Sikkim: The Other Tibet | Part I

[@GhostCountries]

Part II is now up: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4TEf6Fri7Wkpbs

[@BlueBuckJS]

Personally, this is one of my favorites of your more recent videos! 👍It's quintessential ghost countries in my opinion. I knew next to nothing about Sikkim before this and really am looking forward to the next part that deals with more recent history.

[@GhostCountries]

Thank you so much John; this was a very interesting episode to work on, because, kind of like you said, we didn’t know too much about Sikkim either before actually diving into it. I’d say it was like Minami-Torishima for me in that regard, but it definitely made me want to explore more South Asian history in future episodes.

[@kirbyward2001]

Interesting part of the world with a complex history Inspires me to learn more

[@GhostCountries]

Thank you so much and yeah, it really is...well, interesting when you peel back the layers of a region's history and discover something new. Definitely something I think both of us have experienced a lot while doing this channel.

[@jiayizhou323]

never heard of that kingdom before. really cool! Hope another part will follow!

[@GhostCountries]

Thanks Jiayi 😁; yep, there's a part II that'll be going up relatively soon!

[@Theunknownpast_official]

Once I saw the notification I had to stop watching my Netflix show 😂 excellent video man. This channel is so underrated

[@GhostCountries]

Glad you’ve got your priorities right there! 😅 Yeah man, believe me...we feel the same, but the channel is growing. Just need more views! 👀

[@StoicHistorian]

Your channel deserves way more recognition, such an interesting way to study history you got here my good man

[@GhostCountries]

Oh, thank you so much again! I feel (slowly, but surely) we're getting there; plus, it's nice the influx of new viewers + subscribers means that more than a few of our older videos are getting a second lease on life.

[@StoicHistorian]

@@GhostCountries absolutely great to hear

[@eatsblades]

I dunno where you find this stuff but I'm glad you do. Fascinating videos

[@haminepali4553]

Great work, truly in deep information

[@GhostCountries]

Thank you so much 🙌 and we’ll be continuing the kingdom’s story when part II is uploaded!

[@ericcloud1023]

Really original idea for a channel! Subbed for sure

[@mkmkmk9536]

Great content! The ending was brutal😳

[@GhostCountries]

Thanks Matt! Glad you noticed that animation...hahaha, but yeah, definitely gives some meaning to blood feud.

[@zacharyjakob]

Nice vid, as always. Would love one on Hyderabad as well, if that's not already on the list!

[@GhostCountries]

Thanks Zachary - I think you’ll like part II when it’s uploaded! That deals mainly with more recent history and how Sikkim became a part of India. And yeah, way back when we did the “Help Us Choose” episode, I was kind of hoping for Hyderabad to win. 😅 It’s just a very interesting bit of South Asian history. So, without a doubt...we’ll definitely cover it at some point!

[@nomad9135]

@@GhostCountries I voted for Hyderabad back then! lol

[@dorjeedamdul5589]

Sikkim darjeeling ladakh arunachal upper uttarakhand upper himachal whole were part of tibet once

[@wise003090]

India stole the land . That's why internally India has no peace till today.

[@RajeshSoni-k7d]

Yes Tibet southern part was Part of India

[@dorjeedamdul5589]

@@RajeshSoni-k7d kon kiska part part tha aur kon kiska part banega woto anne wala samay pata chalega

[@RameshYadav-d1r]

