EXPLORING REBDENSTE
Rabdentse, West Sikkim
it is l llIt lIt is located near Pelling and in the West Sikkim district . It was established by Tensung Namgyal, the son of Phunstog Namgyal, the first Chogyal of Sikkim and remained the second city of the erstwhile kingdom of Sikkim for over a century. The city was destroyed by the invading Gurkha army in the 18th Century and today, its ruins stand as a sentinel of its regal past.
Rabdentse was the second capital of the former Kingdom of Sikkim from 1670 to 1814. The capital city was destroyed by the invading Gurkha army and only the ruins of the palace and the chortens are seen here now. However, the ruins of this city are seen close to Pelling and in West Sikkim district in the Northeastern Indian state of present-day Sikkim; Pemayangtse Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim which is close to the ruins.
The Rabdentse ruins are part of Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit starting with the first monastery at Yuksom known as the Dubdi Monastery, followed by Norbugang Chorten, Tashiding Monastery, the Pemayangtse Monastery, the Sanga Choeling Monastery, and the Khecheopalri Lake.
Phuntsog Namgyal, the first Chogyal or King of Sikkim, was consecrated as king of Sikkim at Yuksom and succeeded by his son, Tensung Namgyal in 1670. The reign of the Chogyal was peaceful and saw the capital shifted from Yuksom to Rabdentse. The Namgyal had three wives – a Tibetan, a Bhutanese and a Limbu girl. The Limbu girl, daughter of the Limbu chief Yo Yo-Hang had inducted seven girls from her family who all married into noble Sikkim families. Many of them became councillors to the King and were given the title Kazi, which gave them enormous powers and privileges.
The king's second wife's son Chador Namgyal, took over the reins of power in Sikkim, after his father’s death, in 1700. He was a minor at that time. This outraged his elder half-sister Pendiongmu (daughter of the first wife of Tensung Namgyal), of Bhutanese descent, who opposed the succession and with help from Bhutan evicted Chador. Chador fled to Tibet (Yungthing Yeshe, a loyal Minister escorted the minor king to Lhasa) where he remained in exile for ten years before returning and reclaiming his lost territory with the help of the Tibetans.
While in Lhasa, Chador Namgyal became very proficient in Buddhism and Tibetan literature, and also became the state astrologer to the Sixth Dalai Lama. During his exile, the Sixth Dalai Lama pleased with the erudition of Chador Namgyal had conferred on his exclusive rights to an estate in Tibet. During this period, the son of Yugthing Yeshe (who had saved Chador and taken him to Tibet) was imprisoned by the Bhutanese in Rabdentse. Tibet intervened in the matter and also prevailed on King Deb of Bhutan to withdraw from Sikkim. Chador Namgyal then returned to Rebdantse and the small forces of Bhutan which remained were forced to withdraw. During this period, Sikkim lost some areas in its south-eastern region since Bhutan had colonized the area.
Pedi, the Chogyal’s half-sister, had not given up on her enmity against her half brother Chador. With the help of a medicinal man from Tibet, she got Chador Namgyal murdered in 1716 through mysterious bloodletting from the main artery while the king was on a holiday at the Ralang hot water spring. Immediately, the royal armed forces executed the Tibetan doctor and also put Pedi to death by strangling her with a silk scarf.
Gurmed Namgyal succeeded his father Chadok in 1717. Gurmed's reign saw many skirmishes between the Nepalese and Sikkimese. He had Rabdentse fortified to prevent invasions by the Gurkhas (Nepalese) and Bhutanese. Besides, a local Magar chieftain Tashi Bidur had also rebelled but was subdued.died in 1733 at the young age of 26. Since he did not have any legitimate children, on his death bed he conveyed that a nun at Sanga Cheoling was carrying his child (this is said to be the story concocted by the Lamas to perpetuate the Namgyal Dynasty). Subsequently, the nun gave birth to a male child who was accepted as heir to Gurmed and was given the name Phuntsog, after the first temporal and the spiritual head of Sikkim.
Rabdentse was the royal capital of Sikkim. About 107 km west of Gangtok, the town was first established in 1670 by Chadok Namgyal after shifting the primary capital from Yuksom after it was declared sacred in 1642. The city was almost completely destroyed by the Nepalese Army leaving only the chortens and ruins of the palace. Recent excavations and restorations by ASI have been successful in recreating the king’s bedroom, hall, kitchen, assembly hall, public courtyard and guard’s rooms. The ruins have been declared a monument of national importance by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Located in the district of West Sikkim, the ruins lie on a ridge which offers a panoramic view of the dense forest and snow-capped mountains. The ruins can be accessed by a two km trek from Pelling. The bird park and the ruins are attractions that pull tourists to the town. A visit to this ancient city will take you back in time. The entire route towards Rabdentse is dotted with beautiful lakes, thick forest, exotic flora and rare orchids.
As you walk through the ruins of the city, you will come across three standing stones, which are called Namphogang. These stone thrones were used by judges during the glorious days of the city. The ruins of the palace lie in the center and commands a sweeping view of the entire south-west region of Sikkim. Next to the ruins of the palace lies the ‘Dab Lhagang’ where members of the royal family used to offer prayers to their deities.
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