OVERVIEW
Sikkim is located in the north eastern part of India. It is the second smallest state after Goa and with least population. This thumb-sized state is bordered by Nepal in the West, Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the North and East, Bhutan in the Southeast and Indian state of West Bengal in the South. Sikkim is strategically important to India, as it provides a shorted route from India to Tibet. Gangtok is the capital and the largest city in the state.
Despite its minuscule size, Sikkim has diverse culture and traditions, owing to its location on the Himalayas. The predominant religions followed by people here are Hinduism and Vajrayana Buddhism. The spoken languages are Hindi, Nepali, Bhutia, Limbu, Lepcha and English, is also the official language. As Sikkim is splayed below Mount Kanchenjunga, the third-highest peak in the world, the locals worship the mountains as the protecting deity.
Sikkim is located in far remoteness of this country, away from hustle and bustle of the city. It is a dream that can be experienced and lived, as now the easy commute and access to this state is possible.
Cradled amongst the Himalayan ranges, Sikkim is endowed with beautiful and varied scenery. Those magnificent mountains, snow-clad peaks, dark forest, placid lakes, fertile plains and abundance of flora and fauna.
Sikkim’s land has seen and felt the rise of today’s civilisation. Buddhism was the majorly followed religion in the 13th century. It took four centuries for distinctive Sikkimese form when three Tibetan monks of the old Nyingamapa order migrated to Yoksum in western Sikkim. Then Sikkim was far larger than what it is today, because over the centuries, due to poor monarchical rule and political influences, the territory was lost to Bhutanese, Nepalese and the British.
The main occupation of people here is agriculture. Whatever the harsh climatic conditions allow to grow along with maize, ginger, rice, wheat, orange and large cardamom are the principal crops of Sikkim. The state has been declared as industrially backward and efforts are being undertaken to change it.
The merit of being bordered by different cultural and traditional countries has influenced their cuisines, traditions and arts. One can enjoy many delicacies in Sikkim starting from Chinese to Tibetan, Indian to Japanese. Chicken fried rice, steamed and fried momos or be it banana pancakes are the utter delicacies. Rice is the staple food and legumes are easily available. Gyakho is a soup, and is only prepared on special occasions.
The festivals celebrated in Sikkim by inhabitants are the anniversaries related to birth, enlightenment, and nirvana of the Buddha, also the festivals of harvest and Buddhist New Year.
