrit	3
Telugu	7
Urdu	12
Ao	1
Bhotia	1,423
English	3,415
Limbu	27
Rai	3
Sherpa	5
Tamang	2
Tibetan	56
Others	25

Amongst the second languages that are spoken by the Lepcha speakers in India, Nepali holds the first position, the number of speakers being 30,471, English holds the second position, the number of speakers being 3,415 , Hindi holds the third position, the number of speakers being 2,119 and Bhotia holds the fourth position, the speaker strength being 1,423. Bangla, in spite of the state official language for the Lepchas of West Bengal has practically no impact on the Lepcha speaking population (if we accept the census position).

 Breakup of Monolingual, Bilingual and Trilingual Lepcha Speakers in India

The number of the Lepcha speakers speaking only Lepcha (monolingual), second language (bilingual) and third language (trilingual) according to 2001 census is provided in the following.

Table -6: Lepcha monolingual, bilingual and trilingual speakers

Total Lepcha speakers: 50,629
	Monolinguals	Bilingual	Trilingual
Total	12,975	37,654	12,821
Males	6,267	19,844	7,327
Females	6,708	17,810	5,494

The Bilingual and Trilingual Situations of Lepcha

As the objective of the present paper is to discuss the bilingual situation of Lepcha with special reference to West Bengal, the number of Lepcha speakers speaking mother tongue, second and third languages in West Bengal according to 2001census are given in the following.

Table-7: Lepcha Monolingual, Bilingual and Trilingual Speakers in West Bengal (2001)

	Total	Male	Female
Number of Lepcha  speakers	14,731	7,489	7,242
Monolinguals	3,847	1,851	1,996
Total number speaking a second language	10,884	5,638	5,246
Total number speaking a third language	2,763	1,560	1,203

Table-8: Bilingual and Trilingual Situations of Lepcha by Language in West Bengal (2001)

Name of second Language	Total	Male	Female	Name of third Language	Total	Male	Female
1. Bengali	26	13	13
				1.Hindi	9	6	3
				2.Nepali	2	1	1
				3.English	1	0	1
2. Hindi	709	410	299
				1.Nepali	187	126	61
				2.English	182	100	82
				3. Bengali	24	18	6
3.Nepali	9450	4832	4618
				1. Hindi	1216	700	516
				2.English	562	288	274
				3. Bengali	17	14	3
				4.Tibetan	4	1	3
				5. Urdu	1	1	0
				6. Others	1	1	0
4. Urdu	2	2	0
5. English	695	380	315
				1. Hindi	335	184	151
				2.Nepali	207	114	93
				3. Bengali	14	6	8
6. Tamang	1	1	0
7. Tibetan
				1. Nepali	1	0	1

Keeping in view the complexity of bilingualism an offshoot of languages in contact, the language situation of Lepcha,  has been studied in the multicultural and multilingual context. Following the retrospective literature on Lepcha social, political and cultural life the socio-political history of migration, colonialism, geo political fragmentation and modern democratic set-up have been discussed in detail in the following sections for the purpose of substantiating bilingual or multilingual situation of the Lepcha speaking community from the socio-political perspective. Co-relation of the use or choice of language(s) in different social domains and the societal factors has been established throughout the study in order to substantiate bilingual/multilingual position of the Lepcha speech community which will ultimately help us in determining and justifying the present bilingual/multilingual status of Lepcha. 

SOCIO-POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE LEPCHAS

The socio-political history is one of the important factors in building up of a psychological state in perceiving the world of languages – the attitude of the speakers towards the languages in their speech network, the vitality status of a language they speak, the role of language(s) more than a mode of communication. So the discussion of the socio-political history of the Lepcha inhabiting areas becomes imperative in studying the status of Lepcha language. 

The socio-political dynamics of the Lepchas as per available records has been divided into five major phases which have been discussed in the following.

1. Traditional Social Set-up

Lepchas-the original inhabitants of Sikkim basically used to lead nomadic life (Ref: Gorer: 1938)[2]. The Lepchas used to have a simple social structure with animistic practice and primitive technology. Mythology, folklore and indigenous knowledge were an integral part of their social life. Probably, the retention of such a simple socio-cultural set-up for the Lepcha community was possible due to their geographical situation. Historical documents reveal that the first major contact with the Lepcha land and people was established by the ethnic group of people from ‘Kham’, a province of Tibet sometime during the 13^th or the 14^th century. But Siiger and Rischel (1967:26)[3] states, “From a strictly historical point of view we know hardly anything about the Lepchas until about the year 1600 A.D, when a branch of Tibetan Minyang dynasty from the eastern Kham province took part in the great migration of Tibetan nobles, entered Sikkim, and some decades later made themselves kings.” Awasty (1978:30)[4] feds the same argument by stating, “...with the establishment of lamaism in the 17^th c, the Lepcha script must have been developed, based on the Tibetan alphabet. The main Lepcha works were Tibetan scriptures translated into Lepcha to facilitate the progress of the Lamaistic religion among the Lepchas. There are however, references to even earlier Lepcha manuscripts narrating Lepcha mythology and legends which according to Gorer and even Father Rey, were destroyed by the Tibetan lamas in their zeal to convert the Lepchas. This view of fanaticism of Lamaism in Sikkim is held by the Christian missionaries”. With the migration of the ‘Khamba’ Tibetans, Buddhist religion came to the land, resulting in the conversion of a number of Lepchas to Buddhism by the Tibetan monks. As a result of the introduction of Buddhism, the traditional Lepcha scripture was gradually replaced by the Tibetan and the impact of Tibetan culture led to the gradual development of new ideas. Das (1978:15)[5] rightly points out, “This phase of Lepcha culture is the history of dominance of Tibetans over the Lepchas in every sphere of their life and activities…(ibid:243) The language with its literature, which flourished during the reign of the Lepcha kings, got a rude set back after the dominance of the Tibetans who gradually replaced Lepcha literature, etc. by their own language.” The situation has been observed also by Foning (1987:153)[6] who states, “Buddhist lamas started to get the Tibetan religious scriptures and books translated into the language of the original Lepchas. Of all the religious books and other books translated, Tashay Namthar, also called Tashay Sung is pre-eminent. This book was probably written by one lama Ugen Lingpo … the approximate Namthar period started from the beginning of the 18^th c and completely faded out by the beginning of the 20^th c.”              

