SIKKIM
- The
People
News
from Sikkim
Map of
Sikkim
Map of India
Top travel sites: Gangtok (East Sikkim),
Tsomgo Lake (East Sikkim), Nathu La Pass (East Sikkim),
Baba Mandir (East Sikkim), Khangchendzonga (West Sikkim)
Sikkim Govt Tourist
Information Centres:-
Sikkim Tourist Information Centre, Gangtok:
MG Road, Gangtok Ph: 03592-221634/227720
Sikkim Tourist Information Centre, New
Delhi:
14 Panchsheel Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi PIN 110021
Ph:011-26115346; 26115171
Sikkim Tourist Information Centre, Kolkata:
4/1, Middletown Street, Kolkata-16 Ph: 22817905
Sikkim Tourist Information Centre, Siliguri:
SNT Colony, Pradhan Nagar, Siliguri, West Bengal Ph: 2512646
Sikkim Tourist Information Centre, Bagdogra:
Bagdogra airport Ph: 2698030; 2698036
Sikkim - The People
Sikkim - How to Reach
Sikkim - General Info
Sikkim - Destinations:
East Sikkim & Gangtok
Sikkim - Destinations:
West Sikkim
Sikkim - Destinations:
North Sikkim
Sikkim - Destinations:
South Sikkim
Gangtok, the Capital - Info
Gangtok - Places to
See
Sikkim - The Cuisine
The
people of Sikkim are simple and friendly. The customs
and rituals are diverse as the population is a mosaic
of ethnicity - the Lepchas of the forest, the Bhutias
and the Nepalese. Festivals form a part and parcel of
their lifestyle, with a dominating influence of belief
in the spirits. A new thing a visitor comes across in
the state is the popular drink called ‘Chaang’,
a preparation from fermented millet. It is served in bamboo
containers. Spirit and Spiritual go hand-in-hand!
The
faith
One
of the sacred objects of worship to the Sikkimese is bumchu,
a sacred pot containing holy water, blessed by a Buddhist
saint in the 17th century. Today even after 300 years
the water remains as fresh as before, it is said. Religion
froms the main thread of life of the Sikkimese. There
are about 230 monasteries and Mani Lhakangs. The influence
of Buddhism is all-pervasive. Even in the remote mountain
regions, one can see prayer flags fluttering atop monasteries
as well as private houses. The main monasteries are Pemayangtse
and Tashiding in West Sikkim, Enchey in Gangtok, Ralong
in South and Phodong and Tolung in North Sikkim. Pomp
and pageantry marks festivals hosted by the monasteries
where the lamas dance in masks and costumes in accompaniment
of music and chants. The Sikkimese Hindus also have colourful
festivals, celebrated by the Hindu Nepal population. They
worship Goddess Durga. Dipavali is also celebrated. There
are around 170 temples in Sikkim.
Festivals
The
festivals are, according to the Buddhist calendar with
approximate months corresponding to the English calendar,
are: Saga Dawa - Full moon of the 4th month, around end
of may and early June; Drukpa Tseshi - 4th day of the
6th month, around August; Pang Lhabsol - 15th day of the
7th month, around end of Augut-September; Kagyat Dance
- 28th & 29th day of 10th month, around December;
Losoong - Sikkimese New Year, last week of December; Losar
- Tibetan New Year, around February; Maghe Sankranti -
Month of Magh, around January; Dasain - Month of Aswin,
September-October; Enchey “Chaams” - 18th &
19th days of the 11th month, around December-January;
Rumtek “Chaams” - Tse-Chu ‘Chaams’-
10th day of the 5th month, around June; Winter “Chaam”
- (Guthor ‘Chaam’) 2 days prior to Losar
