Northeast India · Sikkim
Sikkim
Sources: wikimedia
About Sikkim
- Mountains
Where it is
Sikkim is a small Himalayan state in north-east India, between Nepal to the west, Bhutan to the east and Tibet to the north, dominated by Kangchenjunga, the third-highest mountain on Earth; its capital is Gangtok.
History
Sikkim was founded as a Buddhist kingdom in 1642, when Phuntsog Namgyal was consecrated as its first Chogyal, and the Namgyal dynasty ruled for more than three centuries. It became a British protectorate in the late 19th century and an Indian protectorate after 1947, and on 16 May 1975 it became the 22nd state of India.
People
Nepali is the most widely spoken language, and Sikkim's peoples include the Lepcha and Bhutia and Nepali communities such as the Limbu, Rai and Tamang. Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples stand side by side, and Losar, Losoong and Dashain are major festivals.
Known for
- Views of Kangchenjunga
- Rumtek and Pemayangtse monasteries
- Tsomgo Lake and the Nathu La pass
- Rhododendrons in the Yumthang Valley
- Organic farming
Did you know?
Sikkim became the first state in India to farm entirely organically.
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