13th Dalai Lama, Sir Charles Bell and Maharaj Kumar Sidkeong Trul-ku

Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal ( Sikkimese: ; Wylie: ''srid skyong sprul sku rnam rgyal'') (1879–5 December 1914) was the ruling Maharaja and

Chogyal The Chogyal ("Dharma Kings", ) were the monarchs of the former Kingdom of Sikkim, which belonged to the Namgyal dynasty. The Chogyal was the absolute monarch of Sikkim from 1642 to 1975, when the monarchy was abolished and the Sikkimese people ...

of Sikkim for a brief period in 1914, from 10 February to 5 December.

Biography

He was the second son of Maharaja Sri Panch Sir Thutob Namgyal, and was educated at

St. Paul's School, Darjeeling St. Paul's School is an independent boarding school for boys in the town of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. It is known as "Eton of the East" because it is thought to follow the similar cultural and traditional values of Eton College. St. Paul' ...

and at

Pembroke College, Oxford Pembroke College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford, is located at Pembroke Square, Oxford. The college was founded in 1624 by King James I of England, using in part the endowment of merchant Thomas Tesdale, and was named after ...

. A polyglot, he was learned in Chinese, English, Hindi, Lepcha,

Nepali Nepali or Nepalese may refer to : Concerning Nepal * Anything of, from, or related to Nepal * Nepali people, citizens of Nepal * Nepali language, an Indo-Aryan language found in Nepal, the current official national language and a language spoken ...

and Tibetan. He was recognised as the reincarnation ('' tulku'') of his uncle, Sidkeong Namgyal, the abbot of

Phodong Monastery Phodong Monastery (or Phodang and Podong; ) is a Buddhist monastery in Sikkim, India. It is located 28 kilometres from Gangtok. It was built in the early 18th century but an older monastery had pre-existed the current one. 9th Karmapa was invit ...

. Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal reconstructed the monastery. After his education in Oxford, he returned to Sikkim where he was closely associated with the administration of the country. He worked to dissolve the greed that occurs in vested interests and tried to unify Buddhists by renovating monasteries and their roles. When Alexandra David-Néel was invited to the royal monastery of Sikkim, she met Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal, at that time Maharaj Kumar (crown prince). She became Sidkeong's "confidante and spiritual sister".

Engaged to Burmese princess

Sidkeong and Princess Hteiktin Ma Lat of Limbin then began a regular correspondence. Prince Limbin (Ma Lat's father) and his family soon returned to Burma (to live in Rangoon) and Sidkeong visited them there in 1912. By then they had agreed to get married, the British having secured Limbin's approval. The wedding was initially set for 1913 but then delayed because of the king of Sikkim Thutob Namgyal (Sidkeong's father's) deteriorating health. In February 1914 the old king died, Sidkeong became king, and his wedding to Ma Lat was set for 10 February 1915. The two exchanged many letters expressing their love for one another and how much they looked forward to a life together.

Death

In December 1914, Sidkeong was found dead in his bedroom, apparently of heart failure, aged 35, in what the British described as 'mysterious circumstances'. He was succeeded by his younger brother, Tashi Namgyal.

Palden Thondup Namgyal Palden Thondup Namgyal ( Sikkimese: ; Wylie: ''dpal-ldan don-grub rnam-rgyal'') (23 May 1923 – 29 January 1982) was the 12th and last Chogyal (king) of the Kingdom of Sikkim. Biography Palden thondup Namgyal was born on 23 May 1923 at the ...

was subsequently recognised as the reincarnate leader of

Phodong Phodong is a town 38 kilometers north of Gangtok, the capital of the Indian state of Sikkim in North Sikkim district. Phodong is famous for the " Phodong Monastery" and the "Labrang Monastery" which is situated at a slightly higher altitude ...

.Lawrence Epstein, Richard Sherburne, Reflections on Tibetan culture: essays in memory of Turrell V. Wylie, E. Mellen Press, 1990; , ; p. 61

Titles

*1879 - 1899: Prince Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal *1899 - 1911:

Maharajkumar Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king". A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire ...

Sri Panch Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal *1911 - 1914: Maharajkumar Sri Panch Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal, CIE *1914: His Highness Sri Panch Sikeong Tulku Namgyal, Maharaja

of Sikkim, CIE

Honours

British Empire *

Delhi Durbar Medal Delhi Durbar Medals were instituted by the British Raj, United Kingdom to commemorate the Delhi Durbar where the new Emperor of India was proclaimed, in 1903 for Edward VII, and in Delhi Durbar Medal (1911), 1911 for George V. On both occasions t ...

, ''1 January 1903''. *

, ''11 December 1911''. *CIE: Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire, ''12 December 1911''.

Ancestry

Notes

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Namgyal, Sidkeong Tulku Indian maharajas 20th-century Indian monarchs Tulkus Monarchs of Sikkim Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire 1879 births 1914 deaths