The culture of Sikkim has been largely influenced by Tibetan culture, owing to its being a former kingdom. The Namgyal dynasty which ruled the state for many centuries practised Himalayan Buddhism and had close links with Tibet. As late as the nineteenth century, official documents and other records in Sikkim were written in the Tibetan language (but such records are now written in English).
Sikkimese follow a number of Buddhist festivals like Losar (the Tibetan New Year), Saga Dawa (the celebration of Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death) and Lhabab Duechen (Festival of Fire Prayer). Some festivals like Losoong and Drupka Teshi are unique to Sikkim. These cultural heritages are protected by the Sikkimese government through enactments of law.
The Nepali language is spoken natively by the population. English, however, is preferred as a second language among the residents. There are also some speakers of the Lepcha and Limbu languages in Sikkim.