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EMBLEM OF SIKKIM Sikkim joined the Indian Union on May 16, 1975. The emblem of the State of Sikkim is based on Buddhist elements. The lotus or ‘padma’ is a symbol of purity is a symbol of the attainment of enlightenment. The conch shell or ‘sankha’ is the symbol of the spoken word. It is also one of the symbols Vishnu has in his hands. The conch shell symbolizes religious power. The dragon - ‘druk’ symbolises renewal and transformation and it is the symbol of the Chinese Emperor. A couple of dragons mean that the symbol enclosed is of the ruler. Thus it can be interpreted as 'The Government of the Enlightened Religious Leader'.

PADMA Buddhist visual art has produced an elaborate vocabulary of symbolic and iconic forms of expressions and a great variety of these symbols is found in temples, visual art and literature.The figures of Lotus, Dharmachakra, Stupa, Triratna, Chattra, Dhvaja, Deer and Naga are among the more common ones. The lotus, the wheel and the stupa can be seen in almost every Buddhist temple. One may understand these symbols as visual mantras and contemplating them is an exercise in meditation. Lotus represents 'primordial purity' body, speech and mind. The roots of a lotus are in the mud, the stem grows up through the water and the heavily scented flower lies above the water, basking in the sunlight. This pattern of growth signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment. The colour of the lotus too has an important bearing. White Lotus represents the state of spiritual perfect