The Lepcha are among the indigenous peoples of the Indian state of Sikkim and Nepal, and number around 80,000. Many Lepcha are also found in western and southwestern Bhutan, Darjeeling, the Koshi Province of eastern Nepal, and in the hills of West Bengal. The Lepcha people are composed of four main distinct communities: the Renjóngmú of Sikkim; the Dámsángmú of Kalimpong, Kurseong, and Mirik; the ʔilámmú of Ilam District, Nepal; and the Promú of Samtse and Chukha in southwestern Bhutan.
A Lepcha man in 1868
A group of Lepcha shingle cutters at Darjeeling in the 1870s
A group of Lepchas in Darjeeling (circa 1880)
Kinthup, a noted Lepcha Pundit, was a Buddhist pilgrim when he surveyed Nepal in the 1870s (photograph 1914).
Sikkim is a state in northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Koshi Province of Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siliguri Corridor, which borders Bangladesh. Sikkim is the least populous and second-smallest among the Indian states. Situated in the Eastern Himalaya, Sikkim is notable for its biodiversity, including alpine and subtropical climates, as well as being a host to Kangchenjunga, the highest peak in India and third-highest on Earth. Sikkim's capital and largest city is Gangtok. Almost 35% of the state is covered by Khangchendzonga National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Image: Buddha statue at Buddha Park of Ravangla, Sikkim, India (1)
Image: Monks in the monastery, Tibet (50891777212)
Image: Sunrise over Kangchenjunga
Image: Gurudongmar.Lake