SIKKIM - Queen of North East Himalaya

A trip to the north east Himalayan range was long due for me. My husband has been to many such hill stations before. But for me, I have never even been to Darjeeling in my life before this. We started from Kolkata on 26th March evening and came back to Kolkata on 6th April morning. Ours was a team of 5, consisting of Me and my husband, both my in laws and my dear father.

We booked our tickets online for Darjeeling mail from Sealdah station to New Jalpaiguri station and back. All of us were so excited about our journey that we finished our packing almost 2 days back. 

Day 1: 26th March: 

We started from our Jadavpur KPC Medical College Campus apartment around 8pm and reached Jadavpur rail-station. It took just 5 mins by rickshaw. Got a local train till Sealdah, reached there within 15-20 mins. Had nice 'Jhalmuri' at the station and kept an eye on the electronic train schedule board. Darjeeling mail was scheduled at the station at around 9:30pm and the departure time was 10:30pm. We boarded the train quite early and checked our berths and secured our luggage under the seat. The boggy was quite clean and almost a new one. So was the washrooms. Before the train starts we all had our dinner with 'samosa', 'jhalmuri' and other small bites. Ultimately the much coveted journey started at right time.

Since it was a night time journey so no point of being awake and watching out of the window. We all got our berths ready for a nice sleep. Around 7am we woke up. Had tea from the local vendor. Around 8:30am we reached Rangapani Station. From there it delayed a lot and ultimately reached NJP station around 10am. We all crossed the over bridge and reached the taxi stand outside the station. Bargained our reserved Mahindra Maxx for 1700/- bucks, since we were 5 member team. But for single couples, like honeymooners, you can go for a shared cab, it will cost you 200/- bucks per head. Please beware of the taxi/cab touts, please hire cab from the pre-paid counters. They might offer you a lucrative option, but ultimately make you suffer for your decision.

We had a little tiff over there, with the owner of the cab, as he wanted his money to be paid before hand. Which both my father in law and my dad resisted. Both of them were quite logical to say that half they will pay before hand for petrol and all, the other half will pay after we reach Gangtok. The owner was a rough thug and started behaving badly, which he shouldn't have done, given the fact that we were simple family travelers, and in no situation going to run away without paying.

It was a 3-4 hrs journey to Gangtok. Quite jerky and tiresome, though i enjoyed it a lot, might be me being the first timer in Himalayan range. In between we stopped to have breakfast and found one small road side 'Dhaba' kind of hotel where we had nice hot 'Puri' and 'Aloo ki sabji'. Not so healthy choice but again who really cares about health when traveling!

Again we started our journey towards Gangtok, just before reaching we had some tea in a road side hotel, where our driver had his lunch also. After break we took around 45 mins to reach the Bengal - Sikkim border, where you are supposed to show your identity cards (only one of these viz. Pan Card/ Voter Id/ Driving License are valid as photo identity). 

Day 2: 27th March:

From there our hotel, "Sonam Delek", which we booked online from Bangalore itself, was almost at 15-20 mins distance. The moment I got down of the car I was happy to see that our hotel was quite clean and tidy and nice. Although as soon as we went down to our floor we all realized the smart business plan implemented by the hotel management. Our hotel was a 4 storied building, where the top 3 floors are of Suite and Deluxe category, had nice balcony and sitting arrangements in the balcony for mountain view. But the bottom most one is the Normal/ Regular category rooms, which unfortunately we booked, had no balcony and in fact they intentionally covered the balcony with opaque glass windows. So that after seeing this guests request for changing their rooms to a deluxe or suite room.

Anyway, we soothed our minds by telling that "we anyway are not going to stay back at hotel for the whole day, so by time we come back to hotel after sight seeing we will anyway be too tired to sit at the balcony!"

We went up to have lunch at the hotel's restaurant. Except me every body had Plain Rice, Dal makhani, Mixed Veg item. I had Egg Sandwich. Food was nice and simple.

Went back and after some unpacking and little relaxing, we all went out to go to the famous M G Marg, to arrange our next days plans with a travel agency and to do some small shopping at M G Marg as well. * M G Marg closes at 8pm at night. All shops are religiously closed at that time. *

Day 3: 28th March:

We planned our 4 days stay at Gangtok like, first day we will finish the sight seeing (we planned for the 12 point trip for whole day). Next day we will go to Tshango Lake, Nathula and Baba Mandir. Next 2 days we will spend in Yumthung valley, traveling to and fro and for staying back at night on the way. We talked to the state govt. travel office at the end of the M G Marg. For Nathula you have to apply for permission before one day. And the same is for Yumthung also, rather more strict. In both the cases, for each person (tourist) of the group, you have to submit 4 passport size colored photos and one copy of your identity card xerox. 

First day of sight seeing was really excellent. We visited, Barjhakri Hidel power station and Park, Institute of Tibetology, Rumtek Monastery, another two small Gumpha and Monastery, Botanical Garden, Flower Show, Handicraft Institute etc . Around 4pm, we stopped for the rope-way trip. 70 bucks for each person, the trip was real fun and worth for the money. I have added one snap of the rope-way trolly carrier in my movie. Came back and had some tea and snacks at M G Marg. Then back to hotel for rest. Around 7:30 we went out to have our dinner. 

Day 4: 29th March:

Unfortunately next day morning when we got ready for our trip to Nathula and Tshangu Lake, our travel agency called us to inform that we didn't get any permit to Nathula for that particular day. And for any other long trip you need to have permit and for that permit as well you are supposed to apply on the day before (at least 24 hours before). We were so sad for this, our mood to go out almost died then n there. Ultimately we decided to utilize the day by sight seeing the rest of the points and ultimately by shopping at M G Marg. We checked out of Sonam Delek on 29th March evening and checked in another hotel called "Golden Pagoda" near the SBI ATM & opposite to the south indian food corner.We applied freshly for both Nathula trip and Yumthung trip. At least any one would get sanctioned and we will be able to utilize our day. Each Application takes 200/-.