2. History of Migration and Inter-Communal Change

The next socio-political phase of Lepcha life was marked by the migration of the Bhutanese after 1700. The eastern and western frontiers of the land were attacked by the Bhutanese and Gurkhas, threatening the territorial integrity of Sikkim. The end of the 18^thc, (1788-89) was marked by the invasion of Sikkim by Nepal. Foning (1987:283)[7] opines, “Large scale migration took place at any time to overwhelm the autochthons, like the Nepalese immigration in the nineteenth century.” With such contact situations with the Bhutanese and Nepali communities, the Lepcha social life changed to some extent, giving rise to ideas like heroism, conflicts and tensions on the one hand and destruction of Lepcha scripture on the other. Inter-mixing in terms of marriage and other social activities became evident resulting in the infiltration of new ideas and exposures.

The metamorphosis of the speech community took place with the constant migration of the three ethnic communities --- Tibetans, Bhutanese and Nepalese. This has been aptly observed by Foning (1987:283)[8] as, “In time due to intermarriage between the native Rongfolk and the migrating people, new tribes came into being. The tribes thus formed incorporated the culture, customs and traditions of the two inter-mingling tribes and, as a result, a new and a separate tribe came into existence. The best example of this type of the tribe is the ‘Denjongpa’ people, a cross between the Lepchas and the Khamba Tibetans.”

3. Lepchas under British Imperialism

With the British administration in the following phase of development, Lepcha socio-political life was exposed to a new system of administrative development which countenanced the primitive system of slavery. But the British Govt. actually did not pay any heed to the development of Lepcha society --- the original inhabitants of the area. As an administrative measure by the British, forests were reserved and taxes were imposed on the ‘son of the soil’. With the Nepal war of 1816, a treaty was signed between Nepal and the British in 1817 at Titalia, where the British took over portions of plains in the south of Sikkim and Nepal was allowed to retain considerable portion of the land --- all took place ignoring Sikkim. Of the neighbouring communities, Nepalese migrated in large number  and took part in the development. This resulted in rapid out-numbering of the Lepchas by the settlers from Nepal. Therefore Foning (1987:283)[9] aptly observes, “… today, the vast majority of people inhabiting the old-time Mayel country of the Rongfolk are the people of mixed ethnic origin from the country of Nepal.” He (1987:296)[10] also points out, “Both in the urban and the rural areas, the Nepali language has virtually became the ‘Lingua Franca’ for the people of different ethnic groups that one finds in the regions.”

Later in 1835, Darjeeling was acquired by the East India company ‘by diplomatically legalised might and force’ from the then ruler of Sikkim by the ‘Deed of Darjeeling Grant dated 01.02.1835’. The grant was signed by A. Campbell, the then superintendent of Darjeeling and in charge of political relations with Sikkim. This event can be seen as an important turn in the history of the region which has yield a long term impact on the Lepcha population, the original inhabitants of the region. The translated version of the extract of the ‘Deed of Grant’ for handing over Darjeeling to the East India company (Ref: Moktan,R. (ed.) 2004. Sikkim: Darjeeling Compendium of Documents. Pub: Sumaralaya: Kalimpong, Darjeeling) is presented in the following.

The Governor-General having expressed his desire for the possession of the Hill of Darjeeling, on account of its cool climate, for the purpose of enabling the servants of his Government , suffering from sickness, to avail themselves of its advantages, I, the Sikkimputtee Rajah, out of friendship to the said Governor-General, hereby present Darjeeling to the East India Company, that is, all the land South of the Great Runjeet River, east of the Balasun, Kahali and Little Runjeet Rivers, and west of the Rungno and Mahanuddi Rivers.

Seal of Rajah prefixed                                                     Sd/- A.Campbell,

to the document                                                               Superintendent of Darjreeling and in charge of political relations with Sikkim

The British rule that took control over the surrounding areas of Darjeeling in 1841, marked the impact of missionary activities which converted a section of the Lepcha community into Christianity. But Buddhism (Lamaism) continued its influence on the common people. This resulted in creating a gap within the community --- those with Christian education could raise their standard of living and outlook and those who still adhered to their age old traditional beliefs and customs. This situation has been observed by Das (1978: 259)[11] as “The conflict of these two major religious groups of Lepchas at times results in creating a gulf within the community due to differences in social, religious and cultural traits.” Apart from this, the expansion of the tea manufacturing industry by the British in the hilly tract of Darjeeling, led the original inhabitants of the land, the Lepchas, take a back step and receded into interiors. Foning (1987:160)[12] cites the situation by stating, “This was the real reason behind the miserable picture in the very first census report published by the Govt. in 1891. The incredible figure shown for Sikkim was just 5762, as against 1000 in the Darjeeling area.” Such a situation motivated Col. Lloyd, the then administrator of Darjeeling district to carry out administrative work in the Lepcha language and documentation were encouraged in the Lepcha language. Circulars, receipt books in Lepcha scripts and many such documents in Lepcha find their existence in the Govt. archives. Lepcha language was in extensive use in Kalimpong area till the end of 19thc. Mainwaring (1876)[13] also mentions that Lepcha was the language for the entire Sikkim. The Tibetans, the Bhutias and other immigrants used to communicate in the Lepcha language. Business, justice, recording of decrees and documents were carried on in the Lepcha language, under the rule of Col. Llyod. In this connection the name of Reverend Mr. William Start is worthy to mention as he established a school for the Lepchas and employed Moravian system of education. At that time a Lepcha primer and a dictionary was also compiled. Foning (1987 :155)[14] comments on the situation as, “At the same time he tried to convert them to the new faith of Christianity, which he thought would bring an all round improvement … These missionaries did exactly what the Tibetan Lamas had done about a century and a half earlier by translating their religious books for the purpose of converting them to their own faiths … with the death of Rev. C.G. Neible in 1865 (one of the missionaries), the grand and admirable effort of these missionaries faded out completely.” After Dr. Campbell came to Darjeeling administration, Lepcha language  received a back foot and started to be considered as the language of the aboriginal people who are socially and culturally backward. Foning (1987:160)[15] rightly puts it as, “The government language report gave unfavourable findings. This was the result of a politically motivated action on the part of the British government.”

