Founded in the early 17th century, the Kingdom of Sikkim is a typical small plateau country bordering the mainland of Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and India. The Kingdom of Sikkim was an independent monarchy that existed from 1642 to 1975.
Former flag of the Kingdom of Sikkim
The former coat of arms of the Kingdom of Sikkim
Territory of the former Kingdom of Sikkim
As early as the 7th century AD, Sikkim was already part of Tibet, China, however, for various reasons, later Sikkim became an independent tribe, but most of it was Sikkim who believed in Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Since ancient times, Sikkim has been a major transportation route from South Asia to Tibet in China, and its strategic position is quite important. It is about 65 kilometers wide from east to west and about 130 kilometers long from north to south, covering an area of about 7,300 square kilometers. Forests cover 36% of the total area and have a population of 320,000 (1981). The inhabitants are the Rebcha, Sikkimese (also known as Butiya) and Nepalese. Sikkim and Nepali are spoken, and the official language is English. Practicing Lamaism and Hinduism. The capital is Gangtok. The Lebcha people were the earliest inhabitants of Sikkim and belonged to the race. Before the 8th century, they lived on the southern slopes of the Himalayas. In the 13th century, Sikkimese people of Tibetan descent settled in the area, making a living from herding cattle and trading.
Gangtok
The true history of Sikkim should begin with Buddhism, which came from Tibet. In 1595, in the valley of Gongpo, in the middle of the Brahmaputra River in southeast Tibet, a demigod and half-human figure was born, his name was Lazong Chengbu, and he went to several monasteries to study in his youth, and finally came to Lhasa in 1648. Here he met with the Fifth Dalai Lama, the religious leader of Tibet at the time, Lobzang Gyalco. After the meeting, he won the appreciation and respect of the Dalai Lama. The following year, the Dalai Lama went to Shengjing in the northeast and met with Emperor Shunzhi. After he returned to Tibet, he was deeply impressed by the fulfillment of the prophecy that he had told him before, so he summoned him again and gave him a generous treasure and an official position as a token of gratitude. But La Zongcheng refused one by one, and then set off to travel all over the world. He traveled southwest, passing through the monasteries of Tashilhunpo, Sakya, etc., and then turned south to Zar, not far from the Nepalese border, where he built a temple.
In 1861, the Kingdom of Sikkim became a country under British protection. In 1887, the British forcibly occupied Sikkim and sent a commissioner.
In 1947, India signed the Status Quo Agreement with Sikkim and continued to post commissioners to Sikkim.
In 1947, India and Sikkim signed the Status Quo Agreement
The vanishing Sikkim dynasty
In 1950, it became a protectorate of India.
In 1975, it was officially annexed by India and became a state of India.
The 12th Chogyal (King) Parden Tondupu Namgal went into exile in the United States and formed a government-in-exile in Sikkim, declaring that he did not recognize Indian rule over Sikkim. In 1982, Parden Dundupu Namgar died in New York, USA, and was succeeded by Wangchuck Tensing Namgar. Sikkim is one of the least developed countries in the world.
Government in exile of Sikkim
Government in exile
Wangchuck Tensin Namgal
In April 1974, Sikkim held a "general election" in which the pro-Indian Sikkim National Congress Party took control of 31 of the 32 seats in Parliament. On 11 May, parliament opened and passed a resolution "requesting" India to send advisers to draft a constitution for Sikkim. On September 4 and 7 of the same year, the two houses of the Indian Parliament passed the "Amendment to the Constitution of India", stipulating that Sikkim is an "associated state" of India, and that Sikkim will be given one seat in each house. On 9 April 1975, the Indian army disbanded the King of Sikkim's palace guard and the King was placed under house arrest. On 10 April, the Sikkim Parliament passed a resolution to depose the king and turn Sikkim into a state of India. On 14 April, another "referendum" was held in Sikkim to this end. The Indian Parliament also passed a resolution to turn Sikkim into a state of India.