Travelogue Series: Sikkim-Far from the Madding Crowds

Of all the pleasures this life has to offer, one of the most noteworthy and satisfying for me would be the pleasure of travelling. Researching faraway places where I have never been, has always been one of my favourite pastimes and to this day I hardly believe any of those hours were truly wasted. Once the initial analysis gives way to deeper planning, I often feel a familiar quickening of the pulse; it is nothing but the anticipation of another new locale – new people, new cuisines and fresh salve to the mundane, weary soul.

Of the many places I have travelled to, the state of Sikkim in the eastern part of our country has always captured my heart with its serene beauty and pristine weather. To truly explore the many beautiful areas of this state, multiple visits are needed—as I have done with my family—yet many of the small towns and villages remain unexplored. Summers are my favourite time to visit, to escape the sweltering heat of the city albeit for a short while. Most parts of the state are filled with lush greenery, tea gardens, lovely mountains and quaint trails for amateur explorers.

There are some gorgeous trekking routes as well, like Goecha La Trek, Dzongri Trek, Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek to name a few, which provide stunning views of Mt. Kanchenjunga and are very popular among trekkers seeking moderate to difficult routes.

On one such trip, we arrived in Ravangla, a small town in Namchi district of South Sikkim. We spent a few days there before moving on to Pelling and the capital city of Gangtok. Ravangla is very popular among nature lovers and is known for its clear skies and panoramic landscapes, although the summer season is slightly unpredictable in terms of weather and the sighting of the Kanchenjunga, Pandim, Kabru, Siniolchu mountain peaks.

Our chosen place of stay in Ravangla was a resort nestled right in the heart of the Temi Tea Gardens. From the veranda attached to our room, the tea gardens spread endlessly in every direction, placing us right at the centre of it all. A few local families lived along the outskirts of the estate, but overall, it offered an unobstructed view of the picturesque countryside, enhanced by the refreshing mountain air that added to the overall charm of the experience.

Particularly mesmerizing were the early mornings when the town was just waking up and you could just sit and watch the mountains in the distance while enjoying a piping hot cup of tea. The solitude and silence are something I have carried back with me and often long for when life gets too noisy. We spent a lot of time at the resort where we could read outside while listening to the silence of nature. Next day, we visited the local monastery, the Buddha Park and the Ralong Hot Springs before returning to a sumptuous lunch.

When we left after a few days for Pelling, I was happy to be travelling to a new place but was uncertain of it being better than where I had been.

However, Sikkim seldom disappoints and Pelling was another marvel of nature. A must for us while travelling is trying the local cuisine and the authentic momos and thukpa while the cool mountain breeze blows on our faces, can truly reveal how we have not really been able to recreate the same magic in the plains.

A journey where every turn is like a picture postcard and every photograph fails in comparison to the next, warrants multiple stops and opportunities to pose. We were lucky to have good weather on that trip and rain did not play spoilsport with our sightseeing plans.

While we have returned to our routine lives and had many journeys thereafter, the memories of that trip still linger. While food nourishes our body and books nourish our minds, travel truly nourishes the soul. Whenever I come back from a new travelling experience, the mind feels bereft of depressing thoughts and there is an unexplained contentment for a while. Like we cleanse our bodies, it feels like I have cleansed my all. It is a new beginning to face challenges anew, to persevere and breathe till the next time around.

Manobina Nanda Ganguly

Manobina is a Computer Engineer by profession, working for over two decades. An avid reader since childhood, she loves reading both fictions and non fictions. She can be reached at manobina@gmail.com.