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The original inhabitants were the Lepchas
or the “raven folks” who came to the area from Assam and
Burma. From the 1200’s the Bhutias or the Tibetan people
moved into Sikkim. They included the Namgyal clan who
arrived in the 1400’s and gradually won political control
over Sikkim. In 1642,Phintsok Namgyal (1604-1670) became the
first Chogyal (King). He presided over a social system based
on Tibetan Lamaistic Buddhism. His descendents ruled Sikkim
for more than 330 years. During the 1700 A.D Sikkim suffered
massive invasion from Nepal and Bhutan and lost much
territory as a result. The Nepalese also migrated to Sikkim
and settled as farmers. By the 1800 A.D Sikkim is population
was very mixed, and internal conflict resulted
Sikkim assisted the British in a successful war against
Nepal in the year 1814-1815 and won back some of its land.
The British India Company purchased the health resort of
Darjeeling from Sikkim. During the mid 1800 A.D, Sikkim
violently resisted attempts to bring it under British Rule,
but in 1861 it finally became a protectorate. The British
had assess to Tibet through Sikkim, and Sikkim is
independent status was recognized. The Indian government
took responsibility of Sikkim effort external affairs,
defense and communication of Skim in the year 1950. In 1973,
India took Sikkim into the union as an associate member. In
1975, Sikkim became the 22nd state of India. |
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