History of sikkim

Sikkim is a Himalayan state and and it’s society is the Himalayan society with many social traits. The ancient history of this Himalayan region still lies in obscurity. All that we know about pre-historic period is through legends and myths which have not been authenticated by historians.

Sikkim was inhabited in pre-historic times by three tribes – Naong, Chang and the Mon (People of India). The Lepchas who entered Sikkim sometimes later absorbed them completely. So the origin of Lepchas is shrouded in mystery but it seems that they belong to the clan of Nagas who lived in the south of Brahmaputra valley.

During the reign of some of the early rulers, the territorial limit of Sikkim extended beyond the present boundaries on all sides.

The Kingdom was then many times it’s size today. In the north it extended to Thang La (near Phari, Tibet), in the East to Tagong La (near Paro,Bhutan), in the South to Titalia (near the borders of Bihar and Bengal) and in the West to Timar Chorten (Tamar river, Nepal). Towards the close of the 18^th century, the Gorkhas of Nepal advanced as far east as the Tista and beyond. Following the Treaty of Segaulee (1816) which marked the close of the Indo-Nepal war of 1814-15, the English handed over to the Raja of Sikkim’the hilly or mountainous country situated to the Eastward of the Mechee river and to Westword of the Teesta river which was formerly possessed and occupied by the King of Nepal.

Next by Deed of Grant on February ‘1835, the King of Sikkim made over Darjeeling to the East India Company. The boundaries of Sikkim towards the West and South are also said to have undergone changes from time to time till 1835. The northern boundary, whatever it was previously, was ultimately fixed by an agreement between the British Government in India and China in 1890.