Sikkim, a jewel nestled in the Eastern Himalayas, boasts a rich cultural mosaic shaped by its diverse ethnic communities including the Lepchas, Bhutias, and Nepalese. However, modernization, migration, and a generational shift in values are slowly pushing several unique cultural practices toward extinction.
This article sheds light on the top 5 Sikkim cultural practices that are vanishing and why they urgently need preservation.
1. Dying Ritual of Pang-Lhabsol: A Sacred Warrior Dance of Sikkim
Pang-Lhabsol is a unique festival native to Sikkim that commemorates the historic treaty of brotherhood between the Lepchas and Bhutias, with Mount Khangchendzonga invoked as the witness. Central to this ceremony is the warrior dance performed by masked monks, symbolizing protection, unity, and reverence for nature.
Today, only a few monasteries like Pemayangtse and Rabong perform it authentically. If not revitalized through cultural tourism and education, this spiritual dance form may disappear within a generation.
2. Extinction of Lepcha Script and Oral Folklore in Sikkim
The Lepchas are the indigenous people of Sikkim, and their ancient script — Róng — along with a vast repository of oral folklore, is vanishing rapidly. Traditionally passed down through storytelling, songs, and handwritten manuscripts, these cultural elements face extinction. With only a handful of scholars and elders still fluent in Róng, the erosion of Lepcha heritage threatens to erase centuries of ecological wisdom and mythological narratives tied to Sikkim’s natural landscape.
3. Vanishing Sikkimese Culinary Tradition: Preparation of Churpi and Kinema
Sikkimese cuisine, rooted in high-altitude agrarian life, is fast losing some of its most traditional elements. Churpi (fermented yak cheese) and Kinema (fermented soybeans) are age-old fermented foods with probiotic benefits and cultural significance.
Only rural households in Dzongu and Lachen still practice the authentic preparation. Unless culinary schools and eco-tourism initiatives revive these recipes, they may soon be reduced to museum exhibits.
4. Decline of Dzumsa: The Traditional Bhutia Self-Governance System in North Sikkim
The Dzumsa is a democratic governance system followed in the Bhutia-dominated villages of Lachen and Lachung in North Sikkim. Elders called Pipons settle disputes, manage resources, and oversee cultural events.
Though still operational, the Dzumsa is more symbolic today. Without legal recognition and youth participation, this unique governance model might disappear altogether.
5. Disappearing Indigenous Weaving Techniques of Sikkimese Women
Traditional Sikkimese weaving, especially by Bhutia and Lepcha women, is a disappearing art form. Using backstrap looms, they weave symbolic patterns into fabrics used for Bakhu and Dumvum (ethnic garments). These patterns often carry clan stories and spiritual motifs.
Government exhibitions and NGOs are trying to revive this heritage, but unless it’s made economically viable for rural women, the ancestral loom might fall silent forever.
The slow extinction of these Sikkim cultural practices reflects a deeper crisis: the loss of identity and ancestral wisdom. From rituals like Pang-Lhabsol to crafts like indigenous weaving, each tradition carries ecological, spiritual, and social values shaped over centuries. Sikkim’s cultural heritage is not just its past—it’s a living legacy that, if nurtured, can shape a more rooted and sustainable future.