Excursion to the North East - Darjeeling & Gangtok

Darjeeling is one of the prominent tourist places of India.....well I went with an apprehension that it would have the typical 'touristy' persona....and I was to be surprised...read on....

The best way to go from Siliguri (New Jalpaiguri is the Railway station and Bagdogra is the nearest airport) which is at the base of Himalayas to Darjeeling (about 7,200 ft above sea level) is to take the 'Darjeeling Himalayan Railway'(i didnt take that route and chose to go by air...thought it would be much quicker!!!)...I was to know later that, though it is the most time taking ride (about 8 hours in all) it is part of the heavenly experience going to Darjeeling..the train runs at such a pace that you can hop off to shop, look at a particularly engaging scenery and then hop on. The meandering tracks that run alongside the roads pass through the market place, hotels and even the most populated areas. Something to mull over is the fact that the train has been preserved with its steam engine et all and the railway itself dates back to the 1880s.

Right from the footsteps of the Himalayas to the heights of the lesser Himalayas aka Mahabharata range you would be in awe of the magnanimity of the mountains, forests, rivers, snow trickling into streams guzzling down as waterfalls and every view in itself is beautiful, riveting.....

The famous morning sunrise along with a clear view of the Mt. Kanchenjunga is the first thing we sought to see....having woken up around 4 in the morning to go to the Tiger hills (2590 mts) and having waited in anticipation to be one of the lucky ones to catch the sun rays atop the Kanchenjunga - well, we were disappointed with the fog eclipsing a clear morning and the view :( ....but we were rewarded with the wonderful view from the hill of the valley lying below and the eastern Himalayas.

The next stop was at the highest monastery in the world - the Ghoom monastery.  Said to be built in the 1875 the monastery has some of the old Buddhist scriptures. The site was blessed by Tomo Geshe Rinpoche....

The Batasia loop is a memorial of the Gorkha soldiers that scarified their lives in the struggle for Indian Independence. From here you can get a panoramic view of the Darjeeling town with the mountains in the backdrop as the loop is called the photgrapher's paradise.  The rail tracks run across this place, and the place was actually built to lower the gradient and to ease running of the train. Varied flowers grow across the garden developed at the loop with vibrant colors.

The Darjeeling zoo has a lot of species that inhabit the mountainous regions and is a delight for children.

Moving on, we were to discover further the magnanimity of nature. A small village called Mirik is located about 4,900 ft above the sea level. A beautiful lake - Lake Somendu, lies in the midst of oak, chestnut trees. I had only seen such scenic beauty in picture postcards and on TV..........well well I was thoroughly enthralled by the view.......the serenity of the lake, the surrounding valley..... the nearby tea gardens fill your view on the way and women picking tea is just the last piece of the complete painting.....

The road to Mirik (the small sleepy village) is always covered with clouds due to the altitude. Being near to the border of Nepal you would be fortunate to go by the village on the other side of the border. Check out the pictures below!!!

Darjeeling town itself is a place buzzing with activity with the slow sounds of the steam train making its way through the market place into the station.  The train comes from Siliguri station with a slow pace so the passengers can take in completely the scenic beauty of the Himalayas and the villages lying in its valleys.  We couldn't take the train but were told it is just so slow that one can hop on and off it to take a closer look at the market.

Early morning view from Tiger Hills

Ghoom Monastery

Batasia Loop

Road to Mirik

Mirik lake

Darjeeling Zoo

Darjeeling market square

The next day we ventured into Sikkim with the weather pleasantly cold and good visibility.  The river Teesta follows along while travelling from Darjeeling to Kalimpong (in Sikkim).  Gangtok, its capital, is a beautiful and scenic town with a mild temperature all year around.  It is a dainty place and I fell in love with it the moment we stepped into the town.  The people are welcoming and helpful.  We took a cab to go around Gangtok.

The River Teesta

Another view of river Teesta

Sikkim was once a princely state of the eastern himalayan range.  Nestled in the higher ranges of himalayas,

Our first stop being the Tsomgo lake,  It is regarded as the holy lake of Sikkimese and is covered in snow from early winter to late spring.  Located at a very high altitude, near the Chinese border, the lake stands amidst tall, snow-kissed mountains.  A winding road with small streams running across each of the mountains as a result of snow melting due to spring season, one has that amazing feeling of flying upwards driving through the heights.  On reaching the lake site you will be taken aback by how incredible the view is, it is like being in an altogether different world.

With ample photo opportunities, rides on colorful yaks and horses are offered at the lake site so one can go across the length and breadth of the lake.

On the way to one of the significant monasteries of Sikkim lies Rabdentse, the second capital of erstwhile Kingdom of Sikkim.  Therein lie the ruins of the palace and the surrounding capital city of the King.  It was a ethereal experience going to the place and thinking about the life of its inhabitants.

 

 

We had an opportunity to explore the rich Buddhist heritage of Sikkim visiting the Rumtek and Pemayangste monasteries.  Built in the 1700s, Rumtek monastery is associated with the 12th and 16th Karmapa.  It is the largest monastery of Sikkim and is home to a community of monks who have made it their home at an altitude of 4,900 feet.  We saw monks having debate sessions on various topics on Buddhism.

Rumket Monastery

Rumtek Monastery

Rumtek Monastery

Monks at the Rumtek Monastery

Continuing with the spiritual journey of Buddhism tookous  us to Pelling which is the abode of Pemayanste monastery.  It was built in 1700s and is one of the oldest monasteries of Sikkim that follows Nyingma Order of Tibet.  To be a part of the air of spirituality enthused from this place was just a sublime experience.  One can have an impressive view of Mount Khanchendzonga from this monastery on a clear day.

