After quake, tourism drops in Sikkim

Gangtok: The massive September 18 earthquake in Sikkim left more than 70 people dead or missing and crippled travel and tourism industry in state.

Following the earthquake disaster, the number of visitors was down significantly from 2010, said the state-affiliated Local Tourism Organisations and Operators.

"Due to the great earthquake last month, people continued to avoid trips to Sikkim in October," the local tour operators said .

"The Relief and Rescue Operations in North Sikkim has not been settled and still undertaken by Army and State Government and its details have been continually reported by the world's media. There are problem of road connectivity to prominent tourism destinations such as Yumthang,Lachen,Lachung, Changu lake and even Nathula.Many Monasteries are also damaged across Sikkim.

"Worries about safety and security, which are essential to travel, still remained large around the world."
The report noted however that group tours to Sikkim had been resumed since October "in a limited manner" due partly to discount sales by travel agencies & Hotels.

Unique Charm of Thumb-shaped State of India

Sikkim spans just 7,000sqkm but if the tour operator insists you visit just two districts in one trip, he isn’t taking you for a ride. The state has four distinct sections — the North, South, East and West districts — and each has its unique charm. One such quaint spot in West Sikkim is the site of the coronation of the first king or Chogyal. Legend has it that Mahaguru Rimpoche, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, had made a prophecy about Sikkim in the 8th century. Nine centuries later, three wise lamas gathered from the north, south and west at Yoksam and launched the search for “a man from the east, bearing the name Phuntsog”, as foretold in the prophecy. The chosen young man was found near Gangtok and crowned the first king of Sikkim in 1642. At that historic spot today stands a stone throne shaded by a 300-year-old fir tree. As a homage to the erstwhile kingdom, a stupa nearby contains soil and water from all over Sikkim and is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. Sikkim gave up monarchy and became a state in the Union of India in April 1975 after popular sentiments went against the Chogyal. Between 1947 and then, Sikkim was a special protectorate. The Government of India managed its external affairs, defence, diplomacy and communications. The monarch had autonomy in other matters. Sikkim’s accession to India remains a sore point with China, which considered the state a territory occupied by India till 2003. As Buddhism was once the state religion, monasteries and stupas abound in Sikkim. Some of the famous ones are Rumtek Monastery, Peymiangtse Monastery, Sangachoeling Monastery, Dro-dul Chorten stupa (in Gangtok) and a stupa resembling the Swayambhunath temple of Kathmandu in a monastery near the holy Khecheopalri Lake. Speaking of lakes, Sikkim has nearly 180 of them. “Of them, Khecheopalri, Gurudongmar and Chhangu are the most scenic,” said Priya Majumdar, who visited Sikkim a second time a few months back. The state is also famous for its numerous therapeutic hot springs. Sikkim’s lifeline is the Teesta, which originates in Cholamu Lake in North Sikkim and unites with her “lover”, the male river Rangit, near Teesta Bazaar. But the most defining geographical feature of the state is the Kanchenjunga (8,586m), the third-highest in the world and the guardian deity to the people of Sikkim. Residents believe that beneath the slopes of this sacred mountain, God created the original man and woman, from whom all Sikkimese have descended. The slightest whims of the deity can unleash floods, avalanches and hailstorms upon the valleys. Earthquakes too. Joe Brown and George Band were the first to summit the Kanchenjunga on May 25, 1955. The British expedition honoured the beliefs of the Sikkimese people by stopping a few feet short of the actual summit. Since then, successful summit missions have followed this tradition. The people of Sikkim can be broadly divided into three ethnic communities — the Bhutias, the Nepalis and the Lepchas, who are the oldest inhabitants of the land. Each community has its own traditional costumes, customs and festivals. “The communities, though distinct and diverse, live in harmony. The Sikkimese, like most hill-dwellers, are simple, hardworking people,” said Pranab Basu, a Calcutta-based photographer who has shot extensively in Sikkim. While keeping their ethnic traditions alive, the Sikkimese have embraced modern living. The government aims to achieve 100 per cent literary by 2015. The present figure stands at 76.6 per cent, a notch above the national average of 74.04 per cent (2011 preliminary census figures). Carpet weaving is a thriving industry, as are handicrafts and watch-making. This, however, is true mostly for people living in and around Gangtok and in towns such as Pelling, Jorethang or Mangan (which is close to the epicentre of Sunday’s quake). “In the remote corners of the state, particularly in North Sikkim or in tribal-protected zones such as Dzongu, the old ways of life hold sway and shifting or jhum cultivation is the norm,” says Surajit Chakraborty, who is involved in tourism promotion in Sikkim. The opening of Nathu-la for cross-border trade with China in 2006 not only provided a fillip to the state’s economy but also helped thaw relations in the region. In recent years, the government of Sikkim has extensively promoted tourism. As a result, the state’s revenue has increased 14 times since the mid-1990s, according to some estimates. The natural beauty of Sikkim, with its mountains, glaciers, valleys, rivers and streams, orchids and butterflies, red pandas and snow leopards, make it a nature lover’s paradise. And an island of tranquil safety. “It’s so ironical that Sikkim, which is blessed with such stunning natural beauty, should suffer nature’s wrath in this way,” said Calcutta resident Shipra De, who has travelled the length and breath of the thumb-shaped state.

