In the Land of Kanchenjunga

My fascination for mountains have taken me to places like Annapurna in Nepal, the Everest Base Camp and the imposing Sheela PassTawang circuit of Arunachal Pradesh. I’ve heard a lot about Sikkim, its mountains with Kanchenjunga as the guardian deity, the affable and easy-going hill people, the quintessential Sikkimese cuisine, its predominant Buddhist culture and of course the world famous Orchids. But, as luck would have it, I was unable to muster the time and the energy to embark on an exclusive mountain tour of Sikkim. Kanchenjunga IN THE LAND OF Photography : Subhasish Chakraborty

However, this time, I was offered an invitation by my photographer friend from New Zealand – Tanmoy Das to join him in his Sikkim assignment. We were guests of the Department of Tourism, Government of Sikkim and the hospitality provided to us was immaculate.

I’ve always had this opinion that being a predominantly mountainous state, traveling within Sikkim would be an arduous and grueling affair. But all my preconceived notions were swept aside once I found myself in Gangtok - the capital of Sikkim.

The drive from Bagdogra airport (North Bengal) to Gangtok was one of the most beautiful drives that I’ve ever encountered. We checked into a hotel located right in the center of the town.

The 4-hour drive from Bagdogra offers spectacular views of the Sikkimese countryside nestling besides the turquoise Teesta River - your companion throughout the journey. Rhododendrons and Orchids create a riot of pink, yellow and mauve colors.

We were briefed about our itinerary by an official of Sikkim Tourism. The Department of Tourism wanted us to embark on a Helicopter Tour of Sikkim covering places like Gangtok, Yumthang, Singtam, Geyzing, Yuksom, Dikchu, the Zemu glacier as well as the high altitude monasteries.

Apart from us, there were three other photographic crews from abroad who were part of this exclusive helicopter ride. As we fastened our seat belts, the Bell helicopter gradually began its ascent. The city of Gangtok with its urban landscape appeared like a million studded diamonds. As the helicopter gained in altitude, the entire Himalayan panorama slowly unfurled like a veil slipping from the face of a beautiful woman.

The ethereal scene of clouds drifting; kissing the hill tops, the village hamlets appearing like some fairytale community, the swift flowing Teesta River meandering through the mountainous terrain and the high altitude monasteries looking like some secluded enchanted zones of ‘Eden on Earth’ made us all awestruck by the sheer magnitude of the Himalayan grandeur.

We were particularly amazed by the dramatic alpine-forested landscape of Yumthang. From a height of 14,000 feet, the alpine panorama kind-of exploded with a profusion of colors, courtesy the fiery red Rhododendrons that bloomed extensively. The imposing Kanchenjunga range stood like a sentinel as though it was guarding the state of Sikkim. The cascading waterfalls, particularly Lachung appeared as though some mythical deity was pouring milk over the mountains. I could well visualize in my mind’s eye, the mythological story, my late-grandmother used to tell me during bedtime, of the river Ganga pouring out of Lord Shiva’s matted hairs.

As we moved on to exploring the Kanchenjunga trail, leaving behind the majestic Yumthang, there was more drama awaiting us. At the far horizon, the bewildering scene of the ominous looking Kanchenjunga – snow clad and steep unravelled. Down below were rows after rows of snow clad Himalayan ranges. Every now and then the helicopter would come so close to the peaks where one could literally touch them!

Kanchenjunga is all about uneven peaks, icy curves, forceful mountain torrents and frozen fissures that compels even the most discerning world traveler to appreciate its majesty and ruggedness. I have had the good fortune of embarking on a Mountain Flight in Nepal to explore Mount Everest and its surrounding peaks. Based on my personal experience, I can assure you that the Kanchenjunga helicopter trip is at par with that of Mt.Everest, if not one notch higher in terms of natural grandeur.

The Mountain Flights operated by Sikkim Tourism offers a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity to those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to explore the beauty of Eastern Himalayas. It is a sheer delight to see people of ages 65 and above, both from India and abroad hopping into the five-seater Bell helicopter for the ride of their lives. As the Helicopter begins its gradual Himalayanesque ascent, one really doesn’t have to wait long to find what’s in store for them.