The British introduction of Limbus into Darjeeling in large numbers marked the beginning of the end of the Kingdom of Sikkim. This strategic move by the British had far-reaching consequences that ultimately led to the downfall of the kingdom. The Limbus, brought in to maintain a balance of power in the region, played a crucial role in the erosion of Sikkim's sovereignty and the eventual annexation of the kingdom by the British. One of the primary reasons the British brought in the Limbus was to counterbalance the influence of the Gorkhas, who were a dominant force in the region. The Gorkhas, led by the powerful kingdom of Nepal, posed a significant threat to British interests in India. By supporting the Limbus, the British aimed to create a buffer zone between their territories and the Gorkhas, thereby reducing the risk of conflict. However, this move had unintended consequences that ultimately led to the downfall of Sikkim. The Limbus, who were initially loyal to the British, soon became embroiled in the politics of Sikkim. They formed alliances with the British and the Gorkhas, convincing themselves that they were fighting for their own interests. However, this allegiance came at a significant cost. The Limbus played a crucial role in erasing the history of the indigenous cultures of Sikkim, including the Lepchas and Bhutias, who were the traditional rulers of the kingdom. This erasure of history has had lasting impacts on the region, with many of the historical sites and inscriptions of these cultures being lost or forgotten. Furthermore, the Limbus' involvement in Sikkim's politics led to the displacement of the traditional rulers and the erosion of the kingdom's sovereignty. The Limbus, who were seen as more pliable and loyal to the British, gradually took over key administrative positions, displacing the Lepchas and Bhutias. This led to a loss of power and influence for the traditional rulers, ultimately weakening the kingdom's ability to resist British encroachment. The British, sensing the weakening of Sikkim's sovereignty, began to exert greater pressure on the kingdom. They used the Limbus as a tool to further their own interests, often manipulating them to do their bidding. This led to a series of treaties and agreements that gradually eroded Sikkim's autonomy, ultimately culminating in the annexation of the kingdom by the British in 1975. In addition, the large-scale introduction of Limbus into Darjeeling also led to significant demographic changes in the region. The Limbus, who were predominantly agriculturalists, brought with them new farming practices and technologies that displaced the traditional farming methods of the Lepchas and Bhutias. This led to a significant shift in the region's economy, with the Limbus becoming the dominant agricultural force. The traditional rulers, who were once the primary agriculturalists, were gradually marginalized and lost their economic influence.

[@WaMo721]

@@RajeshSoni-k7d whole north india from kashmir to arunachal was part of tibet till not long ago.....

[@theculturedjinni]

Interesting video about this rather forgotten piece of history. Though it was more of a lesser part of your video. It is kind of interesting seeing how certain people seem to ignore imperialism and expansionism when non-Europeans are doing it (or rather don't give it the same focus though a part of this is probably due to relevance to one's own experience I still think it is important to highlight things like this).

[@GhostCountries]

Oh, definitely! We'll actually be going into that more so in part II, which deals with how Sikkim became a part of India. But, you bring up an important point: throughout history, many different peoples, cultures, etc. all over the world have engaged in expansion / imperialism and that definitely should be acknowledged.

[@theculturedjinni]

@@GhostCountries Good. I will be looking forward to it.

[@tentathesane8032]

This wasn't imperialism because 1. India wasn't an empire, but a republic 2. Sikkim was a theocratic empire, whose people were rebelling against the monarchy that didn't allow them control over their rulers 3. Ever since accession (which was voted on in a referendum), Sikkim has had regular elections where they elect members of their own state legislative assembly (which has its own sovereign control in its jurisdiction as specified by the constitution) as well as of the national parliament, as representatives of state and national level constituencies. The chief criticism of European Imperialism is that their colonies were NOT given representation, but were taxed and forced to do labour for the empires.

[@samuelmagar5488]

Iam Sikkimese ,and I am proud indian .Not only Me but everyone in Sikkim are proud indian .Sikkim was merged in india with refrendrum from people support .Almost more an half century no one in Sikkim has never said that Sikkim is not india. We are Indian .And our ancestors were also indian . If you go in that depth then every country parts are tibet Nepal also was formed by this way .Their were chaubise (24) and baise (22) countries which was attacked by Gorkha kingdom and later on that greater Gorkha kingdom became Nepal .Even Sikkim kingdom was formed by attack of chomgyal kingdom to small 7 kingdoms .

[@abhijayverma4700]

Now you will get tonnes of non Indians from all random countries dictating you about how you should feel! Lol. Btw love from MP🧡🤍💚

[@manuelblasino8999]

@@abhijayverma4700 but in the video nobody said, that Sikkim is not India. And the referendum was also mentioned. This is not a call for independence :D

[@rahimov-d8i]

nepali, not sikkimese

[@TravelingDrukpa]

😂 really!!!! Many of the party that supported to be ruled by Indians are actually filthy, value and vision less migrants. These same traitors tried same strategy in Bhutan. You people have been historically slave and was easily bought by RAW Indians during the referendum.!

[@sksksks5072]

chup dale magar dhoti ko lagi ta jaile ni chinky hunchas pudke magar😂

[@Artur_M.]

It's always great to see you upload a new video.

[@GhostCountries]

Thanks Artur, always look forward to your comment Artur 😉; oh, and be sure to check out part II of Sikkim's story when it's out!

