000			01571nam a22002057a 4500
008			220111b2021 |||||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
020			_a9789354226434
082			_a954.167 MOH-P
100			_aMohan, Preet
245			_aSikkim : _ba history of intrigue and alliance / _cPreet Mohan and Singh Malik
260			_aIndia _bHarper Collins _c2021
300			_a275 p.
365			_aINR _b699.00.
500			_aSikkim is an enigma for most, its history and its 1975 merger with India shrouded in mystery. This book fills the lacunae on both fronts, combining insights into the erstwhile royal kingdom's unique history with the intriguing story of how it became India's twenty-second state. It examines the often-fraught relationship between its original inhabitants, the Lepchas, and the Bhutias (people of Tibetan origin) who established institutions of religion and governance - Lamaist Buddhism and the Namgyal dynasty respectively. Aspects of the Indian relationship with Tibet form part of this narrative, in particular due to the British involvement in the Himalayan region as a consequence of the 'Great Game' and great power rivalry with the Russian empire. For India today, Sikkim remains significant from a strategic point of view, given its proximity to the border with Tibet, now China, and the presence of the vital Siliguri Corridor that connects India's northeast with the rest of the country.
650			_aIndia--Sikkim
650			_aIndia
650			_aChina--Tibet Autonomous Region
650			_aDiplomatic relations
700			_aMalik, Singh
999			_c71510 _d71510