Sikkim's first king, Phuntsog Namgyal, was crowned at Yuksom in 1642. In 1670 his son, Tensung Namgyal, moved the capital to a ridge just below where Pelling now stands, and called it Rabdentse. For well over a century this was the seat of the Namgyal kings.
The site was chosen for defence. It sits on a spur with steep drops on three sides and a clear line of sight across the Rangeet valley. What you see today are the foundations of the palace, the walls of the royal enclosure and a row of three chortens, laid out on a terrace among old trees.
Rabdentse's end came from outside. From the late eighteenth century the Gorkha army of Nepal pushed into Sikkim and overran the western districts, and Rabdentse was laid waste. It is usually given as the capital until 1814. The court moved east to Tumlong in North Sikkim and later to Gangtok, which became the capital in 1894.
The ruins are now protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and listed as a monument of national importance. Many visitors walk past the ticket gate without knowing what they are looking at. Stand on the top terrace facing the range and it is easy to see why a king would want to rule from here.
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Legends are retold differently from village to village. Where a story is told locally rather than written down, we say so.
