Have you ever found yourself lost in a reverie whenever you visit a place of historical importance? Or what if by some divine force or sheer consciousness you are just drawn to a place laden with many stories of the bygone eras. There is an unequivocal charm and yearning for untold stories. Turuk Kothi treasures and unearths one such untold story of the erstwhile Himalayan Kingdom of Sikkim.

The story dates back to the year 1848; when a Newar Tradesman, Laxmi Das Pradhan undertook a visionary endeavour of introducing the first ever coinage system in this quaint little kingdom under the reign of Maharaja Thutob Namgyal, where barter system was still prevalent for economic exchanges. Laxmi Das Pradhan initiated the minting of copper coins namely, Dheba paisa and Cheptey paisa. With the permission from the then Maharaja, Laxmidas Pradhan along with his brother, Chandravir Pradhan acquired mining lease of copper mines in places like Tuk-khani in South Sikkim and Pachey-khani (mine), East Sikkim.

Large tracts of uncultivated land were cleared for this purpose; the Taksaris (owner of the minting houses) played a crucial role in strengthening the Sikkimese economy during the late 19th and early 20th century. They can be accredited with the migration of large number of Nepalese people of different origins to work at the copper deposits at Pacheykhani, Bhotangkhani, and Tukkhani, and also to cultivate the barren lands of Sikkim.Turuk Kothi is the home to the first minter of Sikkim, and it also served as a district headquarter for many years. Over time, the Taksaris were conferred the title of 'Rai Sahibs' who would serve as subordinates to the Sikkimese monarchs. Within the estate, a settlement house known as 'Kuccheri' was also established for settling various disputes among the subjects in the vicinity. Additionally, the Kuccheri also had a prison for the culprits. A remarkable aspect about the estate is the fact that, centuries after; Turuk Kothi stands unaltered even today, as had been built by its first resident.