Within an hour or so, visitors have the rare opportunity to get up close with the snow clad mountain peaks. Jonathan Agnew from faraway Las Vegas says –“I have heard a lot about Mt.Everest in Nepal. I visited Nepal once but as luck would have it, I was unable to get onboard a Mountain Flight due to limited tickets. However, all my disappointments vanished with the 90 minutes Kanchenjunga helicopter trip I undertook today. I will definitely recommend my friends back home to embark on a Sikkim Helicopter ride”.

After successfully finishing the principal task of aerial photography, we indulged in some ‘Dharma’ courtesy the monasteries of Sikkim. We visited Rumtek and Pemayangtze monasteries.

Rumtek monastery is the seat of the Seventeenth Karmapa while the Pemayangtse Monastery located in West Sikkim belongs to the Nyigma order. I stuck up a conversation with an American convert who has been residing at the Rumtek monastery for more than a decade and learnt that Tibetan Buddhism came to Sikkim way back in the 15th century. I was given a running commentary of the great rivalry in the Tibetan order of Buddhism between the Red Hats and the Yellow Hats by this frail looking American Lama. The Gelugpa sect managed to ascend Tibet while the Nyingmapa sect sought asylum in Sikkim.

His Holiness the Seventeenth Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje spent the first fourteen years of his life in Tibet, and in the year 2000 he fled Tibet and was given asylum in India. Presently, His Holiness is awaiting permission from the government of India to return to his rightful place – the Rumtek Dharma Chakra Center.

The sight of red robed Lamas chanting mystical ancient mantras to the beat of drums while butter lamps flickering before statues of the great Guru Padmasambhava have enchanted tourists from all over the world. The Buddhist trail in Sikkim is a world apart. You can literally feel the inherent peace and harmony of being one with Mother Nature. At times you feel really close to Godhead as the chanting of the Lamas blend harmoniously with the droning prayer wheels.

Hollywood’s brush with Tibetan Buddhism is known to world over. Superstar Richard Gere, one of the bestknown faces of Tibetan Buddhism in the world eulogized Buddhism and Tibet at the all-important Academy Awards. Films like “Kundun” and “Seven Years in Tibet” too received worldwide attention.

The monasteries of Sikkim are conspicuous by their frescoes that depict Buddhist legends and there is always the Thangka paintings made of rare silk and brocade that are such a rage with both the Western and Indian tourists. Many monasteries have good collection of ancient Tibetan manuscripts as well.

No visit to Sikkim is ever complete without a trip to the Nathula Pass, which has now been opened to tourists. Situated at an awesome height of 14,200 feet above sea-level we were amazed by the sight of Indian tourists posing for photographs with the soldiers of the Chinese Red Army. There was an air of informality at the Nathu La pass, which belied our expectations.

In the days of yore, Nathu La pass used to serve as the gateway to Tibet and the easiest way to reach Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. It was referred as the “Silk Route” because in the bygone days, the flourishing silk trade was conducted from Kalimpong of the Indian side to Lhasa in Tibet. This high altitude pass is now open to tourists five days a week and is a must visit site for the quintessential mountain aficionados.

On the penultimate day of our mountain trip to Sikkim we visited the Khangchendzonga National Park and the tribal communities of the neighboring areas in West Sikkim. In this part of the world The ‘Mountain Institute’ has played a significant role in protecting the rare alpine forests and meadows. According to the Institute’s spokesperson there were more than 400 Orchid species, 144 mammals, 300 species of avian life and mind-boggling 400 plus Butterfly species.

We were amazed to see how well the Mountain Institute involved the local communities in promoting concepts like Community Eco-Tourism, site maintenance and conservation education. From imparting training to guides to developing market strategies for promoting Eco-Tourism, the Institute has played a vital role in uplifting the local Himalayan economy around the Kanchendzonga National Park.

We finished our Sikkim trip with a fabulous dinner at an in-house restaurant and bid adieu to heavenly and arresting Sikkim!