Biography depicts British-era K'pong village lifestyle

SNS, SINJI (KALIMPONG) 24 NOV 2021 :  The long-awaited biography of the Late Mr and Mrs RB Yonzone was finally released amid a large gathering of enthusiastic teachers, students, village headmen, relatives and villagers.

Written by Dr GS Yonzone, the 5th son of the Late Yonzone, and former Principal, Kalimpong College, the biography was ceremoniously released on the premises of the RB Yonzone Memorial Rural Library at Sukrabaray, Sinji, yesterday.

While MB Yonzone, the former founder headmaster of Shankar High School and one of the elder sons, was the chief guest on the occasion, TK Rai, a past headmaster of the same school, presided over the function.

The biography vividly brings t o light the lifestyle, cultural practices, sufferings and happiness and self-contentment that marked the civilization of the rural people living in Sinji, Samalbong, Samathar, Nimbong and surrounding villages during the beginning of the 20th century.

"Due to lack of hospitals, both for humans and animals, lack of transport and communication system, lack of primary education for children and lack of development planning processes worth the name during the then British rule, it seemed as though people were still living in Stone Age. However, the villagers were physically robust and healthy and could walk 20 to 40 km a day to fetch their salt and clothes from far away markets of Kalimpong, Bakhrakot and Odalbari," said Dr Yonzone, the author. "With about 80 to 90 percent land surface under dense primeval forests, food was aplenty as agriculture and livestock population  flourished. The peace of mind and cool tempers and a sense of deep self- contentment, patience and courage and high degree of resilience, which the villagers maintained, should be considered a precious legacy for the people of the present generation," the biographer added.

According to him, his father, RB Yonzone, was a great reformer and as the Sinji Mondal from 1935 to 1947, he espoused the cause of the downtrodden and the suppressed and oppressed sections of the people.

"He was a deep lover of education and was responsible for establishing schools for children in Sinji. Much later, the Government of India came forward when it made primary education free and compulsory for all children of the country," Dr Yonzone said.

RB Yonzone's wife Chandramaya Tamang had been his unfailing companion who distinguished herself in agricultural farm management with skill and perseverance that very few rural women could excel anywhere in the world even today, the biography says.

"She was like a mother for the village women. The Late RB Yonzone became the happiest father when all five of his sons became university graduates in 1969, hailing as they did from an inaccessible remote village of Sinji, an achievement that very few rural families can acquire even today," it adds.

The significant contribution to the hill society made by the sons is a different story for all those who feel interested to know about the same.

"We should not forget the values and virtues nourished by our ancestors and beloved parents as we would not be what we have been now but for their legacy and blessings. It is desirable that every progressive family write a biography for enriching the society the family belongs to," Dr Yonzone exhorted.