Norbugang Chorten, Yuksom — where Sikkim's first king was crowned
What it is
Yuksom, in West Sikkim, is where the Kingdom of Sikkim began as a state with a capital, and Norbugang is the place. Wikipedia says Phuntsog Namgyal was crowned the first Chogyal here in 1642 by three lamas led by Lhatsun Chempo, and that the Chogyals' dynasty ruled from then until 1975. The Norbugang Chorten is the stupa raised to mark the coronation.
Photos: Amitabha Gupta (CC BY 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
The chorten and the throne
After the crowning, the lamas built the chorten from earth and stones brought from all parts of Sikkim and buried the gifts that Lhatsun Chempo had received inside it, like a time capsule. Wikipedia says the consecration rites lasted 21 days. Norbugang Park, at Yuksom, now holds a prayer hall, a large prayer wheel, the chorten and the coronation throne under a large cryptomeria pine. The throne is a whitewashed stone seat with four places, the top one for Lhatsun Chempo.
Yuksom and the circuit
The name Yuksom is read as the place where three learned monks met. It stands at the start of the pilgrimage circuit that Wikipedia lists, with Dubdi, Tashiding, Pemayangtse, Rabdentse, Sanga Choeling and Khecheopalri. It is also the gateway to the Khangchendzonga National Park, which UNESCO inscribed in 2016.
Getting there
Yuksom is the farthest stop from Pelling, more than an hour on our routing; the time is in the quick facts, and Wikipedia gives 42 km. We have no verified opening hours or fee.
Combine it with
The Tashiding and Yuksom day is the plan for these sites. Read things to do in Pelling and when to visit Pelling.
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Questions people ask
What is the Norbugang Chorten?
A stupa at Yuksom built after Phuntsog Namgyal was crowned the first Chogyal of Sikkim in 1642. Wikipedia says Lama Lhatsun Chempo and two other lamas built it from earth and stones gathered from all parts of Sikkim, and buried the gifts of the people inside it.
What is the Coronation Throne at Yuksom?
A whitewashed stone seat with four places, the top one meant for Lama Lhatsun Chempo, which Wikipedia says stands in Norbugang Park below a large cryptomeria pine. The coronation is said to have taken place under that tree. The park also holds a prayer hall and a large prayer wheel.
Why is Yuksom important?
It served as the first capital of the Sikkimese kingdom, set up in 1642, and the Chogyal dynasty ruled from then until 1975. Wikipedia also calls Yuksom the gateway to the Khangchendzonga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016, and a base for treks to Kanchenjunga.