Gateway-To-Paradise:Incredible View From Tsomgo Lake, Sikkim

Rare Flowers, Buddha's Insight, Magnificent Landscape In A No Smoking Gangtok

Diary of Day 6: Gangtok, May 7, 2014

I'm not good with identifying the various varieties of flowers but when you come across wonderful beauties, the image settles down in the mind forever. The rare Orchids, Lilies and several other varieties at the Flower Show in Gangtok brought a wide smile to our faces and it was a great way to start the day.

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology has sponsored and promoted research on the religion, history, language, art and culture of the people of the Tibetan cultural area which includes Sikkim. The NIT library holds one of the largest collections of Tibetan works in the world outside Tibet and a museum of Tibetan iconography and religious art. I came to know some very interesting details about the path chosen by Gautam Buddha and how he showed the path to a wide spectrum of people all across the world. He urged everyone to strike a balance between Self Indulgence and Self Mortification.

The curio shop outside Institute Of Tobetology had some fascinating mementoes. What caught my attention was badges and stickers with 'Free Tibet' and 'Save Tibet' written on them. In fact 'Free Tibet' is written at many places in Gangtok, the most conspicuous being a mannequin at a clothes store. The picture of Dalai Lama is omnipresent all across.

Tashi Viewpoint and Hanuman Tok held a window to outstanding scenery though the clouds played a spoilsport and the reclusive Kanchenjunga continued to elude us.

Smoking has been banned at all the public places in Gangtok. I didn't see anyone smoking anywhere during the course of the entire day today. A fine of Rs 5000/ is imposed on anyone found littering. In spite of the fine the littering was evident (though it wasn't that rampant) and sadly it seemed that the tourists are the cause of the same.

Evening was spent idling away time at the MG Road. It's a really fascinating market. The lamp posts, the benches, it's an image right out of a Charles Dickens novel in a modern context.

Exploring Gangtok After Being Treated To Picture Perfect Landscapes

It rained heavily in Pelling last night. The sound of heavy rainfall sounds rather ominous in an area that is surrounded by thick forests and the rain falling on the hilly roofs makes a louder sound than usual. In the morning I coaxed Aarefa into coming along with me for a walk in the woods. The tall and sturdy pine trees, the thick foliage around us and loads of silence made it an experience that we shall treasure in solitude once we get embroiled in the busy life of Mumbai soon.

The journey from Pelling to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim was a fascinating one. The landscape dotting the path was simply breathtaking and the nature had many surprises for us. Somehow when you enter a hilly region, the novelty value wears off after the initial charm since all the views start looking the same. But this journey was different. The influx of several breathtaking valleys and hills kept us surprised for most parts. Our cab driver played some Nepali songs. The music was very engaging and occupied my mind space long after I came out of the taxi. Thankfully the roads are in a reasonably good condition. It took around 5 hours to reach Gangtok.

Gangtok (5400 Feet) is the capital of Sikkim and the main tourist and business hub. The MG Road area is India's first litter free and spit free area. It is a wonderful arena to chill and have a good time. It is a road with shops on both the sides and benches for people to sit and relax. Vehicles are not allowed and smoking is prohibited too. Right below MG Road athere's another shopping market called Lal Bazaar. In a total contrast to MG Road, this market is dirty and unkempt. We had our dinner at Khan Chacha's Biryani House. It was a sumptuous feast of tandoori chicken, chicken korma and chicken biryani. Very tasty and quick service.

Picture Perfect Landscape: On The Way To Gangtok (Sikkim)

Gorgeous View From My Hotel Terrace In Pelling, Sikkim

Rabdentse Ruins, Kanchenjunga Waterfall, Wish Fulfilling Lake....Wowed By Pelling

Rabdantse was the second capital of the former Kingdom of Sikkim from 1670 to 1814. It's ruins are near Pelling and they've been declared of national importance by the Archaelogical Survey of India. The trek from the entrance gate of Rabdentse Ruins to the actual location is dotted with trees and the bird songs are pleasant music to the ears. As we reached the top, the well kept ruins surrounded by gardens with a breathtaking scenery all round simply stunned us. My wife Aarefa considers it the best point that we had visited during the course of the day.

Kanchenjunga waterfall is an unforgettable experience that we shall treasure for ever. The water flows directly from Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain peak in the world. The flow is thick and fast and the accumulated water pools into an enclosure. Around 28 Kms from Pelling, Kanchenjunga waterfall is a major tourist attraction. We had aromatic ginger tea and tasty boiled chana at a small shop at the foot of the waterfall.

Khecheopalri Lake is a holy lake 34 Kms from Pelling. It is also called the wish fulfilling lake. It is sacred to both Buddhists as well as Hindus. The lake is an important part of the widely respected valley of Demazong meaning valley of rice. A bunch of fishes nibble at the corner of the lake that's facing the visiting tourists. The tourists are refrained from feeding the fishes. The silence and the peaceful ambience has a calming influence.

The young Buddhist Monks at the Pemayangtse Monastery were chanting as we entered their prayer room. One of them was playing a traditional rhythm instrument while another one played a peculiar string instrument that created an unusual sound. It was a highly spiritual experience. Aarefa said that we should move away from the jungle of our day to day city life and settle down in the peace pervading out here.

The last stop was the new Halipad ground. The helicopter flights are made available to tourists who fly in a group from Sikkim's capital Gangtok with a prior intimation.

We had our lunch at a restaurant called Melting Point where we experimented with a local Sikkimese soup which was very tasty. The prices are generally on the lower side, be it hotel, food or shopping for mementos from local curio shops. There's no market in Pelling. Argument for that is that for a population of 500 people, it is not advisable to have a market. With around 100 hotels and a busy tourist season (July and August are off season because of heavy rainfall), Pelling, a hill station discovered in mid 1990s, is gaining currency because of it's several notable sight seeing points.

The people out here are simple, warm and to the point. No tricksters here. Pelling doesn't have the advanced logistical solutions that many big tourist destinations boast of but if gorgeous scenic points, big mountains (serenaded by foggy clouds), loads of tranquility and beautiful flowers fascinate you, then you'd love Pelling.

Inside Pemayangtse Monastery In Pelling (Sikkim)