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Sikkim is a small Himalayan state that celebrates life with colours, rituals, and traditions. The people here believe in joy and spirituality, and you can see this in the way some popular festivals in Sikkim are celebrated. Each celebration is tied to nature, religion, or culture. You will find grand Buddhist ceremonies, lively tribal dances, and local fairs filled with food and music. Moreover, these festivals bring together families and communities in harmony. If you love cultural travel, you will find something exciting in every season. This guide takes you through the most popular festivals of this state in India.
Top 10 Festivals In Sikkim
Here are some of the famous festivals of Sikkim, which show the cultural aspects of this Himalayan State.
1. Losar Festival
Photo: Indrajit Das / Wikimedia Commons
Losar is the Tibetan New Year and one of the most colourful celebrations in Sikkim. It’s celebrated in either February or March and lasts for a few days. The event starts with rites at the monastery, when monks chant prayers, burn incense, and do ceremonies to get rid of bad energy from the past year. Many people clean and decorate their houses, hang prayer flags, and make different meals. People get together for feasts, exchange gifts, and celebrate the beginning of the new year. Moreover, traditional dances and masked performances bring life to the streets and monasteries.
Location: Celebrated at monasteries across Sikkim (Rumtek, Gangtok, others)
Major Attractions: Tibetan New Year, masked dances, prayers, and feasts.
Suggested Read: Offbeat Places In Sikkim For Your Next Surreal Trip
2. Saga Dawa Festival
Photo: Mahabalaindia / Wikimedia Commons
Saga Dawa is one of the most important Buddhist festivals in Sikkim. It takes place on a full moon day in May or June. The day marks three major events in the life of Lord Buddha: his birth, enlightenment, and death. Monks and devotees organise large processions carrying holy texts, statues, and relics through the streets of Gangtok. People light butter lamps in monasteries and homes to spread positivity and good fortune. People also show kindness by giving food, money, or clothes to poor people. The air is filled with prayer, songs, and the sound of bells.
Location: Gangtok (notably at Tsuk-La-Khang Monastery)
Major Attractions: Buddha’s life events, processions, butter lamps, and chanting.
3. Pang Lhabsol
Photo: Expressive Capture / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
Pang Lhabsol is unique to Sikkim and stands out for its cultural and spiritual meaning. Celebrated in August or September, it is dedicated to Mount Kanchenjunga, which locals worship as their guardian deity. The festival also remembers the bond of brotherhood between the Lepchas and Bhutias. The Chaam dance, which is done by monks in big masks and robes, is the best part. This dance is part of a ceremony that protects and brings people together. Warriors dressed in ceremonial clothes also join the acts, which makes the event more exciting. A strong mood is made by the steady beats of drums, long horns, and chants.
Location: Tsuklakhang Palace (Gangtok) and other monasteries
Major Attractions: Tribute to Mt. Kanchenjunga, Chaam dance, and unity rituals.
Suggested Read: Sikkim Temples
4. Drupka Teshi
Photo: Walter Callens / Wikimedia Commons
Drupka Teshi is celebrated on the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, generally in July or August. The festival honours the day that Lord Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths for the first time at Sarnath. In Sikkim, the festival is celebrated in monasteries, where prayers and chanting of scriptures are held. People light lamps and serve food to monks and people in need. Folk songs and dances are also a part of cultural events in some areas. During the festival, families visit monasteries to pray for their well-being and take part in rituals.
Location: Monasteries across Sikkim (e.g., Phensong Monastery)
Major Attractions: Buddha’s first teaching, prayers, family visits, and folk songs.
5. Bumchu Festival
Photo: Ashakn / Wikimedia Commons
The Bumchu Festival is one of the most fascinating celebrations in Sikkim. It takes place at Tashiding Monastery, usually in February or March. The name Bumchu means “sacred pot of water.” During the festival, monks open a pot filled with holy water kept sealed throughout the year. People think that the level and state of the water can tell them about Sikkim’s future for the next year. Thousands of religious people come to see this holy event and receive blessings in the form of small amounts of water. There is also chanting, rituals, and traditional music at the event, which makes it feel very spiritual.
Location: Tashiding Monastery
Major Attractions: Sacred water pot ritual, blessings, and chants.
