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.