sikkimese tradition

 

welcoming H.H. XIV  Dalai Lama to gangtok,Sikkim,India

Birds of Sikkim by Lukendra Rasaily

          Birds of Sikkim by Lukendra Rasaily

BARRED OWLET

BLUE WHISTLING THRUSH

COMMON HOOPOE

GREY BUSH

GREY-HEADED CANARY FLYCATHER

LARGE BILLED CROW

PLUMBEOUS WATER REDSTART

RED-BILLED LEIOTHERIX

WHITE WAGTAIL

kagyad dance

 

Kagyed  is a Buddhist festival held in parts of northern India particularly Sikkim. The mask dance performance is a part of the annual harvest festival called Lossong. The Kagyed dance is performed on the 28th and 29th day of the 10th month of the Tibetan Calendar which usually falls in early December.

The Kagyed dance symbolizes destruction of the evil forces by burning effigies made of wood, flour, and paper. Practitioners also pray for peace and prosperity for every Sikimmese home.

 Buddhists monks sport a mask while taking part in the Kagyad dance. Costumed Lamas with gaily painted masks, ceremonial swords and sparkling jewels, leap and swing to the rhythm of resounding drums, trumpeting of horns and chanting of monks. Kagyad chaam is the one of the four forms of masked dances in the state.Although the dance is very serious in nature, jesters perform in between to provide comic relief.

MONASTERIES OF SIKKIM

Sikkim has more than 200 monasteries belonging to Nyingma and Kagyu order.They influence the cultural  heritage and lifestyle of the people of Sikkim.Robes in red ,lama chant ancient ,ancient mantras to the rythm of drum and trumpets would be enthralling view.Gompas (monasteries)are adorned with life like frescoes of heavy buddhist legends,rare silk and brocade thankas.

  
Some important and beautiful monasteries of Sikkim

PEMAYANTSE MONASTERY

TASHIDING MONASTERY

RUMTEK MONASTERY

DEORALI CHORTE

1.  Rumtek monastery..............24km from gangtok.
2. Pemayantse monastery............70km from gangtok.
3. Tashiding monastery........60km from gangtok.
4. Enchey monastery................2km (within gangtok).
5. Deorali chorten......................2km(within gangtok)
6. Phodong monastery..............26km from gangtok.
7. Ralang monastery..................60km from gangtok and many more....    

sikkim map

Eight Lucky Sign of Buddhism

Eight lucky sign is the sign which you can find in almost all the place in Sikkim from monasteries to government building.

1. Dug(parasol)
signifies the shade under which one can have the fortune of escaping from the suffering of the scorching heat of all sort of miseries of world.

2.Bhumpa(vase)
like vase of inexhausting treasure,this signifies the fortune of having an inexhausting luxurious wealth of wealth of good health,long life and material wealth.

3.Dhunkar(the conch shell)
signifies the awekening of sentient beings from the state of their ignorance and persauding them towards the path of noble deeds thats are beneficial to self and others.

4.Gyaltsen(victorious banner)
signifies the fortune of having victory of good over the evil force which obstructs the success of noble goals and also the victory of the dharma peached by buddha.

5.Sernya(golden fish)
signifies the ability to swim with ease without any hinderance in the ocean of sansaric world and from happiness to happiness into the water of blissfulness.this also  signifies the two truth-plain and transcendental truth.

6.Pema(lotus)
like lotus which though grown in the mud remains free from the muddy dirt,this signifies the purity of one's mind and deeds which are free from the dirt of sins,symbol of non attachment.

7.Palbheu(endless knot)
signifies the fortune of complementing every aspect of the life harmoiously to each other such as religion and politics,wisdom and means and of knowledge and compersion.

8.Choeky ki khorlo(wheel of dharma)
signifies the fortune of passing the time of all the sentient being under the blessings of buddha's wheel of dharma being turned eternally  without coming to an end.

NEWS

The Sikkim tourism department seems to have finally zeroed in on a private firm to run Kanchenjungha tourist villa

Gangtok, Sept. 2: The Sikkim tourism department seems to have finally zeroed in on a private firm to run Kanchenjungha tourist villa, a Rs 55 crore amusement park at Ranka.

The park had been touted a major tourist attraction and a much-needed recreational centre for people in and around Gangtok.

But the facility hasn’t been opened to the public, even 16 months after it was inaugurated by President Pratibha Patil. The delay has been attributed to the government’s inability to find a private firm to operate the park on lease.

Four tenders had been floated since April last year to seek a firm to operate and maintain the park.

The rural development department, the nodal agency for the construction of the park, had last year floated two tenders, which were scrapped at the last moment. The first tender was aborted as it was bagged by master con man Rajesh Jhunjhunwala on the basis of fake bank documents. The second tender was scrapped as the government decided to hand over the park to the tourism department.

The tourism department also floated two tenders and there were no takers for the first one.

“A private company, which quoted the highest bid, has been selected from the second tender. The state government is likely to give its approval to the firm,” said a senior tourism official.

