NO LAND FOR THE POET OF THE SOIL: JIWAN THEENG

Jiwan Theeng’s poetry and fiction is suffused with his deep love for the land of Sikkim. The poet who died quite early wrote about his love for Sikkim. Even today, Sikkim’s literature continues to be influenced by the power of Theeng’s thoughts. He is equal to writers like Acha Rai Rasik, John Keats, Sylvia Plath and Percy Bysshe Shelley, who all died young but have left behind an immortal body of work. Jiwan Theeng is remembered as Sikkim’s Maato Kavi (Poet of the Soil). In 1978, Theeng who had been writing literature for about five years, passed away at Kolkata’s PG Hospital due to a lung-related illness. His work Sangli Bhittra Bandheko Ghora ko Tap haru (Chained Horse’s Hoofs), was published posthumously. His collection of poems, songs, free verse, poetry, criticism, and stories, edited by Daan Khaling, was brought to light by Darjeeling’s Shyam Brothers Prakashan in April 1983. His writing, which spoke about the bitter realities of Sikkim’s land and people’s experiences, is prophetic and resonates even today. In every work of his, we encounter our present-day issues- existential crisis, the question of identity, poverty, and the loss of dignity. Theeng truly was a writer far ahead of his time. It is ironic that Theeng, who was far ahead of his time, was taken away so early from us.  

Born on 19th December 1955, in South Sikkim’s Namchi, Jiwan Theeng also spent time at his ancestral home near Sichhe Tamang Gompa in Gangtok. His literary talent began to develop when he joined St. Joseph's College in Darjeeling to pursue graduation. In 1972, he first gained recognition as a poet after Kashi Jali Rahos (Let Kashi Burn) was published in St. Joseph's College's magazine ‘North Pointer’. He wrote 82 poems, of which 79 have been published in his literary collection Sangli Bhittra Bandheko Ghoda Ka Tap Haru. He wrote stories, songs, critical essays, and 'Narcissus’, a seven volume poem, but the last volume remains incomplete. He passed away before he could complete  the poetry collection. In a letter to his friend Dr. Ghanshyam Nepal, he mentions that he has to finish his poetry collection 'Narcissus' as well as other work, which he would complete after he recovered. The merger of Sikkim with India was for him a loss of his beloved homeland.  Every one of his works is filled with Sikkim and an unwavering love for the land. That is why literary figure Daan Khaling  said, “This poet loves his land Sikkim so dearly that his devotion has no borders. On reading Theeng’s poetry, the reader himself becomes aware of Sikkim’s importance and forgets his situation and circumstances, reaching a state of saying, ‘My Sikkim, My country’.”

In every work of his, we encounter our present-day issues- existential crisis, the question of identity, poverty, and the  loss of dignity. Theeng truly was a writer far ahead of his time.

 Jiwan Theeng the Adept Debater 

Jiwan Theeng was also a great debater. A precious memory from 2nd October 1974, shared by the poet and storyteller Kalusingh Ranpahenli, makes it clear. He writes, “It was 2nd October 1974, the day of Gandhi Jayanti. The fifth annual ‘Swami Prabuddhananda Memorial Challenge Shield’ debate competition was organized under the auspices of Darjeeling’s Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan (GDNS) building. In a packed hall, a fierce battle of words occurred between Kalimpong Government College and Darjeeling’s St. Joseph’s College. We were a group of five debaters from St. Joseph’s College- Rajendra Dhakal, Bhim Prasad Adhikari, Jiwan Theeng, Kalusingh Ranpahenli, and Jaman Singh Gurung. Jiwan was the leader of our team. We emerged victorious in the debate and won the ‘Swami Prabuddhananda Memorial Challenge Shield’. Our joy knew no bounds. At that time, our professor from the Nepali Department, Revered Gerard Mukhia, was even more overjoyed.” He took the five of us, the victorious team, to the famous Narayan Das sweet shop near the post office in the Chowk Bazaar and said, “I am very happy today. You have made me proud. Eat whatever you want”. As we ate the sweets, our feet floated above the ground with joy.

Jiwan Theeng the Budding Journalist

Jiwan Theeng, who mastered all the genres of literature in such a short period, was also a journalist. He edited a literary magazine called 'Sudha'. Dr. Rajendra Bhandari, a poet, shared that Theeng also worked for the Nepali newspaper 'Himali Bela' (Himali Times). Bhandari said,“I met Jiwan Theeng in 1976. He used to work in the office of the ‘Himali Bela’ newspaper. At that time, I used to share my writings with him. He used to encourage and inspire me. The extremely soft-spoken and polite Theeng was quite friendly and warm towards us students of literature, who were just beginning to take baby steps. Some time later, he edited a literary magazine called ‘Sudha’. I used to call him Daju (elder brother) “.... To date, I have not seen a poet as powerful as him in Sikkim. With his untimely demise, Sikkim lost a gifted son of literature. His young heart had been shattered when Sikkim merged with India. This very trauma is reflected in his poems”.

