A Region Before Borders: Colonial Classification, National State Construction, Migration History, and the Politics of Indigeneity in Sikkim and the Darjeeling-Kalimpong Eastern Himalayan Region

Author

Mr. Aniket Sarkar

Abstract

 The Eastern Himalayan region, encompassing Sikkim and the Darjeeling-Kalimpong districts of West Bengal, presents a complex tapestry of historical migrations, colonial reconfigurations, and post-colonial identity struggles. This research paper explores how the imposition of colonial borders and classification systems transformed fluid regional migrations into rigid categories of "indigenous" versus "migrant." By tracing the trajectory from British imperial administrative mapping to modern Indian nation-state construction, this paper examines the contemporary politics of indigeneity. The analysis reveals how groups like the Bhutias, Lepchas, and Nepali-speaking communities navigate the structural legacies of census-making and territorialization to articulate political demands, including the Gorkhaland movement and Sikkimese distinctiveness.

Keywords

Eastern, Himalayas, Sikkim, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Borderlands

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