PEMAYANGTSE

THE TOWN

The small town of Pemayangtse is an important Buddhist religious center in the state of Sikkim. Pemayangtse is not only a religious center, but it offers a panoramic view of the eastern Himalayas to the traveler including the mighty Kanchenjunga peak that overlooks the town. The area around Pemayangtse offers to the adventure seeker a number of trekking and hiking trails.

LOCATION

Pemayangtse is located in the southwestern part of the state of Sikkim, in the northeastern region of India. It is set amongst the Sikkim Himalayas at a height of 6,000 feet above sea level and is near Great Rangit River. The weather in Pemayangtse is alpine. Summers (April-June) are short and mild, while winters are cold (November-February). It experiences monsoon rains between July and September.


VISITING TIME

The best time to visit Pemayangtse is between the months of March and May

HISTORY
The state of Sikkim was originally the home of the Lepcha tribesmen. In the 15th century AD, this region saw the migration of Tibetan Buddhist sects. The Nyingamapa sect/order established its base in Sikkim and their religious teachers or Lamas helped establish the Kingdom of Sikkim. The ruler of this kingdom was called the Chogyal. The capital of this kingdom was at Yuksom and later shifted to Rabdentse, both of which are near Pemayangtse.

The kingdom of Sikkim included parts of eastern Nepal, the Chumbi valley (Tibet), Ha valley of Bhutan and foothills of India up to Darjeeling. The kingdom of Sikkim tried to resist the advancing British rule in the 19th century, but the British annexed it in 1849. The power of the Chogyal was thus reduced and Sikkim was made a British protectorate. This action of the British infuriated the Tibetans, who had an unsuccessful armed clash with the British. This area became a part of India when India annexed Sikkim in 1975.