Sikkim, North East India

Sikkim, North East India (Hill Station)

Sikkim, North East India (Click here to see album of Sikkim)

Sikkim was inhabited in pre-historic times by three tribes namely Naong, Chang and the Mon. The Lepcha, another tribe, who entered Sikkim sometimes later absorbed them completely. The modern history of Sikkim begins from 1642 A.D. with the coronation of Phuntsok (or penchu) Namgyal as the first Chogyal or king of Sikkim in a tranquil pine covered hill in Yuksom Norbugang in West Sikkim. He was Guru Tenzing's son (great grandson of Guru Tashi). The Namgyals were scions of the Mi-nyak House in Kham in Eastern Tibet. The Namgyal dynasty ruled over Sikkim as hereditary kings for about 332 years.

Presently Gangtok is capital of Sikkim.

After 1947, it became a protectorate for Sikkim with Special Status with partial democracy with Monarchy still in place but with parliament also. Events leading to the confrontation between the Chogyal and the popular Government caused Sikkim to become a full-fledged 22nd state of the IndianUnion on 16th may 1975. The institution of Chogyal was subsequently abolished.

Topography, Sikkim: Almost the entire state is hilly, with an elevation ranging from 280 metres (920 ft) to 8,585 metres (28,000 ft). The summit of the kanchenjunga is the highest point which falls on the border between Sikkim and Nepal. The state has 28 mountain peaks, more than 80 glaciers, 227 high-altitude lakes including the Tsongmo Lake, Gurudongmar and Khecheopalri Lake, 5 hot springs, and more than 100 rivers and streams. Eight mountain passes connect the state to Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal. Unfrozen Gurudongmar Lake in North Sikkim mountains of North Sikkim. Sikkim's hot springs are known for medicinal and therapeutic values. The most important hot springs are at Phurchachu (Reshi), Yumthang, Borang, Ralang, Taram-chu and Yumey Samdong. They have high sulphur content and are located near river banks. Some also emit hydrogen. The average temperature of the water in these hot springs is 50 °C (122 °F).

Temparatures, Sikkim: The average annual temperature for most of Sikkim is around 18 °C (64 °F) dropping to 0 °C (32 °F) in night.

The Flora, Sikkim: Owing to its altitudinal gradation, the state has a wide variety of plants, from tropical to temperate to alpine and tundra, and is perhaps one of the few regions to exhibit such a diversity within such a small area. Nearly 81% of the area of Sikkim comes under the administration of its forest department. You find variety of endangered species here. Sikkim has around 5,000 flowering plants, 515 rare orchids, 60 primula species, 36 rhododendron species, 11 oak varieties, 23 bamboo varieties, 16 conifer species, 362 types of ferns and ferns allies, 8 tree ferns, and over 424 medicinal plants.

The fauna, Sikkim: It includes the red panda, the snow leopard, the musk deer, the Himalayan Tahr, the Himalayan marmot, the goral, the barking deer, the Himalayan Black Bear, the clouded leopard, the common langur, the Marbled Cat, the leopard cat, the wild dog, the Tibetan wolf, the hog badger, the binturong, the jungle cat and the civet cat, the serow, Among the animals more commonly found in the alpine zone are yaks, mainly reared for their milk, meat, and as a beast of burden. Due to vast variety of Flora and eco balanced tropical jungles it has Of approximately 1438 butterfly species found in the Indiansubcontinent, 695 have been recorded from Sikkim. These include the endangered Kaiser-i-hind, Yellow Gorgon and the Bhutan Glory

Sikkim's economy is largely agrarian. Rice, maize, millet, wheat, barley, oranges, tea and cardamom are main agriculture produce. There are no large-scale industries. Breweries, distilleries, tanning and watch making are the main industries

The government of Sikkim is extensively promoted tourism. The state has recently invested in is gambling, including online gambling. A casino was opened in March 2009, the Casino Sikkim, and seven further casino licenses are being considered by the state government.

How to reach Sikkim

Sikkim and Kanchenjunga Trekking,

Goecha La Trekking, Sikkim

Nambu-Yambung SingalilaTrek, Sikkim ,

Journey to Guru Padmasambhava's Land, Sikkim

North East Destinations

Dream Destinations North East

Hiking and Trekking, North East

Hill Stations of North East

Historical Heritage Destinations North East

Temples and Spiritual of North East

Scenic Destinations of North East