4. The Society after World War I

With the breaking of World War I in 1914, the socio-religious aspect underwent a radical change in the Lepcha horizon. The Gospel period (i.e., the spreading of Gospel that started with the coming of British in Darjeeling) which started in the middle of the 19^thc, faded away by the first decade of 20^th c with the breaking of World War I along with other factors. The period which was followed by the departure of the British from the Indian sub-continent, marked a radical change in the socio-political and socio-cultural scenario of the Indo-Sikkim relationship. According to Singh (1993:3)[16], “The period between 1950 and 1973 was marked by several important events in Sikkim, like the emergence of various political parties, formation of State Assembly, introduction of franchise on the basis of party formula. The tension that developed between the Durbar and the various political parties led to the agitation of 1973, the signing of the May Agreement in 1973, formation of a popular ministry in 1974, and finally its merger with Indian Union in 1975.”

The socio-linguistic development that took  place in the post World War I period in the Lepcha inhabiting areas of Sikkim and Darjeeling exhibit a sociolinguistic mosaic of  Bhotia, Hindi, Nepali and Lepcha languages.

As mentioned by Foning (1987)[17] attention was being paid to Nepali language with the initiative of Rev. Pradhan’s Gorkha Press at Darjeeling. The missionary activities like publishing of the Bible, book of hymns and Catechism started printing in Nepali. By this time, though the missionaries stopped taking active interest in the Lepcha language and started encouraging Hindi following the language policy adopted by the Govt., ultimately, Nepali received the impetus and was accepted as a medium of spreading religious teachings.

From the account of Foning (1987)[18] regarding the development of the Lepcha language, it is found that contrary to the above situation, Gyen Tshering Sitling, the Lepcha Padre started taking active interest in the Lepcha language for the welfare of the speech community. He was the founder of the District General Lepcha Association. Lepcha primer was published in 1929 in the Baptist mission press of Calcutta in his initiative. Mrs Azem Rebecca (known as ‘Babuni’) was next to Sitling, who took the charge of Presidentship of the Lepcha Association and took the initiative of reprinting Rev. Sitling’s Primer in 1956. In the arena of literary activities the names that are worth mentioning are--- Sangkyol Tasso and Imansingh Chemjong, who compiled a Lepcha dictionary, Apang Choden and Duksing of Darjeeling initiated the publication of a primer with Devanagari equivalents. In the year 1953, the Eastern Himalayan Church council printed a Lepcha Hymn book which was discarded and the reprint of the Gospel of St. Luke took place with the initiative of the Bible Society of India. In this connection it is relevant to mention that, by this time the local Christian missionaries had stopped their linguistic and literary activities. In 1967, a wing of the Lepcha  Association called ‘Longten Chok Lee’ or ‘Culture Centre’ was established in Kalimpong. Along with this development, the Mani Printing works of Kalimpong set up a Lepcha section along with the English, Nepali, Tibetan and Bhutanese sections. In 1970, Rev. Sitling’s primer was revised and published along with the publication of a small primer, Aids to the Study of the primer by Lha Tsherings in 1971. The traditional literature (Namtho Namthar) like Biruchana, Kumya Kumsi, ChyotenManlom were reprinted by a literary society, the ‘Ngassey Chyo Bong Chyo Kurmon’ in Chobo village with the encouragement of ‘Longten Chok Lee’. It was for the first time the Lepcha newspaper, Mutanchi was published in Darjeeling. Foning (1987)[19] also mentions that during this period, Government took initiative in improving the language and literature of Lepcha. Lepcha was made the compulsory medium of instruction at the primary level and books were published up to the middle school standard by the initiative of the then administration. Mani Printing works at Kalimpong was the only press for printing Lepcha script. Lepcha language pedagogy was initiated up to the school-leaving standard by the Govt. Foning (1987: 164)[20] mentions that, “Lepcha songs are now heard over All- India Radio stations, both from Kurseong and from Gangtok.” In 1970, the Lepcha-Nepali- English Dictionary was published by ‘Nepal Rajkiya Pragya Pratisthan’, the Royal National Academy of Science and Literature with the initiative of Imansingh Chemjong. Apart from these, the other available publications are, Grammar of the Rong language by Kharpo Tamsang and Holy Bible by Rev. Father Stoelke.

The Present State of Affair

Nepali has gained ground in the hills of Darjeeling and Sikkim and exerts immense socio-political pressure on the minority communities like Lepcha. Bhotia also holds a considerable position in Lepcha life. No institutional effort as a part of language planning from the state or central governments has been found in Darjeeling. Such institutional efforts to uplift the language by the state government are of course evident in Sikkim. The culture has acclimatized the trend of modern or so-called western culture. As a result, a gradual detachment from the traditional values, knowledge of indigenous medicine is taking place. Preservation of natural objects is losing its ground from Lepcha life and culture and incorporation of newer ideas has taken place. 

But a renewed interest has been observed during last few years with the sole effort of Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association (ILTA) in Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Efforts for revitalization of the language and culture have made a conscious entry into the life of the Lepchas. Forty night schools for teaching Lepcha the mother tongue in different villages of Darjeeling district are run with the sole initiative of ILTA, Kalimpong.  In this context it is pertinent to have a look at the revitalization efforts of the language objectively. Different kinds of effort have been undertaken by ILTA for revitalization of the language. One such effort is publication of the magazine Achuley and other booklets from time to time. The publications include text books, songs, drama, novel, book of prayer, essay, narrative, poem, book of terminology, NamthoNamthar, the Lepcha indigenous traditional literature and different other translation works.

Examining the growth rate of publication is one of the ways to understand the nature and extent of revitalization of a language (especially in case of those languages which have a developed written form of their own like Lepcha). Therefore, an attempt has been made in the concluding section to examine the effort of revitalization of the Lepcha language from the point of view of publication in the Lepcha language. This seems to be indicative for the maintenance of Lepcha, the mother tongue in the bilingual/multilingual context.

Conclusion:  Examining the status of  Lepcha  in terms of   Publications

Language products produced over the years, like publications and film production in the language being one of the indicators of the vitality status of a language, functions as symptomatic to language growth and decay.

