The Naturalised Bhutias of Sikkim.

I came across this term very often in my personal venture into the opinions of different authors regarding the history of MayelKup (Lepchas) and erstwhile kingdom of Sikkim. I did not pay much attention to the term at my initial readings but later as the term became more prominent in the writings I became more curious.

If we refresh our history-after 1642 the king of Mayel Lyang (it came to be known as Sikkim only after the Second Chogyal married the Limbu wife) Phuntsog Namgyal was crowned in Yoksam he appointed 12 MayelKup Governors called Dzongpens and some number of Kahlons called Bhutia Councillors. The introduction of Class of Aristocracy in the Class less society of the MayelKup did bring about a certain amount of confusion. But real role was played by Lama Lhatsun Chempo who in his eagerness to convert the local populace into Tibetan Buddhism translated all the Buddhist Texts into Lepcha and ensured that every household had one copy of these Buddhist Lepcha texts called the Naamthars. It is also believed that huge number of original and pre-Buddhist Lepcha Naamthars were collected and burnt to make way or the new religious texts The Chogyal, to appease his Tibetan Patrons, proclaimed the Nyingmapa Buddhism as the State religion. Thus came the class structure with the monastic class and layman class. The Mayelkups did not have much problem in the beginning as there was enough to share with the steadily increasing immigrants from Tibet. But the increase in numbers of the Tibetan in the state soon saw clashes with the aborigines (Mayelkups). The Monastic order also had only Tibetan Lamas who played a major role in the History of the Kingdom-right from validating the royal lineage to the day to day Buddhist life of the recently converted Mayelkups.

This new yet appealing class disparity brought about a new surge among the determined and shrewd Mayelkups to climb up the social ladder by equating oneself with the community of the regal family- Bhutia. This adoption was ensured by getting married to daughters of the Bhutia landlords and subsequently assuming Bhutia traditions and culture. The Bhutia Landlords also accommodated this arrangement as most Mayelkups then had huge property in the thinly populated nation. It also became a trend to get wives from Tibet itself like the Chogyal himself. The off springs of such unions were encouraged to adopt the culture of Tibetan mothers. After all in the simple life of the Lepcha this sudden upgrade ensured favours and goodwill from the ruling class. Thus down the ages many ambitious Lepcha families gave up their Lepcha roots to adopt the ruling Bhutia clans. There has been steady decline in the percentage population of he Mayelkups down the ages.

Many authors like RN Thakur, HG Joshi, even Claude White (political officer) have observed he phenomenon and they have mentioned in it in their works. Mr. SK Datta Ray has also mentioned that there were only 12 listed Kazis (the noble families). But this has increased to more than 20 today.

So the term “Naturalised Bhutias of Sikkim” has become a coin word that is often tossed here and there by many authors.