Sikkim - Toponymy

Toponymy

The most widely accepted origin theory of the name Sikkim is that it is a combination of two Limbu words: su, which means "new", and khyim, which means "palace" or "house". The name is believed to be a reference to the palace built by the state's first ruler, Phuntsog Namgyal. The Tibetan name for Sikkim is Denjong, which means "valley of rice". The Lepcha people, the original inhabitants of Sikkim, called it Nye-mae-el, meaning "paradise", while the Bhutias call it Beyul Demazong, which means '"the hidden valley of rice". In Hindu religious texts, Sikkim is known as Indrakil, the garden of the war god Indra.

Read more about this topic:  Sikkim