However, for the time being, the data of publication in the language available till date (published from Kalimpong, Darjeeling) is presented below to have a glance at the development in the particular area. As film production is a marginal feature in Lepcha, this is kept outside the purview of the quantitative analysis in the present study. A table consisting of the number of different kinds of publications in Lepcha across the time period is given below.

Table- 9: Number of Publications in Lepcha (from Kalimpong) across the Time Period

	1841-1860	1861-1880	1881-1900	1901-1920	1921-1940	1941-1960	1961-1980	1981-2000	2001-2010
Magazines								10	23
Text books					1	1	1	3	9
Folk tales								3	2
Songs							1	1	2
Drama									6
Novel									1
Book of prayer									6
Essays									2
Narrative									4
Book of Poems									4
Book of Terminology									2
Namtho Namthar							3	1	4
Translation works	4	2		2			1

The data of publications in Lepcha has been graphically presented in the following in order to view the growth or decay of different kinds of publications across the recorded time period.

Graph – 1: Growth or Decay of Number of different kinds of  Publications in Lepcha across the Time period

                                                                                               

                 A gross composite picture of  Publication in Lepcha

In order to view the composite growth of publication in Lepcha, a composite quantitative picture of publications in the language is presented graphically below based upon the data of the number of publications in Lepcha (mentioned above) across the recorded time period of 170 years.                                     

Graph – 2: Growth of Publication in Lepcha (in Kalimpong) across the Time period

Thus the growth rate of publication is found to gain momentum from the second half of the last century and accelerated a significant rise in the first decade of twenty-first century. It is worth mentioning in this context that this rise in publication is due to the sole effort of  ILTA of Kalimpong, Darjeeling district of West Bengal.

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References

Awasty,I. 1978. Between Sikkim and Bhutan (the Lepchas and Bhutanis of Pedong) Delhi: B.R. Publishing Corporation.

Gorer, G.1938. Himalayan Village. An Account of the Lepchas of Sikkim. London: M.Joseph Ltd. Reprinted in 1984 as The Lapchas of Sikkim. Delhi: Cultural Publishing House.

Das,A.K.1978. The Lepchas of West Bengal. S.Dey for Editions Indian.

Dattamajumdar,S.2012. An Enquiry Into the Status of Lepcha. Kolkata: The Asiatic Society. (Forthcoming)

Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling

Khubchandani, L.M. 1997 Revisualizing Boundaries A Plurilingual Ethos. New Delhi: Sage Publications

Mainwaring,G.B.1898. Dictionary of the Lepcha Language. Revised and completed by Albert Grunwedel. Berlin: Unger.

Siiger,H. and Rischel, J. 1967. The Lepchas: Culture, Religion of a Himalayan People, Pt.I &II. National Museum Ethnographic Series. Vol.II, Pt I. Copenhagen: Gyldenal.

Singh,K.S.(ed.)1993. People of India: Sikkim. Vol.XXXIX . Anthropological Survey of India. Calcutta: Seagull Books.

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[1] Khubchandani, L.M. 1997 Revisualizing Boundaries A Plurilingual Ethos. New Delhi: Sage Publications.

[2] Gorer, G.1938. Himalayan Village. An Account of the Lepchas of Sikkim. London: M.Joseph Ltd. Reprinted in 1984 as The Lapchas of Sikkim. Delhi: Cultural Publishing House.

[3] Siiger,H. and Rischel, J. 1967. The Lepchas: Culture, Religion of a Himalayan People, Pt.I &II. National Museum Ethnographic Series. Vol.II, Pt I. Copenhagen: Gyldenal.

[4] Awasty,I. 1978. Between Sikkim and Bhutan (the Lepchas and Bhutanis of Pedong) Delhi: B.R. Publishing Corporation.

[5] Das,A.K.1978. The Lepchas of West Bengal. S.Dey for Editions Indian.

[6] Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling.

[7] Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling.

[8] Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling.

[9] Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling.

[10] Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling.

[11] Das,A.K.1978. The Lepchas of West Bengal. S.Dey for Editions Indian.

[12] Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling.

[13] Mainwaring,G.B.1898. Dictionary of the Lepcha Language. Revised and completed by Albert Grunwedel. Berlin: Unger.

[14] Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling

.

[15] Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling.

[16] Singh,K.S.(ed.)1993. People of India: Sikkim. Vol.XXXIX . Anthropological Survey of India. Calcutta: Seagull Books.

