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It is traditionally
accepted that the Lepchas are the autochthonous tribe of Sikkim.
After them came the Bhutias, from Tibet, followed by the Nepalese
and finally the Indian business community from the plains.
However, before one goes into the ethnic composition of Sikkim,
it needs to be said that the Sikkimese, irrespective of the tribe,
class or community they belong to , are essentially simple folk.
Like most hill-tribes, the Sikkimese are thus far relatively
untouched by consumerism. Cliched though it may sound, the
Sikkimese truly exemplify how different communities can exemplify
how different communities can coexist in peace and mutual
The Sikkimese can be broadly classified into the Lephcas, the
Bhutias, the Nepalese and the plainsmen (mostly businessmen from
elsewhere in India). Communities, cultures, religions and Customs
of different hues intermingle freely here in Sikkim to constitute
a homogeneous blend. Hindu temples co- exist with Buddhist
monasteries and there are even a few Christian churches, Muslim
mosques and Sikh "Gurdwara". Although the Buddhists with
monasteries all over the state are the most conspicuous religious
group, they are in fact a minority constituting only 28% of the
population. The majority, 68% profess Hinduism. The predominant
communities are the Lepchas, Bhutias and the Nepalis. In urban
areas many plainsmen- Marwaris, Biharis, Bengalis, South Indians,
Punjabis- have also settled and they are mostly engaged in
business and government service. Because of development and
construction activities in the state, a small part of the
population consists of migrant labourers from the plains and from
Nepal: plumbers, masons and carpenters from Orissa, Bihar and West
Bengal and Sherpas who are hired by the army to maintain the roads
at high altitudes. There are also a few thousand Tibetan Refugees
settled in Sikkim. Cultural and economic forces are reshaping the
way of life of the Sikkimese. This can be seen by taking a walk
down the M.G. Marg of Gangtok, boys and girls sporting the latest
fashions probably picked up from a new Hindi movie or BBC s
Clothes Show gaily tromp up and down. An open Jeep carrying
jubilant footballers who have won a match passes by -they are
singing Daler Mehndi's popular Punjabi song "Bol Ta Ra Ra" at the
top of their voices. The cable TV is definitely attempting to
remould the cultural landscape of Sikkim. You should not be
Surprised if you come across a village girl some- where in the
wilderness dressed in a Punjabi Kurta Pajama singing a Hindi
number "Didi tera dewar diwana " while tending to her herd of
cattle. Inspite of such powerful external influences, Sikkimese
have proved to be resilient accepting the benefits of progress
while retaining their ethnic identity.
THE LEPCHAS:
The original inhabitants of Sikkim are said to be Lepchas. They
existed much before the Bhutias and Nepalese migrated to the
state. Before adopting Buddhism or Christianity as their religion,
the earliest Lepcha settlers were believers in the bone faith or
mune faith. This faith was basically based on spirits, good and
bad. They worshipped spirits of mountains , rivers and forests
which was but natural for a tribe that co-existed so harmoniously
with the rich natural surroundings. The Lepcha (Zongu) folklore is
rich with stories. The Lepcha population is concentrated in the
central part of the Sikkim. This is the area that encompasses the
confluence of Lachen and Lachung rivers and Dickchu...more
THE NEPALESE :
The Nepalese appeared on the Sikkim scene much after the Lepchas &
Bhutias. They migrated in large numbers and soon became the
dominant community. The Nepalese now constitute more than 80 % of
the total population. The Nepali settlers introduced the terraced
system of cultivation. Cardamom was an important cash crop
introduced by the Nepalese. Except for the Sherpas & Tamangs who
are Buddhists, the Nepalese are orthodox Hindus with the usual
caste system...more
THE BHUTIAS:
They are the people of Tibetan origin. They migrated to Sikkim
perhaps somewhere after the fifteenth century through the state of
Sikkim. In Northern Sikkim, where they are the major inhabitants,
they are known as the Lachenpas and Lachungpas. The language
spoken by the bhutias is Sikkimese . Bhutia villages are as large
as those compared to those of Lepchas. A Bhutia house called "Khin"
is usually of rectangular shape ...more
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