Sikkim extends moving send off to Prince George-La WANGCHUK BHUTIA

Prince Jigdal Tsewang Namgyal, popularly known as “Prince George-La”, the youngest son of the Late Chogyal Tashi Namgyal, was cremated here at Lukshyama, the royal cremation grounds above Gangtok near Hanuman Tok, on 05 November. The late Prince was the last surviving son of Chogyal Tashi Namgyal. In that sense, even though the Prince did not lead a very public life, his passing away was deeply mourned as it marked the closure of an era, the end of a generation. He passed away aged 86 on 30 October at his home in Development Area.

A large number of well wishers, friends, relatives and lay Sikkimese including Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, the Chief Secretary, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs [from both, the ruling as well as Opposition parties], and government officials turned out to pay their last respects to the Late Prince. The Government had declared a state holiday on the day of the funeral to make it convenient for people to attend the funeral and also in mourning. Businesses remained closed in Gangtok and some other towns as a mark of respect for the departed Prince, with even banks joining Sikkim in mourning and remaining closed on 05 November.

The Kubur procession was taken out from Tashi Gartsel, Development Area, at 8:30 in the morning. The Kubur was covered with seven signs of Chakravartin emperor, a privilege reserved for male members of the Sikkimese royalty. Also draping the kubur was the Sikkim Flag. The Serbang, traditional monastic procession, was led by Pemayangtse monks.

The funeral procession proceeded on foot till White Hall where it made a brief halt for offering of Solchang Changyu rituals and then the Kubur was transported in a vehicle to Lukshyama. At White Hall, the Chief Minister, accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues and senior government officials joined the procession and accompanied it to Lukshyama.

Before the cremation, a special puja was conducted at the four corners of Lukshyama by monks from Pemayangtse Monastery along with those from Enchey Monastery, Chorten Dhodup and Zurmang Monastery [Lingdum], led by the 90-year-old Dorjee Lopen of Pemayangtse.

People turned up in large numbers to offer their last respects to the late prince on his final journey. Condolence messages came in from political parties, social and business associations and other organisations, with condolence meetings organised even in Namchi for those who could not travel to Gangtok for the funeral. Business establishments remained closed in Gangtok on the day of the funeral as a mark of respect for the departed soul. Some other bazaars, like Dikchu for instance, also shut down in mourning on Wednesday.

The Sikkim Chamber of Commerce and the Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim were especially emphatic in their condolence messages. Both held condolence meetings and observed two minute silence in the memory of the departed prince, and both organisations also took the opportunity to pay rich tribute to the Namgyal dynasty to which Prince JT Namgyal belonged. “Members recalled the golden era of the Chogyal’s regime,” a Sikkim Chamber of Commerce press release informed, while an AOSS communiqué stated, “Several members recalled the golden time of the Namgyal Dynasty,” adding, “We are indebted to the Namgyal Dynasty for giving us respect, affection and full security during their regime.”

The passing away of the last son of Chogyal Tashi Namgyal clearly triggered a strong emotional response in Sikkim, noticeable as much in the strong turnout for the funeral as in other expressions like the high number of Sikkimese, following a chain appeal, changing the profile picture of their online avatars to the Sikkim flag on the day of the funeral.