[17]  Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling

[18] Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling

[19]  Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling

[20]  Foning, A.R. 1987. Lepcha, my vanishing tribe. New Delhi: Sterling

Are the Lepchas Kirata?: An Investigation

Dr.D.C.Roy

Kirata is a generic or composite term which geographically indicates a specific area in the eastern Himalayan region and sociologically it identifies some communities who reside in this area. Kirata is an ancient term and has been mentioned in Yajurveda, Mahabharata and Puranas of Hindu tradition. But there is no unanimity among the scholars and researchers over the origin, settlement pattern, specification of linguistic group and other details of the community which have been included under the composite word Kirata. In its broad-spectrum kiratas includes all inhabitants of the Eastern Himalayan region starting from Nepal in the west upto Nagaland and Burma in the east. So all those who live in Nepal, Sikkim, Hills of Darjeeling, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Burma are known as Kiratas in the broad sense of the term. But in the narrow sense by Kirata region one identifies the eastern part of Nepal bordering Sikkim and Darjeeling and the communities who reside in this zone like the Rai, Yakkha, Limbu and other are known as Kiratas. All such communities who are included under Kiratas are non- Aryan and non-Hindu people and posses distinct culture, religion, language and tradition.
On the Eastern Himalayan region a good number of studies have been carried out on the ethnicity, religion, politics, historical aspects and various other socio-anthropological issues but very few systematic and authentic studies have benn been conducted on the Kiratas and there is lamentable dearth of literature on the isssue of Kirata. Available literature uses the term Kirata but no specification about the ethnic groups included or excluded are available. The present article aims at analysing the Kirata tribe in broad and narrow sense of the term and the debate and possibility of inclusion or exclusion of the Lepchas, a Tibeto-Burman linguistic group of Eastern Himalayan region, under/from the umbrella term Kirata.
Objectives:
Objective of the present study iare:
– to find rationale of including Lepchas under Kiratas,
– to find arguments against inclution of the Lepchas under Kiratas.
Lepchas:
Lepchas, a Tibeto-Burman linguistic group of Eastern Himalayan region, have their distinct language, religion, language, culture and tradition. Majority of the Lepchas live in Sikkim (40,568 in 2001), Darjeeling district of West Bengal (32,377 in 2001) but a good number is found in Nepal (3660 in 2001) and Bhutan (34,700 in 2000)).  In the pre-historic period, the whole southeastern Himalayan region was once occupied only by the Lepchas. They as nomads used to move from one place to another for food and shelter over Sikkim-Darjeeling-Nepal-Bhutan region where there was no concept of political boundary like today. Naturally, Lepchas are the earliest settlers and are the autochthonous people of this tract. The origin of the Lepchas is obscure and there is still no unanimous theory about the migration route of the Lepchas in their present settlement. Some indicate their pssible route of migration from Mangolia through Tibet in the north while others mention that the Lepchas came via Khasi hills, Naga Hills and Assam valley. Be whatever it may but it has been accepted by the historians and the social scientiests that the Lepchas are the early settlers and are the indigenous people of the region. After political arrangements over different periods, Mayal Lyang or the Lepcha land has been divided and they became residents of India, Nepal and Bhutan. In India Lepchas are found in good number in Darjeeling district and in Sikkim. The present section attempts to discuss the rationale, validation and justification of inclusion/exclusion of the Lepchas under the composite term Kirata.
Rationale for inclusion of Lepchas under Kirata:
Kirata is a generic term and in the broad sense, it used to designate all the ethnic groups who reside in the Eastern Himalayan region. Lepchas being a resident of Eastern Himalayan region, particularly in Nepal, Darjeeling and Sikkim, can be included under the generic term Kirata.
Lepchas as being the residents of Eastern Himalayan region, Prof. Suniti Kumar Chatterji (1951) included them under the category of Kirata and spends five pages (22, 25, 41, 78 and 79) on the possible route of migration, linguistic group, literature, alphabet, religion, life style of the Lepchas in his book ‘Kirata-Jana-Krti’. The author never specifically attach the word Kirata with Lepchas but the simple reason of spending five pages on the community in his book on Kirata signifies his mind set of inclusion of the Lepchas in the Kirata category. Prof Chatterji not only mentioned Lepchas in his book but most of the tribes of Nepal and North-east India like Newar, Khasi, Jaintia, Naga, Garo, Mizo, Bodo, Koch, Ahoms, Kukis, Tipra etc find some places in his book on the Kirata. Prof Chatterji categorised Lepchas in the same linguistic group along with Newar, Magar, Gurung, Murmi, Sunwari, Kirati and Toto but differentiates them from other languages of Nepal like Dhimal, Thami, Limbu, Yakha, Khambu, Rai, Vayu etc all of which fall under the Pronominalise Himalayan dialects of Tibeto-Burman sub-family. In fact, Chatterji’s perspective of Kiratas and Kirata region can be categorised in our broader sense of the two terms. He considers the whole of eastern Himalayan region as Kirata region and all those who live in this area have been included under the composite term Kiratas. The Lepchas being the autochthonous of Nepal-Sikkim-Darjeeling region have been included under the term Kiratas.
Iman Singh Chemjong (1966) in his book ‘History and Culture of Kirat People’ categorically included Lepchas as Kiratas. While discussing the culture of Kirata the author starts with ‘The Munlom Faith of Rong Kirat People’. The author states “The Mun or the female priest of the Rong Kirat populace instructs her people about the existence of Rum God or Tukbo Thing, one of the most powerful and celebrated good spirit. Her abode is Bo-inda or heaven and she dwells in the midst of a bruight light and Moong or Chhuge-Moong-Pano and the malignant king of evil spirits or who permanently dwells in Nyok or hell…..”(P-97). The author, whose mother was a Lepcha, mentions ‘Rong Kirat’ and uses Rong or Lepcha wordings in discussing the community culture. Beside Lepchas, Chemjong also mentions about some other tribes of eastern region like Ahum, Koch or Rajbanshi, Mech, Tharu etc. Although the author sporadically mentions about other tribes of eastern Himalayas but his focal point of discussion remain with the Limbu and Rai community of Nepal. Anyway, Chemjong’s inclusion of the Lepchas under the category of Kiratas can be termed as the broad classification of the term Kiratas and Kirata region.
Many examine the structure of Lepcha language and alphabet and try to identify the similarites with the other language of the Kirata group. Kirata is a composite word and it consists of good number of ethnic group with their distinct language and dialect. Limbus have been identifies as core Kirata and their language in many literature has been simply termed as Kirata language. The Limbu or Kirata alphabet is structurally similar to Lepcha script and it is said that the Limbu script has been modelled on the Lepcha alphabet. According to many historians, King Sirijonga invented the Limbu script in the late 9th century. It has 20 consonents, 8 vowel signs, 7 final consonents. Letters like YA, RA, WA in Limbu are subscribed in the manner similar to that of Lepcha script.
Following Shafer, Lepcha language has been grouped under Tibeto-Burman language family. Under Tibeto-Burman family there are five sub groups – Tibetan, Non-pronominalised, Pronominalised, North Assam group and Assam-Burma Group. Each of this group has again been classified in several sub-groups. Lepchas fall under Naga dialect of Bodo-Naga group of Assam-Burman family. Some of the other Tibeto-Burman language families are: Burmese, Dzonkha, Garo, Kayahli, Limbu, Lisu, Manipuri, Mizo, Navi, Newari, Sunuwar, Tangut, Tibetan, Tujia, Yi etc.
Kirata and Kipat are the two concepts used in similar sense in Nepal. Kipat was a communal land tenure system prevailed in the eastern part of Nepal particularly in the Maj and Pallo Kirata areas. After the unification of Nepal, King Prithvi Narayan Shah established the same land tenure system as it was during the control of the tiny Kirata principalities. In Kipat, land cannot be sold to other person and it remained the property of the king who can change the use for social purposes. The list of the populations which received land under the kipat system are “Limbu, Rai, Majhiya [?], Bhote, Yakkha, Tamang, I-Iayu, Chepang, Baramu, Danuwar, Sunuwar, Kumhal, Pahari, Thami, Sherpa, Majhi and Lepcha” (Regmi,D.R.: 1978). “It can be seen that all the populations associated with the Kirant ensemble appear on this list. But the opposite is not true: all the populations with kipat rights are not identified as Kirant. Some of them are probably not included because they have other identity referents which are more obvious than this default category. This is clearly the case for the Buddhist populations (Bhote, Tamang, Sherpa)” (Schlemmer, G: 2004). After the Land Reform Act, 1964, Kipat was abolished in Nepal but the Lepchas, being a follower of Kipat land system in early days, has remained under the simple bracket of Kirata in Nepal.
As the Lepchas of Nepal are residing in the Kirata region and some writings included them under Kirata group, most people knowingly or unknowingly identify Lepchas as Kirata in the broad sense of the term without judging the rationale of their inclusion.
Arguments Against inclusion of Lepchas under Kirata:
Lepchas at present are the residents of Nepal, Sikkim, Darjeeling and Bhutan. If the Lepchas of Nepal are identified as Kirata then their counterparts in India and Bhutan should also be so identified. But neither the existing literature nor the Lepchas residing in these areas prefer to recognize themselves as Kirata and the Lepchas in India and Bhutan prefer to be identified as Lepchas only.