But the tourism officials were non-committal on when the park would be declared open for the public.

With no firm in charge to run the park on a commercial basis, the facility is lying idle.

A couple of security guards from a private agency are posted at the park at Ranka, 35km from Gangtok. They while away all the time with no tourist making a beeline for the park.

“Tourists do come here enquiring about the amusement park and they return when we tell them that it has not been opened for public as yet. They must have heard about the park here,” said one of the guards posted outside the locked park.

Fourteen private security personnel man the park, which is spread over 17.5 acres.

“Everything seems to be complete inside and all machines are fine. Sometimes, officials from the government and the construction company come for maintenance. Rest of the time, it is all quiet here,” said the guard.

The project funded by the Centre is a unique tourism attraction fusing cultural ethos of Sikkim and modern amusement amenities with the objective of providing wholesome entertainment to tourists.

The park has 12 shopping arcades for selling handicrafts and souvenirs of Sikkim. There are also amusement facilities like musical fountain with laser shows, a multilevel plaza, open air theatre, ride stimulators, swimming pool, bar and bowling alleys. 

-TT BIJOY GURUNG

BIRDS OF SIKKIM BY BON FARMHOUSE SIKKIM



Bon farmhouse



Bon Farmhouse Sikkim is the name of homestay run by Sikkimese Bhutia family situated in Kewzing,South-Sikkim.This is the place where can go back to nature,taste organic food and enjoy the beauty of village life.

Bon Farmhouse Sikkim also organise bird watching tours around Sikkim.

PHOTO BY BON FARMHOUSE SIKKIM

PHOTO BY BON FARMHOUSE SIKKIM

PHOTO BY BON FARMHOUSE SIKKIM

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BON FARMHOUSE SIKKIM AND BIRD WATCHING TOURS IN SIKKIM:

VISIT:

http://www.sikkimbonfarmhouse.com/







WEST SIKKIM-TREKKING PARADISE



West district is in the western side of sikkim sharing international border with Nepal.West sikkim is famous for dzongri trekking,century old monasteries and world famous kechopari lake. The headquater of west district is geyzing and it is well connected by road.The most famous destination for tourist in west sikkim is pelling which is 7 km from  geyzing situated at an altitude of 6840feet(2300m)in the hill top.In west sikkim Bsnl ,Airtel and Vodafone  cover most part  of the area.In west sikkim you can  find many hotels and lodges ranging from budget to luxury hotel.


THINGS TO DO IN WEST SIKKIM:

1. Dzongri trekking
2.Bird watching


3.Monastic tour

4.Mountainerring
5.Sightseen
6.Mountain biking
7.Village walk and many .....





 PLACE TO VISIT IN WEST SIKKIM:

1.PELLING:


Pelling is situated at an altitude of 6840feet(2300mts.) and it is one of the favourite destination for both  the foreign as well as domestic tourist because of its prime location in west sikkim.Pelling is173 km from siliguri and 90km from gangtok.It is well connected by road and the nearest railway station is New Jalpaiguri Station and the nearest airport is Bagdogra airport.the view of mt.kanchendzonga from pelling is breathtaking.From  Pelling  one can go to

Pemayantse monatery(2km),
Rabdentse palasce(3km)


PEMAYANTSE



Saga chelling monastery(1km),

Kanchendzonga waterfall(15km),
Kechepari lake20km),
Singsor bridge and then

Yuksum(33km).

In pelling you can many hotels ranging from standard to luxury.

2.Pemayantse monastery:
Pemayantse monastery is 2km from pelling and it is one of the important monastery of nyingma order built in late 17th century.

RABDENTSE

3.Rabdentse palace
Rabdentse is 3km from Pelling and it is the second capital of sikkim established in the late sevententh century by the second Chogyal of Sikkim.Rabdentse palace is in ruin and it was abandone toward the end of eighteenth century because of threat of nepali's attack and then shifetd to tumlong.

4.sanga chelling monastery
sanga chelling is just 1km from pelling and it is considered one of the oldest monastery in sikkim.

5.Kenchendzonga waterfall
This waterfall is 15km from pelling .

6.Singsor bridge
This suspension bridge is 25km from pelling toward uttery.

7.Khechopari lake
Kechopari lake is also called wish fulfilling lake situated at an altitude of 1780 feet on the road between Pelling and Yuksum and it is 20km from pelling.water in this lake is crystal clear and not even a single leaf can be seen and it is believed that birds come and pick leaves from lake.

8.Yuksom

YUKSUM

Yuksum is 33km from Pelling and from here one can start trekking to  dzongri .Yuksum is also the first capital of sikkim and the  first king was consecrated by three great lamas here in yukum.Nearby yuksum is dubdi monastery which is the oldest monastery of sikkim.In Yuksum you can find good hotels and restaurents.

9.Dzongri




DZONGRI

 

Dzongri is  10hours walk and it is nearly 26km from yuksum.there is motorable road upto yuksum and from there you have to walk.from dzongri view of mountain range is heavenly.

