[11] BHUTIA’S SACRED LANDSCAPE: CULTURAL BOUNDARIES AND PERCEPTIONS

ARTICLE INFO: Date of Submission: May 22, 2025, Revised: May 31, 2025, Accepted: June 7, 2025, https://doi.org/10.56815/ijmrr.v4i2.2025.144-155

Abstract

Sikkim is not merely a geographical entity but a sacred landscape deeply rooted in the cultural and spiritual significance of its indigenous communities. It highlights how oral traditions and ritual practices are imbued with sacrosanct by the diverse communities, where sacred sights are not only loci for religious and spiritual practice but also dynamic arenas where identities are negotiated and culturally bounded. This paper examines the sacred landscape of Sikkim through an anthropological lens, focusing on how cultural boundaries and perceptions are constructed, maintained, and transformed through spiritual engagements with the land. Through ethnographic fieldwork, oral narratives, and historical analysis, the study highlights how sacred territories of Sikkim are constructing and maintaining the spiritual engagement of the land through religious perspectives in contemporary modern society. Drawing through Indigenous communities’ practices, particularly in the context of the Bhutia community, the paper further explores the interplay between the belief system, territory, and cultural practices.