The eastern part of Nepal is popularly known as Kirata region and dominated mainly by the Rai and Limbu communities. In fact, the Pallo Kirata, the present districts of Ilam, Dhankuta, Panchther, Terhathum, Tapleging and Sankhuwasabha, is dominated by the Limbus and the Maj Kirata, the present day Solukhumbu, Khotang, Dhankuta, Bhojpur, is ruled by the Rais. These two communities, Limbu and Rai, feel themselves proud in identifying themselves in the cluster Kiratas. Both the groups had their history of king, kingdom, war against the rivals and have a long account of association with the area. The ethnic scholars have narrated their history in a number of accounts and for which they are honoured and feel proud. The revivalists tried to endorse their community through the cultural, literacy and artictic manner.  They tried to strengthen the movement by including all others of the region under the term Kirata and aimed at getting some political benefit of having a separate Kirata state. Lepchas, a small and insignificant community of Nepal, has become the victim of the majority class and unknowingly they have been incorporated and merged with the majority class without their cosent. Like the other Buddhist population (Tamang, Sherpa, Bhutia), Lepchas have their own identity and they do not fell any insecurity to be included under the majority class of the Kirata region.
Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) classified eight different religious groups in Nepal and Kirata religion has been shown as a separate and distinct religious group from the census period 2001. On the basis of Kirata religion, we have classified two categories of Kirata nationalities - kore nationalities and the peripheral nationalities. Lepchas of Nepal whose 0.14 percent follow Kirata religion has been categorised as Peripheral Kirata nationalities. But there is a strong ground to believe that as the Lepchas are animists by tradition and as Kirata religion is also a form of animistic tradition, some by mistake might have included five name under Kirata religion. As per 2001 census, in Nepal, 88.79% Lepchas are Buddhist, 7.62% Hindu, 3.33% Christian, 0.14% Kirata, 0.03% Jain and 0.82 % other category. There is no rational to incorporate the Lepchas under Kirata category just because as low as 0.14% Lepchas follow the Kirata religion. Most of them are Buddhist and have their greater identity.
Kirata religion and their consequent inclusion under Kirata category in Nepal, poses another problem among the Lepchas in Sikkim, Bhutan and Darjeeling. A large majority of the Lepcha live in Sikkim and Darjeeling where there is no concept of Kirata religion in general and among the Lepchas in particular. They are either Buddhists or Christians. Naturally, on the basis of religion Lepchas of Sikkim and Darjeeling can not be classified as Kirata.
Kirata and Kipat land tenure systen are closely connected in Nepal. It is so designed that all those who follow Kipat land system are identified as Kirata. Some historians and authors trace link between kipat with the Limbus. K.P.Bhandari is of the view that kipat has been derived from Limbu word where ‘Ki’ means ‘Kirati’ and ‘pat’ means ‘fallow or barren land’. S.K.Shrestha is of the view that the word kipat has been derived from Limbu language which means ‘revenue free land’ (1985:51). Although Regmi included the Lepchas and prepared a long list of communities who follow kipat system. But in Sikkim-Darjeeling there is no Kipat land so a large majority of the Lepcha of Sikkim-Darjeeling cannot and should not be included under Kiarta banner.
Rai, Limbu and other Kiratas who have settled in Sikkim-Darjeeling have been enlisted as ‘Gorkha’ and get some reservational advantages in recruitement in Indian army. All Kiratas of India are identified as Gorkhas. Government Order No 13-229/200/Estt dated 10/09/2004 of Ministry of Culture Deptt. Government of India denied Lepchas to include under Gorkha brand. Lepchas are the Scheduled Tribe of India and they are non-Gorkhas. Although in India, there is overlapping of some communities in a number of categories but as simply the Lepchas are denied in the category of Gorkha along with the other Kirata tribes, it is irrational to include them under Kirata category. It can simply be said that Kiratas of Nepal have been listed as Gorkha in Sikkim-Darjeeling hills. Lepchas are not Gorkha so they should not be termed as Kirata; they have their unique origin and are the autochthonous people of Sikkim-Darjeeling Himalayan tract.
While categorising the religion of the Lepchas in India, there is no one who have enlisted themselves under the religion Kirata. In fact, there is no categorisation as Kirata religion in India and most of the Lepchas are either Buddhists or Chriatians, and few are Hindus. Kirata religion has never been recognised in Indian census and no tribe in India fall under this category. Kirata religion is purely a Nepal concept and are mostly followed by the Rai, Limbu, Yakkha and Sunuwas community in Nepal. So the Lepchas particularly those in India can no way be branded under the category of Kirata.
The Europeans, Indians and the ethnic writers have enriched the Lepcha literture. In fact, Lepchas have a rich language, literature and language of their own. In none of the writings (except Suniti Kumar Chartterji and Iman Singh Chemjong), Lepchas have ever been identified as Kiratas. But in few history of Nepal, particularly in Kirata History of Nepal, few writers have incorporated Lepchas under the category of Kirata. As most scholars, researchers and writers do not include Lepchas under Kirata, it seems unwise and irrational to incorporate even the Lepchas of Nepal under Kirata category.
There exists a number of social organisations in Nepal, Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalayan tracts whose basic aim is to retain their culture, language and religion. Although these organisations use the word Kirata but “many so called Kirata organisations are essentially Limbu organisations” (Subba 1999:126). ‘All India Lepcha Association’ and ‘Indigenous Lepcha Tribal association’ are the two main organisations of the Lepchas in Darjeeling and none of them use the term Kirata in naming their associations. Lepcha organisations in Sikkim also do not use the word Kirata but prefer to use ‘Lepcha’ so as to segregate them from the Kirata organisations which are meant for the Limbus and the Rais.
Lepcha folktale relates about the origin of the Lepchas from the lap of Kanchanjunga and thereby spreading all oner the Sikkim-Darjeeling Himalayan tract. There are at least two evidences which narrate the migration of one section of the Sikkim Lepchas to Ilam, Nepal areas from Sikkim in the early days. The first version says “about 10 years previously 1200 able-bodied Lepchas, forming, according to Captain Herbert, two-thirds of the population of Sikkim, had been forced by oppression of the Raja to fly from Darjeeeling and its neighbourhood, and to take refuse to Nepal” (L.S.S.O’Malley, 1907: 22). Another incidence occurred due to the assassination of Lepcha Prime Minister Bolod by the Tibetan King of Sikkim. “The murder of Prime Minister was immediately followed by the flight of some of his relatives to Unthoo, on the border of Nepal. When Bolod was assassinated by the Maharaja Tsugphud Namgyal’s orders, his nephews, the sons of Kotaba Kungha named Dathup and Jerung Denon and Kazi Gorok left Sikkim, taking with them about 800 houses of Lepcha subjects from Childam and Namthang and went towards Ilam and settled down there” (R.K.Sprigg, 2005 : 11-12). The above two incidences amply prove that Ilam is by no means the original homeland of the Lepchas rather they were forced to take refuge there in distance past. If the originality of the Lepchas of Nepal lies in Sikkim, there is no reason to bring the Lepchas of Nepal under Kirata because their predecessors at Sikkim are not the Kiratas.  
Results:
Although some authors tried to include Lepchas under Kiratas but T.B. Subba clearly distinguishes Lepchas from Kiratas. “Kirata communities cannot claim to be wholly native to the region. Written history shows that the ancestors of many Kirata people living here have come from Nepal. The only community which is known to have originally inhabited this region is the Lepcha” (Subba 1999:20). Although Subba made his remark for the Lepchas of Darjeeling but the logic can easily be applied to the Lepchas of Sikkim and in broad sense to those in Nepal. Subba’s work on’Politics of Culture’ confines to the three Kirata communities of Nepal eg. Rai, Limbu and Yakkha and excludes the Lepchas which simply singifies that he does not prefer to include Lepchas under the composite word Kirata.
Conclusion:
Some opinion survey conducted in Darjeeling part of Himalayan region among the Kiratas and non-Kiratas reveals mixed response. But most are of the view that for all practical purposes Lepchas are not and should not be included under Kirata. The most common and practical communities under Kirata are the Rai and Limbu. Both Limbu and Rai also call themselves as Kirata while Lepchas vehemently oppose to include themselves as Kirata. Critics pointed out that Chemjong included all Mongoloid groups of Nepal under the umbrella of the term Kirata as “it was better suited his political aspirations towards a Kirata statehood” (Subba, (1999: 31). The information and facts available are insufficient to come to any valid conclusion. Anyway, the above discussion opens new avenues of research and one need to consider the political and social history of the region and the community. In Nepal, the unification of different groups and “ensuing supra-local identities are in part the result of state influences: those of the ancient Hindu kingdoms of the plain, of the Nepalese state and perhaps of the Sikkim monarchy. It seems that it was with respect to outside powers that the region’s populations felt the need to unite - and/or were united, by outside influences - in encompassing ensembles. Denomination is an eminently political act, and all groups are the product of a history” (Schlemmer, Grégoire, 2004:54).  But the case is different for the Lepchas of India and their possibilities should be dealt with separately without mixing them to those of the Lepchas of Nepal.