Foreigner & DomesticTourists Cancels Sikkim Holidays Plans

Army Jawan rescued from Quake zone

Gangtok,Sept. 21: The tremor has taken its toll on the tourism sector with a good number of foreigners cancelling their trips to Sikkim.

The tour operators hope that domestic tourists will stick to their travel plans for the festive season and are keeping their fingers crossed.

The cancellation of bookings has come as a double whammy for the tour operators as many hotels in Sikkim have been damaged in the quake.

“It would take time for the situation to turn normal in Sikkim. Cracks and crevices have appeared in hotels, which need repairs. Thousands of tourists flock to our state during Durga Puja and Diwali. But a large number of foreigners cancelled their bookings after the tremor,” said Lukendra Rasaily, the secretary of the Travel Agents’ Association of Sikkim.

“There have been no cancellations by domestic tourists yet; so, we are banking on them now.”

Rasaily said 50-odd tourists, including two Norwegian women, were left stranded at Lachung in North Sikkim after the earthquake. “We have no information about a group who had gone for a trek to Dzongri. Tourists in Lachung are safe and in good health.”

The quake has come as a major jolt to the tourism sector which had just started recovering in north Bengal and Sikkim after years of tumult in the Darjeeling hills.

“The tourism industry was affected by strikes and road blockades in the hills in the past three-four years. After the signing of the GTA agreement, things had started to look up and we had expected a brisk business during the Puja holidays. There were indications that thousands would pour in with reservations full on trains and buses and almost no rooms lying vacant in destinations like Gangtok, Darjeeling and Lataguri,” said a Siliguri-based tour operator.

“But the tourists are apprehensive after the natural disaster that claimed many lives and maimed many people and caused immense damage to properties. We don’t know what is there in store for us.”

The hoteliers now hope the domestic tourists would save their day.

“We are flooded with inquiries from domestic visitors. Fortunately, there have been no cancellations by them so far,” Samrat Sanyal, the president of the Eastern Himalaya Travel and Tour Operators’ Association, told The Telegraph over the phone from Ahmedabad.

The association is doing its bit to keep people posted of the situation after the quake.

“We have a two-fold task now. First, we will collect updates on roads and other developments and post them on the Internet. Second, our members will visit destinations like Lava, Kalimpong and Darjeeling and assess the damage caused by the earthquake,” said Raj Basu, an adviser to the association.

