Editing Chogyal (section)

== History ==
[[File:Guru Rinpoche - Padmasambhava statue.jpg|thumb|200px|Statue of [[Padmasambhava]] or Guru Rinpoche]]
[[File:Tsuklakhang.jpg|thumb|right|[[Tsuklakhang Palace]]]]

From 1642 to 1975, Sikkim was ruled by the Namgyal Monarchy (also called the Chogyal Monarchy), founded by [[Phuntsog Namgyal]], the fifth-generation descendant of [[Guru Tashi]], a prince of the [[Western Xia|Minyak]] House who came to Sikkim from the [[Kham]] province of [[Tibet]].<ref>Measuroo.com States and Territories of India series. Online: [http://www.measuroo.com/Acr-S/Sikkim.php] (accessed: 14 May 2008)</ref> Chogyal means 'righteous ruler', and was the title conferred upon Sikkim's Buddhist kings during the reign of the Namgyal Monarchy.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

The reign of the Chogyal was foretold by the patron saint of Sikkim, [[Padmasambhava|Guru Rinpoche]]. The 8th-century saint had predicted the rule of the kings when he arrived in the state. In 1642, [[Phuntsog Namgyal]] was crowned as Sikkim's first Chogyal in [[Yuksom]]. The crowning of the king was a great event and he was crowned by three revered [[lama]]s who arrived there from three different directions, namely the north, west, and south.