References:
Bhandari, K.P., 1959)- ‘Pallokiratko Zagga’ in Samyukta Prayas. August. 30.
Chatterji, S. K. (1951)  - Kirata-jana-krti. Asiatic Society. Calcutta.
Chemjong, I.S. (1966) - History and Culture of Kiart People. Reprint (2003). Kiat Yakthung Chumlund Mahalxmisthan, Lalitpur, Nepal.
Dahal, D.R., (1985)-  An Ethnographic Study of Social Change among the Athapahariya Rai of Dhankuta. Tribuvan University, Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies. Kathmandu.
Davids, I. M. H. & G. L. van Driem (1985) -‘Limbu Kinship Terminology: A Description’. Kailash, 12 (1 & 2). Journal of Himalayan Studies.
Grierson, G. A., (1927) -  ‘The Tibeto-Chinese family’. Linguistic survey of India.Vol. 1.
Grierson,G.A., (ed.) (1909)- ‘Tibeto-Burmese Family. Himalayan Dialect, North Assam Group’, Linguistic Survey of India, vol. III. Reprint. 1967. Matilal Banarsidam. New Delhi.
Hamilton, F. B., (1819) - An Account of the Kingdom of Nepal and of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of Gorkha. Reprint. (1986) Asian Educational Service. New Delhi.
Hogdson, B.H., (1858) - ‘On the Kiranti Tribe of the Central Himalaya’, Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, XXVII.
Macdonell, A. A., & Keith, A. B., (1912) - Vedic index: Names and subjects. Reprint. (1958) ed., Vol. 1 & 2. Motilal Banarasidass. London. Delhi.
Madan,K., Kongren,R., Limbu,T.M., (2008) – Documentation of Indegeneous Knowledge, Skill and Practices of Kirat Nationalities with Special Focus on Biological Resources. Project submitted to Social Inclusion Research Fund (SIRF) SNV Nepal Bakhundole. Lalitpur, Nepal.
O’Malley,LSS., (1907)- Darjeeling District Gazetteer. Reprint. Gyan Publishing House. Delhi.
Pokharel.M.P.,- Issue of Immigration and its Linguistic Consequesces in Nepal. Tribhuban University. Nepal.
Pradhan, K., (1991)- The Gorkha Conquests: The Process and Consequence of the Unification of Nepal with particular reference to Eastern Nepal. Oxford University Press. Calcutta.
Regmi, D. R., 1978, Land Tenure and Taxation in Nepal. Kathmandu: Ratna Pustak Bhandar.
Regmi, D.R., (1969) – Ancient Nepal. 3rd Edition. Firma KLM. Calcutta.
Regmi, M.C., (1976) - Landownership in Nepal. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Rimal, G.N., (2007) - Infused Ethnicities: Nepal’s Interlaced And Indivisible Social Mosaic. Institute for Social and Environmental Transition. Kathmandu. Nepal. ISBN: 978-99946-2-577-2
Risley, H. H., [1891], The tribes and Castes of Bengal, Introduction.Calcutta Bengal Secretariat Press. Reprint (1981). Firma Mukhopadhyay. Calcutta.
Schlemmer, G., (2004) – ‘New Past for the Sake of a Better Future: Re-inventing the History of the Kirant in East Nepal’.  European Bulletin of Himalayan Research, n°24.
Shrestha,S.K., (1985) – Limbuwanko Aitihasik Adhyayan. Srijana Printers. Kathmandu. Nepal.
Sprigg, R.K., (2005) – Sheding Some light on the History, Language and Litaerature of the Lepchas. Indigenous Lepcha Tribal association. Kalimpong.
Subba, T.B., (1999) – Politics of Culture: A Study of Three Kirat Communities in the Eastern Himalayas. Orient Longman. Chennai.

