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HISTORY OF SIKKIM |
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Modern History |
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The modern history of Sikkim
begins with 1642 A.D. which witnessed the consecration
of the then King (Phuntsog Namgyal) as the Chogyal
(Temporal and Religious King). The Namgyal Kings
had been ruling over the Chumbi Valley and the
Teesta Valley for at least three centuries prior
to this. The Namgyals were scions of the Minyak
House (Eastern Tibet) and were on pilgrimage in
Central Tibet at the opening of the thirteenth
century of the Christian era. |
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It is on record that Khye-Bumsa,
a Namgyal Prince, helped in the construction of
the great Sa-Kya Monastery (1268 A.D.). Khye-Bumsa
married the daughter of the Sa-Kya hierarch and
settled in the nearby Chumbi Valley which became
the nucleus of the later kingdom of Sikkim. Khye-Bumsa
came in contact with the Lepchas and a deep friendship
between the newcomers and the Lepchas grew; a
blood brotherhood was sworn between Khye-Bumsa
and Thekongtek, the Lepcha Chief, at Kabi Longtsok. |
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Khye-Bumsa was succeeded
by his third son Mipon Rab and the latter by his
fourth son Guru Tashi who moved to Gangtok. The
Lepchas after the death of their Chief Thekongtek
started breaking up into small clans and turned
to Guru Tashi for leadership and protection. He
became the first ruler of Sikkim and paved the
way for a regular monarchy. |
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Erstwhile Flag of
Sikkim
Prior to Merger
Phuntsog Namgyal who was the first consecrated
Chogyal was born at Gangtok in 1604 and was consecrated
as King (Chogyal) by three Lamas in 1642. He moved
his capital to Yuksam and instituted the first
centralised administration. He divided the kingdom
into twelve Dzongs (Districts), placed each under
a Lepcha Dzongpon (Governor), and had a council
of twelve ministers. During his time Buddhism
was consolidated as the established religion in
Sikkim. |
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Mr.B.B.Lal was the first
Governor of Sikkim and after him, Mr. H.J.H. Taleyarkhan,
Mr. K Prabhakar Rao, Mr. B.N. Singh, Mr. T.V.
Rajeshwar, Mr. S.K. Bhatnagarand Mr. Admiral R.H.
Tahiliani. |
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Tensung Namgyal (born 1644
A.D.) who was consecrated in 1670 moved the capital
to Rabdentse. Chador Namgyal (born 1686 A.D.)
succeeded his father Tensung Namgyal in 1700 A.D.
But the succession was opposed by his half-sister,
Pedi Wangmo, whose mother was a Bhutanese and
who invited a force from Bhutan to assassinate
the boy king. A loyal minister Yugthing Tishey
carried off the minor to Lhasa where, during his
asylum, he distinguished himself in Buddhist learning
and Tibetan literature. Meanwhile Rabdentse Palace
had been captured by Bhutanese forces and after
eight years of occupation the Deb Raja of Bhutan
eventually withdrew the Bhutanese expedition upon
the mediation of the Tibetan Government. Chador
Namgyal then returned and started to consolidate
his kingdom, driving out the Bhutanese forces.
Bhutan made another invasion and though many of
the areas under Bhutanese occupation were cleared,
what are today Kalimpong and Rhenock were lost.
Chador Namgyal founded the great monastery of
Pemayangtse and commanded that the second of every
three sons of a Bhutia family must be ordained
a monk of the Pemayangtse Monastery which was
also open to the Tsong community. He also built
the Guru Lhakhang in Tashiding (1715 A.D.) and
invented an alphabet for the Lepchas. Pedi Wangmo,
the king's half-sister was, however, not reconciled
and while the king was at Ralung hot springs in
1716, she conspired with a Tibetan doctor to arrange
blood-letting from a main artery and thus caused
the king's death. The doctor was eventually executed
at Namchi and Pedi Wangmo strangled to death with
a silk scarf. |
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Gyurmed Namgyal, who was
born in 1707, succeeded his father Chador in 1717.
During his infancy Lama Jigmed Pao became regent.
