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Chapters: 

00:31 • Gangtok, the city

02:03 • Gangtok, the market

06:10 • Enchey monastery

08:05 • Rumtek monastery

Sikkim

Sikkim is a small state in the Himalayas that has been part of the Indian confederation since 1975, following a referendum. The country had in fact chosen to become an independent monarchy after the departure of the British colonizers in 1949.

Of Tibetan culture, Sikkim is the least populated state in India and in terms of area, only the state of Goa is smaller.

Gangtok

Gangtok is the capital of the state and remains a small town in India as it has only about 100,000 inhabitants.

Little is known about the origin of the city, as is also the case for that of the country. Gangtok remained a small mountain village until the construction in 1840 of the Enchey monastery which made the nascent city a high place of Buddhist pilgrimage.

During British colonization, Gangtok became an important stopover on the route between major Indian cities such as Calcutta and Lhasa in Tibet.

Gangtok is also the tourist capital of Sikkim. The necessary authorizations for hiking on the Himalayas are issued there.

the monastery of Enchey

Enchey Monastery was founded in 1909 in the heights of Gangtok, which quickly gave the status of a pilgrimage town to the present capital of the state of Sikkim. Buddhist devotees attribute to its founder Lama Drupthob Karpo the ability to move by flying in the air.

The protective deities Khangchendzonga and Yabdean would reside in this monastery.

The Enchey monastery is remarkable among other things for the finesse of its murals and its richly decorated windows.

90 monks reside there and the monastery has a magnificent collection of masks which are used for Cham dance ceremonies taking place at various times throughout the year, especially on the occasion of the Tibetan New Year.

Rumtek monastery

Another remarkable Buddhist monastery, Rumtek is the largest in the eastern Himalayas.

The construction of the first monastery in Rumtek dates from the mid-16th century. The monastery was rebuilt in the 1960s and became the seat of the Karmapa, spiritual guide of one of the major traditions of Tibetian Buddhism, in exile in India.

The construction of the new ministry was completed in 1966 and the relics which were in the monastery of Tsourphou, seat of the Karmapa in Tibet were transported to Rumtek.

about the place, Gangtok:

Gangtok is the capital and largest city of Sikkim, a small Indian state in the eastern Himalayas. The city is located at an altitude of 1600 meters and has some of the most famous Buddhist temples such as the Enchey Monastery which was also behind the development of the city. Its population is around 100,000 inhabitants.

Music:

 (Inde)  - Musique Rituelle Tibétaine - Cérémonie a Yamantaka, Ocora (OCR 49)

 (Inde)  - Festivals of the Himalayas - Volume 2 - Mohna, Nonesuch (H-72079)

 - YouTube video library - People Watching

Disclaimer: Despite its appropriateness, copyright issues prevent the use of indian traditional music in "Gangtok, the capital • Sikkim, India ", hence the use of royalty-free music. Despite our careful selection, some might regret this decision, which is necessary to avoid potential lawsuits. Although difficult, this decision is the only viable solution.