''....To date, I have not seen a poet as powerful as him in Sikkim. With his untimely demise, Sikkim lost a gifted son of literature. His young heart had been shattered when Sikkim merged with India. This very trauma is reflected in his poems''.

The question of Sikkim’s merger  raised varied opinions. Many people from Sikkim opposed Theeng’s anti-merger stance, calling it a sign of political immaturity. But the way he presented his opinions in poetry remains powerful and effective. His ability to stand firm  for his ideals and to honestly  express his opinions, regardless of  consequences is praiseworthy. He is a rare writer from Sikkim who fearlessly presented the people's movement of 1973-74 and the subsequent merger of 1975 in a powerful literary form. His stories covered multiple themes and are equally significant as his poems. Currently, Theeng seems to be neglected with discussions on his poetry waning. One of the reasons may be the controversial issues of Sikkim that he raised. But I genuinely believe that this shouldn’t happen. If we truly respect freedom of expression and appreciate genuine poetry, then Jiwan Theeng needs to be read and understood. 

The Legacy of Jiwan Theeng’s Scholarly Pursuits

Theeng was greatly inspired by the trending Nepali literature of that time and also deeply influenced by Western literature and Greek mythology. He was inspired by Darjeeling’s Tesro Aayam (Third Dimension) literary movement and the experimental writing traditions it propagated. His collection of poems, ‘Narcissus’, can be considered an example of this movement’s influence. But he also used to examine global contexts regarding Sikkim. Mandeep Lama, a skilled translator and critic from Sikkim, said that Theeng used to study a lot and was constantly on the search for interconnections in regards to Sikkim. Lama shared an interesting story of Theeng regarding the writing of his poetry collection, ‘Narcissus’. Lama says, “How do I remember the late Jiwan Theeng on his 69th birth anniversary? He was not only my classmate but also a companion within Nepali literature. On his birth anniversary, I want to remember the legacy that he has left with me”.

He was inspired by Darjeeling’s Tesro Aayam (Third Dimension) literary movement and the experimental writing traditions it propagated.

While Jiwan was pursuing his graduation in Darjeeling, I was working as a librarian. One day, he visited me at Gangtok’s Community Centre Library. That day, I was busy arranging books with the late Mrs. Rosabel Namchu, popularly known as ‘Rosa Guru Ama’. I was working as a curator, involved in the classification of the newly arrived books for the library. Seeing me surrounded by piles of books, Jiwan said, “Mandeep, you are very lucky to always be surrounded by so many books”. I replied with a smile, “I am lucky, indeed!” After some small talk, he said, “Mandeep, I am planning to write a poetry collection on the subject of Sikkim's merger with India. I have thought of naming this collection 'Narcissus'. Perhaps you know the story of Narcissus”. I told Jiwan that I had heard of the myth but had not read it. He then narrated the myth of Narcissus and said, “Your library must have some books on Greek mythology. I want you to read those mythologies, especially ‘Narcissus’ and prepare the background for my poetry collection”. Thus, I began to read Greek mythologies, Greek tragedies by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Gradually, my love for Greek literature grew stronger . My romance with Greek mythology continues to date! My last foray into Greek mythology was Robert Graves’s two-volume ‘The Greek Myths’. I also have Joseph Campbell’s four-volume ‘The Masks of the Gods’ (Primitive Mythology,Oriental Mythology, Occidental Mythology, and Creative Mythology). “I do not know to what extent my notes helped Jiwan in writing his poetry collection ‘Narcissus’, because after he joined the University of North Bengal for his postgraduate studies, we rarely met. However, I can say that Theeng greatly enriched the intellectual part of my life by leading me into the world of mythology. Even today, it continues to inspire me to wander into the worlds of Greek and other mythologies, which has been a wonderful experience for me.” For Lama, the legacy of scholarly pursuits is one of the various good things that Theeng has left in his life.