Sikkim Tourism hit by Bad Weather and Poor Road Conditions

GANGTOK, July 1.The worsening road condition and frequent occurrence of land slide along Jawaharlal Nehru Road connecting Thangu, Baba Mandir, Nathula (Border Trade), Kupuk the hottest tourism destination in state along with the trade has been reported to be interrupted or hindered a lot this year from the on set of monsoon.
Speaking with media President of Indo China Border Trade (Sikkim Association) Ms. Nima Futi Lachungpa informed that the trade is carried out on a continuous manner starting from every Monday to Thursday a week since the opening of border trade from the month of May 2011 and the trade is operating successfully too. The import and export of goods as listed are transacted successfully but the interruption caused by weather in the form of land slides or the bad road condition is breaking the continuity of trade currently informed Ms. Lachungpa. Further more Ms. Lachungpa stated that a trader has to cross the border within permissible time that is 10 am or to the extent of 10:30am for carrying out successful trade but the weather and bad road condition is detaining the traders to reach or cross the border in time leaving no trade for the day. Since the commencement of trade the traders for not less than 5-6 time have been hindered and were not able to trade this season added Ms. Lachungpa.

Adding more Ms. Lachungpa went on to appeal on behalf of the association to Border Road Organization to at least maintain or keep open the through fare for traders during trade period.
Where as while speaking to one of the trader Mr. Ratna Bahadur Chettri, resident of JN road informed that the trade is on but the frequent disturbance caused either by bad road or the slide has hampered the free movement of trade.

Adding more Mr. Chettri informed that the widening of road is on the process and the Border Road Organization (BRO) have been working tirelessly putting every effort in making the road suitable for free movement considering the early completion of extension.

Further more it has been informed that during this tourist season the road condition of JN road, uncertain land slides or felling of boulders, debris barred the free movement of tourist to the happening destinations like Thangu, Baba Mandir, Nathula or Kupuk. Apart from that the bad condition of road towards North district even to an extent hindered the free flow of tourist have been learnt from the sources.

Arunachal set to follow Sikkim's Village Tourism Model

Itanagar, June 20: Arunachal Pradesh is all set to launch a rural tourism project at Ziro in Lower Subansiri district by involving local people with the tourism department.

Entitled as ‘Home Stay’, the project involves creation of accommodation for tourists in villages with locally available materials and to provide all facilities for comfortable stay to the tourists.

“In line with Sikkim model, the project will be started soon in Siibey, Biri and Hong villages of Ziro Valley,” the District Tourism Officer, Mr Tater Mize, said here today.

A community-based organisation — Rural Tourism Management Committee (RTMC) — was constituted recently for managing the tourism activities under the project and to look after the security of tourists with the cooperation of district administration and tourism department.

patani villages in ziro valley

Training on capacity building for self-help groups, panchayat leaders and unemployed youths was also organised in the district from June 2 to 16.

A total of 25 participants were taken to Sikkim on an exposure tour to update themselves with the Sikkimese expertise on tourism development activities and replicate the same on their return to their respective villages, he said

Singapore master plan to upgrade tourism facilities in Sikkim

GANGTOK: Singapore-based Master Consult Services Pte Ltd (MCSPL) is charting out a long-term master plan to upgrade tourism facilities in Sikkim.
The company is aiming at developing a sustainable roadmap that will uphold the culture and spiritualism of the hill state.
MCSPL will arrange various workshops to train people and develop connectivity through proper roads and enhanced helicopter services.
According to MCSPL managing director Christopher Khoo, the plan will be a 20-year long initiative.

"It will upgrade facilities, including hotel services and building up of proper infrastructure, in 11 towns," he said.

In 1997, Sikkim had initiated a 15-year master plan prepared by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). TCS had estimated domestic tourist flow to touch at 3.5 lakh by 2012.
The number of foreign tourists, as estimated by TCS, stood at 35000.
But till early 2011, tourist flow surpassed all estimates with 8 lakh domestic tourists visiting the state.

