Sensational Sikkim and
Breath-taking Bhutan
October 2019
October 2019
India is unexplored fully, even by Indians. It is a
highly diverse & beautiful subcontinent, but human nature often takes one
back to the same tried and tested places. They may be wonderful, beyond doubt,
but one cannot deny the delight in exploring India’s hidden gems by taking the
road less travelled.
Together with our friends,our journey to India this
time took us to magical Sikkim, an
Indian state tucked away in the farthest north east corner of India, bordering
Nepal, Tibet, West Bengal and Bhutan. Sikkim
lies in the lap of the majestic Himalayas. Vibrantly coloured monasteries
hypnotise the senses, as one explores this small remote state with a big heart.
Yes, people are warm and helpful, and extremely honest. I accidentally left my
purse in our cab. But when I reported it, I was guaranteed I would get it back
intact. And I did.
From Kolkata, a short flight took us to Bagdogra
in North Bengal. From Bagdogra airport our driver navigated
our way through the Siliguri district,
as the scenery changed dramatically from typical Indian cities, to thick
woodlands, then meadows of tea estates, continuing on to panoramic views of
super steep valleys and rocky rivers, to the capital of Sikkim, Gangtok.
At 5,500 ft
above sea level (asl), Gangtok
itself means “hilltop”. Layered along a precipitous ridge, descending the
hillside in steep tiers, the view points from Gangtok rewards the eye with plunging green valleys that remain
mystical especially when shrouded in mist. In October, the snow-capped, 3rd
highest peak of the Himalayas, Kanchanjunga,
plays hide and seek behind the clouds.
Gangtok
is a quaint blend of old and new. For an evening out,
locals and tourists alike converge on MG road, the only flat pedestrian
walkway, flanked by fancy restaurants, shops and whatever you please. Gangtok
also serves as a base for the traveller exploring Sikkim.
After a restful night in the Grand Silk Route Hotel,
we set out the next morning in tourist taxis to Tsomgo Lake, 38 kms away. As we navigated steep and winding
mountain roads, the views were mesmerising. Buddhist prayer flags fluttered in
the breeze. Wisps of clouds lifted away to reveal spectacular vistas of
sweeping valleys and the gushing River Teesta. We took breaks along the way at
colourful tea houses nestled in the hillsides, to capture the view with photos,
and admire the numerous waterfalls.
Waterfalls, Waterfalls,Waterfalls.
The Seven Sisters Fall is a mandatory photo stop- a
seven tiered waterfall as the name suggests.
At 12,310 ft. asl, the Tsomgo lake is 1 km long,
nestled in a valley of the Himalayan foothills. Locals offer rides along the
lakeside on big black yaks, adorned with colourful woollens. The Lake derives
its waters from streams and melting snow. It lies on the Gangtok- Lhasa trade
route between Sikkim and Tibet, is sacred and worshipped by the Sikkimese.
Yaks for a ride along the Tsomgo Lake.
Another 20 kms away is the Nathula pass, 14,200 ft asl
in the Tibetan Plateau, and near the border with Tibet. It is among the highest
motorable roads in the world. Tourists susceptible to altitude sickness are
advised to avoid these heights, but our group heroes made it to the Pass and
back, thankfully safe.
A new adventure the next day was our drive to Lachung
town, 78 km from Gangtok. Although distances are not great, the winding roads
and steep inclines slow one down. But the slow journey only gave us deeper
glimpses of the stunning scenery. There is population everywhere, but homes are
tucked away in the hillsides. We stopped for lunch at Mangan the capital of
North Sikkim. The town is not visible unless one stops and looks up and down
the slopes where the buildings are tucked away.
The photo stops, lunch breaks and tea stops gave us amazing views of the
mighty Teesta River and the dams and hydroelectric projects along it. The
Teesta is also a popular white water rafting destination for the adventurous.
It rises in the Eastern Himalayas, flows through Sikkim and West Bengal, into
Bangladesh, and out into the Bay of Bengal.
We reached Lachung town after dark, checked into our
hotel and were treated to a piping hot meal of chapatti and vegetables (which
our taxi drivers had bought from the Mangan market while we were lunching),
cooked by the hotel staff.