Day 5: 30th March:

Next day i.e on 30th March, we started for our Nathula Pass (East Sikkim), since we didn't get permit for Yumthung Valley (North Sikkim). We had our breakfast at hotel and came out to the taxi stand. Waited for the Cab for quite a long time (about 20-25mins), which was complete mismanagement, negligence and utter unprofessional behavior from the travel agency. Ultimately our Mahindra Bolero came, both my in laws and my father got in to the middle seat, my hubby needed to sit with little ease so he sat in the front seat beside the driver. I went to the back. 

After the journey started I literally cursed my seat as there was hardly any contact between the seat and myself. I was almost 80% time floating in air and literally banged my head a thousand times and ultimately got my lower back injured. I was not able to stand straight and walk steadily when got down near Tshangu Lake to hire ice boots. Anyway, we all kept our shoes there with the boot shop owner and wore our choice of ice boots. Some boots are 50 bucks, some are 100 bucks. Although my father in law (he hired the 50 bucks boot) found it more comforting after 3 hrs journey in "ice land" Nathula, than us who happily hired the 100 buck boots.

We didn't stop at Tshangu while going up to Nathula. When we reached Nathula, the sky was quite clear. Suddenly out of nowhere a huge cloud came and started to wet everything on its way and snow like small cottons started to rain allover. We took shelter in Army Canteen, where you get nice Nescafe @ 15 bucks and hot momos also (forgot the price, but surely very reasonable at that height and area). My dad bought some nice cookies and coffee and momos for all of us, after having that we climbed up the stairs to see the mighty "INDO-CHINA BORDER". Before that I have never seen any such thing and it indeed mesmerized me a lot. In fact talking to a real Chinese, that too with the border security army, and their excellent English speaking prowess really amused me. I just asked one Chinese Army that whether they stay posted there for whole year or get relocated, how do they feel, blah blah blah.... and I had a real hard time to make him understand even a small and simple word like "YEAR". 

One thing really made my thoughtful about the truth of mankind and about the truth of so call state, border, government is that, these border security armies of both the countries, they share a really nice and warm friendly relationship between them. Normal days, they are just like friends working in two different companies. But as soon as there would be a War declaration these armies will become enemies of each other and start to fight against each other. Suddenly a recently watched movie came in my thought, "War Horse", I would highly recommend you all to watch it please. Some more such highly philosophical thoughts clouded my mind and made my mind as gloomy as the day. Anyway, as a traveler you will get many such moments of highly philosophical interaction and introspection to ponder upon. But let that not inhibit the pace of the journey.

We started our journey back to Tshangu Lake. Before that the modified and newly founded Baba Mandir will come. The original and old Baba Mandir is little away and a bit risky to go. The story of this Baba Mandir is nicely written here. Please see the photo above.

Got to know that the Indian army still has kept his post alive and his salary gets posted in his salary account every single month and none the less he has recently been promoted to higher post. It is believed in Army personnel that his soul tells the future incidents to happen in the war to his fellow soldiers in dream.

There at Baba Mandir we had nice cup cakes and hot coffee. I was literally shivering in cold. We left for Tshangu lake and all the way there was continuous snowfall. We were too tired to get down to get ourselves snapped with the mighty Yak. Though I was the only enthusiastic one to ride a Yak, but unfortunately my lower back was paining so badly that I didn't dare to come out of the cab and do the photo shoot. So we went back to the boot hiring shop and got our own shoes back and paid the money. There I bought one cute cap and muffler and a pair of hand gloves. It was very cheap compared to other places. I wore that cap and muffler in Darjeeling. Check out my cap and let me know whether you liked it... ;-)

There is one more thing which touched my soul and made me think over it again and again. One our way to Nathula and back, we saw many Sikkimese day laborers, both male and female, working on road side. At such great height and tremendous cold, they were working in nothing more than a torn faded age old pair of jeans and a thin jacket. It was worst for the working moms amongst them. They were carrying their infants and toddlers in a small cane baskets to their work place. And they do not have the luxury the take shelter under any roof when it is snowing all over and they simply continued with their work. Their small ones are covered by a mere piece of hanky or old cloth. Life is too hard and harsh on them, yet they always have this heart warming smile on their face. The life of north eastern hilly area people has always been very struggling and tough, still they know how to be happy even with the smallest causes and mere provisions. This real picture of Sikkim moved me like anything.

There are many beautiful places on earth where we, so called 'the wealthier people' go to spend money and have some good time for ourselves and also to boast our travels to our peers. But very few of us really keep our eyes and mind open to feel the essence of the soil and to see the real beauty and soul of the people of that place. The tourism professionals tend to keep those real inhabitants of that place away from the glossy scenario, to attract more tourists. For them these poor people are nothing but a scar mark to hide under the sleeves, a dirty smelly wound on the face of the society to cover up under the glossy shiny make up of development and prosperity to stage in front of the out side world!

Anyway if you start traveling for yourself you will start realizing many such reality and truth on your own. I just shared my feelings, people might blame me of being too communist in thoughts but can't help it. Because life is fair for those who have options. Not many have the luxury of choice!

We came back to Gangtok City Taxi Stand. Releasing the Bolero we hired one Indica cab, though it was a 4 seater one, we somehow managed to fit ourselves in it.