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SIKKIM A paradise of tea and beauty Table of Contents 1 HISTORY 2 ART AND CRAFT 3 RELIGION 4 LANGUAGE 5 MUSIC 6 CULTURE AND TRADITION 7 FESTIVALS 8 CUISINE/FOOD 9 COSTUMES 10 FAMOUS WRITERS AND POETS 11 FAMOUS PERSONALITIES HISTORY OF SIKKIM Sikkim was a Buddhist kingdom under the Namgyal-Chogyal dynasty from 1642 to 1975. The Lepchas are considered to be the earliest inhabitants of Sikkim.However the Limbus and the Magars also lived in the inaccessible parts of West and South district as early as Lepchas perhaps lived in the East and North districts.The Buddhist saint Padmasambhava,also known as Guru Rinpoche,is said to have passes through the land in the 8th century.The Guru is reported to have blessed the land. Foundation Of Monarchy According to legend, Khye Bumsa, a 14th century prince from the Minyak House in Kham in eastern Tibet, received a divine revelation instructing him to travel south to seek his fortunes. A fifth gen. Descendant of Khye Bumsa, Phuntsog Namgyal,became the founder of Sikkim’s monarchy in 1642 ,when he was consecrated as the first Chogyal, or priest-king of sikkim . ART AND CRAFT There are a plenty of art and craft forms in Sikkim. The bulk of the people of the state belong to rural areas and they have their old tradition of making several utility objects. One of the most popular handicraft objects of Sikkim includes a choksee table, woolen carpet, canvas wall hanging, thankas delineating painting on various aspects of the state. Also, the government has set up an institute of Cottage Industries in South District for the better development of the cottage industries in Sikkim. The state has various handicrafts in the form of cane and bamboo products. Melli, Gangtok, and Namchi are the very popular places of Sikkim for handloom products and cottage industries. The people of Sikkim are pro when it comes to craft making as they have very special skills in the same. The womenfolk of the state are amazing weavers and they attract the tourists by their excellent craft work. The handmade carpets and papers of the state are in huge demand in and outside of Sikkim. Handloom weaving Handloom weaving in Sikkim is synonymous with the Lepcha weave. In ancient times, the Lepcha’s of Sikkim were said to use yarn spun out of stinging nettle (sisnu) plant to weave clothes. Today cotton and woollen yarn are used together with vegetable dyes and synthetic colours. Lepcha women folk work on traditional back-strap loin- looms that enhances the quality of the fabric. The vertical frame loom with a back strap used by the Lepcha women is indigenous in Sikkim. The weave frame is made from bamboo or various types of wood which is available. Nearly all types of weaves can be woven in the loin loom. On a loin loom, the possibilities of weaving pattern are unlimited. The cloth woven by the women is used for women’s traditional coat material. Cotton yarn is the basic material whereas the woolen yarn is utilized for the motifs over the coat. The raw material used by the Lepchas for their garments is cotton, and for blankets they use sheep wool. Wood Carving Wood carving is an ancient art form of Sikkim. Wood carving is done on a range of products like 'Choktsis'(carved table), bakchok(square table), wooden masks, decorative screens, lucky signs, alters,lamp stands and other decorative items in typical traditional designs like dragons,birds,phoenix etc. The main raw material used in this craft is wood. Three types of wood are normally used such as 'tooni' (toona celiata),'rani chaap' (Macalia Exelsa), and 'okher' (Walnut). First of all a piece of wood is cut into a desired shape. After seasoning and papering it smooth, very fine chisels and tools are used to carve out the designs. The carved pieces of wood are then assembled together and are ready for a coat or two of either colourful paint or polish. Cane and Bamboo Crafts Cane and Bamboo forms an integral part in the lives of the people of Sikkim. Bamboo is used in many ways to make several articles and generally people use it in many ways to make those things which are required in their day to day lives. Bamboos are giant woody grasses and over 1200 species of bamboo are known to exist throughout the world, with sizes ranging from miniatures to giants stems of over 60 metres. Bamboos are among the fastest growing plants on the planet and are an integral part of the cultural, social and economic tradition of Sikkim . RELIGION The Sikkimese are highly devout