Baychuthang ready to share its link with Thekong Tek with visitors

MANGAN, 05 July: Nature Conservation Social Organization (NCSO), an NGO based at Baychungthang village of Gairi ward under Kabi-Tingda GPU in North Sikkim, is working on nature conservation issues and seeking to tie in conservation with cultural tourism promotion. Kabi Tingda is already well known for its place in Sikkim’s history, being the area where the Lepcha chief Thekong Tek and the Bhutia chief Khye Bumsa swore blood brotherhood. 

Belief has it that Thekong Tek tended a paddy field in Baychungthang. “Baychung” in Bhutia means red paddy and “thang” means flat land. The villagers of Baychungthang still grow this red paddy in the area. The village is located right above Ratey Chu towards Lingchum basti. Villagers point out to stones which have traditionally depicted the agricultural tools used by Thekong Tek and Nekung Nyol. Little known outside of the village, the NCSO is now seeking to make more people aware of the village’s historical links with the Lepcha couple.
NCSO members and the villagers have been managing and maintaining this spot thus far and believe that it is now time to open the area to visitors to come and experience a part of Sikkim’s history. 
The panchayat and villagers also believe that the Tourism Department should look after the area and help in its preservation. The villagers have also conveyed the wish that the Chief Minister visit this historical place during his forthcoming tour to North Sikkim.
Suku Sherpa, 84 years of age, and one of the senior-most residents of the village, while speaking to this correspondent, shared the history and significance of the village. 
Dawa Gyalpo Sherpa, the NCSO president, informed that the NGO has decided to develop the village with home-stay options and said that the Department should help develop infrastructure like village foot path, rain shelter etc.
The panchayat and the villagers also informed that the PMGSY road proposed to reach them from Penlong should be constructed at the earliest. At present, this road reaches up to the banks of the Ratey Chu.