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Sandwiched between the kingdoms
of Nepal in the west and Bhutan in the east lies a
small stretch of rugged land just 115 kilometers by
65 kilometers-the Indian state of Sikkim. On its
northern border towers the plateau of Tibet whereas
it shares its southern border with West Bengal,
which is another state of India. On the world map it
is just a speck with an approximate latitude of 27
degrees North and longitude of 88 degrees East but
its size belies its richness of culture, customs,
heritage, flora and fauna.
In this small area of just 7096 sq km – just
slightly bigger than that of Delhi and its suburb
towns – are encompassed climates varying from the
sultry tropical to the dry arctic, wild animals like
mongoose and the red panda and a wide range of flora
from primulas to the magnolia. The customs and
cultures of the different communities that reside
here also present a kaleidoscopic picture.
Sikkim was earlier a protectorate of India with a
monarchy government but in 1975 it metamorphosed as
the Twenty Second state of the Indian Union. The
population of the whole state is only 5,40, 000 as
per the last census-less that a populated colony in
Delhi.
A map of Sikkim elsewhere in the book depicts
important physical features and places in the State.
Surrounded by three countries, Sikkim has a 220
kilometers long border with Tibet, 100 kilometers
with Nepal, 30 kilometers with Bhutan and 80
kilometers with West Bengal.
The literacy rate in the state is 70 percent and is
higher than the national average. Almost everyone
can communicate in English and Hindi although the
most prevalent language in the state is Nepali.
Sikkim is also not dogged with the social and
economic problems like casteism, begging, child
labour and discrimination against woman being faced
by other states in the country. The crime rate is
negligible, and the state is not troubled with
insurgency.
Communities, cultures, religions and customs of
different hues intermingle freely here in Sikkim to
constitute a homogeneous blend. Hindu temples
coexist with Buddhist monasteries and there are even
a few Christian churches, Muslim mosques and Sikh
Gurdwaras. Although the Buddhists with monasteries
all over the state are the most conspicuous
religious group, they are infact a minority
constituting only 28% of the population. The
majority, 68% profess Hinduism. The predominant
communities are the Lepcha, Bhutias, and the
Nepalis. In urban areas many plainsmen-Marwaris,
Biharis, Bengalis, South Indians, Punjabis-have also
settled and they are mostly engaged in business and
government service. Because of development and
construction activities in the state, a small part
of the population consists of migrant labourers from
the plains and from Nepal: plumbers, masons and
carpenters from Orissa, Bihar and West Bengal and
Sherpas who are hired by the army to maintain the
roads at high altitudes. There are also a few
thousand Tibetan Refugees settled in Sikkim. |
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