A PEEP AT SILIGURI’S HISTORY. Let’s take A PEEP AT SILIGURI’S HISTORY. a) 1640 : All Terai areas including Siliguri and Jalpaiguri belonged to Sikkim in the 17th century.The original inhabitants of Sikkim were the Lepchas(Rongs)and the Limbus(Chongs).The word ‘Sikkim’ owes its origin to Limbu word ‘Su-Khim’ meaning ‘new home’. b) 1780 : Gorkha King Prithvi Narayan shah’s eldest son Pratap Singh shah attacks Sikkim. c) 1788-89 : Gorkha army enters Sikkim and annexes Darjeeling hills and the adjoining low plains.Reaches till Teesta river. d) Dec 1815 : For 30 years, these areas of Sikkim remain with the Gorkhas.Some Gorkhalis settle here permanently. Then Gorkhas eye China but are heavily defeated. e) 1804-1814 :Gorkhas start annexing northern areas of East India Co.The British condemns this in strongest terms. f) Lord Hastings declares war with Nepal.As resultant, Nepal start losing the annexed areas. g) 4th Feb,1816 : Battle of Makwanpur.The last war between Gorkhas and the British. East India Co loses 2 officers and 222 soldiers.About 800 Gorkhas are martyred. h) 4 March,1816 : Peace Treaty at Sugauli, twenty miles from Raxaul(Bihar).Nepal loses the captured areas including that belonged to Sikkim(Darjeeling hills ,Siligarhi,Jalpaiguri and the low lying areas til Teesta river).Gorkhas join the British India with their LAND.The British starts recruting Gorkhas in the Fauj. i) 1836 : British starts planting tea in Darjeeling hills. Though, some ethnic tribes like Lepchas and Limbus (now they are assimilated in Gorkha community) resided in the area in few numbers,other communities of the Gorkhas are brought in to work as Tea workers. j) The British builds the Siligarhi Railway Station to facilitate the transportation of tea. k) To connect the Hills with Siligarhi,THE DARJEELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY is born.Hundreds are Gorkhas come here to work as labourers.Almost all of them become victims of Malaria and other tropical diseases. Many are killed by wild animals and snake-bites. l) 1907 : Siligarhi declared Sub-Division.Population 2000 only.Some Hindi speaking and Bengali families were there.But, the majority of the population were the Gorkhalis. m) 1928 : Siligarhi Town Committee is formed.GEORGE MAHBERT SUBBA (Limbu)a Gorkhali, is appointed as its first president.He held the post for 20 years till 1949. n) 1942 : Thousands of displaced Gorkhalis flee Burma.Some settles in the North East. GEORGE MAHBERT SUBBA arranges land for them in Siligarhi. And the place was called BURMA BUSTY.THIS PLACE WAS later came to be known as Ashrampara .The fate of the displaced Gorkhalis is not known. o) 1946-47 : PARTITION of the country. Thousands of Hindu Bengalees flee Bangladesh. Siligarhi and the adjoining areas become their NEW HOME !!! p) 1949 : Siligarhi is declared a Municipality. q) 1951 : First municipal Elections in Siligarhi. Mr. BAGHBIR GURUNG ,a Gorkhali, is elected as Commissioner of Ward No 1.He was the first Gorkhali Commissioner. r) 1950 : INDO-NEPAL Friendship Treaty signed. Provisions were made for FREE TRADE and OPEN BORDER. Provision made for continuation of Gorkhalis to get recruited in the Indian Army. INDIA enjoys MAXIMUM BENEFIT from this TREATY specially in TRADE and COMMERCE. s) 1952 : General Elections in India. GEORGE MAHBERT SUBBA elected to the Legislative Assembly from Siligarhi-Kurseong Constituency. t) 1956 : States Re-Organisation Commission formed.THE UNRESOLVED GORKHA AREAS left mid-way by the BRITISH officially becomes the part of WEST BENGAL !!!!!!!!!! In memory to the valiant dead GORKHAS !!!!!!!!!
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 06:52:36 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015