Sikkim
Sikkim is the most northerly state in India. Sikkim. It is bordered by Tibet to the north, Bhutan to the west and east, Nepal to the south-west, and West Bengal to the south.
Sikkim is the most northerly state in India. Sikkim. It is bordered by Tibet to the north, Bhutan to the west and east, Nepal to the south-west, and West Bengal to the south.
One of the most spectacular cannotons in the world, the gorge of the Rangit river, starts on its boundary with Nepal.
Sikkim is also known for adventure tourism. Travellers are attracted by monasteries, snow-clad mountains, paddy fields and banana groves, flower shows and hill farming etc. Sikkim offers many options to tourists for exploring places like Rumtek Monastery (the largest monastery in Sikkim), Norbugang Park (King's summer resort), Baba Mandir (home of 1008 Sikh shrines where Guru Nanak visited), Yoksum - the coldest place in South Asia etc.
Sikkim is divided into two distinct physiographic regions: the High Himalayas in the north and hill country in the south. The northern part consists mainly of mountain ranges running along or close to its northern border with Tibet/China; these are collectively known as Sikkim Himalaya. The southern part borders with Darjeeling District and the state of West Bengal. The chief distinguishing feature of this region is the flat-topped hills, locally known as "dums" or "chilauns", which are remnants of old peneplains.
Sikkim is located between 26°4' and 27°39' N latitude and 88°11' and 89°49' E longitude.
Sikkimese art has a long history. Thangka paintings, monastic thangka and temple frescos are world-renowned for their exquisite beauty. Another kind of painting, which is unique to Sikkim, is the ‘Palm leaf’ religious art that depicts stories from the Buddhist tradition (similar in some ways to Japanese scroll paintings).
Himalayan Buddhist architecture, the living root bridges of Mechukha, and the monasteries of Phodong and Dubdi are some examples of outstanding Sikkimese art.
The rich heritage of Sikkim has also been enriched by its legends, folktales and proverbs. The folktales of Sikkim are called Sokrang.
Sikkimese music is heterogeneous in nature. It includes Lepcha, Limbu, Bhutia, Nepali and Hindi songs. Other folk musical forms include zhungdra and boedra. Alongside these folk forms are Gelugpa chants from Tibet.
Earlier instruments used were madal (drums), bansi (flute), ransingha (bowed lute) and chiwang (fiddle). Popular music of Sikkim is derived from Hindi film songs, Nepali modern song or western music.
Sikkimese dance too has diverse forms including the chaams for masked dances of dâkinîs, tsechus and others. In modern times too, Sikkimese has adopted dances from Hindi film songs and Kathakali plays of Kerala.
The cuisine of Sikkim is a blend of four distinct influences: Lepcha, Limbu, Bhutia and Nepali. Rice and meat are common ingredients while a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are available in the region.
The staple diet includes a light breakfast or dinner consisting of steamed rice, a dish made from/with rice (khaman), meat curry, fresh vegetable salad and chilli pickle. Momo is one popular dish among both Sikkimese and non-Sikkimese.
Sikkim has a humid subtropical climate. It experiences a tropical monsoon climate in the southern parts of the state. The northern areas have a subarctic climate. Winters in this region last from December to February and summers from May to September. Most of Sikkim receives rainfall mostly during monsoons (between June and September).
