A trip to Gangtok is almost magical, recalls rakesh kumar, whose 48 hours in the Himalayan paradise were a dream-come-true
The four-hour drive from Darjeeling to Gangtok went by in a flash. Every
turn of the road presented a scenic beauty that we never tired of
capturing in our cameras. Be it the lush green tea gardens, where women
with baskets on their backs were busy plucking the leaves, or the sight
of the river Teesta flowing by, the experience was a dream come true.
Indeed, it was no less than that as our sojourn at Darjeeling had left
us craving for more.
The two days at Darjeeling had passed equally fast as there were
several things worth seeing there. Whether it was the early morning
sunrise on the Tiger Hill ~ within minutes, the sun’s golden rays covers
the whole range of mountains with liquid gold ~ or the thrill of riding
the Toy Train to the highest railway station of India ~ Ghum. Our
visit to Darjeeling thus only served to whet our appetite for Gangtok.
We left for Gangtok in morning as our driver turned into a guide. He
told us that Gangtok meant “hill-top” and that till a few years back it
was only popular among tourists from West Bengal but now it attracted
tourists from other parts of the country as well. As he drove past the
tea gardens one was reminded of a few Bollywood movies. The other
unforgettable sight was the beautiful Teesta flowing in the opposite
direction with a few rafters battling its currents. In fact, Teesta acts
as a bounday between West Bengal and Sikkim and takes one to the town
of Rangpo, where one enters Sikkim.
Sikkim welcomes
As we entered Sikkim we were halted by policemen, who demanded our
identity cards. Our driver informed us that the security personnel were
trying to check illegal Bangladeshi migrants. Located in the Shivalik
Hills of the eastern Himalayan Range and surrounded by the towering
peaks of the Himalaya, Gangtok has been a major pilgrimage centre for
Buddhists. As one enters the city, a visitor will notice that Gangtok is
different from Darjeeling ~ it is less populous, more clean and roads
are wider with good pedestrian walks. Our journey came to an end at the
hotel Club Mahindra Royal Damazong, which was a far bit away from the
main town but peaceful.
M G Road
We began our visit with Gangtok’s popular market M G Road, which was
recommended by everyone. Quite unlike any other M G Road or Mall Road
located in other hill stations, the paved road was closed to traffic,
and potted plants and benches were placed along the middle of the road,
where people could sit and relax. But what struck us was that the street
was so clean, it would not be wrong to call it the cleanest street in
India. The entire stretch is dotted with quaint little eateries,
sweetmeat shops, gift stores, glittering shops, restaurants and bars.
There is one more market called Laal Market, which is bit less
expensive, good for shopoholics and food connoisseurs ~ you can stop for
hot momos and chowmein at one of the various cafés on the street.
Nathula pass
The next morning saw us visiting Nathula Pass, at 14,200 ft. It is a
mere 52 km from Gangtok, but due to construction work it takes more than
four hours to reach the place. The road is full of stones and boulders,
rubble and dust, dotted with villages and army establishments. Our
hotel manager informed us that the Union government was developing a
passage to Kailash Mansrover via this route. This would shorten the
journey to Kailash Mansrover to 2-3 days, from 18 days if one went from
Uttrakhand.
Ravines were so deep that looking into it was enough for our heart to
skip not one but a dozen beats. But the beautiful view all along the way
compensated it all. The more, we got closer to the border the more we
found military presence. After some time, we came upon a board with the
legend, “The Chinese observation area has started” and on the mountain
to our right, “Mera Bharat Mahan”, indicating we had reached Nathula
Border.
Through a gate that read “Nathula”, we walked up some stairs and
reached a place that looked more like the portico of one of the two
buildings. Behind me was a building with the tricolor proudly
fluttering, bringing out the Indian in each one of us. On the other side
was a building painted in red, with golden pillars and a star at the
top. That was China!
The soldier guarding the fence told us that Nathula Pass was the place
through which the famous Silk Route operated until 1962. But after the
war broke out, it was closed for some 44 years and again reopened in
July 2006, allowing limited trade between India and Tibet. Items of
trade include yak hair and tail, silk brocades and clothes. Trucks from
China come 8 km into India.
Baba Mandir
The next stop was Baba Harbhajan Singh mandir, which is popularly known
as Baba Mandir. Our driver told us the legend behind this place.
Harbhajan Singh was on sentry duty in October 1968 when he disappeared.
It is said, while escorting mules carrying provisions, he fell into a
stream and drowned. After a few days he reappeared in the dreams of one
of his colleagues and asked him to make a memorial here in his name. The
sentries and guards here believe his spirit is still alive and he is,
therefore, treated as a living being. In fact, there have been reports
of Chinese soldiers across the border seing a turbaned sentry doing his
rounds at night. Many sentries here believe that Harbhajan comes here
every night as his camp bed sheet gets crumpled every morning and his
polished shoes turn muddy by evening. Many who come here leave a bottle
of drinking water, which they arrange to collect a few days later. It is
believed that one can fulfill one's wishes by drinking that water. On
one side of the temple is Harbhajan Singh's office and next to it is his
dining place. The base camp had a Baba Mandir, which apparently was
built for the convenience of the visitors (“Duplicate,” said our
driver). The original one and the bunker were about 6 km away from that
spot.
Tsongmo Lake
The other halt was Tsongmo Lake (also called Changu Lake or Tsomgo
Lake), which was calm and beautiful. Situated at an altitude of 12,400
ft, the lake reflected the azure sky in its crystal-clear water amidst
snow-clad mountains. It is a sight worth taking the journey for. There
were many Yak owners calling out to us for a ride. However, the time was
running out and we had time to reach the hotel to try something hot
like Thukpa and recall all we did and saw in the past 48 hours
