topics: |  sikkim | travel | india

political history

1641: the three lamas - Lhatsun Chempo Sempa
      Chempo and Rigzing Chempo - meet at Yuksam (place of
      the three wise ones), and anoint Phuntsog as chogyal
      (= great religious king).  
      [?1642, p.38;  p.31 : 1641]
      [rabdentse info placard (ASI): 1780: Tenzing succeeds
      Phuntsog - inconsistent w 1641 date.]

1793: Sino-Nepal treaty signed; Tsudphud Namgyal, son of
      Tenzing, becomes Chogyal and shifts capital to
      Tumlong.

1880: conflict between local lepcha-bhutias and nepali
      immigrants to tea plantations, at Rhenock.  British
      sided with Nepalese

1886: Tibetans fortify Lingtu, 12km inside Sikkimese area

1888: Tibetans attack Gnathang - defeated by British

1890: China signs treaty w Britain.  Cedes Sikkim for 
      rights over Tibet. 
	british residents start controlling Sikkim.

1949: british residents replaced by Indian IAS officers -
  	"dewans".

1973: pro-democracy movement overruns the Chogyal's durbar.
      elections held and CM elected but Chogyal remains
      constitutional head

1975: Sikkim joins Indian union as a state

people

lepcha : original inhabitants, organized into 12 dzongs (states) after
	Phuntsog Namgyal coronation in 1642.  Though Phuntsog is descended
	from a E Tibetan (Kham) noble, but swore a pact of blood-brotherhood
	with the bhutias at Kabi Longstok (20km from Gangtok, towards N
	Sikkim).  lepcha lg has own script.
	main festival: Phang Labsol: Aug-Sept.
bhutia : orig from east tibet
        main festfval: lossar - feb/march - tibetan new ywar, day when Buddha
	preached the dhamma to the devil
nepali : migration in 19th c. with tea gardens etc. -> Now 70% of Sikkim populn.

ERRATA
p.31: Phuntsog anointed chogyal in 1641; p. 38: in 1642
p.33 l.2 "incidence" --> incident