Yuksom, 1,780 m (5,840 ft)
In 1642 three lamas met in a forest village in West Sikkim and crowned a king. The stone seats they used still stand at Norbugang, under a pine that still grows.
Photo: Labun Hang Limboo / Unsplash
The name
That is what Yuksom means. The village lies 8 km north of Pelling as the crow flies and about 35 km by road, and it is also where the trail to Goecha La begins.
Photo: Arijit Dey / Pexels
Norbugang, 1642
At Norbugang the three lamas crowned Phuntsog Namgyal, aged 38, as the first Chogyal. The highest stone seat was kept for Lhatsun Chempo, set above the king he crowned, and a footprint pressed into the rock is said to be a lama's.
Photo: Arjis Kundu / Pexels
The chorten
The chorten beside the throne was raised from soil and stones carried here from every corner of the kingdom, then consecrated for 21 days. Walk one slow circuit and you have walked around the whole of Sikkim.
Photo: Nithya / Unsplash
Kathok Lake
The water for the coronation came from little Kathok Lake, a short walk through the village. Kings who followed were anointed with holy water by the head lama of Pemayangtse, on the hill beside Pelling.
Photo: Rutva Andharia / Unsplash
Pemayangtse, 2,085 m (6,840 ft)
Pemayangtse means perfect sublime lotus. Lhatsun Chempo, the same lama of the Norbugang seat, planned it in 1647, and it was enlarged in 1705. Every Nyingma monastery in Sikkim still answers to this house.
Photo: Expressive Capture / Unsplash
A morning from Pelling
From Pelling, Yuksom fits in a morning: Norbugang, Kathok Lake and lunch in the village, with Khecheopalri Lake on the drive back. Norbugang is reached on a short level path, so it suits anyone who would rather not climb.
Photo: Soumik Ghosh / Unsplash