Yuksom Residents Angry Over Distortion In Video, Claim Village Is Buddhist Pilgrimage Site & Not Hindu

The residents of Yuksom in Sikkim have expressed their anger over the misrepresentation of certain facts about the State in a video by a vlogger named Soumil Agarwal, who runs 'Soumil Vlogs'. (@SambhalJaSoumil).

northeastlivetv.com

The Himalayan State has filed a FIR against the vlogger for allegedly hurting local sentiments by spreading false information about the history of Yuksom and Sikkim.

Locals' ire for misrepresenting history

While the vlogger greatly appreciated Yuksom as a travel destination for solo travellers, but Yuksom-Dubdi gram panchayat took strong exception to the vlog.

The vloggers in question/ northeastlivetv.com

After a meeting with local social organisations, NGOs and monks' body, they decided to file a FIR.

Locals allege that the video depicts the place as an important destination of Hinduism and for devotees of Lord Shiva. This, locals believe, is a misrepresentation of Yuksom's historical significance, which is a key Buddhist pilgrimage site and part of the pilgrimage circuit.

In the video, Soumil Agarwal is seen being informed about the history of Yuksom by a local host, Bhaskar.

Yuksom - Gateway to Kangchendzongha

Yuksom literally means the "meeting place of the three learned monks", as three monks who came from Tibet selected Phuntsog Namgyal as the first King of Sikkim and gave him the title of Chogyal. (temporal and religious king).

Portrait of Chogyal Phuntsok Namgyal, the first king of Sikkim/ Wikimedia Commons

Located in West Sikkim district, Yuksom was the first capital of the Kingdom of Sikkim, established in 1642 AD by Phuntsog Namgyal.

In Sikkim is the famous Dubdi monastery, part of the Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit, established by the Chogyal in 1701.

Dubdi Monastery in Sikkim/ Wikipedia

The village sees an influx of mountaineers from all parts of the world, being at the head of the Khangchendzonga National Park and as the base camp for trekking to Mt. Khangchendzonga.

A Buddhist state

Buddhism in Sikkim was actually a contribution of Tibet.

In Tibet, Buddhism was introduced in the 9th century. But the struggle for power between the different schools of Tibetan Buddhism, such as the "Yellow hats" and the "Red hats", led to the latter migrating to Sikkim and converting local Lepchas (indigenous people of Sikkim) to Buddhism.

Later, during the dynastic rule of the Chogyals, propagation of the Buddhist religion and building of monasteries and chortens took firm roots in Sikkim.

Perched at an elevation of 1780 m and nestled in the lap of the Himalayan Mountains, the small village of Yuksom is a major tourist draw in Sikkim.

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