It was a fitting end to the year 2011, an unforgettable journey to the north eastern state of Sikkim and parts of West Bengal. The flight from Bangalore to Kolkata takes a little more than 2 hours, notwithstanding minor delays. Once we landed there, there was enough time on our hands to have a look around this iconic city which has an old-world charm to it. The taxi ride to see the Howrah Bridge is a nice way to get a feel of the city which has been familiarized to us through nostalgic accounts by journalists and the like. There were trams slowly chugging through the busy streets. We did not forget to try some Bengali sweets on our way back to the airport. The airport at Bagdogra, situated in North Bengal is the closest to the state of Sikkim. Vehicles can be arranged to take people from here to Pelling, one of the biggest tourist destinations in Sikkim after the capital city of Gangtok. It is a pleasant journey through the narrow roads on the hills and we arrived at the hotel sometime after 10 PM that night.
We reveled in the awe inspiring spectacle that surrounded us, in the morning. The sight seeing was off to a great start, our first stop being a rock garden. The road is aligned with plenty of orange trees. The Kanchenjunga falls became a beautiful backdrop for pictures with the rainbow spread across the falls. The walk to the holy Khecheopalri Lake, with a temple on its bank and a monastery on the way, is truly awe-inspiring. After the luncheon which lasted for an hour or so, we were off to explore the Rabdentse ruins. Rabdentse was the ancient capital of Sikkim and this site, which is under the Archaeological Survey of India, housed the ruins of the palace etc. The view from atop the ruins is breathtaking. Pemayangtse monastery was our penultimate stop for the day. The helipad, more of a tourist spot, is a photographer’s delight. Darkness sets in by 5:30 PM, which means sight seeing is over for the day.
We reached Gangtok in time for lunch the next day. The Teesta hydro electric power project is visible on the way. Gangtok, the city of joy, pretty much changed our impression about Sikkim. What with their winter clothing, everybody appeared very stylish! The shopping complex at Lal market is where all the shopaholics should head. The next day of our stay was devoted to visiting Tsomgo Lake and Baba mandir. This region is under the jurisdiction of the army and hence we have to get special permits. The journey towards Baba mandir took about four and a half hours and it was nothing short of excitement. It is one of the highest roads in India. We could see people working on the roads, and small villages greeted us now and then. Almost every house seemed to have a garden, or at least potted plants in front of their house. We passed near Nathu-La pass, the Indo-China border on the way. The deity at Baba mandir is Baba Harbhajan Singh, who was a military man. Everything at the temple is managed by army personnel. It is at the restaurant here that we finally tasted momos, a snack that would appeal to all people, accustomed to different tastes. The calm and serene Tsomgo Lake, at an altitude of 12,400 feet, is a treat to the eyes as well as our dazed minds. The other interesting places in and around Gangtok that we visited the next day are Bakthang falls, a park and flower exhibition centre with a rather difficult name to remember, the handloom and cottage industry under the Sikkim government and Do Dul chorten, a place of worship akin to a Japanese pagoda. We missed a visit to the institute of Tibetology as it was a public holiday. We were on our way to Darjeeling, also called the ‘Queen of hills’ soon. The excellent roads added to our experience of driving amidst splendid, tall trees and rivers. The air turned chilly as we neared Darjeeling. Sprawling tea estates and the view of Mt.Kanchenjunga at a distance are bonuses. We decided to explore the market after we had taken adequate rest. It is a whole new world out there, which gets crowded as darkness creeps in.
We were up and about at 4 in the morning on the next day, to leave for Tiger hill, to witness the magnificent sunrise over Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. There was a huge crowd and it is with some difficulty that we managed to catch a glimpse. Batasia eco garden and the Ghoom monastery beckoned us before breakfast. The Japanese temple, along with a pagoda, tucked away amidst tall trees, is a sight to watch. The rock garden, Ava art gallery and the tea garden were some of the other tourist attractions in Darjeeling. The Tibetan refugees self help centre is situated atop a hill and houses a photograph exhibition centre, tracing its history through the times. Another visit to the market in the evening was a temptation we could not withstand.
The final destination in our itinerary was Kalimpong. The golf club which belongs to the army, Durpin Dara monastery and some photogenic view points formed the major part of our sight seeing in Kalimpong. The pine view nursery, a private collection of cactus, was really exciting. We would have never imagined that cacti could exist in all those different shapes.
We returned to Bangalore on New Year’s Eve. We were driven to Bagdogra airport, and then flew to Kolkata and to Bangalore. It was a truly delightful experience and only a person insensitive to the beauty, which our motherland is abundantly blessed with, would not want to go back to this tiny state tucked away in the Himalayan Mountains. Though there are many languages spoken in Sikkim, a sound knowledge of Hindi is advisable while visiting. Nepali is the official language. The cultural diversity in the least populated state of India is remarkable. There are different festivals happening in different towns of Sikkim throughout the year, which would be a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with the culture. The ‘heaven’ that is Sikkim is enticing, leave no stone unturned to take a trip to heaven in this mortal birth.
