In India, the Northeastern region is quite charming and interesting enough to be known about. Among the eight Northeastern States, Sikkim is a small hilly state, bound by vast stretches of Tibetan Plateaux in north, Chumbi valley of Tibet and Kingdom of Bhutan in east, Kingdom of Nepal in west and Darjeeling (West Bengal) in south. The State has a total area of 7,096 sq km and is stretched over 112 km from north to south and 64 km east to west. It lies in the northeastern Himalayas between 27 degree 00'46" and 28 degree-07'48" N latitude and 88 degree 00'58" to 88 degree-55'25" E longitude.
The early history of Sikkim started in 13th century with the signing of a bloodbrotherhood treaty between Lepcha Chief Thekong Tek and Tibetan prince Khye-Bumsa at Kabi Lungtsok in north Sikkim. This followed the historical visit of three revered Lamas to Yuksam in 1641 in west Sikkim, where they consecrated Phuntsog Namgyal, a sixth generation descendent of Khye-Humsa as the first Chogyal of Sikkim, thus heralding the beginning of the Namgyal dynasty in Sikkim. With the march of history, events in Sikkim saw the State pass through the process of democratisation and become an integral part of the Indian Union in 1975.
Sikkim is a blessed land, where people from all communities live in harmony. In spite of the fact that Sikkim comprises different people and is a multiethnic society. It is perhaps the most peaceful State of the Indian Union to Promote communal harmony and human relations, a feat which is much expected in a plural society, like India. |
