Comments on: DZUMSA: A WAY OF LIFE

By: Samir Subba

Samir Subba — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:36:44 +0000

I am interested in knowing more about "Dzumsa." Can anyone with more information reach out to me by any chance?
I would be grateful if anyone avails me the same.

By: RINZING CHEWANG

RINZING CHEWANG — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 10:44:00 +0000

Dear Editor, Lachenpa and Lachenpa's forefathers is not Tibetans and we are not Tibetans we are Bhutias of northern part of Sikkim and we Sikkimise and our languages is Sikkimise bhutia. And ofcourse there are some Tibetans who had come from Tibet as a refugees and sattled everywhere in Sikkim and other parts of India and the world and that doesn't mean that there forefathers are Tibetans. And we speak Sikkimise Bhutia Language not Tibetans and we feel very proud of our Bhutia and Lepcha Language.
Now a days many foreigners are settling in our Siķkim and they are trying to make themselves an original Sikkimise people and to original Sikkimise people a foreigners like Tibetans and Bhutanese.
This is my point of view, and I am so sorry if you feel bad .

By: Sujit Chakraborty

Sujit Chakraborty — Fri, 26 Nov 2021 06:09:54 +0000

Dear Editor, I think you need to specifically mention that the Dzumsa was a measure initiated by the Choe'gyals, and is one of the several unique steps taken by them.

The other was defining Dzongu as a Lepcha Reserve.

But this very unique local governance system has been completely undermined now during the regime of Pawan Chamling, where the Dzumsa's role in sustainable resource management and environmental protection has been diluted by invoking the Panchayati Raj system of mainland India.

One more point I would like to mention is that the Dzumsa was not created because it was far off from the seat of governance. At the height of its existence, Sikkim had a much wider area under it than Lachen and Lachung, which included areas from Purnea (now Bihar) to Chumbi Valley.

Twelve jongpens mostly from aong Lepchas were sent to those areas to tule. The Dzumsas were created because of the unique nature of the people of Lachen and Lachung, who were closer to their Tibetan forefathers in temperament than most people now usually referred to as "Sikkimese".

These people were and are very independent minded, even to an extent rough, if not arrogant. It was a very wise decision of the 1920s to build a system that would retain them in the kingdom and yet, let them rule themselves.

But having said that, I will readily agree that this is a very valuable article on Sikkim.