Why summiting of Himalayan peak from Nepal stirred up a storm in Sikkim

India Today

29-05-2025

A recent expedition to Mount Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak located on the border between India and Nepal, by a team of mountaineers from the Nepalese side has sparked outrage in Sikkim. Such intense has been the reaction that the Chief Minister of the state, Prem Singh Tamang, wrote to the Centre, seeking a prohibition of such expeditions from the Nepal side. There is a reason behind this outrage.advertisementThe 8,586-metre-high Himalayan peak, considered sacred by the Bhutia and Lepcha communities of Sikkim, has long been off-limits to climbers from the Indian side. Expressing deep concern, CM Tamang wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging the Centre to take steps to prevent such expeditions in the future.Tamang's letter followed an outrage by the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), which condemned the ascent, demanding stricter enforcement of the ban to protect Sikkim's cultural heritage.
A joint team of mountaineers from Arunachal Pradesh's National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS), led by Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal, summited Mount Kangchenjunga, via the easier Nepal route on May 18. The expedition, part of the "Har Shikhar Tiranga" mission to hoist the national flag on India's second-highest peak, has now sparked outrage in Sikkim, where the mountain is revered as a sacred deity. India's highest peak, Mount K2 (8,611 metres), lies in Pakistan-Occupied Gilgit-Baltistan.KANGCHENJUNGA SUMMIT BANNED UNDER PLACES OF WORSHIP ACTadvertisementSikkim, in 2001, banned expeditions to "Mount Khangchendzongna" under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on May 24 wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging diplomatic talks with Nepal to halt such climbs, citing the mountain's profound spiritual significance and a longstanding ban on scaling the peak called "Dzoe-Nga" by the locals."The recent reports of this ascent have caused widespread anguish among the people of Sikkim. The mountain is not just a peak, it is a living deity... In view of the above, we earnestly urge that this matter be treated with the utmost sensitivity and respect...," Tamang wrote, urging Shah to take up the matter with Nepal.Tamang's letter followed a condemnation of the assent from the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) demanding stricter enforcement of the ban to protect Sikkim's cultural heritage."This is not just about climbing; it's about respect, legality, and identity," the SIBLAC said, adding, "the Khangchendzonga", meaning "Five Treasures of the High Snows", is considered a guardian deity and the abode of gods.Sikkim's ban on Mount Kangchenjunga's summits aligns with Article 371F of the Indian Constitution, which safeguards Sikkim's cultural and religious laws after it merged with India in 1975.advertisementHowever, the recent climb from the Nepal side, where no such ban exists, has reignited tensions, as it bypasses Sikkim's restrictions.KANGCHENJUNGACLIMB EASIER FROM NEPAL SIDEClimbing Kangchenjunga is technically easier from Nepal due to more accessible routes from the southwest, northwest, and northeast, compared to the near-vertical northeastern route from Sikkim, which has been closed since 2001.But summits are active from the Nepal side.Nepal's Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation issued permits to as many as 41 climbers between March 1 and April 25 alone. It generated USD 73,800 in royalty fees during the one-and-a-half-month climbing season, reported the Kathmandu-based daily, MyRepublica.As Mount Kangchenjunga continues to attract climbers from around the world, the challenge now lies in balancing mountaineering pursuits with the deep-rooted spiritual sentiments of the indigenous people of the mountains.Must Watch