|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Located in the eastern Himalayas, Sikkim is bounded by Tibet (China) in the
north, West Bengal in the south, Tibet and Bhutan in the east and Nepal in the
west. |
|
|
The state is spread below Mount Kanchenjunga (8534 m), the third highest peak in the world.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
The locals worship the mountain as a protective deity. The elevation of the state ranges from 300 m to over 8540 m above sea level.
A journey to Sikkim necessarily involves awakening the senses and discovering the pristine and mystic beauty of the land. What one will find most fascinating is the journey itself-a continuum of sights, sounds, and feelings. Sikkim is a dreamland that one can realize and enjoy, now that the area is open to all. It is a state cloaked in the mystery of remoteness, well perched in the hills in a horseshoe formation, with mountains varying in altitude and cut off from the din and bustle of the modern world.
| Fast Facts |
|
| Area |
7,300 sq km |
| Population |
5,40, 493 |
| Capital |
Gangtok |
| Languages |
Bhutia, Nepali, Lepcha, Limbu, Hindi, English |
| Best Time to Visit |
March to August |
History
Buddhism, the major religion in the state, arrived from Tibet in the 13th century. It took its distinctive Sikkimese form four centuries later, when three Tibetan monks of the old Nyingamapa order, dissatisfied with the rise of the reformist Gelukpas, migrated to Yoksum in western Sikkim. Having consulted an oracle, they sent to Gangtok for a certain Phuntsog Namgyal, whom they crowned as the first Chogyal or "Righteous King" of Denzong in 1642. Both the secular and religious head, he was soon recognized by Tibet, and brought sweeping reforms. His realm was far larger than today's Sikkim, taking in Kalimpong and parts of western Bhutan. Over the centuries, the territory was lost to the Bhutanese, the Nepalese and the British. The British policy to diminish the strong Tibetan influence resulted in the import of workers from Nepal to work in the tea plantations of Sikkim, Darjeeling and Kalimpong and these soon outnumbered the indigenous population.
After India's Independence, the eleventh Chogyal, Tashi Namgyal, strove hard to prevent the dissolution of his kingdom. Officially, Sikkim was a protectorate of India, and the role of India became increasingly crucial with the Chinese military build-up along the northern borders that culminated in an actual invasion early in the 1960s. His son, Palden Thondup, was a weak ruler. The beleaguered Chogyal eventually succumbed to the demands of the Nepalese majority, and Sikkim was annexed by India in 1975.
Best Season, Climate and Clothing
Due to the extreme altitude, there is an immense variation in climate and vegetation. With a rainfall of about 140 inches in Gangtok, the climate is tropical up to 5,000 ft, temperate between 5,000 ft-13,000 ft, alpine at 13,000 ft, and snowbound at 16,000 ft.
The best time to visit Sikkim is between mid-March and June but especially, April and May, when the rhododendrons and orchids bloom. However, temperatures can be high, especially in the valleys. During the monsoons, from the end of June until early September, rivers and roads become impenetrable, though plants nurtured by the incessant rain erupt again into bloom towards the end of August. October, when orchids bloom once again, and November tend to have the clearest weather of all. As December approaches, it gets bitterly cold at high altitudes, and remains that way until early March, despite long periods of clear weather.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Not One Size Fits all |
| We Offer tailor-made India tour Packages. |
| Ask us to CUSTOMIZE your holiday |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Largest Collection Of |
|
| India Tour Packages |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
