Sikkim: SIBLAC demands immediate purification of sacred Mount Khangchendzonga following military expedition

A military journey to the heights of Mount Khangchendzonga has unsettled the community in Sikkim. This peak is not just a mountain but is venerated as a living deity by the locals, intricately woven into their spiritual and cultural fabric. The ascent has been viewed as a deep affront to their religious sentiments, igniting calls for swift and necessary purification rituals to heal the spiritual disruption.

Tseten Tashi Bhutia, leading the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), expressed profound dissatisfaction with the incident. While he praised the Chief Minister’s communication to the Union Home Minister, he criticised the absence of proactive measures to prevent the expedition.

Khangchendzonga holds more than geographical significance; it is revered as a guardian spirit across several faiths, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and the Bon tradition. The people of Sikkim hold fast to a sacred decree prohibiting ascents to its summit. SIBLAC pointed to similar prohibitions on other sacred peaks in Nepal and China, questioning India's reluctance to adopt such respect.

In a pointed rebuttal, SIBLAC contested claims by the Sangha Minister that the climb, allegedly from Nepal, did not violate Sikkim's spiritual realm. "The peak of Khangchendzonga stands within Sikkim, Bharat Desh. One sacred summit cannot be divided by routes taken," the statement declared. SIBLAC condemned the minister's perspective as "illogical" and "misguided."

The group forewarned that defiling a revered site could trigger severe outcomes, like natural disasters or social discord, as per Buddhist teachings. They implored the Sikkim Government and religious entities to initiate purification rituals to restore spiritual equilibrium and atone for the trespass.

SIBLAC reminded society of earlier purification ceremonies in India, highlighting events in Tamil Nadu during the 1970s and in Varanasi and Puri following the visits of notable figures. "If such measures were deemed necessary then, how can we neglect the desecration of Sikkim's most sacred peak?" Bhutia posed.

Bhutia appealed to political and religious leaders to refrain from misleading the populace or evading accountability, stressing that the matter surpasses politics. "This is not a political issue. It's about faith, tradition, and veneration for the sacred," he stated.

He further warned that Sikkim's people are watchful and informed. "You can’t deceive everyone all the time," he asserted. "The people are vigilant, informed, and perceptive to any concealment of truth." SIBLAC's message remains: the spiritual identity of Sikkim is non-negotiable, and the desecration demands immediate action and rectification.