Sikkim artists

Sikkim's Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepali communities each have their own music and dances, and its Buddhist monasteries keep alive the masked dances and thangka painting of the Himalaya.

Monastery arts

Cham, masked dances by monks, are performed at monastery festivals and at Pang Lhabsol, when the guardian deity of Mount Khangchendzonga is honoured. Thangka painters at monasteries such as Rumtek and Pemayangtse paint Buddhist deities on cloth.

Folk dance and music

The Maruni dance of the Nepali community is performed at Diwali and Tihar, and the Tamang Selo, sung to the damphu drum, is a favourite at gatherings. The Lepchas, Sikkim's earliest inhabitants, have their own songs and instruments made of bamboo.

Crafts

Sikkim is known for hand-knotted carpets, carved and painted wooden tables (choktse) and woven Lepcha cloth.

Sources

• Sikkim Tourism: Government of Sikkim
• Government of Sikkim: official portal
• North East Zone Cultural Centre: Dimapur (Ministry of Culture)
• Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre: Kolkata (Ministry of Culture)