In a programme to release the new master plan, Khoo and state tourism secretary Nim Yethenpa handed over a copy of the plan to the Sikkim chief minister.
While speaking at the conference, Khoo said special emphasis will be laid on tourism marketing, environment development, trekking, agri tourism and maintenance of the tourist sites

Sikkim Gets 2.5 lakh tourists by April 2011

GANGTOK, 31 May: The tourist season is underway full swing. And as is expected, long queues waiting taxis can be seen at the taxi stops, especially during office hours. People are complaining against the non-availability of taxis and also the service of SNT city runners which are either not regular or not enough.
The official data of Tourism Department as on 30 April 2011 shows that the State has already received 2,44,642 domestic and 7,539 foreign tourists in the first four months of the year. Comparing figures for last year, show the inflow of domestic tourists at 2,36,312. But the data shows decline in the inflow of foreign tourists as the number was 7,945 last year, which is higher by 406.

The data for the month of May 2011 has not been compiled yet, but last year, the highest number of domestic tourists at 1,16,641 visited the State in the month of May. Comparative figures till April this year and the crowd of domestic tourists in the market suggests that the last year’s May record of domestic tourists will be broken this time.
“The increase in the arrival of tourists could be because of the good weather conditions and also there is no disruption on the National Highway,” said a travel agent, adding that, this year, maximum tourists are visiting North Sikkim.

As evidence, a Government employee posted in Mangan said, “I came to the head office on Saturday with some official work and I was supposed to return on Monday but was unable to get a single seat. Since morning I’m waiting for the vehicle.”

A hotelier at Tibet Road confirmed that his 12-roomed hotel was packed for the entire month of May with bookings full till June 05.

But there is the worry about the decline in the inflow of foreign tourists. The data reveales that except January, there is a marked decline in the arrivals as compared to last year’s data.

January’s data shows foreign tourists inflow at 1,436 against at 984 last year. February- 1,065, March- 2,423 and April- 2,615 foreigners visited the State compared to last year’s 1,320, 2,605 and 3,036 respectively.

In 2010 a total of 7,00,011 domestic tourists arrived in the State, whereas, 20,757 foreign tourists had chosen Sikkim as one of the tourist spots

Climbing the clouds to Sikkim

sikkim

Steep slopes and storybook towns and temples that cling to craggy cliffs shrouded by mist makes Sikkim another of those mythical Shangri-la high in the Himalayas. Long on the list of travelers targeting the far corners of the planet, the ancient kingdom of Sikkim is opening up to tourism


By Ron Gluckman /Sikkim

WE'RE SCALING SHEER RIDGES ABOVE THE TIBETAN PLATEAU, darting in and out of clouds to marvel at breathtaking Himalayan views. That is, when we dare look up from a succession of hairpin switchbacks, each steeper and sharper than the last, all with dizzying drops down both sides of the razor-thin mountain track.

The northeastern Indian state of Sikkim, wedged in between Bhutan, Tibet and Nepal, may be the most vertical place on the planet. Landslides plague Sikkim's precarious roads, and that means slow going for traffic - when there is traffic. My traveling companion and I had already spent hours on a deserted roadside - we had come upcountry for the night and had no choice but to try and hitchhike onwards the next morning - when a road engineer stopped his jeep to pick us up.

For the next hour, we bump and wiggle, snaking no more 12 kilometers. Suddenly, at a sharp bend, we come to a halt at the sound of chanting. For kilometers the countryside has shown no sign of habitation, but here, on a grassy ledge at the edge of a vast gorge, a
surreal scene is staged. An old Buddhist monk intones prayers in a haze of incense. Maroon-robed disciples bang drums, shake bells and toss rice into the wind. Without a word of explanation, the engineer steps from the jeep and soon is sipping tea and sharing stories in a rapturous mix of Nepalese, Tibetan, Hindi and hill dialects.

In Sikkim, surprise is more common than speed. Likewise tradition, hospitality and ceremony, which seem to roam like free spirits along the fabled "rooftop of the world."

Sikkim has long been classified with all the other mythical Shangri-las in this heavenly region. It certainly qualifies. Sikkim's steep slopes are striped with rice terraces, tea plantations or cardamom, the major crop. Temples and fairytale towns are tacked onto the faces of sheer cliffs throughout a craggy kingdom running up and down magnificent ridges. And the people are as colorful a mix as the terrain: Nepalese, Tibetan, Bhutanese, Hindi and numerous hill tribes.

