Samdruptse Sikkim : The 138 feet statue of Guru padmasambhava is the main attraction here. A lot of pilgrims come and visit this peaceful location all year around. This statue can be seen until the indo Nepal boarder and holds great importance in this region. The history is rich and this location is surely worth a visit!
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The next destination in our list was what is believed to be Eastern Himalaya’s biggest glacier, namely Zemu Glacier. After travelling for some time, we had to climb up the mountain in order to reach the glacier. The journey to the Zemu Glacier after trekking over some rugged terrains and in the middle of dense forests was really awesome. It is situated in the lap of Mount Kanchenjunga and said to have a length of 16 miles. Many people believe that this glacier acts as a source of River Teesta. It lies on the eastern portion of the Kanchenjunga and feeds water to a number of rivers as it melts. We had heard about the Teesta River because it was in the news as a result of the proposal of construction of a 3,500 MW hydroelectric power plant across the river. The locals informed us that the plans regarding the power plant is currently in ruins as the zone is extremely prone to earthquakes. We knew that there haven’t been any major reports and studies regarding the monitoring of the glacier. But we were really fascinated by the view of the glacier and didn’t forget to capture the breathtaking scenes with our cameras. One of my friends told me that scientists have concluded that the glacier has been decreasing constantly in size thanks to the presence of some digital photographs.
It has a number of lateral moraine type ridges on both sides which have a height off around 150 feet. Some people say that the ridges are a result of the Little Ice Age period. Scientists have also reported that many tributaries arising from the glacier have vanished in the past few years. One of the locals informed us that the melting takes place at a rapid pace in the lower portion of the glacier which is actually an ablation section. According to the local residents, the Zemu Glacier has been facing the problem of slow but sure thinning every year. Some of the images captured constantly over the years show that the position of some selected spots have changed continuously thereby indicating that the Glacier has been retreating. Norbugang Chorten Sikkim : This is a coronation throne which is situated in Geyzing. Watching the serene and beautiful Kuthok Lake from here is a feast to eyes. With time capsule being buried here, the place is known to be historically important. The mesmerizing structure of the Norbugang Chorten still remains a mark in the history.
We decided to start our second day with a visit to one of the most refreshing sites in the world where the Khecheopalri Lake was located. It was actually known by the name of Kha Chot Palri which stands for heaven of Padmasambhava. Both the Hindus and Buddhists treat it as a sacred one while many believe that the lake fulfils all types of wishes. It is located in the Khecheopalri village which is close to Gangtok and Pelling. In the beginning, we had some confusion in reaching the lake because most of them couldn’t tell us the direction to the Khecheopalri Lake. But finally, we came across a person who told us that they locally call it as Sho Dzo Sho which literally stands for Oh Lady, Sit Here. The lake is located in the Demazong Valley which is considered to be one of the most revered valleys in the country. Many people believe that the valley along with the lake has been blessed by Guru Padmasambhava which makes it a storehouse of hidden treasures. We came to know that the Khecheopalri Lake is famous as a Buddhist pilgrimage site which also involves the Dubdi Monastery located in YUksom, the Rabdentse ruins, Tashiding Monastery, Pemayangtese Monastery and Sanga Choeling Monastery. We could see that the birds made sure that not a single leaf floats on the lake. They would industriously pick up all the leaves the moment they fall on the surface of the lake. One of the locals informed me that there is a folklore legend associated with the topography of Sikkim. According to the legend, the Khecheopalri Lake represents a plexus present in the human body i.e. the thorax. It also says that the other three plexes include the Yuksom which represents the third eye, the Tashding which represents the head and the Pemayangtse which represents the heart. Another legend says that Guru Padmasambhava used to preach 64 yoginis on the bank of the lake. Some others believe that Goddess Tara Jetsun Dolma used to reside in this area with the lake being a footprint. We also came to know about many new legends from the plaques erected at the entrance of the lake.
We were simply fascinated by the breathtaking views that the small state of Sikkim had on offer during the trip from New Jalpaiguri station to the hotel booked via hotel mobile app. We had to travel for some time because the hotel was at a distance of more than 100 km from the station. We were greeted warmly in traditional Sikkim style and we went directly to our rooms since we were quite tired after being in the train for 3 long days. We had booked two Deluxe Rooms for the four of us. After sleeping throughout the morning, we freshened up and had lunch at one of the restaurants inside the hotel. It was then that we could realise that we were sitting in one of the most picturesque locations of the world. The ambience was extremely comfortable and warm and the hotel represented the ideal mixture of contemporary and ethnic decor. Thanks to the hotel mobile app that we knew that WelcomHeritage Denzong Regency Gangtok is the solo luxury boutique hotel in Gangtok. The best part about the hotel is that it offers absolutely quiet and peaceful ambience despite being location at a distance of 1km from the centre of the city. It has been in existence for a long period of time and spread over an area of 10 acres. Seriously, it was the best hotel for enjoying the best views in the city, the valleys, myriad streams and unmatchable beauty of the undulating mountains.