Jiwan Theeng the Great Storyteller

After receiving the title of Maato Kavi, Jiwan Theeng has been widely discussed for his prowess as a poet. Even after four decades since his death, these discussions about him have not ceased. In comparison to his poems, he has written fewer stories and articles. Yet, the fact that his stories continue to reinforce his position as an amazing writer is one aspect rarely discussed. His story ‘Bimba-Pratibimba: Gangtok ko Kalilo Bihan’ (Reflections: Gangtok’s Tender Morning) won the famous Ratna Shree Gold Medal of Nepal. He has written a total of 12 stories, from which we can draw a map of the current and future situation of Sikkim. Storyteller and poet Pravin Rai Jumeli advocates Jiwan Theeng's stories, saying that Theeng's literary talent shines brightly in his storytelling. Jumeli believes that Theeng should not be remembered solely as a literary figure, but also as an individual intertwined with the everyday realities of Sikkim. Whenever one looks back at Sikkim’s history, one sees Theeng as an individual to be revered. Looking at Theeng’s collection, Sangli Bhittra Bandheko Ghoda Ka Tap haru, we not only see his skilled craft, but also hear his voice distinctly opposing Sikkim’s merger with India. Because of  this deep devotion to Sikkim’s land, he is termed our Maato Kavi. Jumeli believes that on remembering Sikkim, Jiwan Theeng’s name inevitably follows. Considering Theeng’s craft, his poetry depicts the political turmoil of that period. Jumeli says he considers Theeng’s literary skills much stronger in his stories rather than his poems. Perhaps, his storytelling skills are rarely discussed because readers or other people in our society have not read them, but Theeng’s writing skills shine equally bright in his stories as in his poems.

THE COUNTRY OF MY DREAMS
-Jiwan Theeng

Imagine a land
Bathed in moonlight
Brimming with love
That land of my dreams
Where happiness grows unbidden
Where there is no hunger 
Where innocent children are cared for
And sleep comes easily
Where knowledge is free and none are ignorant.

(Translated by: Prava Rai)

BOYS AND GIRLS
-Jiwan Theeng

Every night
The young who feared the dark
are taking to the streets.
Rising like our Himalayas,
they go door to door knocking.
On seeing friends asleep like the dead in coffins. Smiling, they face our Himalayas, saying, Unlike others of this land, we don’t need roosters crowing
to awaken. 

(Translated by: Bibhusha Rai)

Jiwan Theeng Marg and His Statue

In Sikkim’s Gangtok, within the Development area, the road leading from the current Manan Kendra to Tashi Namgyal Higher Secondary School is known as ‘Jiwan Theeng Marg’. His friend, former minister of Sikkim and seasoned artist Thukchuk Lachungpa, was  among the many who loved Theeng. He commissioned a life-size bronze statue of Theeng, which is stored in BL House on Tibet Road. After bringing the statue of his dear friend Theeng to Gangtok, Lachungpa said, “A statue has been constructed of our poet Jiwan Theeng, an important figure of our society, now it should be installed on a grand pedestal. The government should arrange proper land to place it”. Time passed, but the ‘Poet of our land’ Jiwan Theeng’s statue is yet to be  given a piece of land. In 2021, Lachungpa passed away. With his death, the dream of installing the statue of  Jiwan Theeng on a grand pedestal, serving as a reminder of Theeng’s brilliance, also died. Lachungpa recounted that in London, when he graduated with a gold medal in Art, Theeng had published an interview with him. Back then, the simple Sikkimese were not interested in art, gold medals, or the success one could achieve in London, so Theeng published the interview in a famous literary magazine  of Darjeeling, ‘Diyalo’. Lachungpa had searched for a copy of the newspaper with the published interview, even announcing a cash reward of fifty thousand rupees to whoever procured a copy. But no news was ever received of the newspaper copy of the interview.

Senior journalist and poet Bhim Rawat says that the statue of writer Jiwan Theeng should be installed in a suitable place. He added, “It has been years since Jiwan Theeng's statue was brought to Gangtok, but it has yet to find its rightful place. We have installed many statues of our great people in Sikkim, but the statue of a significant figure like Jiwan Theeng remains uninstalled. Considering how Theeng rallied for Sikkim’s land through his eternal love and exemplary literary legacy, his statue deserves a place, be it in Gangtok or anywhere in Sikkim”. Many years ago, a committee was formed to install Theeng’s statue but these efforts proved futile. If Theeng’s statue is installed, it will not only allow future generations to remember him, but Theeng will also remain a symbol of the important message of love for one’s land. Recently in Sikkim, discussions on Theeng’s contributions towards poetry and its excellence are again taking place, with various universities researching him. It seems that Jiwan Theeng was rightly named ‘Jiwan’; he may have lived a short life but continues to be immortalised through his works. I hope that the day will soon arrive when our Maato Kavi will rightfully stand on the land he dearly loved, continuing to emphasize the significance of the sacred love for one’s land. Lastly, I would like to share some poems of our Maato Kavi Jiwan Theeng. On reading his poems one realizes once upon a time, Sikkim had the privilege to witness such a wonderful citizen as Jiwan Theeng.