We awoke the next morning to a whopping view from our
window. The steep rocky face of the majestic mountains rose steeply from either
side of our hotel, and they were decorated with numerous waterfalls gushing
down the rock face. One spectacular one
is named the Amitabh Bacchan falls only because he shot a movie scene here.
Leaving my footprints at Lachung town.
At 8,610 ft asl, Lachung town is in a valley at the
confluence of 2 rocky and rushing tributaries, in the upper reaches of the
river Teesta. An enjoyable activity for the morning was a walk down to the
river, plus a visit to the Lachung Monastery which has beautiful wall murals and
ancient statues. Walking through the colourful bazaar and visiting the carpet
weaving center run by local women during the sunny morning was a delight to the
senses.
Down by the river in Lachung
About 23 kms further away is the Yumthang Valley,
meaning Valley of flowers. At 11,800 ft asl, it is best visited in summer when
the myriad of colourful flowers are in full bloom.
Add another 23 kms, at 15,300 ft asl, is Zero Point. This is where the civilian
road ends near the China border, literally ‘the end of the road’, hence the
name Zero Point. But the rewards are awesome. Three rivers meet here, and snow
clad mountains surround you. The oxygen is low here , so once again those of us
susceptible to altitude sickness stayed back, while the heroes ventured forth
and came back victorious, having conquered Zero Point.
Zero Point
The whole of Sikkim state, due to its proximity to the
Chinese, Nepal & Bhutan border, is well secured by the Border Road Organisation, popularly known as BRO.
They develop and maintain the road network in India’s
northern border regions during peacetime, but also work with the army in case
of war. It felt safe to travel in Sikkim
due to their presence everywhere and their many checkpoints.
Our last day in Sikkim
was spent in a homestay just an hour’s
drive away from Gangtok. It gave us
an insight into how a typical sikkimese family lives. Our host Tonzo, and his family were warm and welcoming. They smothered us with their hospitality
which is typical of the local people wherever we roamed in Sikkim. Like all dwellings in Sikkim, his home is on many levels
tucked into a hillside. From our balcony were sweeping views of rice terraces
and their farm below , from which came all our vegetables and chicken that were
served to us for lunch and dinner. Homemade buckwheat pancakes stuffed with
cheese and spinach were the highlight for breakfast.
Tonzo is an artist and adorns his home with his own works, not of just
paintings in a frame, but also the walls, the woodwork in the ceilings,
door-frames, furniture, screens, etc. with detailed & typical sikkimmese
artwork. My favourite was a corner with a sink, where the tap was actually a
colourful teapot.
Notice the teapot Tap in the picture.
Tonzo’s artwork.
For the young
and adventurous with more time, North,
South, East & West Sikkim states have much more to offer. Numerous
mountain treks, paragliding, colourful monasteries, lakes, hill stations,
spectacular views of gigantic Buddhist statues situated on hills with
commanding views, and so much more in this pristine and mostly unexplored state
of India.
Our adventure in Sikkim
had come to an end, but our hearts and minds were overflowing with what we had experienced and explored.
We drove
through the rugged Sikkim landscape
towards its border with Bhutan. Most
foreign visitors fly into Bhutan. However we chose to drive into this
fascinating country.
Via W. Bengal’s vast tea estates, we reached the
Indian border city of Jaigaon where
we had to complete Indian immigration exit formalities. Like all other Indian
cities, Jaigaon was noisy with
continuous honking, littered and congested. But as we crossed the checkpoint into Bhutan, it was suddenly quiet. We had arrived in the busy commercial hub of Phuentsholing, but traffic was
organised, there were proper pavements to walk on, sufficient street lighting,
and there was no honking!!
We checked into our hotel, were introduced to our
guide, Tsuji, and then walked with
him to complete entry immigration formalities into Bhutan. They are so trusting
that they even allowed us to check into our hotel first before that. It was nearby, and of course we were
accompanied by our guide. Vehicles just stopped courteously for us as we stood
on pavements to cross roads…..it was a royal welcome!
For the young and fit traveller, Bhutan is a trekking destination.
Much of Northern Bhutan is on
the eastern edge of the Himalayas,
and offers amazing challenges for the mountain climber. However Bhutan’s
highest peak the Gangkhar Puensum,
at 24,800 ft. is off limits to any mountain climber and remains till today the
highest unclimbed mountain in
the world. Its name means “The white Peak of the 3 Spiritual Brothers” and the
Bhutanese believe it best to leave them undisturbed, out of respect for local
spiritual beliefs. However there are enough of other peaks for the avid
mountain trekker.
