Two festivals are occasions of special importance all over Sikkim. One occasion is dedicated to the deity Kanchendzonga and the other to Lossoong the Sikkimese New Year Day.

Kanchendzonga
The two day festival of dance performed during the worship of snowy range of Kanchanjunga (Khang-chen-dzod-nga) is a dance peculiar to Sikkim alone. It is celebrated in September. The third Chogyal of Sikkim, Chador Namgyal (1686-1716) introduced this dance about two and a half centuries ago as a result of a vision.

Kanchanjunga is about 40 km from Gangtok and is the most unifying force in the myth and identity of the state. Khang-chen-dzod-nga means the five treasures represented by five summits of this gigantic mountain. According to tradition the five treasures are salt, precious stones, religious scripts, medicines and grains and invincible armour. The natural environment in which the Sikkimese live have made them to revere, fear and worship this mountain. They believe that their prosperity even their lives depend on the good humour of the deity, for he has the power to destroy human habitations with devastating floods and avalanches, wash away their bridges and ruin their crops by sending terrible hail storms down the valleys.

Kanchendzonga is portrayed as a fiery red - countenanced deity with a crown of five skulls, riding the mythical snow lion and holding aloft the banner of victory. Esoteric masks, flashing silks, opulent brocades and embroidered boots are the costumes of the dancers. The dancers are all male. In this warrior Dance the warlike pomp and panoply, the war deity resplendent the flaming robes, the fantastic Snow lion, comprise the essence of the dance. This mask dance is termed as Singhi Dance i.e. Lion Dance by Nepalese. They visualise the ferocious god of Kanchanjunga riding over a lion and hence call this dance as Singhi Dance.

Lossoong
On Lossoong, the Sikkimese New Year Day, Black Hat (kali topi) Dance demonstrating the triumph of good over evil is demonstrated. This masked dance is also performed by male dancers mostly the Lamas. The dance revives the old story which narrates that about twelve centuries ago King Land-Darma was slain for suppressing Buddhism in Tibet. The king was slain by a Lama wearing a fantastic black robe lined with white and riding a white horse blackened with soot.