This reign saw the loss of Limbuana-now in Eastern
Nepal. The Kargyud Sect (Mahayana) was firmly
established during this reign. Gyurmed had no
heirs but gave out on the eve of his death (1733
A.D.) that a nun in Sangnakcholing was carrying
his son. |
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Namgyal Phuntsog, posthumous
son of Gyurmed, succeeded (1733) but the Royal
Treasurer Tamding opposed this on plea of illegitimacy
and declared himself king. The Lepchas backed
the baby and fought the pretender who eventually
fled to Tibet. During the minority of the boy
king, Rabden Sharpa was sent by the Tibetan Government,
on requests from Sikkim, to act as regent. This
reign saw the threat of the expanding Gurkha kingdom
under Raja Prithwinarayan Shah of Nepal. Bhutan
also invaded and occupied all land east of Teesta,
but suffered a defeat at Phodong and withdrew
to the present boundaries after negotiations at
Rhenock. The Gurkha invasion was beaten back seventeen
times at Bichapur and Topzong under the leadership
of Chuthup (Satrajit). After this a peace treaty
was signed (1775 A.D.) with Nepal; the Gurkhas
pro mised to abstain from all armed raids. But
the Gurkhas broke the treaty and occupied Elam
and Topzong. |
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Namgyal Phuntsog was succeeded
by his son Tenzing Namgyal born in 1769 A.D. of
his third Queen. Tenzing Namgyal ascended in 1780
as the Sixth Consecrated Chogyal. In 1780 the
Sikkimese regrouped to expel the Nepalese and
formed two forces, one of Bhutias and another
of Lepchas. Though they achieved many victories
and cap- tured eight dzongs, there was no decisive
victory . In 1788 the Gurkhas again invaded through
Elam and reoccupied Southern Sikkim. Rabdentse
was also captured by a surprise attack and the
entire lower Teesta was devastated and occupied.
Tenzing Namgyal retired to Khabi and thence to
Lhasa. The Nepalese pressure relaxed somewhat
due to Nepalese involvement in Tibet, while. three
forces, Tsong, Lepcha and Bhutia, combined against
the Gurkhas to expel the aggressors with considerable
success. Sikkim was involved in the Sino- Tibetan
invasion of Nepal but Sikkim's claims were ignored
in the Sino-Nepalese Treaty. Tenzing Namgyal died
in Lhasa in 1793 and was succeeded by his son
Tsugphud Namgyal. |
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Tsugphud Namgyal (born 1785
A.D.) was the Seventh Consecrated Chogyal and
had a long reign 1793-1864. He accompanied his
father to Lhasa (1790 A.D.) and returned on his
death in 1793. His reign witnessed the penetration
of British power into the Himalayas and of British
efforts to trade with Tibet across the Himalayas.
Sikkim was involved in the British diplomacy and
was considered an ally of the British in the Anglo-
Nepalese War. Nagridzong was recaptured about
1814 and in 1815 the British helped to drive out
the Gurkhas from many parts of South West Sikkim.
In 1817 the Treaty of Titalia was signed between
the British and Nepal whereby the boun dary between
Sikkim and Nepal was laid along the Mahanadi and
Mechi rivers and the Singalila range. This however,
was not in conformity with Sikkimese wishes and
left large tracts of land still in the hands of
Nepal and did not restore the Sikkim Territories
around Titalia which the British acquired from
the Gurkhas but kept to themselves. |
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n 1814, Rabdentse being considered
too close to the Nepalese frontier, the capital
was shifted to Tumlong. The British first noticed
Darjeeling in 1828 and Tsugphud Namgyal gave Captain
Lloyd a deed giving the hill of Darjeeling to
the East India Company for a sanatorium, out of
friendship to the Governor General but, at the
same time, on the consideration that the boundary
dispute would be favourably concluded, and that
an equivalent amount of land would be given in
exchange (Deb- gong). The Company, however, insisted
on a rent against the wishes of the Ruler. Relations
with the Deputy Commissioner of Darjeeling (Campbell)
deteriorated over the question of extraditing
slaves and criminals and also over the illegal
collection of tax in the Sikkim Morang by the
Deputy Commissioner. This estrangement led to
the detention of Doctors Campbell and Hooker during
their unauthorised exploration inside Sikkim (
1859 A.D. ) which, in its turn, resulted in a
punitive expedition after their return and the
whole of Darjeeling and Morang being annexed (1860
A.D.). After another expedition the Treaty of
1861 was forced on Sikkim and the annexation of
Darjeeling con- firmed. The Treaty was signed
by Sidkeong Namgyal while Tsugphud was still in
Chumbi. Tsugphud died in 1863 and was succeeded
by Sidkeong Namgyal, his son from his second marriage.
