Getting Oriented

Getting Oriented

Darjeeling and tiny Sikkim together have a ringside seat to the eastern Himalayas. Sikkim is one of the smallest states of India and the least populated with just 540,00 people, while the Darjeeling district is home to 1.6 million people at last count. Both regions are racially and culturally diverse, Darjeeling more so where a mix of Nepalis, Tibetans, Bengalis and some Sikkimese (mainly Bhutias) live. Sikkim is a blend of Nepali and Sikkimese population and the Sikkimese have two ethnicities-Lepcha and Bhutia. There are various theories about the origin of both these groups-Lepchas are said to have migrated from Tibet centuries ago but have Burmese influences. Bhutias too hail originally from Tibet and became Sikkim's ruling class.