HOW TO REACH SIKKIM

Sikkim lies on the North Eastern corner of India and is juxtaposed between Bhutan and Nepal with West Bengal on its South.
Capital of Sikkim is Gangtok, which connects Siliguri through National Highway 31A. Siliguri, a major town on the northern fringe of West Bengal being the main gateway of Sikkim.
Nearest Airport: Bagdogra. (Near Siliguri, 117 kms from Gangtok)
This is connected with regular flights from Kolkata (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport).
Daily flights are available to Kolkata from New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and all other major cities of India.
Nearest Railway Station: New Jalpaigur,i near Siliguri Town, 117 kms from Gangtok.
Overnight trains are available from Kolkata which reaches New Jalpaiguri Station in the morning.
Taxis1. Taxis are available from New Jalpaiguri Station: charges are INR 100 per person.
2. From Siliguri Buses and Taxis are available at the following points:
Buses - SNT(Sikkim National Transport) Bus Terminus, Near Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus.
Taxis - Taxi Stand Opposite SNT Bus Terminus. Charges are INR 100 per person OR INR 1000 (This may incease during peak tourist season) if you want to reserve the vehicle.

For more information contact:

Sikkim Tourist Information Centre, Gangtok	91-03592-202064/223425/225277
Sikkim Tourist Information Centre, New Delhi	91-011-26115346/26116346
Sikkim Tourist Information Centre, Kolkata	91-033-2468983/2451960/2469786
Sikkim Tourist Information Centre, Siliguri	91-0353-2432646/2512646

About Sikkim

The modern history of Sikkim begins from 1642 A.D. with the coronation of Phuntsog Namgyal as the first Chogyal or king of Sikkim in a tranquil pine covered hill in Yuksom Norbugang in West Sikkim.
The Namgyals were scions of the Mi-nyak House in Kham in Eastern Tibet. It is said that there were three brothers, chiefs of Kham Mi-nyak. A letter dropped from heaven directed the middle brother to go south towards Sikkim where his descendents were fated to rule. It was in Sakya that his eldest son single-handedly raised the pillars of the Sakya monastery and earned himself the sobriquet of 'Khye Bumsa'( the strength of a lakh of men)

Khye Bumsa also earned himself the hand of the daughter of the Sakya hierarch and settled in Chumbi Valley, which remained, for a long time, the epicenter of the later kingdom of Sikkim.

Long troubled by the fact that he and his wife were issueless, Khye Bumsa sought the blessings of the Lepcha chieftain Thekongtek who was reputed to be able to grant the boon of progeny. Khye Bumsa's wife subsequently bore him three sons. Later Khye Bumsa and Thekong Tek swore the historic pact of eternal friendship at Kabi Longtsok in North Sikkim.
Khye Bumsa's third son Mipon Rab succeeded his father. He, in turn, was succeeded by his fourth son Guru Tashi who moved to Gangtok. Meanwhile Thekongtek passed away and the Lepchas who started fragmenting into small tribes turned to Guru Tashi for leadership and protection.

