Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

  The added attraction of the 135 ft tall statue of Guru Padmasambhava at Samdruptse in South Sikkim finds one of the many reasons for the tourist to visit Sikkim. Around a hundred kilometers from Namchi the world’s highest statue of Guru Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche as he is regularly known has already become a pilgrim center for Buddhist followers in and around the state. The statue is made of copper and cement and the total cost of the statue is around Rs 6.76 crores. The total height of the statue from the ground is 151 ft. The foundation stone for the statue was laid by the His Holiness the Dalai Lama on October 22, 1997, and was formerly inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Pawan Chamling on February 18, 2004. Guru Padmasambhava is regarded as a patron saint and the force behind the introduction of Buddhism in Sikkim. He visited Sikkim in the 8 th century and did his meditation. He established the Nyingma Order of Tibetan Buddhism. Samdruptse has been a ...

Sikkim Mahinda Thero BY SHITAL PRADHAN I first heard about S Mahinda Thero in 2005 while in Kolkata when I was asked by one of the stamp dealers whether I was interested in a 20 paisa stamp of S Mahinda Thero issued by the Sri Lankan Postal Department in the early 1970s. I collected philatelic items on Buddhism, but I never understood who he was talking about. He told me, as I was from Sikkim, I might be interested to know more about the person, and he went on to add it was Sikkim Mahinda Thero, a Buddhist monk who is regarded as a national hero, a famous poet in the Sinhalese language whose poetry promoted patriotism and the revival of Buddhism to this part of the Island. He promised to send me the stamp of S Mahinda Thero from Colombo through the mail, but I have never heard from him since then. However, regarding my limited concern, it was enough to know that such a person keeps the name Sikkim with honor and pride in Sri Lanka. I had the name...

Phayul [Thursday, March 20, 2008 20:39] The peace marchers gather at Kalachakra Phodang, Salugara before undertaking their long walk (Photo by Tenzin Nyima for Phayul.com) Dharamsala, March 20: 300 pro-Tibet activists from the North-East region of India started on a peace march from Siliguri in West Bengal to Nathula Border in Sikkim in their attempt to join Tibetan protests going on in Tibet. The march was flagged off at 2 p.m. on Thursday from Kalachakra Phodang, Salugara. The peace march, organised by North-East Zonal Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), has seen the participation of members of Regional Tibetan Women's Association as well as many local Tibetans and Tibet supporters. Tibetans from Dimapur, Kohima, Shillong, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Ravangla and other places are taking part in the march to join fellow Tibetans in their ongoing protests against China’s illegal occupation of Tibet. 16-year old Tenzin Passang and 78-year old Mr Lobsang, both from ...