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News in lepcha

National Seminar on Lepcha Language.

The second successive National Seminar on Lepcha Language and Literature was held on the occasion of the 189th Birth Anniversary Celebration of Thikoong Gen. G.B. Mainwaring at Poloongdang, Sukhia Pokhari, Darjeeling District, West Bengal.

The seminar reflected the magnitude of Lepcha language in the Himalayan transformation. It offered special insights into the Lepcha language and literature and its importance for the different societies living in this part of the region. Meticulous facts were thoroughly discussed and exhibited. Young and old irrespective of any society were encouraged to develop an objectivity through the knowledge passed on in the seminar, which will help them paint an entirely different pictureof Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas.

The seminar was held under the Department of Lepcha Language and Literature, ‘Mayel Lyang’ Lepcha Development Board. The programme started at 10.30am, with the invocation to the deities of the Himalayas by Boogthing P.T. Simikmoo Lepcha.It was followed by the opening of ‘Thikoong Mainwaring Multi Utility Centre’, which was inaugurated by Shri. Sanjay K. Thade, I.A.S. Principal Secretary of Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal. The concrete structure was constructed by the ‘Mayel Lyang’ Lepcha Development Board of West Bengal.It will offer the people a space to hold meetings, festivals, and other functions important to Lepcha culture.

 

The programme proceeded with the Lepcha cultural Identity anthem ‘Aachuley’. The song was lead by the cultural group of Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board and was sung by everyone present in the programme.

Then, Renyoo Premkit Lepcha sung the ‘Apryaa Vom’, (a spontaneous composition of lyrics in a rhythmic ton) traditional to Lepcha culture. The song beautifully described the Himalayas, the flora and fauna which is guarded by ‘Lunzi Lung-noang’ (the deities of nature). In her ‘Apryaa Vom’ she reminded us of the greatness of Thikoong Gen. Mainwaring and his dedication, love and work towards the Lepcha. The lyrics of her ‘Apryaa Vom’ continuously flowed in a sweet tone welcoming each and every guest present in the programme.

Ren Ongden Lepcha and his team followed with the theme song ‘An ode to Gen. G.B. Mainwaring’. Immediately after this event, a book by the name ‘Thikoong Gen. G. B. Mainwaring The champion of  Lepchas’ was released by the respected Chief Guest and the Guests of honour. It encompasses the speeches held during the seminar so that people who were unable to attend, can still benefit from the knowledge and issues discussed on the day.

The Chairman, Mayel Lyang Development Board, Ren Lyangsong Tamsang, gavea short formal welcome speech in English. On this occasion the Chairman placed the following two important demands in front of Shri. Sanjay K. Thade, I.A.S. Principal Secretary, Backward Classes Welfare Department, Govt. of West Bengal. The first point was the immediate need for the speedy progress in the introduction of Lepcha language in the primary government schools in the District of Darjeeling. He added that students coming from villages are being denied the opportunity to learn their own mother tongue in their own home land. The second point was for the immediate materialisation of the projects submitted by Ren. G. Namchu, Member secretary of M.L.L.D.B. with regards to the 45 Lepcha night schools and the three day schools running in different villages in the District of Darjeeling. They will facilitate access to education for the under privileged children in the remote corners of the villages.

The eminent scholars who presented theirpapers in this seminar were:

Ren Lyangsong  Tamsang, Chairman, Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board.

Ren Saibal Sengupta, Research Scholar, Assam Don Bosco Universiry, Guwahati.

Ren Denis Lepcha, Lepchalogist and a historian, St. Robert’s Higher Secondary School, Darjeeling.

Ren D.T. Tamlong IAS (Retd) Author of ‘Mayel Lyang & the lepchas’

Dr. Ratnottama Das, Modern Indian Languagesand Literature, Delhi University. An Assemese Novelist.

Dr D. C. Roy , Head of Economics Department, Kalimpong College.

Ren Saldong Lepcha , Lepcha Linguist, Gangtok,Sikkim.

Prof. Chandra P. Pattanaik H.O.D.  Moder Indian Languages and Literature, Delhi University.

Dr Tapan Kumar Das Motijyee College, Dum Dum , Kolkatta.

Shri. J.B. Mangrati , WBCS(Retd)

Renyoo Minket Lepcha, Social worker, Marketing associate for ‘Life and Leaf.’

(Their papers are published in the book ‘Thikoong General G.B. Mainwaring. The champion of the Lepchas’)

At the end of the seminar, Ren D. Lepcha played melodious tunes on the Puntong Palit  ( Lepcha traditional four holed flute ) in the programme hall surrounded by green forests.

The Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board’s cultural troupe carried the programme forward with entertaining traditional dances and music.

The programme ended at 3pm.