But what made the scene breathtaking is the presence of the massive Mount Kanchenjunga in the backdrop. The WelcomHeritage Denzong Regency Gangtok was located near Raj Bhawan of Gangtok on the Cherry Banks. It was one of the ideal locations for travellers as it is close to most of the sightseeing spots in Gangtok. We also explored the facilities and the architecture of the hotel and were extremely impressed by both of them. There was a banquet hall which can be used for organizing parties, events and ceremonies. The hotel also offered unlimited internet access which will be mainly useful for those visiting Gangtok for business. Namgyal Institute of Tibetology : Getting to learn about Tibetology is an interesting experience. Namgyal Institute Of Tibetology, is an amazing warehouse of knowledge and depository of priceless relics and elements associated to Tibetan Culture and Buddhism. Knowing the teachings of various scholars gave me a better perspective on life.
From the Indo China border we moved on towards our next destination which was the Phodong Monastery. There are a number of monasteries in this region on the North Sikkim Highway, namely Labrang, Phensang and Phodong Monasteries, located at a distance of 38km away from Gangtok. The locals informed us that the monastery was established by Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal in the 18th century and is owned by the Kargyupa sect. He is believed to be the ninth Karmapa and was asked by Sikkim’s King to construct the three monasteries. We knew that the monastery has been rebuilt at different points of time and now stands tall as a part of the numerous magnificent monasteries in this small state. The reconstruction was done by Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal who is considered to have done the reincarnation of his uncle and the monastery’s abbot Sidkeong Namgyal. But the best part of the monastery is that the old frescoes and mural paintings have been preserved and left untouched. On entering the monastery, we could see that there were around 300 monks living there. The monks were extremely friendly and helpful and enabled us to have some noodles and momos from their personal kitchen. All four of us were really pleased at having the opportunity to interact with such peaceful people. We were really happy at the fact that such smiling and loving people still exist in the world. The monks told us that just like other monasteries, it acts as a host to the annual Puja which is held in the last portion of the Tibetan Calendar’s tenth month. They also informed us that different types of religious dance performances are being done on that occasion. The festival is known as chaam and is celebrated on the 29th and 28th days of the concerned month.
After getting out of the Phodong Monastery Sikkim, we could see that it was already dark and decided to stop our journey for the day. We returned to the hotel, had for a bath and then tasted some exquisite Sikkim dishes before going to bed. We were very tired but felt very happy that we still had many more places to explore. Hanuman Tok Sikkim : This is a temple which is located on a hilltop. I had to climb several steps to get to the top. The view along the way was beautiful and many different life forms you could see. As I got to the top I was mesmerized by the beauty of the place. I would say Sikkim is one of the most sought after destinations amongst students like me, who would prefer a low budget.
After exploring the magnificence of the beautiful Tsomgo Lake, we moved on to our next destination which was the Nathula Pass. This world famous pass used to be a corridor of great importance between Tibet and India. However, it was closed in the year 1962 due to the growing tensions in China but was reopened in 2006 after completing some bilateral agreements. The Nathula Pass is considered to be of great significance for the growing and existing trade relations between the two countries and for boosting the region’s economical status. It is located at a height of 14450 feet and a distance of nearly 56 km from Gangtok. The Nathula Pass wasn’t much far away from the Tsomgo Lake and so it didn’t take much time for us to reach there. We were really mesmerized while travelling on what is said to be amongst the world’s highest motorable paths. The dense of forests of alpine trees along with the cool and pleasant ambience gave us a feeling of thrill and excitement. We also visited the international border between India and China from where we could view soldiers from the other country sitting behind the barbed wire. Before visiting the Nathula Pass, we had got the requisite permit from the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department thanks to a travel agency which was a recognised and registered member of the department. We were specifically barred from capturing any kind of photography and felt a bit sad that we couldn’t capture the beautiful scenery. We also spotted the only ATM facility which is renowned as the highest ATM machine in the world. The name Nathula has been derived from two Tibetian terms, Nathu meaning listening ears and La meaning pass. Many believe that it used to be a part of the famous Silk Route. It is a part of the three existing open trading posts at the border between India and China, in addition to Lipulekh in Uttarakhand and Shipkila in Himachal. The Nathula Pass also enables people to access different Buddhist and Hindu pilgrimage sites located in this part of the world.
Mayfair Spa Resort & Casino Gangtok : This is one of the most beautiful resorts and spa’s in Sikkim. Being able to spend a quite day here enjoying the Himalayan mountain ranges amidst of beautiful surroundings is an amazing experience. The excellent night party the resort offers is very rejuvenating experience.
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About Author.
Hello, I am Ayushi Manroa. I love travelling and have also dabbled in photography. Being a student, I mostly end up back-packing! I started this blog to record my travelogues about the amazing places that I have been to. Be it frolicking in Goa, taking a dip in the Ganges, trekking in Coorg or hitching a ride up the Western Ghats, it is all listed here along with some of my best shots. Hope you like it. Happy reading!
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