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Sidkeong Namgyal (born 1819
A.D.) succeeded as the Eighth Consecrated Chogyal
in 1863. During his reign a growing dispute between
Sikkim and Tibet was successfully resolved as
well as two minor disputes with Bhutan. His attempts
at improving relations with the British included
a State Visit to Darjeeling in 1873 to meet the
Governor of Bengal. He wanted to reorganise the
Sikkim Army which he wished to be trained by the
British but was unsuccessful in the negotiations.
He was succeeded by his step-brother Thutob Namgyal
who was the son of Tsugphud Namgyal from his Fifth
Consort. |
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Thutob Namgyal (born 1860
A.D.) succeeded as the Ninth Consecrated Chogyal
in 1874 and ruled till his death in 1914. At the
time of his succession the British Empire in Asia
was paramount and Sikkim was already feeling the
bywinds of British diplomacy. His reign witnessed
the large scale colonization of families from
Nepal in spite of the prohibition imposed by the
Seventh Chogyal Tsugpud Namgyal against the settlement
of Nepa- lese in Sikkim. Tseepa Lama, a powerful
local magnate, in clear defiance of the ban, settled
Nepalese in Chakung for personal gain. This example
was soon followed by Lasso Athing and the brothers
Khangsa Dewan and Phodong Lama. A counter-movement
was started to eject the immigrants and Dalam
Athing Densapa and Pemayangtse Tatshang Lamas
thrice ejected the Nepalese along the Teesta.
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The Khangsapa brothers, however,
worked their way into the favour of the young
ruler and virtually became the Prime Ministers
but the policy of settling people from Nepal,
which supported by the British Deputy Commissioner
(Darjeeling), was resisted by the Chogyal. The
Khangsapa brothers had meanwhile made a deal with
the Newar traders, Laxmidas Brothers. An embezzlement
charge was laid against Lasso Athing and all his
lands were attached, which were then settled by
the Newar brothers. This incensed all the leading
men and an exasperated Sikkim made an appeal to
Ashley Eden, British Governor of Bengal. A meeting
was held at Kalimpong between Thutob Namgyal and
Ashley Eden and the latter agreed on the policy
of prohibiting the settlement of immigrants should
never and even advised that if the waste lands
were to be settled, the immigrants should never
be allowed to hold any office or village headship.
The Sikkim Assembly (Lhade Midhe then drew up
a document prohibiting such settlement but the
Khangsapa brothers obtained Thutob consent with
the outer seal and added in Tibetan these words:
"according to the Governor's desire I promise
to abide by the Policy of allowing the Gurkhalese
to settle in uninhabited and waste lands of Sikkim".
The Khangsapa brothers in collusion with the Darjeeling
Deputy Commissioner the started settling Nepalese
in Rhenock. This resulted in opposition from the
Tatshang Lamas who led a body of Sikkimese to
Rhenock to turn out the new settlers. Phodong
Lama also built a small force and marched on Rhenock.
The Khangsapa Dewan, however, had the dispute
settled in favour of his brother Phodong Lama
with the support of the British officers at Darjeeling.
This led to an increasing settlement of Nepalese.
The young Chogyal, frustrated, chose Chumbi for
his summer retreats. |
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Terracing
An important feature of Sikkimese agriculture introduced
into Sikkim by settlers from Nepal Chumbi Palace:
Located in the Chumbi Valley, the seat of the first
Capital of Sikkim |
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Even before the accession
of Thutob, the British were looking for trade
marts in Tibet. In 1886 Colman Macaulay, leading
a mission for the purpose, entered Sikkim en route
to Tibet. The Tibetans occupied Lungthu. On Thutob's
mediation the mission was withdrawn and the Tibetans
were evicted from Lungthu. The British were not
reconciled and brought reinforcements into Sikkim
while the Tibetans reinforced themselves in Chumbi
which was until then a part of Sikkim. Armed clashes
took place at Gnatang, Rinchen- gang and Chumbi
(1888). Neither side scored any decisive point. |
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The arrival of Claude White
at Sikkim in 1887 as the leader of a British expedition
saw the complete usurpation of Governmental power
in collaboration with the Khangsapa brothers,
and the virtual arrest of the Chogyal. The Chogyal
and Queen were taken to Kalimpong and detained
there. During their detention at Kalimpong, Claude
White, with his Sikkimese proteges, embarked upon
a policy of destroying the ancient economy of
Sikkim. A number of lessee landlords were created
and settlement of Nepalese en bloc in different
areas was made. After several months of detention
at Kalimpong the Chogyal and Queen were allowed
to return. |
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But the pressure and excesses
of Claude White did not cease and while Thutob
was at Rabdentse on a pilgrimage in 1891, White
accused him of having used forced labour, and
threatened action. Thutob addressed the British
Governor at Calcutta detailing White's maltreatment
and preposterous charges. White became incensed
and wanted to bring Thutob back to Gangtok by
threats and in- ducements, but the Chogyal planned
a retreat to Doptah, an enclave of Sikkim near
Khampadzong in Tibet. The Nepalese stopped him
at Walong Valley and handed him over to the British.
