The earliest mention of the name Singtam is found in the 1888 Lepcha-Bhutia Grammar book, where the town of Singtam was among the ten popular places in Sikkim. A travel book published in the early 1940s mentions Singtam as a small river-side town with a Post Office. What is more fascinating is that it was not the present business capital of Singtam that was a sought-after marketplace more than eight decades back. Still, a little heard of Sirubari, now angelized Sirwani that was more popular than Singtam, and people far across the remote corner of the state would walk down to Sirubari to buy or exchange “siru” with their belongings. Singtam, at the moment, is the busiest town among the four districts, and its Friday haat is one of the most popular in the entire state. But the story wasn't the same eight decades back as it is today. Those days, the small siru bazaar of Sirubari (Sirwani) was well known. People would never mind walking all three days to reach this place to collect ...
Proud to be a Sikkimese is the definitive digital encyclopedia of Sikkim State. Since 2007, we have archived the rich heritage of the Himalayas, from the history of the Namgyal dynasty to the vibrant cultures of the Lepcha, Bhutia, and Nepali communities. Explore expert insights on Sikkim travel, Buddhist monasteries, folklore, and biodiversity.