Gangtok has come a long way from being a small town on the trade route between Tibet and India.Yet it has preserved its pristine beauty and offers peace and a tranquil retreat

The year was 1975, when the beautiful state Sikkim became India’s 22nd state. The state capital Gangtok, a small northeastern town, was once a major stopover on the trade route between Lhasa in Tibet and cities such as Kolkata in British India. It now became the centre of Tibetan Buddhist culture. Located on the top of the ridge, it took us around fourhours to drive from Siliguri to Gangtok, courtesy the bumpy roads. But trust me, it is well worth the trouble and the city has a lot more to offer. 

What’s on offer
Take a close look at Tibetan culture and spirituality by visiting the stupas and Buddhist monasteries. For those who have an interest in wildlife, the Himalayan zoological park allows one to catch a glimpse of the elusive red panda along with barking deer and Himalayan bears.
And yes, don’t forget to admire the splendid beauty of Mt Khangchen--dzonga. How could you miss their fashion sense? Walking in the lanes of MG Road, one can sense a better dressing sense than Mumbai or Delhi. And of course, last but not the least, the tranquility of the city.

Hanuman Tok

Our first exploration began with a serene destination ~Hanuman Tok. Located at an altitude of 7,200 ft, the Tok is 11 km from Gangtok city. The Tok, which means temple, offers a spectacular view of the Kanchenjunga. However, there is a small history connected with the area. It is believed Lord Hanuman took rest for a moment at this place when he was on his way to Lanka from the Himalayas, carrying Sanjeevani herbs for Lakshman. The temple is popularly known to fulfill one’s wishes. As soon as we reached the place, we were lured by photographers, just as in other tourist destinations. Colourful flags add to the gaiety and the pine trees surrounding the temple made a lovely picture.

Calming hotel

Climbing up to Hanuman Tok was tiring. This drove us back to the hotel at Club Mahindra Gangtok, Royal Demazong. Like the city, our hotel, which was far from the main city, also offered a peaceful and calm environment. The hotel had 31 studio rooms equipped with all the major amenities. One could satiate hunger pangs by digging into some lip smacking delicacies at Orchid, a multi-cuisine restaurant that offers breathtaking views of the surroundings. Cooking workshops, kids’ club and Fun Zone are all there to keep the entire family entertained.

The next day
The morning started with a visit to the beautiful Flower Exhibition Centre. It was not too large but had an amazing collection of flowers of different types ~ some of the flowers I saw for the first time. They were beautifully arranged. If one is a lover of flowers, then be prepared to consume a lot of memory space on the phone or camera.

Monasteries 

Visiting Gangtok and missing the monasteries is unthinkable.Therefore, our next destinations were exploring monasteries like Rumtek and Ranka Monasteries. Located 23 km from Gangtok, at a pristine location, Rumtek monastery belongs to the Kargyu sect of Buddhists, which originated in the 12th century in Tibet. The architecture of the monasteryis one of the finest in the world and resembles the original one in Tsurphu, Tibet. As one enters its premises, the courtyard is full of monks' residences. The most striking part was the pictures of a very young Dalai Lama and a painting of Lord Ganesha on the entrance walls, linking Buddhism to Hinduism and Sanskrit.

Gangtok Zoo

Next on the list was the Himalayan Zoological Park, which is quite unique where animals are not kept in small cages but in big natural enclosures surrounded by walls. Just 6 km from the Gangtok city, the zoo has many rare and endangered species of animals like Red Pandas, Himalayan Black Bears, Snow Leopards, Clouded Leopard, Common Leopard and many others. Here,  be prepared for walking because often the animals hide inside their large open areas, so some luck or good timing is needed to be able to see them. For animal lovers or those who want to get away from the noisy city it is worth a visit.

Local delights

Gangtok’s local cuisine is a vast mix of taste and flavours. Begin with delicious momos, found everywhere from roadside shacks to costly restaurants, or gobble steamed flour dumplings or beat the cold with a warm bowl of delicious soup. Or choose Thupka, a common Tibetan style noodle soup, prepared with vegetables and meat or Sishnu Soup, a unique local dish, prepared from leaves of edible wild nettle. Every dish contains unique taste.