The Sikkim Coronation book describes Guru Tashi as the 'first ruler of Sikkim who paved way for a regular monarchy'.
Five generations later, it was Phuntsog Namgyal who was consecrated as the first Denjong Gyalpo or the king of Sikkim by the three great Lamas who came from the North, West and South to Yuksom Norbugang in West Sikkim in 1642 A.D. The event, predicted as it was by Guru Rinpoche, was the 'Naljor Chezhi' or the meeting of the four yogic brothers or the four saints or four sages.
It was preordained that three saints of great repute from different parts of Tibet make their way to Bayul Demajong (Sikkim) to discharge their responsibility of upholding and propogating the essence of Dharma in the hidden land of Demajong. Thus it was that Lhatsun Namkha Jigme, Kathog Kuntu Zangpo and Gnadak Sempa Phuntsog Rigzin made their way to Sikkim separately, and through impenetrable routes.
This historical congregation of the three holy Lamas is called Yuksom, which in Lepcha means the 'Three Superior Ones'.
Lhatsun Chenpo impressed on the other two that they were all Lamas and needed a layman to rule the kingdom righteously. He further pointed out that, 'In the prophecy of Guru Rinpoche, it is written that four noble brothers shall meet in Demajong and arrange for its government. We were three of those who came from the North, West and South'. As for the East, he quoted the oracular guide book Rinchen Lingpa which mentioned, 'One of my four avatars will be like a lion, the king among beasts, who will protect the kingdom by his bravery and powers'. The book also mentioned that, 'One named Phuntsog from the direction of Gang will appear'.
So Lhatsun Chenpo deputed a hermit called Togden Kalzang Thondup and a layman called Passang to lead a party to Gangtok in invite the person bearing the name of Phuntsog to come to Yuksom Norbugang. After several adventures, the party came to Gangtok where they met Phuntsog milking his cows. Phuntsog invited them in and bade them partake of fresh cow's milk and told them his name was Phuntsog. He saw the invitation of the three Lamas as a most fortuitous event and lost no time in setting out for Yuksom Norbugang with his entire retinue of followers, officers and household establishment.
The coronation took place in the Chu-ta or water horse year in 1642A.D. Thus Phuntsog Namgyal was installed on the throne of Sikkim with the title of 'Chogyal' or king who rules with righteousness, with both spiritual and temporal powers. While the three Lamas spread Buddhism in Sikkim, Phuntsog Namgyal started consolidating his kingdom.
Twelve generations of Chogyals ruled over Sikkim for over 300 years. This tiny Himalayan kingdom however witnessed tumultuous change in 1972-73. In 1975 the institution of the Chogyal was abolished and on May 16th, 1975 Sikkim was

FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT SIKKIM

Location		Approx 27 deg. North 88 deg. East
Area		7,096 sq.kms (0.22% of area of India)
State Population (As per 2001 Census)		540,493 (Male 288,217; Female 252,276).05% of the total population of India
Sex ratio (2001 Census)		986 females/1000 males
Density of population		76 per sq. miles
Capital		Gangtok
District, Areas		East District (954 sq. km) -Gangtok
& District Capitals		West District (1166 sq. km) -Gyalshing
		South District - Namchi
		North District (4226 sq.km) - Mangan
No. of Sub-Divisions		9 (Gangtok, Pakyong, Rongli, Namchi, Soreng, Gyalshing, Rabongla, Mangan, Chungthang)
Climate		Tropical, Temperate and Alpine
No. of Zilla Panchayat ward		100
No. of Gram Panchyat		166 units
No. of Revenue Blocks		454
Other Important towns		Jorethang, Singtam, Rangpo, Pakyong Rhenock, Meli, Chungthang and Soreng
Languages Spoken		Nepali, Bhutia, Lepcha, Limboo, Magar, Rai, Gurung, Sherpa, Tamang, Newari, Sunuwar (Mukhia).
Main occupations		Farmers, Cardamom Growers, Government Contractors and Government Employees.
Per Capita Income		Rs. 29,808/- (2005-06, at current prices)
Domestic product		Rs. 1717 crores (2005-06, at current prices)
Religions		Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity
Urban Population		11.1%
% below poverty line		19.2 ( in 2005-06)
Birth rate		19.2 ( in 2005-06 per 1000)
Death Rate:		4.5 ( in 2005-06 per 1000)
Infant Mortality rate		32 ( in 2005-06 per 1000)
State Day ( the day Sikkim Became a part of India)		16th May
State Animal		Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)
State Bird		Blood Pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus)
State Flower		Nobile Orchid (Dendrobium nobile)
State Tree		Rhododendron (Rhododendron niveum)
No. of Assembly seats		32
No. of Lok Sabha seats		1
No. of Rajya Sabha		1
No. of Police Stations		82 (2005-06)
Crime Statistics (1997)		Murders: 15 Robbery: 9 Theft: 115 Burglary: 56 Rape: 7; Kidnapping: 9
No. of Doordarsan TV		1 at Gangtok
High power Transmitters No. of All India Radio Stations		1, MV & SW at Gangtok
No. of Schools and Educational Institutions in the State		Primary 503 Middle (Junior) Schools 146 Secondary Schools 93 Senior Sec. Schools 41 Public Schools 4 Degree College 3 Engineering College 1 Medical College 1 B.Ed College 1 Law College 1 Sheda 1 Monastic Schools 70 Sanskrit parshala 12 Madrasa 7 Teachers Training Inst. 1 Industrial Training Inst. 1 Polytechnic Institutions 2
Percentage of literacy		82 % (2005-06)
No. of hospitals		6, including Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial & Manipal Referral Hospitals
No. of Primary Health Cente		24