trip to south sikkim (published in The Telegraph on 28th November 2008)

South Sikkim’s solitude
SUCHETANA GUPTA
My favourite holiday

Recently, I visited south Sikkim with my parents. Our first stop from New Jalpaiguri station was the picture-perfect town of Rabangla.The journey was wonderful, with the Teesta giving us company for some time. We reached Rabangla by 3pm, greeted by the beautiful view of the Kanchenjungha, Narsimh, Pandim and Kabru peaks.

Taking in the chill, we climbed up some 450 steps to the local monastery. As evening turned to night, I looked up at the sky to see a huge cluster of glittering stars against the darkness. We soaked in the silence as evening prayers were being offered at the hilltop shrine.

The next day, we travelled to Legship, some 13km from Rabangla. Legship is known for its temple, situated by the river Rangit. Its hanging bridge is another attraction.

We headed for Borong next. On our way, we stopped at the ancient Ralong monastery. Built in the 12th century, it now has a newer building, recently opened as a branch of the Rumtek monastery.

Borong is a hamlet situated amidst greenery. There’s just one hotel there — the lone Wildflower Retreat — which has a few cottages located amidst lush vegetation and wild flowers. The first thing that strikes city slickers at Borong is the absolute silence — broken only by occasional birdcries and the murmur of the breeze blowing through the trees. The aroma of wild flowers fills the air. Our stay in this resort proved to be memorable. The cottages, set against the dramatic peaks, surrounded by greenery, made for a really pretty sight.

We moved to Namchi next — the district headquarter of south Sikkim. The view of the Kanchenjungha from Namchi is splendid — be it at sunrise or sunset. From Namchi, we visited the shrine of Samdruptse, where a 135ft statue of Guru Padmasambhava stands tall against the skyline. The statue is quite a sight in the pristine surroundings. Namchi is fast gearing up to become a tourist hotspot, given the panoramic views of the Kanchenjungha and Samdruptse it offers.

If you’re looking for that perfect week to spend with family in the solitude of the hills, I would strongly suggest south Sikkim.