Gangtok is a municipality, the capital and
the largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. It also is the headquarters of
the East Sikkim district. Gangtok is located
in the eastern Himalayan range, at
an elevation of 1,650 m (5,410 ft). The town's population of 100,000
belongs to different ethnicities such as Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutia. Nestled within higher peaks of the
Himalaya and enjoying a year-round mild temperate climate, Gangtok is at the
centre of Sikkim's tourism industry.
Gangtok
rose to prominence as a popular Buddhist pilgrimage site
after the construction of the Enchey Monastery in 1840. In 1894, the
ruling Sikkimese Chogyal, Thutob Namgyal, transferred the capital to
Gangtok. In the early 20th century, Gangtok became a major stopover on
the trade route between Lhasa in Tibet and
cities such as Kolkata (then
Calcutta) in British India.
After India won its independence from Britain in 1947, Sikkim chose to remain
an independent monarchy, with Gangtok as its capital. In 1975, after the
integration with the union of India, Gangtok was made India's 22nd state
capital.
The
precise meaning of the name "Gangtok" is unclear, though the most
popular meaning is "hill cut".Today, Gangtok is a centre of Tibetan Buddhist culture and learning, with the presence
of several monasteries, religious educational institutions, and centres
for Tibetology.
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