[@Smuchoris]

Introducing micro Tibet **a.k.a. Sikkim** it’s so small it fits in your pocket

[@ChancellorOfHistory]

Great Video! I did not even know that Sikkim was a Nation, I thought it was a buffer between Bhutan and Nepal

[@GhostCountries]

Thanks man! Yeah, I will admit not knowing a whole lot about Sikkim before doing research for this one and here really weren't a lot of easily accessible historical sources - reminded me of working on the Minami-Torishima episode. Honestly though, it's those less well-known (or, sometimes, just simply forgotten) chapters of history that I find most interesting!

[@darkmatterhafnium1522]

“Oh boy, time to invade sikkim again.”

[@Historical_events]

Good video, took you long enough😂

[@GhostCountries]

Definitely a longer turnaround than expected; there’s just so many other things we took on, but yeah. 😅

[@RameshYadav-d1r]

The British introduction of Limbus into Darjeeling in large numbers marked the beginning of the end of the Kingdom of Sikkim. This strategic move by the British had far-reaching consequences that ultimately led to the downfall of the kingdom. The Limbus, brought in to maintain a balance of power in the region, played a crucial role in the erosion of Sikkim's sovereignty and the eventual annexation of the kingdom by the British. One of the primary reasons the British brought in the Limbus was to counterbalance the influence of the Gorkhas, who were a dominant force in the region. The Gorkhas, led by the powerful kingdom of Nepal, posed a significant threat to British interests in India. By supporting the Limbus, the British aimed to create a buffer zone between their territories and the Gorkhas, thereby reducing the risk of conflict. However, this move had unintended consequences that ultimately led to the downfall of Sikkim. The Limbus, who were initially loyal to the British, soon became embroiled in the politics of Sikkim. They formed alliances with the British and the Gorkhas, convincing themselves that they were fighting for their own interests. However, this allegiance came at a significant cost. The Limbus played a crucial role in erasing the history of the indigenous cultures of Sikkim, including the Lepchas and Bhutias, who were the traditional rulers of the kingdom. This erasure of history has had lasting impacts on the region, with many of the historical sites and inscriptions of these cultures being lost or forgotten. Furthermore, the Limbus' involvement in Sikkim's politics led to the displacement of the traditional rulers and the erosion of the kingdom's sovereignty. The Limbus, who were seen as more pliable and loyal to the British, gradually took over key administrative positions, displacing the Lepchas and Bhutias. This led to a loss of power and influence for the traditional rulers, ultimately weakening the kingdom's ability to resist British encroachment. The British, sensing the weakening of Sikkim's sovereignty, began to exert greater pressure on the kingdom. They used the Limbus as a tool to further their own interests, often manipulating them to do their bidding. This led to a series of treaties and agreements that gradually eroded Sikkim's autonomy, ultimately culminating in the annexation of the kingdom by the British in 1975. In addition, the large-scale introduction of Limbus into Darjeeling also led to significant demographic changes in the region. The Limbus, who were predominantly agriculturalists, brought with them new farming practices and technologies that displaced the traditional farming methods of the Lepchas and Bhutias. This led to a significant shift in the region's economy, with the Limbus becoming the dominant agricultural force. The traditional rulers, who were once the primary agriculturalists, were gradually marginalized and lost their economic influence.

[@Leponcha]

Need References

[@RohitPatel-bk8fo]

You are from where?

[@GhostCountries]

We're from the US and Germany.

[@zowieeelachimolala3364]

BHOD GYALO! DENJONG GYALO!

[@Teapoid]

Freedom to the victims of Indian imperialism.

[@veersavarkar5857]

What imperialism their people demanded to join india Go read history

[@Teapoid]

@@veersavarkar5857 Their people only wanted to join India after the Indian military had put guns to their heads. India is just the British Raj painted Orange white & green.

[@GhostCountries]

Actually, we'll be going into all of that in part II.

[@Teapoid]

@@GhostCountries Please include the various Muslim states of India that were destroyed. And the Tamils.

[@Teapoid]

@@GhostCountries Oh also please do a video on the Principality of Theodoro, the last Roman holdout in Crimea & the last place the Gothic language was spoken.

[@MuddieRain]

Remember “Free Tibet”

[@willempasterkamp862]

Moonieland ?

[@nova-nigermapping5535]

sad faith for such a small brother nation of nepal and bhutan

[@GhostCountries]

Yeah, we go into that more in part II - there's a lot to unpack - but it really is crazy that a kingdom with such a long history (300+ years) came to an end like it did.

