2019 – Posted in: STATE SERIES

SIKKIM

Sikkim has been given many names. The Lepchas, original inhabitants of the land called it Nye-mae-el `paradise’. The Limbus named it Su Khim or `new house’ while to the Bhutias it was Beymul Demazong `the hidden valley of rice’.

The crowning glory of Sikkim is Mt. Khangchendzonga, the third highest mountain in the world. But for the Sikkimese Khangchendzonga is much more than a mountain and is revered as the abode of their guardian deity Dzo-nga.

Sikkim shares its border with Nepal in the west and Bhutan in the east, with the Tibetan plateau rising from its northern border. It was once a Himalayan monarchy and part of the fabled Silk Route to China. It merges with India in 1975.

Capital	Gangtok
Number of Districts	4
Date of formation	16, May 1975
Language(s)	Nepali, Bhutia, English, Hindi, Lepchu
State Animal	Red Panda
State Bird	Blood Pheasant
State Tree	Rhododendron
State Flower	Nobile orchid
Heritage	Dubdi Monastery
Pilgrimage	Shiva Mandir, Legship
Hot Springs	Yumthang Hot Spring, Yume Samdong Hot Spring, Reshi Hot Spring, Borong Cha-chu Hot Spring, Ralong Cha-chu Hot Spring
River	Lachung, Rangeet, Tista,
Monasteries	Pemayangste, Tashiding, Rumtek, Enchey, Phensang, Ralong, Phodang, Tolung, Labrang Palden Phuntsok Monastery
Lakes	Tsomgo, Menmecho, Lampokari, Khecheopalri, Gurudongmar
Wildlife Sanctuaries	Kanchendzonga National Park (KNP), Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary, Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary, Singba Rhododendron Sanctuary, Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary, Varsey Rhododendron Sanctuary
Festivals	Jorethang Maghey Mela, Sonam Losar, Losar cum Tourist Festival, Bhumchu, Ram Nawami, Lampokhari Paryatan Mahotsav, Sakewa, Saga Dawa, Bhanu Jayanti, Drukpa Tshechi, Guru Rinpoche’s Thrunkar Tshechu, Tendong Lho Rum Faat, Pang Lhabsol, Bhadauria Purima Festival, Indrajatra, Namchi Mahotsav, Lhabab Duechen
Passes	Nathu La, Jelep La, Dingkia
Tribes	Limboo, Bhutia, Tamang, Lepcha

People and Culture

The People of Sikkim consist of three ethnic groups, that is, Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepali.

Communities of various hues mix freely in Sikkim to comprise a homogenous blend. Hindu Temples exist together with Buddhist Monasteries, Churches, Mosque and Gurudwara. The dominating Communities are Lepchas, Bhutias and Nepalese. These heap Cultures has created a quintessential Sikkimese Culture that includes all ways and social status but has managed to protect their very own personality. These can likewise be found in the different places of Worship, Festivals and Cultural dances that are commended as the year progressed.

Holy Caves

Sikkim has Four Great Holy Caves – ‘Phug Chen Zhi’, which are included in ‘gNas-chen-InGa’ (Paanch Dhaam) of Sikkim. These Caves are located at four cardinal directions of Tashiding (West Sikkim), namely –Sharchog Beyphug in the East, Lho Kando Sangphug in the South, Nub Dechenphug in the West and Jhang Lhari Nyingphug in the North. Tashiding, according to Holy text, is the Navel point of “Bayul Demajong”, and is considered as the 5th Dhaam of this Holy Land.

Buddhist Circuit

Sikkim was blessed by Guru Padmasambhava, the great Buddhist saint who visited Sikkim in the 8th century.
Here he is believed to have hidden many secret teachings, which he prophesized would be discovered in the future by those specially blessed by spiritual powers.
It was a realization of this prophecy when in the 17th century three learned lamas, decided to establish a Buddhist monarchy in the state.
In 1642, the three monks crowned Phuntsog Namgyal the first monarch of Sikkim giving him the title of Chogyal [Dharma Raja].
Today Sikkim has nearly 200 monasteries and Lhakhangs and the influence of Buddhism is felt in nearly every corner of the state.

Samdruptse

Sikkim paid homage to its patron saint by constructing the tallest statue of Guru Padmasambhava in the world atop the Samdruptse hill near Namchi in South Sikkim.

The statue is visible from as far away as the India-Nepal border and Darjeeling.

Flora and Fauna

The glory of Sikkim is its breathtaking array of more than 5000 species of flowering plants.
Forests of magnolia, blue poppies, primulas, gentians and geraniums create a spell-binding floral spectacle.
Orchids, gladioli, poppies, azaleas and camellias add to the heady collection.
The tropical vegetation, mostly along the banks and valleys of the rivers Tista, Rangit and their tributaries, consists mostly of figs, laurels, sal trees, ferns and a variety of bamboo.
The temperate zone has oak, chestnut, maple, birch, alder, magnolia and silver fir, at the higher regions, while the lower alpine zone has juniper, cypresses and rhododendrons.
The Musk Deer, the munjak or the Barking Deer roam the jungles in the upper temperate zone while the Himalayan Black Bear is found in forests of the lower valleys to around 12,000 feet.
The Red Panda, belonging to the raccoon family, the Red Goral, a horned animal closely related to the Serow, the Blue Sheep or bharal, the Shapi, belonging to the Himalayan Tahr family and the elusive Snow Leopard, an almost mythical animal, found in the arid cold alpine region.
Another animal found mostly in the alpine zone is the Yak.
The avifauna of Sikkim is comprised of the Impeyan pheasant, the crimson horned pheasant, the snow partridge, the snow cock, the lammergeyer and griffon vultures, as well as golden eagles, quail, plovers, woodcock, sandpipers, pigeons, Old World flycatchers, babblers and robins.
Sikkim also has a rich diversity of arthropods.
Blood Pheasant: The Blood Pheasant is the state bird of Sikkim. The only species in genus Ithaginis of the Pheasant family, it has 15 different subspecies. It is so named because the males have vivid red coloring on the feathers of the breast, throat and forehead. Females are more uniformly colored with duller shades of reddish brown. Both males and females have a distinct ring of bare skin around the eye that is crimson colored, in addition to red feet.
Red Panda: The State Animal of Sikkim is the Red Panda. This species belongs to the raccoon family and lives mostly on tree tops. It is found in altitudes ranging from 6000 to 12000 feet. Red Pandas are excellent climbers and forage largely in trees. It is specialized as a bamboo feeder with strong, curved and sharp semi-retractile claws standing inward for firm grasping to facilitate substantial movement on narrow tree branches and seizing leaves and fruit. The Red Panda does little more than eat and sleep due to its low-calorie diet.
Blue Sheep: Blue Sheep also know as Baharal, occupy one of the highest ecological niches in the world. The Green Lake basin and also the area around the Doukia Pass. There are only a very few such animal and it is high on the endangered list.

Facts

Sikkim is the least populous and second smallest among the Indian states
The Kingdom of Sikkim was founded by the Namgyal dynasty in the 17th century.
Sikkim has many hot springs known for their therapeutic value. High in Sulphur content, the waters are believed to have great medicinal properties with the average temperature of the water in these hot springs close to 50c.
It enjoyed the highest literacy rate and per capita income among Himalayan states.
Sikkim’s economy is largely dependent on agriculture and tourism.
Sikkim achieved its ambition to convert its agriculture to fully organic over the interval 2003 to 2016, the first state in India to achieve this distinction.
It is also among India’s most environmentally conscious states, having banned plastic water bottles and polystyrene products.
Kanchenjunga National Park is the first mixed site of UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

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