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Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state located in the Himalayan mountains. The state is bordered by Nepal to the west, China's Tibet Autonomous Region to the north and east, and Bhutan to the east. The Indian state of West Bengal lies to the south.<br/><br/> According to legend, the Buddhist guru Padmasambhava visited Sikkim in the 8th century CE, introduced Buddhism and foretold the era of the Sikkimese monarchy. Sikkim's Namgyal dynasty was established in 1642. Over the next 150 years, the kingdom witnessed frequent raids and territorial losses to Nepalese invaders. In the 19th century, it allied itself with British India, eventually becoming a British protectorate. In 1975, a referendum abolished the Sikkimese monarchy, and the territory was merged with India.
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state located in the Himalayan mountains. The state is bordered by Nepal to the west, China's Tibet Autonomous Region to the north and east, and Bhutan to the east. The Indian state of West Bengal lies to the south.<br/><br/> According to legend, the Buddhist guru Padmasambhava visited Sikkim in the 8th century CE, introduced Buddhism and foretold the era of the Sikkimese monarchy. Sikkim's Namgyal dynasty was established in 1642. Over the next 150 years, the kingdom witnessed frequent raids and territorial losses to Nepalese invaders. In the 19th century, it allied itself with British India, eventually becoming a British protectorate. In 1975, a referendum abolished the Sikkimese monarchy, and the territory was merged with India.
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state located in the Himalayan mountains. The state is bordered by Nepal to the west, China's Tibet Autonomous Region to the north and east, and Bhutan to the east. The Indian state of West Bengal lies to the south.<br/><br/> According to legend, the Buddhist guru Padmasambhava visited Sikkim in the 8th century CE, introduced Buddhism and foretold the era of the Sikkimese monarchy. Sikkim's Namgyal dynasty was established in 1642. Over the next 150 years, the kingdom witnessed frequent raids and territorial losses to Nepalese invaders. In the 19th century, it allied itself with British India, eventually becoming a British protectorate. In 1975, a referendum abolished the Sikkimese monarchy, and the territory was merged with India.
A stupa (Sanskrit: stūpa, Pāli: thūpa, literally meaning 'heap') is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship.<br/><br/> The term 'chorten' is used for a stupa in Tibetan Buddhism, notably in Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim, parts of Nepal and Mongolia.<br/><br/> Stupas are an ancient form of mandala.
A stupa (Sanskrit: stūpa, Pāli: thūpa, literally meaning 'heap') is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship.<br/><br/> The term 'chorten' is used for a stupa in Tibetan Buddhism, notably in Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim, parts of Nepal and Mongolia.<br/><br/> Stupas are an ancient form of mandala.
Buddhist monks performing the Gumpa or Devil Dance in Sikkim, now a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas, but until 1975 (and at the time of this photograph in 1903) an independent Buddhist kingdom ruled by a hereditary ruler called the chogyal.
Gangtok is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. It is located in the Shivalik Hills of the eastern Himalayan range, at an altitude of 1,437 metres (4,715 ft). The town has a population of thirty thousand belonging to different ethnicities including Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutia.<br/><br/> Gangtok rose to prominence as a popular Buddhist pilgrimage site after the construction of the Enchey Monastery in 1840. In 1894, the ruling Sikkimese Chogyal, Thutob Namgyal, transferred the capital to Gangtok. In the early 20th century, Gangtok became a major stopover on the trade route between Lhasa in Tibet and cities such as Kolkata (then Calcutta) in British India. After India won its independence from Britain in 1947, Sikkim chose to remain an independent monarchy, with Gangtok as its capital. In 1975, after integration with the union of India, Gangtok was made India's twenty-second state capital.<br/><br/> Today, Gangtok is a centre of Tibetan Buddhist culture and learning, with the presence of several monasteries, religious educational institutions, and centres for Tibetology.
Nathu La (Chinese: Nǎiduīlā Shānkǒu) is a mountain pass in the Himalayas. It connects the Indian state of Sikkim with China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The pass, at 4,310 m (14,140 ft) above mean sea level, forms a part of an offshoot of the ancient Tea Horse Road. Nathu means 'listening ears' and La means 'pass' in Tibetan. It is also spelled Ntula, Natu La, Nathula, or Natula.<br/><br/> Nathu La is one of the three trading border posts between China and India; the other two are Shipkila in Himachal Pradesh and Lipulekh (or Lipulech) in Uttarakhand. Sealed by India after the 1962 Sino-Indian War, Nathu La was re-opened in 2006 following numerous bilateral trade agreements.<br/><br/> The opening of the pass is expected to bolster the economy of the region and play a key role in the growing Sino-Indian trade. The opening also shortens the travel distance to important Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the region.
Tashi Namgyal (October 26, 1893 – December 2, 1963) was the ruling Chogyal (King) of Sikkim from 1914 to 1963. He was the son of Thutob Namgyal.<br/><br/> Namgyal was the 11th ruler of the Namgyal dynasty of Sikkim, succeeding his half brother Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal, who had ruled from February to December in 1914, till his death from heart failure. Born in Tibet and crowned by the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso, he was a strong advocate for closer links with India.