Pelling is the chosen spot from where trekkers and mountaineers start their expeditions.  Near Pelling is Khecheopalri Lake, considered to be a sacred lake for both Buddhists and Hindus.  It was serene and peaceful just being there and one could see colorful ribbons tied at various places near the lake as a token of worship.

 

Dudh sagar waterfalls.......

Can any creation of man ever match that of nature's?  The Dudh sagar waterfalls are the fifth highest waterfalls in India and the milky mist arising from the 2000 feet high falls gives it the name.

The falls are located on the Karnataka-Goa border near Castle rock. One of the ways to reach the falls is to take a train from Castle rock to Dudhsagar station.  We went by road through the beautiful Goa-Karnataka border with meandering roads that lead to the Castle rock station.  As we had started early in the morning, we were able to capture the magnificent sun rising through the folds of the ghats, the golden rays spreading slowly across the mountains, over the green carpet of forests.

On a whim not knowing the way ahead we reached the station and the locals there helpfully pointed out that this was the easiest way to reach the falls.  You can wait for the passenger trains or hitchhike in the guard's cabin of the goods train to reach Dudhsagar station.  The journey takes an hour or so and the view of the beautiful ghat section of the Castle rock-Madgaon stretch is a delight to behold. The railway track passes through several tunnels and hills spread miles and miles across - picturesque, serene, emerald green, striking.  I think North Kanara section of the Western Ghats as one of nature's best experiences given to mankind.  It manages to awe you each time with a new perspective.

The falls are a part of the tributary of Mandovi river which has known its way into the ghats.  The water falls into a pool midway and then flows down.  One could sit on the rocks for ages and gaze at the water falling incessantly and wondering......

The Dudhsagar station is a very small station with nobody but the solitary figure of the station incharge.  Do pack your backpacks with essentials as even eatables are hard to get over there.....From the station we trekked aside the railway track through the tunnels to come to the falls.  Dont forget to take flashlights to tread across the tunnels...seeing the water seeping down from the cracks in the tunnels is just another wonderful experience......One can hear the gurgling sound of water falling down the rocks from a few hundred meters above and that's when the excitement to see the falls starts stirring up to its hilt....you really have to see the falls for yourself and know that I was awestruck with the sheer magnitude of the falls and the beauty around it seeing them for the first time ....the railway track passes right next to the falls and presents a beautiful picture postcard view.

Colombo...a jewel of South Asia

Being in Colombo is as being in any part of South India - Chennai, Cochin esp.....The ariel view of the city makes you Think Green!!! nothing but greenery fills your sight......I was awestruck!!!! it was like looking at the discovery channel feature on the Amazon forests.

On my first trip to Colombo, in 2008, the city was engulfed in a blanket of security...one could see the presence of army everywhere. The terror of LTTE was rampant and that gave a dark look to the city...But the scenic beauty of the city just diluted all the tension and the terror.  When I went back a year later, the city was breathing free and looked much more beautiful.

Srilankans are adorable.....have never met more cordial, sweet spoken and good hearted folks.

The population is mainly Sinhalese and the dominant religions are Buddhism and Christianity.  

The buildings of the city reflect Buddhist, colonial Portuguese and British architecture.  I had a chance to go around the city and visited the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara - a famous Buddhist temple and is believed to be at the spot where the Buddha preached 2000 years ago. It has an excellent carving of a reclining Buddha.  It also has a place where different kinds of statues of Buddha are displayed....(check out the pictures)  The place gives a feeling of immense peace and serenity.  

Shopping in Colombo is PURE DELIGHT......the malls - Odel, House of Fashions and Noritake outlet.....in case you want to buy souvenirs, the Srilankan art and crafts offer immense variety...Laksala is one place where I found stuff to take back home...

One of the interesting aspects of Sinhalese living is the Srilankan way of wearing the saree...Kandyan style is considered as the national dress of Sinhalese women. It is the Uniform of air hostesses of Sri Lankan Airlines.......Sinhalese women are beautiful in their own way - simplicity and sharp features characterize their beauty...

I had a sea facing room and it was pure joy each morning waking up to a view of the expanse of the blue sea.....

Apr 2008 and Dec 2009

Jakarta - reflections on the Asian giant

The city took me by surprise. Really!!! I had a distinct impression that Jakarta was a low profile city but i found otherwise.

The airport is located less than half hour's drive to Ibis Slipi in West Jakarta. With a population of more than 8 million, the city was buzzing with activity. Jakarta has developed as one of the significant financial centers of South East Asia. The city is spangled by towering buildings and meandering highways. The greenery of the city gives it a calming effect. Several places in Indonesia are scenic and picturesque and the country has the world's second largest level of biodiversity.

Indonesians are charming and polite...Be sure to be asked about Shahrukh Khan if you are from India..he has a huge fan club there. One of the staff at the hotel asked me to bring her a huge poster of his when i came back.

The population is largely Javanese with Malays and other Asians making up the rest. There is a strong influence of the west. The major religions practiced Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism. The dances, architecture as well as arts and crafts have a large influence of Hindu culture and mythology (Rama and Sita) esp. those from Bali. You can find beautiful and exquisite masks, wooden carvings, batik paintings and fabric to take back home as souvenirs. I found them riveting...

City transportation is mostly through taxis, buses and autos (orange in color called bajaj that run in the backstreets of the city)... traffic clogs are certainly a distinct trait as with any other city...

While I wasn't able to go to the historic places, I did go around the malls and the cinema there. A satiating experience!!

Indonesian food is primarily non vegetarian and so vegetarians like me have to survive on bread and boiled vegetables or salads....

March 2010