Khangchendzonga-Sacred Summit - S3 Ep1 with Pema Wangchuk

About this episode

The episode explores the cultural, historical, and spiritual significance of Khangchendzonga in Sikkim through an interview with co-author Pema Wangchuk.

Season 3 of ' Books and Us' begins in Sikkim, a region shaped by its diverse communities, layered history, and the sacred presence of Khangchendzonga ( or Kanchenjunga). In this episode, I revisit the landmark non-fiction book ‘ Khangchendzonga – Sacred Summit' with its co-author, journalist Pema Wangchuk ( pamdorjee@gmail.com ) , to explore the cultural, historical, and spiritual stories that define the Eastern Himalayas. Pema's co-author was Mita Zulca. In this interview, the non-fiction author takes us through Sikkim’s defining moments — the 14th‑century 'Treaty of Blood Brotherhood' between the Lepchas and Bhutias, the coronation of the first Chogyal, and the deep relationship between the people and their guardian mountain. We also look at early explorer-writers like Joseph Hooker ( Himalayan Journals ) and Douglas Freshfield ( Round Khangchenjunga ), and how their contrasting styles reveal two very different moments in British engagement in Sikkim and beyond. In this conversation, Pema patiently guides us through Sikkim’s multi-layered and nuanced cultural and historical landscape and its deep, almost familial relationship with its sacred summit, Khangchendzonga, the highest…

People in this episode

Host: Ranjit Monga

Guest: Pema Wangchuk

Topics covered

• Sikkim
• Khangchendzonga
• cultural history
• spiritual stories
• exploration
• British engagement

Keywords

• Khangchendzonga
• Sikkim
• Pema Wangchuk
• cultural history
• British explorers
• Himalayas
• non-fiction

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Summit Times

Books & works: Khangchendzonga – Sacred Summit, Himalayan Journals, Round Khangchenjunga, The Birds Have Lost Their Way

Places: Sikkim, Khangchendzonga

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