[@nova-nigermapping5535]

@@GhostCountries surprise death

[@alexanderhamilton2219]

No offense, but when you wrote “sad faith,” I think you meant to write “sad fate.”

[@塔芒森]

Not really. During the chogyal rule, sikkim was very poor kingdom. Only the bhutias (the same tribe as the rulers) were rich. Bhutias stole best lands from Lepchas, limboos, Magars and other minorities. During the late phase of chogyals rule, so many people of Nepali, Indian, Bhutanese, Tibetan and other origins were living at sikkim. But only these bhutias enjoyed the nation's wealth (which wasn't much). But today after almost 50 years after the merger, sikkim is 2nd richest state in India in terms of GDP per capita. Most of sikkims wealth comes from India as sikkim doesn't have much resource.

[@BHARATIYA_TIGER]

​​​@@塔芒森 Kinda make Sense I mean Afterall Sikkim Joined India after Majority of Sikkim Population decided to and they wanted to become much more Prosperous but also Didn't wanted their Identity and Culture to be destroyed so they also Demanded a Kind of Autonomy from India which ofcourse they able to get After their Merger with India there was also a Papers signed between China and India it was Recognised that Sikkim is now Purely Indian Territory

[@drukrealityandjourney8063]

Thank god we r not Tibet any more😊

[@zowieeelachimolala3364]

What do u mean?

[@WaMo721]

you never was tibet anywhere in history😆

[@WaMo721]

is it true that all the bhutia community of sikkim are actually descendants of aristocratic families of tibet?

[@hereticpreacher9341]

You rightly distinguish different tribes of sikkim. The original inhabitants are Lepcha and limbu/Tsong then Bhutia and late nepali came. PS: your video rightly distinguish between Tsong/Limbu and Nepali, as the matter of fact Limbu/Tsong are not nepali neither hindu. They are follower of Yumanism.

[@tsheringudeb6821]

Free Sikkim

[@kalindikale]

Map of India is wrong in the videos... Pls correct them

[@Gandigandu001]

It's real map whole world see accept you black dog doesn't see

[@SaumenGupta]

Correct the map of india

[@MageWarren]

China wants to know your location.

[@koenigamd]

Hmm, it may seem that India had gained territory from annexing Sikkim, but it also gives China another attacking point in the middle, very bad for military defense. China could easily cut off the whole Indian northeastern region from the mainland.

[@veersavarkar5857]

Sikkims on people asked indian government to join india

[@GhostCountries]

We'll actually be covering that in part II.

[@RameshYadav-d1r]

The British introduction of Limbus into Darjeeling in large numbers marked the beginning of the end of the Kingdom of Sikkim. This strategic move by the British had far-reaching consequences that ultimately led to the downfall of the kingdom. The Limbus, brought in to maintain a balance of power in the region, played a crucial role in the erosion of Sikkim's sovereignty and the eventual annexation of the kingdom by the British. One of the primary reasons the British brought in the Limbus was to counterbalance the influence of the Gorkhas, who were a dominant force in the region. The Gorkhas, led by the powerful kingdom of Nepal, posed a significant threat to British interests in India. By supporting the Limbus, the British aimed to create a buffer zone between their territories and the Gorkhas, thereby reducing the risk of conflict. However, this move had unintended consequences that ultimately led to the downfall of Sikkim. The Limbus, who were initially loyal to the British, soon became embroiled in the politics of Sikkim. They formed alliances with the British and the Gorkhas, convincing themselves that they were fighting for their own interests. However, this allegiance came at a significant cost. The Limbus played a crucial role in erasing the history of the indigenous cultures of Sikkim, including the Lepchas and Bhutias, who were the traditional rulers of the kingdom. This erasure of history has had lasting impacts on the region, with many of the historical sites and inscriptions of these cultures being lost or forgotten. Furthermore, the Limbus' involvement in Sikkim's politics led to the displacement of the traditional rulers and the erosion of the kingdom's sovereignty. The Limbus, who were seen as more pliable and loyal to the British, gradually took over key administrative positions, displacing the Lepchas and Bhutias. This led to a loss of power and influence for the traditional rulers, ultimately weakening the kingdom's ability to resist British encroachment. The British, sensing the weakening of Sikkim's sovereignty, began to exert greater pressure on the kingdom. They used the Limbus as a tool to further their own interests, often manipulating them to do their bidding. This led to a series of treaties and agreements that gradually eroded Sikkim's autonomy, ultimately culminating in the annexation of the kingdom by the British in 1975. In addition, the large-scale introduction of Limbus into Darjeeling also led to significant demographic changes in the region. The Limbus, who were predominantly agriculturalists, brought with them new farming practices and technologies that displaced the traditional farming methods of the Lepchas and Bhutias. This led to a significant shift in the region's economy, with the Limbus becoming the dominant agricultural force. The traditional rulers, who were once the primary agriculturalists, were gradually marginalized and lost their economic influence.

