Gangtok has come a long way from being a small town on the trade route between Tibet and India.Yet it has preserved its pristine beauty and offers peace and a tranquil retreat, finds rakesh kumar
The year was 1975, when
the beautiful state Sikkim became India’s 22nd state. The state capital
Gangtok, a small northeastern town, was once a major stopover on the
trade route between Lhasa in Tibet and cities such as Kolkata in British
India. It now became the centre of Tibetan Buddhist culture. Located on
the top of the ridge, it took us around fourhours to drive from
Siliguri to Gangtok, courtesy the bumpy roads. But trust me, it is well
worth the trouble and the city has a lot more to offer.
What’s on offer
Take a close look at Tibetan culture and spirituality by visiting the
stupas and Buddhist monasteries. For those who have an interest in
wildlife, the Himalayan zoological park allows one to catch a glimpse of
the elusive red panda along with barking deer and Himalayan bears.
And yes, don’t forget to admire the splendid beauty of
Mt Khangchen--dzonga. How could you miss their fashion sense? Walking in
the lanes of MG Road, one can sense a better dressing sense than
Mumbai or Delhi. And of course, last but not the least, the tranquility
of the city.
Hanuman Tok
Our first exploration began with a serene destination
~Hanuman Tok. Located at an altitude of 7,200 ft, the Tok is 11 km from
Gangtok city. The Tok, which means temple, offers a spectacular view of
the Kanchenjunga. However, there is a small history connected with the
area. It is believed Lord Hanuman took rest for a moment at this place
when he was on his way to Lanka from the Himalayas, carrying
Sanjeevani herbs for Lakshman. The temple is popularly known to
fulfill one’s wishes. As soon as we reached the place, we were lured by
photographers, just as in other tourist destinations. Colourful flags
add to the gaiety and the pine trees surrounding the temple made a
lovely picture.
Calming hotel
Climbing up to Hanuman Tok was tiring. This drove us back to the hotel
at Club Mahindra Gangtok, Royal Demazong. Like the city, our hotel,
which was far from the main city, also offered a peaceful and calm
environment. The hotel had 31 studio rooms equipped with all the major
amenities. One could satiate hunger pangs by digging into some lip
smacking delicacies at Orchid, a multi-cuisine restaurant that offers
breathtaking views of the surroundings. Cooking workshops, kids’ club
and Fun Zone are all there to keep the entire family entertained.
The next day
The morning started with a visit to the beautiful Flower Exhibition
Centre. It was not too large but had an amazing collection of flowers of
different types ~ some of the flowers I saw for the first time. They
were beautifully arranged. If one is a lover of flowers, then be
prepared to consume a lot of memory space on the phone or camera.
Monasteries
Visiting Gangtok and missing the monasteries is
unthinkable.Therefore, our next destinations were exploring monasteries
like Rumtek and Ranka Monasteries. Located 23 km from Gangtok, at a
pristine location, Rumtek monastery belongs to the Kargyu sect of
Buddhists, which originated in the 12th century in Tibet. The
architecture of the monasteryis one of the finest in the world and
resembles the original one in Tsurphu, Tibet. As one enters its
premises, the courtyard is full of monks' residences. The most striking
part was the pictures of a very young Dalai Lama and a painting of Lord
Ganesha on the entrance walls, linking Buddhism to Hinduism and
Sanskrit.
Gangtok Zoo
Next on the list was the Himalayan Zoological Park, which is quite
unique where animals are not kept in small cages but in big natural
enclosures surrounded by walls. Just 6 km from the Gangtok city, the zoo
has many rare and endangered species of animals like Red Pandas,
Himalayan Black Bears, Snow Leopards, Clouded Leopard, Common Leopard
and many others. Here, be prepared for walking because often the
animals hide inside their large open areas, so some luck or good timing
is needed to be able to see them. For animal lovers or those who want to
get away from the noisy city it is worth a visit.
Local delights