Bhutan’s only airport is in the western city of Paro. It is located in a beautiful
valley surrounded by mountains. As such, only the experienced pilots of
Bhutan’s own airlines, Drukair and Bhutan Airlines are allowed to fly in and
out of this airport.
Overlooking the forested Paro valley is Bhutan’s most famous landmark, the Tiger’s Nest, or the Taktshang monastery which clings to the
face of a rocky cliff. It is incredibly sacred to the Buddhists. Inside is a cave
in which the Buddhist Deity who brought Buddhism to Bhutan, meditated for 90
days as he battled the demons that inhabited this valley, in order to spread
Buddhism. It is the birthplace of
Buddhism in Bhutan. The temple is over 1000 years old and has survived 2 fires.
The hike up the cliff face to Tiger’s Nest is like a Mecca to most travellers to Bhutan. It’s a difficult climb, some
sections are very steep, and it’s about 4.5 km each way. But it’s something to
brag about if you have achieved it, no doubt.
Tiger’s Nest, near Paro, Bhutan.
Dzongs (Fortresses) are Bhutanese architectural
masterpieces built in the past to serve a number of purposes. They serve as
administrative centers, they house the throne and offices of the King, always
has a large temple, and also has accomodation for the clergy. They radiate
beauty with grand statues of Buddha, and elaborate paintings on the walls
depicting stories of the buddhist culture and history.They were also used as
garrisons by the army, and people gathered in the dzong courtyards during
festivities, and these activities continue till the present time. Both these
points show how religion and politics are interwoven in Bhutan.
National
Memorial Chorten, Thimpu.
ntrysside
Kuensal Phodrang Buddha, Thimpu
Inside the Fortress(Dzong) in Thimpu.
detailed artwork inside the dzongs.
Between Thimpu and Punakha, again on top of a hill, is the Dochula Pass.
Between Thimpu and Punakha, again on top of a hill, is the Dochula Pass.
Often a violent
history and dark times encourage people to create something inspiring and
beautiful. The people of Bhutan created the Dochula Pass in honour of 108 Bhutanese
soldiers who died in a 2003 millitary operation. At this beautiful mountain
pass are 108 memorial stupas known as “Druk Wangyal Chortens”. And from this
pass(alt 9000ft), on a clear day in Bhutan, one can see the unclimbed highest
mountain peak of Bhutan, the Gangkhar Puensum, and maybe a picturesque view of the snow laden Himalayas.
Gangkhar
Puensum (highest unclimbed mountain)
108 Druk Wangyal Chortens at Dochula Pass
Punakha
Dzong,built in1637,seat of government until 2nd King. Also known as Palace of
Greater Happiness.
The Bhutanese architecture is classic and unique.
The
Bhutanese truly love their King,
Jigne Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk. He wed his Queen
Jetsun Pema, a commoner in 2011 and they have a 4 year old son. Deeply
revered by their subjects, beautiful paintings of the royal family are
displayed in most temples and on large billboards throughout the country.
The Royal Family.
One of the most important duties of the King is
KIDU- a traditonal duty to his subjects. If a student is unable to afford even
the free education, or an elderly person requires medical treatment, or a
farmer has no land to live on,the citizen can apply to the office of the royal
Chamberlain. KIDU officers also travel to every district to collect such
applications & identify such people who need help. The King himself goes to
remote villages across the country &
stops to speak directly to every subject who needs help.
The
national dress of the men is the Gho,
and the ladies wear the Kera.
Bhutan law requires government employees to
wear their national dress to work.
The Gho
the Kera.
Bhutan’s many mountanous regions and fast flowing rivers have
been tapped to produce much electricity, which accounts for most of its
exports,mainly to India. Other exports include spices like cardamom, precious
stones and handicraft.
The national dish of the Bhutanese locals is chili peppers
with a cheesy sauce.Red rice, buckwheat and corn are staples. They eat pork,
beef, yak meat, chicken and lamb, all of which is imported from neighbouring
India. Their religion teaches them not to kill, so there are no slaughterhouses
in Bhutan. Because of their good relations with neighbouring India, Indian food
is widely served everywhere in Bhutan.
