Talking about the religion of Sikkim, it can be said that in Sikkim, religion seems to lie at the root of all socio-cultural activities. Every aspect of the society in Sikkim has a strong bearing upon religion.
Moreover, Buddhism is the most predominant religion at Sikkim. The Bhutia and the Tibetans at Sikkim generally follow the Buddhist cult. The Sikkimese follow the Tibetan Buddhism, which is divided into Red and Yellow Sects. The Red Sect Buddhism in Sikkim includes the Nyingma, Sakya and Kargya lineages; whereas the Yellow Sect in Sikkim implies Gelugpa lineage. These sects comprise an integral part of religion in Sikkim and are marked by different religious practices and the rituals performed by them.
Hinduism is another predominating religion at Sikkim. In Sikkim, we find the Nepali Hindu cult, which calls for a lot of festivities and rituals. The Nepali Hinduism is an orthodox cult of Hinduism. As a result, the society in Sikkim shows a strong Hindu flavor: the predominance of caste system is one of the chief attributes of Hinduism.
Beside Buddhism and Hinduism, we also come across a number of other religions in Sikkim. Among the other religion in Sikkim are:
- Islam
- Sikhism and
- Christianity.
