Saturday, October 2, 2010

Gangtok



Sikkim lake

                                                                               My visit to Sikkim started when one fine day, my father asked me to get ready .I asked him for what should I get ready, he told me that we were going to Gangtok. My father had a meeting in Sikkim and I was going along with him. I was so thrilled at that moment, I had never been to any eastern state of India and now was my chance to explore the beauty of Sikkim. My friends were going to Manali at that time but I choose to keep my appointment with Gangtok. I had never traveled by aero plane and this was going to be my first ride across the clouds. The tickets to Bagdogra airport had been booked in advance by my father. I was excited about the tour and more so because of the ride in the plane.
                                                                         
                                                                           

           The day I sat on the plane was the most memorable day of my life. The plane started off with a thud and it accelerated as if a rocket was on fire. The moment it took to air my heart stopped and I felt so light .my ears started to get blocked due to changing air pressures inside the plane. My stomach was sending me different kind of sensations and I was excited and nervous both at the same time. When the plane reached some height my senses were normal again. Now I was amongst clouds, I was hovering above Delhi and everything looked so small from there. I was sitting next to the window and everything looked so divine. It was as if I had gone to the Kingdom of clouds .Everything was so milky white with castles made up of white powder and we moved right into them. It was a heavenly experience.
                                                                             
           Our plane landed in Bagdogra and we took a jeep from there. It was quite a drive from there as we travelled for almost 250 km by jeep. We were going through planes in West Bengal and we started to enter the realm of hills as we started to come near the Darjeeling. As we ascended, the road became more circular and it started to rain.  We were going from Darjeeling to Gangtok .The people here were unaffected by the rain. They were working as usual in rain also. I was amazed to see so many waterfalls with every mountain we crossed. The natural beauty of the place was unlike any other I had seen before. It was lush green and with every rain the color brightened further..
           As we reached Gangtok, we were received by my father’s friends. They had arranged a lovely hotel for us in advance. The place was so quite and refreshing with beautiful scenery .Our room was decorated by Buddhist art and lovely interiors. No ceiling fans were present in our rooms and being in Delhi whole of my life I could not imagine a room without fan. They told me that it’s cold here throughout the year that’s why they don’t need any fans here.

                                     Places to visit in Gangtok


           Next day I was up early to explore the beauty of the nature around me. We had to travel to Tsango lake that was near the China border. We were travelling in our jeep and it was almost 30 km from Gangtok. As we arrived at the lake it was crystal clear environment and suddenly wind started blowing. Whole of lake was suddenly enveloped in a thick cover of icy fog. It was a new experience for me. I had never seen a Yak in my entire life and here I was riding one.

          Our next stop was Khichipidi lake. We had to walk for a fair distance and take a stroll in the woods .It was a calm lake surrounded by trees and though it was surrounded by trees not even a single leaf was seen in the lake. It is said that each time a leaf falls in the lake a bird comes and picks up the leaf. It was a peaceful environment where one could spend ages but it would still look the same.
          We wandered in the streets of Gangtok for the next two days. Exploring new things out there, experimenting with the food and meeting new people. We were also fortunate enough to visit the palace of former King of Sikkim too. I heard that Sikkim is also famous for its wineries though being a tetto-teller I can’t explain further in this matter.
         Sikkim is a great place to see mother nature in its purest form with lush green forest cover and lovely people. I would again like to visit Sikkim and see what all new changes have happened overtime. Travel india to explore Sikkim and its culture.

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    Photo by Sahil Pandita on Unsplash

FAQ

1. Why is Gangtok so famous?
Ans. Gangtok, also known as land of Monasteries is a major Buddhist pilgrimage center.Rumtek monastery is one of them .

2.What is the best time to visit Gangtok?
 Ans .Best time to visit Gangtok is September, October, March, April, May, June.

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