10.Famrong waterfall

It is on the way to tashiding from yuksum and its 10 km from tashiding.



TASHIDING



11.Tashiding Monastery

Tashiding monastery is another important monastery of Nyingma Order and it was built in 1717 by Nadak Sampa Chembo during the reign of third chogyal Chakdor Namgyal.Tashiding is 19km from Yuksum and this monastery is famous bumchu(secred water)held every 14th and 15th of first month of tibetan calender.

12.Hee-Bermiok



Hee-Bermiok is a rural village where you can experience the village life of sikkim.They organised festivals once in a year.

13.Barsey Rhododendron sentuary

14.Kanchendzonga national park and biosphere reserve and many more to explore....

WHERE TO STAY:



1.Mt.Pandim Hotel........Pelling,West-Sikkim

2.Famrong Hotel.........Pelling,West-Sikkim

3.Tashi Gang Hotel.......Yuksum,West-Sikkim

Butterflies of Sikkim by Lukendra Rasaily

INTRODUCING SIKKIM

If you have to travel to any one of the himalayan region,which would you choose?Ladhak?Nepal?Bhutan?how about a taste of three in one.that can only mean Sikkim.
Sikkim is sometime refered as ''Switzerland of East'' not because it was a part of Switzerland but because of similar landscape of Sikkim with Switzerland.Sikkim is also know as Himalayan paradise,Birding paradise(47%of total birds of india is found in Sikkim)and Bio-Diversity hotspote.Sikkim is surrounded by high mountains.when you are not gazing at Mt.Kenchendzongza(third highest peak of world)you can explore beautiful Monasteries(nearly200 monateries),Himalayan zoological park,Char dham,Buddha park,Valleys,Lakes and the village life of dzongu.
You can drink local beverage(chank)with sasuages.and if  over -indulgence became problem you can take bath in natural hotspring.
The beautiful M.G Marg  of Gangtok are crowded with beautiful restaurents and with colourful sovenier and handicrafts shops and festival fare are never far away.
For adventurous,there are superb treks,professional travel agent,superb rivers  for kayaking and superb road for mountain biking.
Most of the foreign tourist visit Sikkim after monsoon(october-november)and during spring(march -may).when skies are dry,panaroma are clear and temperature pleasent.

North-sikkim........the Real Sikkim

North Sikkim is in the northern side of sikkim with different landscape from rest part of the sikkim.The district headquater of north-sikkim is mangan and it is also called the cardamom capital of world.The north-sikkim is well connected by road from gangtok and the road side view of north sikkim is picturesque with numerous water falls aside main the road.On the way to north-sikkim is many historical place,beautiful monasteries and landscape.It is also home for himalayan red panda(aliurus fulgens).It shares sensitive border with people's republic of china so most part of the north-sikkim is restricted to travellers and one needed to have permit to visit these place.It is advisable to visit north-sikkim though reputed travel agent for your convnience.In north-sikkim BSNL and AIRTEL cover most part of the north sikkim.

                                                 place to visit:

1.kabi lungchuk:

kabi lungchuk is historical place where bhutia and lepcha  bloodly brotherhood  treaty was signed.it is on the way to mangan just 13km from gangtok.

2.seven sister falls:

seven sister falls is a fall made of seven falls.it is a beautiful water falls at phensong 25 km from gangtok.

restaurent:yes,parking:yes

3.tumlong palace:

tumlong palace is a ruin palace and it is the third capital of sikkim 30 km from gangtok on the way to mangan.

4.phodong monastery:

phodong monastery is a beautiful monatery at the  hilltop of phodong.it is 40km from gangtok on the way to mangan.

 Restaurent:yes,parking:yes

5.mangan:

mangan is the district headquater of north-sikim and it is well connected by road.from mangan view point you can get good view of mt.kanchendzonga and it is 2km from mangan.

Restaurent:yes,Hotel:yes,Telephone booth:yes,Taxi stand:yes,Internet cafe:yes,Lodge:yes

6.Lachung,yumthang and yumasamdong:

lachung ids 112 km from gangtok and it is well connected by road.from lachung one can go to yumthang valley of flower and yumesamdong.yumthang is very famous for valley and rhododendron flower.during flowering you would find yumthang valley carpeted by flowers and surrounded by rhododendron .

Hotel:yes,Restaurent:yes,Lodge:yes.

7.Lachen and gurudogmar:

lachen is small village populated by bhutia tribes.from lachen you can go to gurudogmar lake a beautiful lake at an altitude of 17800 feet from sea level.It is also one of highest tourist spot in sikkim.In lachen you can experience rich tridition and culture of bhutia tribes.

hotel:yes,restaurent:yes

Dzongu:

dzongu is 20km from mangan and it is one of the beautiful place for those who love nature.In dzongu you can experience hot spring ,homestay,wildlife and beautiful landscape of dzongu.In dzongu you can do trekking,hiking,kayaking,birdwatching and many more.

Homestay:mayallyan hotel stay:www.myallyang.com