The Sikkim is an old kingdom attached to the India in 1975. The local name Tibetan of this country is " Arm Mo ljongs" who means " Valley of the riz". The traditional languages of Sikkim are a dialect of the Tibetan, the vbras-ljongs-skad (often spelled drejonke), the Lepcha and the Limbou, three languages Tibéto-Burmese be.

History

The oldest event which one kept the trace in the history of Sikkim is the passage of the Indian Master Padmasambhava (venerated Buddhist figure) in IXe century. It is reported that Padmasambhava there blesses the ground, introduced Buddhism and announced the era of the monarchy which will arrive the centuries later. In XIIIe century, according to the legend, the guru Tashi, a prince of the Room of Minyak in the Kham (with the Eastern Tibet), had a divine revelation during one night, which informed it to travel to the south to seek fortune. Its descendants trained the royal family of Sikkim. In 1642, the 5th descendant of the guru Tashi, Phuntsog Namgyal, was devoted as 1st Chogyal (king) of Sikkim by three spangled venerated come from north, the west and the south, in Yuksom, marking the beginning of monarchy. The flag of the old monarchy of Sikkim was carried out in 1670 by his/her son, Tensung Namgyal, which moved the capital of Yuksom with Rabdentse. In 1700, Sikkim was invaded by the Bhutan with the assistance of the half-sister of Chogyal, which had been isolated throne. The Bhutaneses were then driven out by the Tibetans, who restored the throne in Chogyal afterwards ten years. Between 1717 and 1733, the kingdom faced many incursions since the Nepal in the west and the Bhutan in the east, which culminated with the catch of Rabdentse by the Nepal.

Geography

Sikkim, (way of passage between India and Tibet) whose capital is Gangtok, is an Indian State being next to the Tibet, the Nepal and the Bhutan. The landscapes are extraordinary and of many sites superb sights on all the Himalayan chain offer, in particular on the Kanchenjunga, third plus high summit of the world. Mountainous walls (Kanchenjunga and Chola) separate it from Nepal and Bhutan.

Relief

Ground of tops dominated by the 8  598 meters of the solid mass of Kanchenjunga (the mountain-goddess), Sikkim is however called the " valley of the riz". Here, the extremes meet for brightest of the marriages of climatic disproportion. In a few hours, one passes from the jungle to the terraces to fodder, of the farms where one stores the with the glaciers and the eternal snow of the mount Pandim.

Flora

Of all the colors, of all the sizes, the Orchidée S are the ornament of Sikkim. One finds some until 3  000 meters of altitude. At the sides of these aristocrats of the vegetable kingdom, one can see four thousand species different of flowers, Rhododendron S, Magnolia S, but also of the strange plants as the Arisaema Griffith which resembles a cobra.

Economy

It is primarily based on agriculture. The Sikkim is the principal producer of Cardamome in India. The other major productions are the cereals, the fruits and the vegetables.

Demography

75% of Sikkimais are of Nepalese origin. Lepchas account for nothing any more but 15% of the population. The other inhabitants are of Bhutias, origin Tibetan, and the Indians come from the plain

Religion

thumb|250px|Monastery of [[Rumtek]] with [[Sikkim]], seat of [[Karmapa]] in exile Buddhism Tibetan is the official religion which recognizes the Dalaï Lama like " authority suprême". The Monastery of Rumtek, seat of the Karmapa in exile in India is located near Gangtok, as well as the Monastery of Enchey, the Institute of Tibétologie (famous in the whole world for the studies on Buddhist philosophy) and the chorten (stoupa) of C-Drul.

Culture

Tourism

Himalayan sanctuary drawn up between the touffeurs of the Bengal and lonelinesses of the Tibet, Sikkim, formerly a kingdom, is today the State twenty-second of the Republic of India. Still little known of the travellers, it always attracted the mystics. A traveller heard the call of altitude there, as the innumerable Buddhist pilgrims who did not cease surveying this ground of awakening. They plant there at the tops of the flags of prayer so that the wind carries with further their incantations.

Others

External bonds

1. Official site of the State of Sikkim

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Simple: Sikkim

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