18th
May to 23rd May 2015 By Siddharth Paramhans
It was for long we were planning to travel to
Gangtok & Darjeeling. Finally, we could take out time, both Meera my wife
& I travelled extensively to know these places. Sharing some of our
experiences.
18th
May 2015, we took flight to Bagdogra to reach Gangatok
first. At Bagdogra after inquiring further travel routes and arrangements we
took a Cab for Gangtok. Just as you leave airport you see some of the tea
gardens which tempt you to stop and see them closely. Overall hill track with
beautiful scenic pleasure seeing Teesta River flowing continuously you entered
the Sikkim border. One can easily make out when the Sikkim starts seeing the
alert policemen inquiring for permit for each vehicle that enter in their
territory.
By the time we reached Gangtok, it was seven
O’clock, & we directly checked-in at hotel Yangthang. Room was very
spacious overlooking Kanchenjunga Hills. In the evening freaked out at MG road.
Deep 5 minutes of walk to MG road we were just in front of large statue of
Mahatma Gandhi. Some cool breeze and good feeling overall. Returned back by a
cab, just avoided steep high hill walk to conserve energy.
19th May 2015 at Gangtok had some beautiful photographs from room, &
outside hotel. Hired a cab for City tour - visited some of the interesting places
- Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. Some old articles used by various Lamas, old scripts some rare collection
sculptures.
- Do-Drul Chorten, Deorali this is a functional monastery with
hostel for monks. Temple and prayer room. Saw a rare ritual a puja for departed
souls. Meera moved along with the prayer wheels, these prayer wheels are being
used by everyone who visit Buddhist temple for chanting their prayer.
- Next went to experience the Gangtok rope way, its cool 10
minutes ride, a panoramic view of Gangtok city, widespread hills, plants and
hill residences.
- Now we moved to Banjhakri Falls stayed there for some time. Cool water
with noise coming from up-hills was giving relaxing & pleasant feeling. Had
lunch made by a Nepali lady having her Restaurant there - Momos, Choley & Roti with cold drink all served in very
personal home style was a moment to remember.
- Next we moved to Flower Garden displaying the hills rare flowers.
- Now was the time to visit Directorate of handlooms and handicraft. At
the entrance welcomed by statues of three residents couples Nepali, Bhutia
& Lepchas, these three communities are the local residents live peacefully
for hundreds of year though Nepali constitute the highest percentage of over 50
percent. The official language is also Nepali in entire Sikkim. This place is a
training center for young boys & girls, training them for various arts like
painting, wood creative work, Sikkim's handrtloom and handicrafts. Saw
lot of students getting trained to keep their art alive and refining them
further. Needless to say making livelihood for them.
- It was next little long drive to go to
Hanuman Top hill. A beautiful hanuman temple maintained by the 'Black Cat' commando
of Indian army. This is one of the most neatly maintained temple I came across.
Wish other temple organization follow them.
- On our way down stayed at Ganesh TOP a temple of Ganeshji and had some snacks
with coffee.
It was a hectic day and time to return back to hotel. On our way back we
decided to look some other hotels as well and thus moved to Denzong Residency
hotel. It was a beautiful boutique hotel with excellent facilities. We decided
next day to shift to this hotel. Reached back to Yangthang hotel winded up the
day with our dinner.
20th May 2015 Gangtok we shifted to Hotel Denzong residency. Hotel staff
gave us very warm welcome and offered a suit room with spacious balcony having beautiful
view of Gangtok Valley and Kanchenjunga hills. It was relatively a relaxing day
we decided to go around walking to MG road. Gangtok city is one of the cleanest
city with much disciplined traffic. Throughout the city you can see walking
treks very beautifully done. Most people preferred walking for short distances.
While walking you also enjoy seeing the beautiful Valley and natural scenic around.
Taking some photographs, after around 20 minutes of
walk we reached to MG road. There are plenty of shops full of China made
goods as China boarder is very close not more then 55 KM. Lot of China made
goods moves in to India freely. Did some shopping of China pottery, these were
the special cups not seen here. It was the time to take lunch and preferred
vegetable food at Rasoi veg-restaurant.
