Cover Story
Yumthang Valley
Photo: Anagh pal
North Sikkim: Nature
At Its Pristine Best
The unspoilt beauty of this state is a treat to the
eyes and the soul. Anagh Pal gives a first-person
account of a weekend trip to the ‘abode of the gods’
I
have a sweet and loving
relationship with Sikkim, the
pretty state nestled in the
eastern Himalayas. Since I
live in Kolkata, Sikkim’s capital
Gangtok is an overnight journey
by train – or a fifty-minute flight –
and then a four-hour drive up the
winding hilly roads. Sikkim has a
unique kind of charm; the state is
abundant in natural bounty, offers
views of some of the most majestic
peaks on the planet (including the
mighty Kanchenjunga), and lets
36
you indulge in a variety of local
delicacies. But what I like most
about Sikkim are the people, who
are warm, friendly, and helpful.
Whenever I can find a few days
off from work, or even a longish
weekend, I stuff my backpack with
the bare essentials – my camera
and a set of warm clothes – and
set off. Being a solo backpacker,
I do not make any bookings
beforehand; one can manage pretty
well, even during the peak season,
and when one is flexible with plans
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and keeps things open, it all works
out in the end.
An Adventurous Weekend
This particular experience I will
recall was in April 2017, when
I decided to visit the strikingly
beautiful northern part of the state
over a long weekend. The day I
reached Gangtok was rest day,
which I spent sitting in a quaint
cafe on MG Marg, the town’s main
boulevard, sipping on a cup of Irish
coffee as I watched kids playing
on the streets below and chasing
the ice-cream man who sold his
wares from a brightly coloured van.
I had booked a two-nights/three-
day trip to Yumthang Valley and
Gurudongmar Lake from the local
office. I would be starting the next
morning and travelling in a shared
jeep with five other people, none of
whom I knew yet. But then meeting
new people is always a high point.