Gangtok Travel and Tourism Guide

Not much is known about the early history of Gangtok. The town remained an unknown hamlet until the construction of Enchey Monastery, in 1840, when it became a centre of Buddhist teachings. But it was during the time of the British rule in India that Gangtok truly became a prominent town. During the invasion of Tibet by the British, Gangtok became a major halting point for the military. Slowly, a trade route was established between Gangtok and Tibet. Consequently, the infrastructure of this small also grew. By the end of the nineteenth century, the reigning emperor or ‘chogyal’ of Sikkim shifted his capital to Gangtok. This further increased the importance of this town. After India’s independence, Sikkim remained an independent monarchy. In 1975, the monarchy was withdrawn and Sikkim became a state of India, with Gangtok as its capital.