Just climbing few steps in a hill-gali (By lane) on MG Road we reached to taxi
stand as we wanted to visit few more places today. Taxi stands are being built
at various places in Gangtok and taxis are parked under the specially designed
stands though these are very congested but workable. We hired a taxi to go to Enchey
Monastery. It was 3 Km drive while on the way we decided to go to flower
exhibition. That was good photo opportunity to have photographs of so many rare
colorful flowers. We then reached to Enchey monastery. This monastery houses
young kids and developing them as Lama to preach the Buddhism to people. The
kids are groomed with the values of Buda, surely could see very high level of
dedication in them.
After spending some time at Enchey Monastery we returned
to Hotel Denzong and spend some time in their garden having coffee. It was
really a relaxing moment and very pleasant evening. While sitting in Garden
happened to meet the owner of the Hotel Mr Thinley Namgyal Densapa. His father
was the advisor of The King of Sikkim. He is the nice spoken gentleman with
huge property of over 350 acres land in and around Gangtok. He personally
oversee the hotel and has been developing it a class hotel.
21st May 2015. Kalimpong /Darjeeling Morning after our breakfast we
decided to go to Darjeeling via Klimpong another tourist destination this side.
We asked our driver to take us to Klimpong first, it was some very scary
hill road with huge Valley below. After around 60 KM of hill ride out of which
18 KM very sharp adventures up hills we reached to Klimpong. Went to a place Dello
after passing through few points including a beautiful Hanumanji statute. Dello
is on the top of hill overlooking Sikkim hills and is run by Gorkhaland
administration council. This place is a beautiful tourist resort was
inaugurated by “Subhash Ghiseng then chairman of Gorkhaland administration
council. After spending some time and having few photographs we moved to a
nursery having very vast varieties of Cactus plants. Seeing some very
large flowery Cactus in itself was a unique experience.
From Klimpong it was the time to go to Darjeeling.
Passing through beautiful tea gardens around on hills we travelled another 50
KM to reach Darjeeling and checked in the hotel Cedar-Inn. Though the room was
a suite it was a smaller room. Asked hotel general manager Sanjay Nangia to
change our room for us which he helped us giving us different room which has
good space and view as well.
22 May
2015 Darjeeling has very pleasant weather and scenic beauty though
bit dirty and miss-managed city. Mall road was near to our h0tel we walked
through to Mall road through Nehru road. Seeing some very old time shops of
80-100 years old was again a unique experience. Visited Keventar Restaurant,
Das studio all very old joints. After passing through Mall road we took an
electric car to reach Darjeeling Zoo.
- Padmaji Naidu Zoological park is one of the best visited Zoo by us
some very rare animals like Yak, Red Panda, tiger, bear etc. were good
experience to watch & photograph so closely.
- Visited Himalyan Mountaineering institute (HMI) and saw there museum
which houses some of the rare articles used by Tenzing Norgay the Sherpa who was first to climbed on Mt
Everest peak over 8800 ft for the first time along with Hillary.
- With 15 minutes of walk we reached to Darjeeling Ropeway and took
ticket to experience Darjeeling long 40 minutes Ropeway drive moving over the
large tea gardens.
- took a taxi to visit Darjeeling railway station. It's beautiful small toy
train railway station which is now in UNESCO heritage list. Seeing the small
train still running with coal engine gives you a unique heritage feeling
nothing to match other.
- We then decided to go to a tea manufacturing plant Happy Valley.
Though we were late but the people over there helped us to get details how the
organic tea produced, the processes to make the unique blend of taste &
color of Darjeeling tea. Did some
purchasing of special Darjeeling tea and some souvenirs to carry back, one
relaxing Buda made of yak bones and a bowl for meditation. Retuned to hotel
after walking through Mall road circle, the weather this time around was cool,
relaxing and pleasant felt like to continue for some
23rd May 2015
Darjeeling to Bagdogra to Delhi; Got news that Spice jet flight which is
delayed by 2.30 hours, so had some more relaxing time at Darjeeling to visit Ghoom
monastery and Batasha loop. Ghoom railway station for toy train is the
highest railway station in world at approx. 7200 Ft. seeing a train passing up
at Batasha loop for Ghoom station will always bring cheers to mood, so very
relaxing for us as well at the end of our journey back to Delhi.