Thutob was detained for two years at Kurseong.
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In 1895 Chogyal Thutob was
removed to Darjeeling and after six months of
confinement was released to return to rule Sikkim.
In spite of the Ten-Clauses Agreement for restoration
of the usurped authority, which was proclaimed
before Thutob's return, White transferred only
the judiciary to the Chogyal. Only in 1905, when
the Chogyal and Queen went to Calcutta on invitation
to meet the British heir-apparent, the Prince
of Wales, they brought to the notice of the British
Viceroy the question of restoration of administrative
powers; on their return the Political Officer
handed over the Council and part of the administration
but retained the power to review any transaction.
Thutob distributed the responsibility of administration
among several ministers and set up a Secretariat.
It was during his reign, in 1906, that the first
English School was set up. |
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Thutob passed away in 1914
and was succeeded by his second son, Sidkeong
Tulku from his first wife. Sidkeong Tulku (born
1879 A.D.) succeeded as the Tenth Consecrated
Chogyal in February, 1914. The Tulku was indeed
an extraordinary man and while yet a boy he had
developed a high intelligence and a forceful personality.
He was admitted to Oxford in 1906 and during his
two years' stay there he distinguished himself
in the corporate life of the University. On his
return in 1908 he was given charge of Forests,
Monasteries and Schools. During the last two years
of Chogyal Thutob's rule Sidkeong Tulku was at
the helm and it was during this time, in 1913,
the abolition of imprisonment as a penalty for
non-payment of debts and the ban on settlement
of plainsmen were introduced. |
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On becoming the Chogyal of
Sikkim, Sidkeong Tulku made no secret of his desire
to remove vested interests. and his proposal to
liquidate the system of landlords created staunch
enemies among a large number of landlords. In
addition his spirit of independence and his assertive
nature strained relations with the Political Officer,
Charles Bell. |
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In December 1914, while Sidkeong
was some- what indisposed, a British physician
from Bengal administered a heavy transfusion of
brandy and put him under a number of blankets;
at the same time a fire was kept beneath the bed.
Death came in the hour. Thus ended prematurely
a promising career in most suspicious circumstances.
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Sidkeong Tulku was succeeded
by Tashi Namgyal, born on 26th October, 1893,
as the Eleventh Consecrated Chogyal of Sikkim.
The long and enlightened rule of fifty years saw
many social and economic reforms and all round
development of the country. |
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Far reaching changes were
effected in the judiciary in Sikkim. A modern
type of court designated Chief Court, was set
up and a full time judge appointed (1916) thereby
bringing the judicial functions of the landlord;s
under the supervision of a superior court. By
a Charter in April, 1955 a High Court was set
up and separation of higher judiciary from executive
completed. The judicial and magisterial functions
of the landlords were completely abolished by
1948. |
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In 1918 complete restoration
.of Governmental authority was obtained and the
Chogyal was in- vested with full ruling authority.
Measures to eradicate social evils and inequity
followed. Public gambling was made illegal in
1921, and in 1924 the use of unpaid labour was
prohibited. The use of Jharlangi, a form of paid
conscripted labour for Governmental work, was
curtailed in 1945 and in 1946 the landlords were
forbidden the use of Jharlangi from the peasants.
Another form of obliged labour known as Kurwas
was abolished in 1947. |
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At the end of the Second
World War land reforms were taken in hand. The
period of lessee landlordism expired in 1940 and
it was decided to terminate it when the war was
over. But the land- lords were not forthcoming
in relinquishing their estates and therefore the
Chogyal started clipping their powers and functions.
The landlords' courts and' their powers of registration
of lands and deeds were abolished in 1948. The
lessee system was dropped and the people were
given the right to pay |
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