Gangtok, Jun 15: A two-day sanctification ceremony began in northern Sikkim on Sunday to restore the sacredness of Mt Kanchenjunga, which was recently scaled from the Nepal side, organisers Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) said.
The event, which is being held at Kabi Lungtsok, was attended by leaders and supporters of various parties, including BJP and CAP, besides SIBLAC members and local citizens during the day, they said.
Addressing the gathering, SIBLAC advisor S D Tshering emphasised the spiritual and cultural sanctity of Mt Kanchenjunga, saying it should be protected without turning the matter into a political issue.
The event was peaceful and was marked by calls for cultural sensitivity and the preservation of spiritual heritage.
A recent expedition from Nepal stirred a major controversy in Sikkim, where indigenous beliefs consider Mt Kanchenjunga as a sacred mountain on which no human should set foot.
The sanctification puja was carried out as a symbolic act of restoration of the mountain’s sacredness through rituals and prayers.
The puja began a day after SIBLAC wrote letters to the Nepal government and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), urging them to immediately halt a planned expedition to Mt Kanchenjunga, citing the mountain’s deep spiritual and cultural significance to the indigenous communities of Sikkim.
SIBLAC urged the authorities to reconsider their decision to allow a joint mountaineering expedition involving climbers from India and Nepal, which is scheduled to begin from Nepal on June 18 under the aegis of India’s National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS).
According to SIBLAC, Mt Kanchenjunga is not merely a geographical landmark but a sacred entity, revered as a guardian deity by the Sikkimese people.
The organisation noted that the mountain is central to the state’s religious and cultural heritage, and is associated with annual prayers and ceremonies deeply rooted in local traditions.
The letters further referenced the 2001 notification by the Government of Sikkim, which banned mountaineering activities on the mountain out of respect for local beliefs. They also invoked provisions of Article 371F and Sikkim’s special status within the Indian Constitution, emphasising the protection of indigenous customs and religious sentiments.
SIBLAC warned that any expedition involving summiting Kanchenjunga, particularly from Nepal, could be perceived as a serious cultural violation, and called for the mountain to be treated with spiritual reverence rather than as a site for adventure tourism.
SIBLAC had earlier urged the Sikkim government to enforce the standing prohibition on climbing Mt Kanchenjunga, citing the sacred status of the mountain and the legal protections already in place. It had condemned the summit attempt by a group of mountaineers in May.(PTI)
