Revisiting Kalimpong in Memory and History: A Look into the Town’s Vibrant Past
- by Tsheten Bhutia
- Fragrance of Peace (FoP)
This paper is about a period in Kalimpong’s history when it was a bustling trade-town, a potpourri of the world’s population (Datta-Ray, 1984), a town that connected India to Tibet, China and perhaps to the world, where its inhabitants depended on trade to make a decent living. The research paper revisits this period through the medium of memory and history through the eyes of men and women, and in a very significant way is about their personal histories. It explores the nexus between past, memory and history through the ‘lived realities’ of different individuals who have been a witness to a time period which is almost in contrast to the present day scenario. In so doing, it emphasises that in understanding the cultural history of Kalimpong or any other place, it is pertinent to take into account the myriad experiences and stories of people who are an integral part of a place’s history and culture.
Tsheten Bhutia
Tsheten Bhutia is currently an Assistant Professor in Bolpur College, West Bengal. She is from Kalimpong and has completed her M.Phil from Delhi University. She, along with her sister, runs an independent organisation called ‘Bloom Events’ in Kalimpong which focuses primarily in providing a space for local artists and entrepreneurs.
