History: As per record in Ecclesiastical Department, the original
Bakcham monastery existed in Yatung in Tibet. Interestingly, the original monastery was said to have
founded by Gyalwa Lhatsun Chhenpo who was one of the pioneer missionary
Lamas of Sikkim. As per record, it is mentioned that the monastery belongs to
Sikkim Darwar and functions under the care of one Lama called ‘Jo
Pema Kunkhyab’. The Darwar had also granted Rs. 50/- per annum to Bakcham Gonpa
for running pujas. |
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However, during 1960, the Chinese Armies did not allow the public to visit to
any monastery for pujas. This created a hurdle in the way
of his religious activities and the Lama started facing difficulties after being
cut off from Sikkim. Eventually, he deserted the monastery and escaped to
Paro in Bhutan along with his family members.
The news regarding his
escape from Yatung to Bhutan had caused anxiety to the Darwar.
However, later, Chhogyal Tashi Namgyal called him from Bhutan and
allotted a piece of land at Dechenling, East Sikkim where he built a
dwelling house in 1966 and continued his religious activities. Later,
Jo Pema Kunkhyab lama, with the help of government aid, erected a
separate shrine in 1990 to substitute the old monastery of Tibet. This
monastery could not improve with time and there were hardly any monks even
though Government gives an annual subsidy for its functioning. |