Culture and history · Kabi Lungchok
The oath stones of Thekong Tek and Khye Bumsa
Stand where Sikkim's Lepcha and Bhutia peoples are said to have become one family. The standing stones, memorial and statues at Kabi Lungchok mark the 13th-century oath between the Lepcha seer Thekong Tek and the Tibetan prince Khye Bumsa.
The path from the road leads into a quiet site among trees. In the centre stand the stones that mark the oath, with prayer flags and a memorial. Nearby are life-size statues of the two men: Thekong Tek, the Lepcha chief and holy man, and Khye Bumsa, the prince from Kham in eastern Tibet whose descendants became Sikkim's royal family.
The story, told in Sikkimese and Tibetan narratives, is that Khye Bumsa came to Thekong Tek for a blessing to have children, received it, and returned to give thanks. They swore blood brotherhood here, calling on the mountain gods and Kanchenjunga as witness. In 1642 Phuntsog Namgyal, counted as Khye Bumsa's descendant, was enthroned as the first Chogyal.
Walk round the site clockwise and read the boards. Do not climb on the stones or tie anything to them. The site is used for ceremonies, and Sikkimese of all communities treat it with respect. Children enjoy the statues; it is a good place to tell them the story.
Cost: Free
Questions people ask
Good to know
What happened at Kabi Lungchok?
In the 13th century, according to Sikkimese and Tibetan narratives, the Lepcha chief and seer Thekong Tek and the Tibetan prince Khye Bumsa swore an oath of blood brotherhood at Kabi Lungchok. The pact bound Lepchas and Bhutias as one people. Stone pillars mark the site, and statues of the two men stand there today.
Who was Khye Bumsa?
Khye Bumsa is named in Sikkimese migration narratives as a 13th-century prince of the Minyak house from Kham in eastern Tibet, who settled in the Chumbi valley. Sikkim's Chogyals, beginning with Phuntsog Namgyal in 1642, traced their descent from him.
Is there an entry fee at Kabi Lungchok?
No, entry is free and the site is open in daylight. There is no ticket office or guide service. Read the information boards, and if you want deeper history, visit the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology in Gangtok before or after.
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