[@Prime_Nemesis_Autobots_Optimus]

As a Nepalese i want sikkim to be part of nepal 🇳🇵

[@WaMo721]

i want nepal to be part of india

[@ravinakuwar1407]

Wrong map of India.

[@TravelingDrukpa]

We pity the many distinct states of India that should have been independent countries.

[@svanimation8969]

Sikkim have better life hdi everything

[@rishavkumar1250]

Sikkim is better than Bhutan in everything

[@RajeshSoni-k7d]

Bhutan is Peaceful country 😊 I am Bhutanese I am Happy in Bhutan

[@RameshYadav-d1r]

The British introduction of Limbus into Darjeeling in large numbers marked the beginning of the end of the Kingdom of Sikkim. This strategic move by the British had far-reaching consequences that ultimately led to the downfall of the kingdom. The Limbus, brought in to maintain a balance of power in the region, played a crucial role in the erosion of Sikkim's sovereignty and the eventual annexation of the kingdom by the British. One of the primary reasons the British brought in the Limbus was to counterbalance the influence of the Gorkhas, who were a dominant force in the region. The Gorkhas, led by the powerful kingdom of Nepal, posed a significant threat to British interests in India. By supporting the Limbus, the British aimed to create a buffer zone between their territories and the Gorkhas, thereby reducing the risk of conflict. However, this move had unintended consequences that ultimately led to the downfall of Sikkim. The Limbus, who were initially loyal to the British, soon became embroiled in the politics of Sikkim. They formed alliances with the British and the Gorkhas, convincing themselves that they were fighting for their own interests. However, this allegiance came at a significant cost. The Limbus played a crucial role in erasing the history of the indigenous cultures of Sikkim, including the Lepchas and Bhutias, who were the traditional rulers of the kingdom. This erasure of history has had lasting impacts on the region, with many of the historical sites and inscriptions of these cultures being lost or forgotten. Furthermore, the Limbus' involvement in Sikkim's politics led to the displacement of the traditional rulers and the erosion of the kingdom's sovereignty. The Limbus, who were seen as more pliable and loyal to the British, gradually took over key administrative positions, displacing the Lepchas and Bhutias. This led to a loss of power and influence for the traditional rulers, ultimately weakening the kingdom's ability to resist British encroachment. The British, sensing the weakening of Sikkim's sovereignty, began to exert greater pressure on the kingdom. They used the Limbus as a tool to further their own interests, often manipulating them to do their bidding. This led to a series of treaties and agreements that gradually eroded Sikkim's autonomy, ultimately culminating in the annexation of the kingdom by the British in 1975. In addition, the large-scale introduction of Limbus into Darjeeling also led to significant demographic changes in the region. The Limbus, who were predominantly agriculturalists, brought with them new farming practices and technologies that displaced the traditional farming methods of the Lepchas and Bhutias. This led to a significant shift in the region's economy, with the Limbus becoming the dominant agricultural force. The traditional rulers, who were once the primary agriculturalists, were gradually marginalized and lost their economic influence.

[@dreamadventure8220]

Sikkim freedom awaits, India out!!

[@whyamihere2250]

BHOD GYALO VICTORY TO TIBET!

[@3haAD900]

yeah sure man but the tibetic peoples in india wish to remain in india. Beyond that im sure most indians irrespectively wish for tibetan sovereignty and success

[@dorjeedamdul5589]

@@3haAD900 sikkim darjeeling ladakh upper himachal upper uttrakhand and arunachal are not part of india

[@dorjeedamdul5589]

sikkim darjeeling upper uttrakhand upper himachal ladakh aur arunachal sab tibat ka part hai kayar gorkha aur british ney tibat se alag kiya tha

[@3haAD900]

@@dorjeedamdul5589 im from darjeeling (and im bhotia) what are u talking about lol

[@3haAD900]

@@dorjeedamdul5589 tibet is always welcome to join india though