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

   by Benu Pradhan About 3kms from Pelling and a few minutes walk further down from Pemayangtse Monastery are the Rabdentse ruins, the 2nd capital of Sikkim, founded by the 2nd Chogyal of Sikkim Tensung Namgyal in the year 1670. In this palace, Tensung Namgyal married three wives, first from Tibet, second from Bhutan and the daughter of the Limboo king, Yo Yo Hang of Limbuwana eastern Nepal. The 3rd Chogyal Chador Namgyal and his half-sister, Paden Wangmoo (the daughter of a Bhutanese mother), claimed the throne against her brother, which led to the Bhutanese attack on Rabdentse and the fleeing away of Chador Namgyal for political shelter to Lhasa, and losing Kalimpong to Bhutan in the process finally to the brother of Chador Namgyal.   The assassinations by his sister Paden at Borong hot spring when the king was deep in treatment (1716). With the final wishes of the dying king, Sister Paden Wangmoo was caught and strangled to death and burnt at Samduptse (Na...

        Wikipedia says:     Rabdentse was the second capital of Sikkim. It was shifted from Yuksom in 1670 by Tensung Namgyal, the second Chogyal (monarch). However, Rabdentse was too close to the Nepal border, which had cold relations with Sikkim. After repeated raids on the capital by the Nepalese in the 18th century, the capital was shifted further inland to Tumlong in 1793 by Tshudpud Namgyal, then Chogyal. The ruined capital is surrounded by thickly forested valley. It is nearby Pemayangtse Monastery. Rabdentse has also a bird sanctuary. This monument is declared to be of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India. 

Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal Coronation (April 4 1965)

War objects found at Tumlong Palace ruins Little is known about the collapse of the Tumlong Palace, the third official capital of the kingdom of Sikkim but the findings of few war-related objects from the ruins of the site have added some exciting tidings. Found from the Palace ruins are cannon balls, musket balls and an iron gear. These objects could probably be looked upon as a new era of warfare that was brought to the Himalayan land of Sikkim by the British. These materials are presently under the preservation of Archives Department, Gangtok. After Rabdenste, the second capital of Sikkim was repeatedly attacked by the Nepal royal army, Tshudpud Namgyal, the than Chogyal of Sikkim shifted his capital from Rabdenste to Tumlong in 1793. Tumlong was the capital of Sikkim till 1884 when Chogyal Thutob Namgyal shifted his capital to present day Gangtok. Musket balls Cannon ball

Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal and Hope Cooke at Palace

Sikkim Royal Palace at Gangtok Shared by Vicky Palzor Lepcha

Sikkim State Police band in front of the Sikkim Royal Palace at Gangtok.

BY SHITAL PRADHAN Pemayangste Monastery in west Sikkim near Pelling is the second oldest monastery in Sikkim after Dubdi monastery. One of the much sought after tourist destinations for its natural beauty and off course the cosmic charm of its monastery this heaven abode is at the height of 6840 ft and the wonderful view of Himalayan ranges and surrounding hills is a magnificent pleasure. Built by Gyalwa Lhatsun Chenpo this ancient two-storey masterpiece belongs to Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism and is 140 km west from Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim . This 300-year-old monastery yearly holds distinct religious chaam (dances) that it is favorites among the foreign tourists. Originally this monastery was used as an institution of preparing future monks. One of the major attractions of this three-century-old institution is the presence of “Sangtoedpalri”which means ‘abode of Guru Rimpoche’ on the second floor kept sealed in a glass. Lhatsun Chenpo conceived it where the eight m...