Suggested Read: Harvest Festivals Of Sikkim
6. Maghe Sankranti
Photo: Jasper Neupane / Shutterstock
Maghe Sankranti is a harvest festival celebrated mainly by the Nepali community in Sikkim. It falls in January when the sun enters the zodiac of Capricorn. The day is associated with rituals for good health and prosperity. People wake up early and take a dip in rivers, which they believe purifies the body and spirit. Families then gather for feasts that include yams, sweet potatoes, sesame sweets, and ghee-based dishes. Villages organise fairs where you can enjoy folk songs, dances, and handmade crafts. Children play games, and elders sing about family bonds and harvest traditions.
Location: Nepalese villages and community areas across Sikkim
Major Attractions: River dips, sesame sweets, feasts, and folk music.
7. Dasain
Photo: Labun Hang Limboo / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
One of the biggest festivals that the Nepalese people in Sikkim enjoy is Dasain. The 15-day event usually takes place in September or October. People clean and decorate their houses, buy clothes, and cook big meals. The most important ritual is on Vijaya Dashami, when elders place tika and jamara (barley shoots) on the foreheads of younger family members as blessings. Moreover, the festival is filled with social gatherings, animal sacrifices in some regions, and cultural programs. Relatives travel long distances to visit one another, strengthening family ties. Traditional foods like sel roti and meat dishes are prepared in abundance.
Location: Nepali households and communities across Sikkim
Major Attractions: Elders’ blessings, family feasts, tika, and cultural events.
Suggested Read: Places To Visit In Sikkim On Your Next Himalayan Trip
8. Tihar
Photo: Vizz Pix Art / Shutterstock / Image For Representation Only
Tihar is another major Nepali festival in Sikkim and is comparable to Diwali. It is celebrated in October or November and lasts for five days. Each day is dedicated to a different symbol or animal. The first day worships crows, the messengers of death. The second day is for dogs, who are honoured as protectors. The third day is for cows, while the fourth day celebrates oxen. The fifth day, Bhai Tika, is about the bond between brothers and sisters. Moreover, homes are decorated with oil lamps, rangolis, and garlands. Villagers play Deusi-Bhailo, a traditional singing game at night.
Location: Widespread among Nepali communities in Sikkim
Major Attractions: Animal worship, Bhai Tika, oil lamps, and Deusi-Bhailo.
9. Namsoong Festival
Photo: Pema Yangden Lepcha / Wikimedia Commons
Namsoong is celebrated as the start of a new year by the Lepcha community and is celebrated in December or January. It is a time of rituals, music, and gatherings. Families prepare traditional Lepcha dishes and share them with neighbours. Elders perform ceremonies to honour ancestors and deities, while young people participate in games and sports. Furthermore, community dinners are also hosted where all the people sit down for dinner together, forging an atmosphere of togetherness. Drum- and flute-danced folk dances are also conducted in the village hubs. Festivities are modest but filled with warmth, joy, and tradition, whereby the occasion is always remembered by all who attend.
Location: Lepcha villages and community centres in Sikkim
Major Attractions: Lepcha New Year, rituals, games, and communal dinners.
Suggested Read: Sikkim Monasteries
10. Kagyed Dance Festival
Photo: Janmejay Singh / Wikimedia Commons
The Kagyed Dance Festival is one of the most dramatic festivals in Sikkim. It is held in December, just before the New Year. Monks dressed in colourful robes and giant masks perform Chaam dances that symbolise the triumph of good over evil. These dances are not only entertaining but also spiritual, with every step carrying symbolic meaning. Moreover, fire rituals are performed to ward off negativity and invite peace for the coming year. People throng Rumtek Monastery to watch the performances, and the atmosphere is filled with drumbeats, cymbals, and chants.
Location: Tsuklakhang Palace, Gangtok
Major Attractions: Cham dance, fire rituals, and New Year cleansing.
Festivals in Sikkim reflect its culture, faith, and close bond with nature. From Buddhist chants to Nepali songs and lights, each celebration is unique. Locals add personal touches, filling the calendar with colour and joy. These events offer visitors a chance to connect with communities and experience Sikkim’s way of life. Time your visit with a festival, and your journey will be even more memorable. Plan with TripXL today.
Cover Photo: Jasper Neupane / Shutterstock
