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Phuntsog Namgyal

Phuntsog Namgyal
Phuntsog Namgyal
Chogyal of Sikkim
Reign1642 – 1670
SuccessorTensung Namgyal
Born1604
Died1670
IssueTensung Namgyal
HouseNamgyal dynasty
FatherGuru Tenzing
ReligionBuddhism

Phuntsog Namgyal (Sikkimese: ཕུན་ཚོག་རྣམ་རྒྱལ་; Wylie: phun tshog rnam rgyal) (1604–1670) was the first Chogyal (monarch) of Sikkim,[1] now an Indian state. He consecrated in 1642 at the age of 38. Phuntsog was a fifth generation descendant of Khye Bumsa, a 13th-century prince from the Mi-nyak House in Kham in Eastern Tibet. According to legend, Guru Rinpoche, a 9th-century Buddhist saint had foretold the event that a Phuntsog from the east would be the next chogyal of Sikkim. In 1642, three lamas, from the north, west, and south went in search for the chosen person. Near present-day Gangtok, they found a man churning milk. He offered them some refreshments and gave them shelter. So impressed were they by his deeds that they realised that he was a chosen one and immediately crowned him king. The crowning took place Norbughang near Yuksom on a stone slab in a pine covered hill, and he was anointed by sprinkling water from a sacred urn.

Phuntsog, along with the lamas, then converted the local Lepcha people to Buddhism and set about expanding his kingdom up to the Chumbi Valley in Tibet, parts of modern-day Darjeeling in the south, and parts of eastern Nepal.

Phuntsog is credited with creating "Lho-Mon-Tsong-Sum", the idea of unity between Bhutias, Lepchas, and Limbus that forms the core of Sikkimese national identity. In 1663, representatives of the three communities met with the Chogyal to formalize this unity by a written treaty and create a council, the "Lo-Men-Chong", to represent their respective interests on the national level. This same document established autonomy for the Limbu subbas. [2]

Phuntsog moved his capital from Yatung to Yuksam and instituted the first centralised administration. The kingdom was divided into twelve Dzongs, or districts under a Lepcha Dzongpon (governor) who headed a council of twelve ministers. During his reign Buddhism was consolidated as the established religion in Sikkim. He was succeeded by his son, Tensung Namgyal in 1670.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ Sikkim: Past and Present edited by H. G. Joshi
  2. ^ Kazi, Jigme N. (2020). Sons of Sikkim. Chennai: Notion Press. pp. 68–69.
Phuntsog Namgyal
Born: 1604 Died: 1670
Regnal titles
New title
new state formed
Chogyal of Sikkim
1642–1670
Succeeded by
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