As the plane landed at the Bagdogra
Airport, I got excited on the idea of having some enjoyable time in Sikkim.
Sikkim is a small but a beautiful
state, situated at the north eastern part of India. This flamboyant state of
India
is a scenic state with plenty to attractions that are very popular among
the domestic as well as the international tourists. For the ones who live in
the cities like me and my cousin Prasan, the fresh and cool air of this region
was enough to make us feel delighted.
As we were already advised by our
friends about the tricky weather of this place, we had come well prepared with
some warm clothes. However, we were lucky enough as the weather turned out to
be pleasant throughout our stay, as we needed the warm coats only when we went up
the mountains to the Nathu-La.
Our journey along the twisting roads
to Gangtok, took over 5 hrs. This scenic route was full picturesque views. On
our way to Gangtok, we stopped at a guesthouse on the banks of the charming
Teesta River, to have our lunch. AS we reached our destination, we were a bit
tired and thus, decided to rest for the evening and also book our return
flights by helicopter as neither of us were prepared to again go through the bone-rattling
experience.
Gangtok, which is the capital town of
Sikkim, the town holds plenty of gorgeous as well as interesting attractions
like the monasteries, zoo, temples, flower shows and exhibitions. After an
excellent breakfast washed down with Temi tea, we visited the Hanumantok, which
is situated at a distance of around 9km from Gangtok. It is a beautiful temple,
situated at a height of 7,200 feet, with pollution free environment.
The steps to the quiet hilltop temple
were steep and tiring, but there were many other tourists climbing the steps,
occasionally stopping to view the captivating view of the mountains through
their binoculars. As we reached the peak of the hill, we experienced the
spectacular view of the Kanchenjunga and also had a clear view of Gangtok,
dotted with colourful houses.
The pundit of the temple briefed us about the
temple, which was structured by the then political officer, AB Pant, in the
year 1952 and since then the donations from the Indian Army and devotees assists
to maintain the temple. The locals of the temple Sharma, our driver and a
devout Hindu, added that the temple was known for its mystical powers to
fulfill wishes.
The close by Lukshyama, the cremation ground of the royal
family was an added draw. Coming down on the way back, we stopped at another
temple called the Ganeshtok, at 6500 ft, also built by AB Pant, a year after
Hanumantok in 1953! From there too, I could see snow-clad peaks including the
Kanchenjunga.
Clearly it was a popular spot as lots of buses and taxis were
parked outside. After a sumptuous lunch, we decided to walk around in the
afternoon to get a feel of the city. Soon we found ourselves gasping for breath
as the roads were so steeply inclined! We city-slickers were not equipped for
such exertions! We came back exhausted and after a light dinner of Chinese
dumpling, fried rice and noodles we called it a day.
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