By the time she reached Sikkim in 1912, Alexandra was forty-four years old and already a published authority on Indian religion.
Sikkim, then closely connected to Tibet both geographically and culturally, marked not the beginning of her search, but its decisive turning point: the threshold where long-imagined Tibet ceased to be an idea and became a lived destiny.
Alexandra David-Neel first encountered Tibetan Buddhism in Sikkim, where she spent three formative years between 1912 and 1916.
The exhibition in Sikkim in 2026, brings into focus these crucial years here, long overshadowed by her celebrated 1924 journey to Tibet, which brought her international fame. Later, she said that her years in Sikkim had been the most important of her life.
It was in Sikkim that Alexandra learned the Tibetan language, read her first Tibetan Buddhist texts, met her teacher, and was initiated into Tibetan contemplative and yogic practices. She owed these experiences to a small circle of Sikkimese figures, without whom none of what followed may have been possible. They are introduced here as the Prince, the Teacher, and the Son.
Crown Prince Sidkeong Tulku (1879-1914) opened the doors of his kingdom and its monasteries to her, assigned her a translator, and arranged her meetings with erudite Lamas. Alexandra, in turn, assisted him with the Buddhist reform program he had initiated within Sikkim’s monasteries.
They became close friends and travelled widely together, delivering lectures during Sidkeong Tulku’s monastery inspection tours. They also shared a passion for photography, with Sidkeong Tulku often offering her tips and guidance.
Info and photos: Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, International Symposium 9-10 April 2026.
Leave A Reply