Nature?s beauty-Sikkim
One can see nature in all its beauty if one visits Sikkim. This mountainous state of India has some of the most colourful sceneries in the world. The mountains, though not as high as the Himalayas are very good for trekking and one can see trekkers from all over the world coming here to enjoy their sport.
Since the land is not flat, only some crops grow here, one of the most important are the cardamoms which are favourite spicing agents for many sweets. The mountains are cut into terraces and crops like rice are also gown here.
As one enters Sikkim from either Baghdogra( a military base and also the nearest airport to Gangtok, the capital) or Siliguri, one sees nature in a beautiful form. The road and the mountains run parallel to the Teesta river which winds its way through South Sikkim. The river is deep, flows silently without making any sound or falling over rocks and is serene and calm. One winds their way to Gangtok which is a mountainous but extremely beautiful place.
One sees orchids in all colours(in the right season of course) and they worth clicking. The houses here face a sheer fall over the mountainside as three parts are on land and the fourth is generally on stilts. Houses are cute and mostly made of wood.
Sikkim is a land of Buddhists and one can see the maroon or magenta clad clean shaven monks everywhere. There are cute monasteries which one can visit. They present a calm and cool picture and are very colourful, the favourite colours being red and yellow, maroon and blue. One has to remove footwear and wear other thongs kept at the entrance. These places are neat and clean and very very quiet.
One of the mysteries and beauties of Sikkim is the Tshangu lake, high above the ground. At approximately 12, 000 feet , up in the mountains, is this clean and serene lake. Hundreds of colourful Maruti vans(these seem to be the favourite cars here) flit up and down the mountains carrying excited tourists. Tshangu lake is absolutely clean and fresh, no one is allowed to enter it , no boating, nor throwing anything.
There is a small temple of Shiva(Shiva is known as Tshangu here , hence the name of the lake). The China border is just about thirty yards away but one is forbidden to take pics of that side, nor is one allowed to go there. Army personnel man the border and they also keep track of the cars and the people who go up and down the mountains. A thick mist suddenly flows at any time hence tourists are asked to go down to the plains before noon especially as winter sets in as it can be quite dangerous. The twists and turns on the mountainside are quite sharp.
The main animal here is the yak, a long haired placid animal , more a cousin of the horse and the donkey and yak rides are a favourite pastime for children.
Even at this great height one can still get all the fast food available anywhere in the country. Wafers and biscuits, cold drinks and sweets all are available here. The staple and the favourite dish which is filling and which is a Sikkimese favourite is rice and a gravy with dumplings.
We had visited Sikkim around dasera time when all people are on leave. We had to pay twice the amount for taxis, guides and hotel rooms. At this time whole families visit each other for the ?tikka? ceremony which consists of younger members bending and touching the feet of the elders, who bless them with a cool pink paste and rice plastered on the foreheads.