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Glorious Gangtok |
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Gangtok, the
capital of Sikkim in the North east, lies at an altitude of
1,437 meters in the Shivalik hills of the Himalayan ranges. The
word Gangtok means lofty hill owing to its altitude. This
stunning little hill station up in the north east, has lots to
offer the discerning traveler. With the white of the snow peaks
of the Kanchenjunga at a distance, brightly painted pagodas in
the town and azure sky with pure white clouds, Gangtok presents
an enchanting picture to the visitor. The ethereal presence of
the Kanchenjunga lends a mystique touch to this Himalayan hill
station.
One of the tallest peaks in the world, the Kanchenjunga lies to
the east of Gangtok. Kangchendzonga or Kanchenjunga is revered
as a deity by the people of Sikkim. Lying to its east and west
are two streams, namely Roro Chu and Ranikhola, respectively.
The mountains, streams, the natural surroundings and the climate
make it a destination worth visiting. |
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Gangtok is a centre of Tibetan
Buddhist culture and learning and an important religious centre.
Because of its elevation, the climate in Gangtok is always mild
and temperate. Winters are cold, but one would still like to
visit it at this time, to get a view of the snow clad slopes. |
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Places
to see |
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Institute of Tibetology
- The Institute of Tibetology for the study of the
Tibetan language, culture and spiritual literature is
definitely worth seeing. The institute houses some
priceless antiques and rare scriptures. |
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Kangchendzonga National
Park - Sprawled across an area of 850sq km,
Kanchendzonga National Park is the largest wildlife
reserve in Sikkim. |
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The Ridge - The ridge is
a promenade lined with plants and trees. Walking along
the Ridge viewing the scenery is an enjoyable
experience. |
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Tsomgo Lake - 40-km
drive out of Gangtok is the magical Tsomgo Lake. This
scenic lake and its surroundings appear to be like a
painting. It remains completely frozen in winter. |
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Kechopari Lake -
Kechopari Lake which means wishing lake is another one
of the picture perfect lakes in Gangtok. It is
surrounded by mountains and dense forests. The water is
crystal clear and appears like a mirror. Even nature
plays its role in keeping the lake clean. If a leaf
drops on the surface of the water, it is immediately
picked by a bird. |
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Deer Park - The park
called Rustomji Deer Park is an open enclosure in which,
animals like the red panda and the Himalayan Bear are
kept. The park also houses a big statue of Lord Buddha,
commemorating his preaching of the noble truths in the
Deer Park at Sarnath. |
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Rumtek - 24 kms from
Gangtok is the Rumtek monastery - the largest monastery
in Sikkim and nearly 300 years old. Rumtek has some
magnificent Thangka paintings (special art of the
state). |
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Pelling - Around 145 km
from Gangtok is Pelling - a small town. The view of the
Kanchenjunga is breathtaking from this point. The
mountains appear to be so close, as though you could
reach out to them. |
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Pemayangtse -
Pemayangtse is one of the most important and revered
monasteries in Sikkim. There are monks as young as five
years. A big annual Buddhist festival is celebrated here
every year in the month of February. |
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Ganesh Tok - About 7km
from Gangtok is Ganesh Tok. From this spot one gets
birds view of sprawling Gangtok town down below. |
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Hanuman Tok - Just above
Ganesh Tok, there is a Hanuman Temple where devotees
come and offer prayers. |
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Tashi View Point - The
point from where one can get a breathtaking view of
Mount Khangchendzonga and Mt. Siniolchu, one of the most
beautiful peaks in the world. It is about 8 kms from
Gangtok. |
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Fact File |
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The nearest airport is
Bagdogra which is 125 km. |
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The nearest railhead is
at new Jalpaiguri which is 120 km. |
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Gangtok is well
connected with Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Siliguri |
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