Bhutan is
south Asia’s least populous nation after the Maldives
Of its 800,000 population, almost half is involved in agriculture, forestry or
consevation. By law, 60% of its land must remain forested, & 40% as
national parks; all connected to allow animals to migrate freely throughout the
country.
Located on the ancient silk route between Tibet & India,
Bhutan has never been colonised & its independence has endured
centuries. It ranks first in economic
freedom, ease of doing business, is the least corrupt country in the region,
and is the most peaceful. It is also the least developed country, but expects
to graduate from this status soon.
Three quarters of the population of Bhutan are Buddhists, and about a quarter are Hindus. Freedom of
religion is practised. Their rich and cultural heritage remains intact because
of isolation from the rest of the world until the 20th century.
Only in 1999 , the government lifted a ban on TV and the internet,
one of the last countries in the world to do so. But warned , that misuse of
new technology could erode traditional Bhutanese values.
The King also believed that social media was a critical step
to modernization & was a major contributor to Bhutan’s Gross National
Happiness Index. However in their religion, happiness seemed to be the abiding
sense of inter relatedness with all life forms, and of contentment that lies
within the self. It is related to the
calm and peace that Buddhists see from the practice of meditation. In a
nutshell, I think their definition of happiness is a sense of contentment .
.
As a result, the biggest and noticeable feature of Bhutan is
its focus on peacefulness. The locals are astutely polite, soft spoken and
genuinely helpful. They encourage
tourists to visit the countryside and monasteries instead of shops, to give them
an opportunity to understand the spirit of Buddhism. They believe the closer
one is to nature, the cleaner the spirit.
Among other things, it is these sacred values that act as a
magnet for tourists.
The country depends much on tourism for it’s revenue, and
attracts about 140,000 tourists annually, each of which are required to pay a
daily fee of USD 250/- per person per day. Only Indian, Bangladesh and
Maldivian nationals are exempted from this fee.
Recent years has seen tourism having an environmental impact
on Bhutan’s unique and virtually unspoiled landscape and culture. Thus the
local laws have been accordingly restricted. All visitors to Bhutan must travel
on planned, prepaid and guided tour packages and all arrangements must be made
through officially approved tour operators.Tourists cannot travel independently
in the kingdom.
Some amazing facts about Bhutan
First country to switch from the Gross National Product to
Gross National Happiness Index, which is achieved through 4 foundations- good
governance,preservation of environment, sustainable growth & cultural
values.
There are no traffic lights.
No honking is allowed.
Raising of voices is not allowed, especially near monasteries, dzongs & offices.
It is rude to point with your index finger.
Hunting and fishing is illegal.
Urinating publicly is strictly prohibited.
Urinating publicly is strictly prohibited.
Smoking & selling tobacco is banned. Violaters can be
fined a full months salary which could be about USD 232/-
Plastic is almost not used anywhere.
Purchase of antiques, textiles or ritual objects from locals is prohibited.
Purchase of antiques, textiles or ritual objects from locals is prohibited.
Homosexual acts are
illegal.
Polygamy is accepted
(devised to keep property in the family). The former King (father of the
present) had 4 queens, all of whom were sisters.
The national sport is archery and darts.
Free healthcare to all citizens and foreign visitors. There
are no private practitioners.
It is known as the ‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’ because of
violent storms whipping down the valleys from the Himalayas.
Bhutan’s dramatic and varied landscape offers whispering forests and sweeping plateaus,
ranging from sub-tropical plains to steep misty mountains, and valleys where
turquoise rivers run. Its untouched
natural beauty exudes peace in this high Himalayan landlocked country. It is indeed a land that intoxicates one into a sense of
calm and serenity. It definitely makes
an impact on you. It is a pristine paradise. And it is no wonder that visitors like us have mixed
emotions when we leave Bhutan.
Either you leave the charm and its happiness behind, or you take it back with
you and spread it around. It’s your choice !
We drove out of Bhutan,
the same way we went in, through the town of Phuentsholing and into the state of West Bengal in India. Then on
to Siliguri district, and to Bagdogra airport to catch our flight
home.
I hope my journey to this hidden corner of our beautiful planet will inspire you and
others to explore it too.
Shirin Moiz.
Kuala Lumpur.
