The royal history of Sikkim : a chronicle of the house of Namgyal / as narrated in Tibetan by Their Highness Chogyal Thutob namgyal and Gyalmo Yeshe Dolma ; based upon preliminary translation by Kazi Dawasamdup ; corrected, supplimented and throughly revised by John A. Ardussi, Anna Balikci Denjongpa, Per K. Sorensen ; under the patronage of Her majesty Gyalyum Kesang Choeden Wangchuck (queen mother to HM the fourth king of Bhutan).

"The Royal History of Sikkim is a secular history of Sikkim and the House of Namgyal. It was written to record and preserve the history of the country from a Sikkimese perspective and in contrast to the prevailing British representation. Before Sikkim became an Indian state in 1975, it was a small Buddhist kingdom. The kingdom was founded in the seventeenth century with the establishment of the Namgyal Dynasty as sovereign and its rulers continued to provide Sikkimese kings, called ‘Chogyal’, up until the twentieth century. From the beginning, Sikkim kept close contact with and was significantly influenced by Tibet. For example, Sikkim was known as an outstanding beyul, a land that offered protection to Buddhist practitioners in difficult times. As a result, Tibetan Buddhist masters visited this place which, according to legendary accounts, Guru Rinpoche had once blessed. Apart from that connection, Sikkim received Tibetan estates from the Tibetan government, called Ganden Phodrang, and various Sikkimese queens came from Tashilhunpo, the monastic seat of the Panchen Lama. Hence, Sikkim maintained close ties with Tashilhunpo and the Ganden Phodrang (1642–1959). At the same time, the kingdom came under considerable pressure from its neighbours in other quarters throughout its history. Apart from attacks by the Gorkhas and Bhutan, the modern era also saw British India approach Sikkim as an economic gateway to Tibet, which they were eager to open. By the nineteenth century, Sikkim became a protectorate of British India."--