Himalayan Times (1960)

November 6, 1960 Himalayan Times

betans, Bhuties or other
who entered the country
spoke. A time came wbeu
it was completely set
aside- libetan and Hindi
became the ohief language
in Sikkim and Darjeeling
respectively. The Lepoha
language thus came to
b* considered outmoded.

Of the language I
oannot speak too highly.
The simplest and primitive
state in which the Lepohas
lived is admirably shown
by Lepcha language. It
has no primary words
beyond that for money,
merchandise, fairs and
markets. Their paaoeful
and gentle character is
evinced by their numerous
terms of tenderness and
compulsion and slang
terms are totally absent
in their language. Never-
theless the language itself
is copious, abounding in
synonyms, givine every
shade of meaning and
figurative words of the
highest decree of eloquence.
The language also attests
the astonishing knowledge;
possessed by the Lepchas.
Of all the almost incon-
oeiviable diversity of trees
with which the hills are
covered; of all the almost
incalculable -arieties of
plants and flowers with
which the forests are fil-
led; the Lepohas can tell
you the names of all,
they can distinguish at a
glance the difference in
the species of each genus
of plants, which would

require the' skill of a
Botanist to perceive. This
information and noman-
olature also extends to
beasts, to birds, to insects,
and to everything around
them; animate and inani-
mate, with instruction,
they seem to ' aoquire
their knowledge by intui-
tion alone, lb* Lepcha.
language is a monosylla-
bic one and is unquts-
tionably far anterior to
the Hebrew and Sanskrit,
and I dare say without
frar of exapgeration, that
this is the oldest language
in the world. It is a
most comprehensive one,
and regarded alone, as a
profolio source of the
derivations of etyma' of
worda. But like every-
thing good in this world,
it has been despised and
rejected To allow the
Lepcha language and its
literature to die out would
indeed be most barbarous.

Limbcios, a tribal
people of Nepal had once
a written language which
is said to be compounded
frcm many others by a
eige of antiquity, but it
had long died out and
at present the Limboos
and other anthropologists
and linguists are in vain,
endeavouring to find out
traces of it Let not be
the case with the Lep-
ohas too.

A plant oannot live
without light and fluid.
A Nation cannot live with-

V Seven

out language and litera-
ture. Hence, the Lepohas
should always have a
deep ' love and regard
ftr their own mother
tongue and literature.
They should not take
their eyes of the vision
of persevering and con-
serving their language. A
ship may be diverted from
its course by a gale or
an Iceberg, but a sailor
should not lose his sens*
of directions. As such
the Lepchas should pur-
sue with all their resour-
ces of the human spirit
with eyes and ears and
heart and soul, with ima-
gination and intuition,
with intelleot and cons-
cience, the mysteries of
existence. Therefore, in
order to preserve and
conserve the Lepcha lite-
rature and bring it baok
into full life, earnest
efforts are to be made
to publish more books in
Lepcha. This is an essen-
tial prerequisite and must
have the undivided atten-
tion of all the Lepohas.
Even if a few Lepcha
leaders pursue these, each
steps that they may ad-
vance is a step forward
for all Lepohas.

WHILE IN KALI M PONG
STAY AT

CHANDRA5

The most centrally situated
Hotel ia Kaliropong.

Thone 278.