Fair in Sikkim

Sikkim, a verdant landlocked state shares its borders with Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and West Bengal. The beautiful thumb-shaped state of Sikkim is topographically diverse and is home to the world’s third highest peak, Kanchenjunga. The colorful fairs and festivals in Sikkim add special charm to the splendor of Sikkim.

The Tibetan name for Sikkim is Denjong which primarily means the valley of rice. The origin of the name Sikkim is an amalgamation of two words Su which means new and Khyim which means palace.

A land of extraordinary flora and fauna, Sikkim is popular for the beautiful ferns. It is believed that the vegetation in Sikkim includes 362 types of ferns. The avifauna as well as wildlife is exceptionally diverse.

Bumchu

A sacred pot, Bumchu contains holy water which is blessed by Ngadak Sempa Chenpo after he said the Mane Mantra five billion times. The amount of water in the Bumchu is said to predict the fate of Sikkim for the whole year. If it is seen that the Bumchu is full to the brim it signifies that the year will be a year of revolutions and turmoil. On the other hand if the level of the water is low then the year will be affected by ailments and diseases. However if the Bumchu is half full, then the year will be a prosperous one.

It is seen over ages that the holy water has not dried up or has got spoiled in more than 300 years. It still smells fresh.

Description : Bumchu Festival attracts thousand of devotees from Nepal, Bhutan, Darjeeling and other neighboring places. It is celebrated at the Tashiding Monastery. During the Bumchu Festival, lamas of the monastery open the Bumchu for the public display which is otherwise locked. Some of the holy water is distributed to the devotees after which the Bumchu is again sealed to be opened next year.

Time to celebrate : Bumchu is celebrated sometime between January and February.