Auspicious signs and thousands of devout attend Lachen Rinpoche’s funeral

ANAND OBEROI
GANGTOK, 26 Sep: The IVth Kyabji Lachen Gomchen Rinpoche was cremated here at Enchey Monastery with full State honours today. The kudung of the Lachen Rinpoche, who had passed away on 18 September at AIIMS hospital in New Delhi, was taken out of his residence at Development Area at 8 a.m. sharp and the funeral procession then walked up to the Enchey Monastery where the funeral was conducted between 10 and 11 a.m.
Over 10,000 people from all walks of life joined the funeral procession which was also attended by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling who paid his last respects to the Rinpoche at Development Area itself. Also present were Speaker KT Gyaltsen, Rajya Sabha MP Hissey Lachungpa, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, senior and retired government officials and former legislators and monk representatives from monasteries across the State.
The funeral procession walked it from Development Area through Zero Point, via TNA School and VIP Colony to reach Enchey Monastery where Lachung Rinpoche, Chorten Lachung Tulku, Tsulakhang Tulku and Jigmee Tulku from Ralang Monastery had prepared a magnificent mandala and an appropriate canopy for the cremation. Elaborate prayers were offered after which the Lachen Rinpoche was cremated.
People who had gathered in the thousands witnessed a series of auspicious signs, as are expected and hoped for when a religious leader of Lachen Rinpoche’s stature is cremated, as the funeral progressed. The was clear and sunny and a rainbow appeared as a halo around the Sun and held fast through the duration of the funeral and a collective sigh went up when an eagle, already a rare sight in Gangtok, started circling over the Enchey Monastery compound, directly over the funeral pyre the moment the fire was lit.
Both sign are considered highly auspicious by the devout who believe that these announce that the “passing-over has been clear”.
Monks from Ringhem, Phensang, Ralang, Tsuklakhang, Phodong, Pemayangtse Enchey, Lachen and Chorten Monasteries presided over the prayers.
Meanwhile, the ashes of Lachen Rinpoche will be taken to Lachen Monastery after three days for the people there to receive a darshan following which a Chorten will be constructed over some of the relics, the rest of the ashes then being taken for immersion in the Ganga, it is informed. It may be recalled that earlier it was planned to hold the funeral in Lachen, but owing to the series of landslides which have blocked the North Sikkim Highway which would have made transportation difficult and made it impossible for all his followers to attend the funeral, the cremation was held in Gangtok itself.
It may be mentioned here that the State government had declared a state holiday for today as a mark of respect for one of Sikkim’s most prominent Rinpoche’s and also to facilitate the general public to pay their last respects to the Rinpoche at his funeral.

Lachen Rinpoche to be cremated at Enchey on Wednesday

GANGTOK, 24 Sept [IPR]: As per communication received from Pipon and Duchi (monks’ body) of Lachen monastery, the funeral of the late Lachen Gomchen Rinpoche will be held at Enchey Monastery on 26 September, 2012. The funeral procession will begin at 8 a.m. from the late Rinpoche’s residence at Development Area towards the Enchey monastery (as per press communiqué received from Ecclesiastical Affairs Department).

Khyen Rinpoche Dechen Dorje cremated at Tashiding

GANGTOK, 19 July: The mortal remains of the late Dorje Lopen of Phensang Monastery, Khyen Rinpoche Dechen Dorje was consigned to flames purified by the chanting of prayers and mantras by Rinpoches, Tulkus, Khyenpos and Udor-Choe-Sum of Sikkim at Drakar Tashiding on 18 July, a SIBLAC press release informs. 
The Kudung of the late Rinpoche reached Tashiding Monastery at 12: 20 PM and was straight away taken into the Monastery where short prayers were offered while the Kudung was placed on top of the specially erected Tri (Seat) in the main prayer hall.
The SIBLAC general secretary, Pem Tshering Lepcha, informs that when the Kudung arrived at Tashiding, it was accorded “Supreme Sikkimese Buddhist honor and protocol as elaborated an reserved for very high and accomplished Buddhist Lamas by the Sikkimese Parliament of Tingrigang declaration of Rabdentse palace (17th century) under the guidance of the 3rd Denjong Chogyal Chador Namgyal”.
A very long and elaborate ceremonial reception of Serbang from several monasteries accompanied the Kudung till the sacred crematorium of Thurte Silba-Tsal.
The Serbang was preceded by a large number of Jang-nga (Traditional Sikkimese Copper Drums) pairs offered by the various monasteries and students of the DPCA, Pelling and which rang across the entire serenity and thereby truly espousing the volume of the late Rinpoche’s greatness and wisdom, the release mentions.
Reverently called Phensang Khyen Rinpoche by his disciples, the connection of ‘samaya’ was reflected in the presence of the monks and disciples from almost the major and minor monasteries of Sikkim. Hardly any monastery of Sikkim remained unrepresented yesterday to pay their last homage to the great Lama.
All the prayers were presided over by Kyabje Denjong Lhatrul Terchen Rinpoche (Yangthang Rinpoche). The mortal remains were consigned to the flames at round 1 PM on a specially built Phurkhang amid chanting of prayers by monks amid the impressive mourners of around 10,000 -15,000 mourners. In fact, the late Phensang Khyen Rinpoche glows to his fullest at Tashiding, the release expresses.
“However, it is very unfortunate that this historic moment escaped the notice of our press and media as well as the local district administration to represent or at least attend the same,” the release further comments.