people and religions play a major role in Sikkim. Buddhism and Hinduism are the two major religions of Sikkim. Perhaps, Buddhism comes into view as the predominant religious practice in Sikkim. Though, Hinduism is the actual religion that is followed by the majority of people. Buddhism is practiced by most of the Tibetans and the Bhutias. Unlike them, the Nepalese follow the preaching of Hinduism. Besides Buddhism and Hinduism, other religions like Christianity, Islam, etc. also thrive here because the Sikkimese people are tolerant. This tolerance and mutual understanding have allowed people with distinct religious affiliations to peacefully subsist together. Buddhism Buddhism is the main religion in Sikkim. In its early years, migrants from Tibet brought this religion to Sikkim and dominated a major part of the state. Sikkim boasts of innumerable monasteries that are assigned to the practice and preaching of Buddhism. It is also said that Guru Rinpoche established Buddhism in the state. Whosoever be the originator, Buddhism is widespread in Sikkim and followed mainly by the Tibetans and the Bhutias. Hinduism Hinduism is the leading religion of Sikkim. With the majority of Nepalis, Hinduism is practiced by maximum number of people in Sikkim. The followers of Hinduism celebrate each festival with all gusto and fervor. The doctrine of Hinduism is strictly followed by the Nepalis. Whether it is an event of birth, death or marriage, Nepalis celebrate each and every occasion. In the Nepali society, Brahmins form a special part and these people are liable for performing holy rituals and rites LANGUAGE Language is undoubtedly a crucial medium to communicate. Sikkim is a multi-lingual state, where people of many communities reside harmoniously. Nepali can be termed as the most spoken language in Sikkim. However, English is also frequently used, though it is mainly spoken in municipal areas. Hindi, the official language of India, is also spoken at many places in the state. Besides these languages, there are numerous local dialects in Sikkim. Out of these dialects, Tibetan, Bhutia and Lepcha language are significant. Lepcha language is generally spoken by the Lepchas, though the dialect is not used to a great extent in Sikkim. The Bhutias commonly speak 'Sikkimese' language and the dialect dominates the state in minority. The Nepalese, being in majority, dominates the major part of Sikkim with their dialect. The people, who migrated from Tibet, have joined the hoard of Lepchas and Bhutias; yet old people speak the language. English is used especially for official matters; nonetheless Hindi is spoken and understood by the maximum number of people. MUSIC Music of Sikkim ranges from traditional Nepali folk music to Westernized pop music. The ethnic communities, Lepcha, Limbu, Bhutia and Nepalis constitute the music which is an ingrained part of Sikkimese culture. The main traditional style is the Nepali folk music known as Tamang Selo, This music of the Tamang community is performed to the rhythmic sound of “Dhamphu”, a musical instrument. Western-style pop is popular in the region, as well as western-style foreign music styles. Tamang Selo This is a musical genre of the Tamang people and popular amongst the Nepali speaking community in West Bengal, Sikkim, India and around the world. It is accompanied by Tamang instruments, the Madal, Damphu and Tungna, although nowadays musicians have taken to modern instruments. A Tamang Selo can be catchy and lively or slow and melodious and is usually sung to convey sorrow, love, happiness or day-to-day incidents and stories of folklore . CULTURE AND TRADITION Tradition Sikkim is a beautiful land of manifold tribes and races of people living together. People of Sikkim are warm, simple and friendly with a cheerful nature. All these diverse tribes and communities have their unique features in addition to their particular dance forms, festivals, languages, culture, and craft forms. The miscellany of ethnic groups, religion, and languages is seen all over Sikkim. Culture The Sikkimese culture finds expression in it's beautiful art and craft. Knotted woollen carpets with the dominating dragon emblem, and eight auspicious signs; wood carvings, Lepcha handlooms in traditional designs and rich colours for clothes, bags, linen and accessories; leather jackets and handbags, articles of homemade paper, Thanka (religious scroll paintings) and Sikkimese Dragon Jewellery make a fascinating collection of handicrafts, inspired by an age old culture.