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| Gangtok |
We were standing on the lawns of The Orange Village Resort, Gangtok, Sikkim. Had arrived from Pelling the night before. After a delicious breakfast of cutlets with chips, we were looking at the panoramic and a picturesque scenery-over seven acres of beautifully landscaped gardens against green clad hills, a lazily meandering river and tangerine orange orchards.
Suddenly there was a surge of adrenaline in the body as we saw our sturdy companion, perfect for hills, the great
Summo (car) arriving to take us to hitherto, an exotic, hidden and unexplored paradise in
North Sikkim. Soon we were on our way through winding road to MANGAN, our first halt approx 65 kms from Gangtok.
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| North Sikkim Map |
MANGAN
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| View from Mangan |
Set on an elevation of 3950 ft,
Mangan was a graceful town similar to the other small villages and towns that were on the verge of development in Sikkim. The interesting fact about Mangan was that it certainly boasts of numerous tourist attractions and excursions in and around the town,
especially easy treks. Mangan also had its own market where we browsed a while and bought few curios and souvenirs.
After an early lunch of steaming hot chicken noodles at
Mangan Hotel, we proceeded on the Highway to north.
SINGHIK
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| Mighty Mt Kanchenjunga from Singhik |
This small quaint hamlet was only 4 kms from Mangan at the height of 4000 ft and was our night halt. The place of our stay surprised us.
Though small, Singhik Tourist Lodge had a beautiful views of Mountain Kanchenjunga. Situated on a slope it had a beautiful terraced garden and estates.
Situated amidst the lush green hills, Singhik commanded soothing scenery of forested hills. There were alluring mountain streams as we passed on our trek in the afternoon.
We visited "Singhik View point" and watched the grandeur of Mighty Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Siniolchu!My goodness! That was a splendid vista!
It was a great dinner in the evening! The Chicken curry and fried cabbage was great with Parathas and so was the Indian whiskey
"Blender's Pride" which we had picked up at
Gangtok.
Next morning we headed towards further north on the Highway. It was a stunning journey.
A land - where haven touched the earth, the ambiance created mystery, landscape dominated by elements, where silence was heard and vision tended to travel beyond the horizon. I found my soul started meditating- unknowingly, mind got rejuvenated; and a land that made me bow!
We had reached Chungthang!
CHUNGTHANG
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| Chungthang |
Sited at the convergence of
Lachen River and
Lachung Chu (tributaries of Great River
Teesta),
Chungthang is a place that is wholly immersed in natural beauty. At an altitude of 1,700 meters (5,600 ft), Chungthang provides a major groundwork to the Indian Army Force. Chungthang was encircled by the sky-touching mountains on the way to
Lachung and to the final heaven-
Yamthang.Chungthang is regarded as a sacred place where
Guru Rinpoche the Buddhist saint passed through the land in the 9th century.
Apart from the stunning beauty,
Chungthang has a legendary rock, which is believed to have been the seat of the saint for the time being. This rock is imprinted with certain marks that is said to be the footprints of
Guru Rinpoche. On the rock, there is a small cavity that remains filled with spring water.
Another interesting fact about this region was that close to the rock, there was a small field where paddy grows which was definitely atypical in such stony terrain. It is believed that Guru Rinpoche had scattered a handful of grains on this spot and ever since, paddy grows here. This quiet hamlet was inhibited by Lapchas and had a distinction of a rich variety of flora, including rare orchids.
As we had to reach
Lachung before night fall, we left Chungthang with a heavy heart....
Related post
TRAVEL-"INNER BEAUTY" AND UNEXPLORED HIMALAYAS; PELLING, Sikkim, India
Stay at Singhik:Singhik Tourist Lodge
Phone: +91-3592-234287
How to reach Gangtok
By AirThe airport nearest to Gangtok is about 124 kilometres away in Bagdogra, West Bengal. From the airport, you can hire a shared taxi or a private vehicle that will get you to Gangtok in a matter of two hours. The drive from Bagdogra to Gangtok is absolutely stunning with gorgeous mountains and River Teesta as your backdrop.
From Bagdogra, you can also take a TSA helicopter to get to Gangtok in just 20 minutes. However, their services depend on weather conditions. Chopper flights also get canceled on the pretext of insufficient bookings.
By TrainThe nearest railway station to Gangtok is about 148 kilometres away in New Jalpaiguri in Siliguri. The station is well-connected to major cities like Kolkata and New Delhi. From New Jalpaiguri you can take a taxi to Gangtok or go to Siliguri Bus Station and catch a state-run bus to Gangtok, which will take you about 5-6 hours.
Road/Self DriveTourists rolling in from nearby places like Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kolkata prefer to drive to Gangtok. The roads are well-maintained, except in a few places.
For Exotic North Sikkim, either you can drive in your own car or hire taxis easily available from Gangtok.
Updated post of 17/07/08