Here, near the top of the world, visitors cannot help but feel special. Everest is visible just beyond Sikkim's own Mount Kanchendzonga, a circus tent of snow-capped peaks including the third highest in the world. In the clear, mountain air, Tibet seems so close you can smell the Yak butter tea. Bhutan is just miles away. But Sikkim offers one thing its celebrated neighbors cannot: free and easy access.

It hasn’t always been so. For centuries, this ancient kingdom was locked up, an utter recluse. Even after joining India - its 25th anniversary was celebrated in May 1999, although statehood actually started in 1975 - Sikkim remained a prime target of travelers seeking the far corners of the planet. Sikkim certainly fit the bill. Permits for foreigners were rarely approved, and then only for a day or two. Beginning this year, most of the state opened to tourism. Permits are still required, but a 15-day entry pass is free for the asking. Yet, the word is slowly circulating. Only 10,000 non-Indian visitors reach Sikkim each year; ultra-exclusive Bhutan receives 6,200 foreign tourists annually. But Bhutan is costly, with mandatory group tours running to US$200 per day. In contrast, Sikkim is a poor-man's Bhutan, offering untrammeled forests to trek and lots of Tibetan temples. Backpackers boast of US$10-a-day budgets. Accommodation is basic outside of the biggest towns, but a little money sure stretches a long way here.

Sikkim is quite a contrast from the rest of India. The climate can be chilly, but the people are friendly and the pace is relaxing. When we started our journey in Calcutta, people were dying in a severe heatwave, but it was cool in Sikkim. After a comfortable overnight train from Calcutta to Siliguri, the nearest rail station, we hired a jeep for the three-hour climb, almost 90-degrees straight up, to the state capital of Gangtok.

India's smallest state not much bigger than America's Rhode Island, or the island of Bali. But that's a flat measure; Sikkim is anything but. You'd be hard-pressed to find a square meter of level ground within Sikkim's entire 7,100 square kilometers., "From the air, it looks as though a giant plough had been carelessly run through it," writes Rajesh Verma, a local policeman who has produced perhaps the first guide to Sikkim. "Traveling on these roads gives you the feeling of riding on a horse that has gone berserk."

Gangtok stands at 1,700 meters, sprawling defiantly across a ridge overlooking a drop nearly as deep. Gangtok means Lofty Hill, an apt moniker. Sights include Rhumtek Monastery (a replica of Chhofuk in Tibet) and the Namgyalk Institute of Tibetology, where the Dalai Lama laid the foundation stone in 1957. In spring, rhododendron color Sikkim's slopes, while its gardens are abloom with hundreds of varieties of orchids in spring and fall. Gangtok's market is equally colorful, showcasing the capital's population melting pot: tribal weavers, Indians with overflowing barrels of fragrant spice, Sikkimese tea and cardamom, and the sparkle of Nepalese silver spread on sarongs.

Sikkim has more than 250 monasteries. In truth, few match the majesty of those in Tibet or Bhutan. But there is a refreshing lack of commercialization to tourism here. One can trek to mountaintop temples and stroll past prayer flags fluttering in the breeze to spend hours alone, enchanted by chanting and smell of incense. We did just that after journeying to Phodong, a tiny North Sikkimese settlement where the three small lodges were unexpectedly booked up. No problem. Pema Liaden's son was away, so the owner of Hotel Yak and Yeti simply removed her son's belongings and rented us the double room, overlooking dazzling rice terraces, for US$4. Simple meals from her kitchen for two cost about the same.

From Phodong, there are no tour buses to the temples. That's part of the pleasure. Along the road, old men wave for you to stop, not to sell trinkets, but to admire their recently-capped teeth. A row of flags lead up a steep path to Phodong Monastery, where a bespectacled monk leads Buddhist chants, while several novices bang on drums. Nobody breaks rhythm for the rare visitor.

Further on, the dirt trail winds a few kilometers into richly-forested hills. Children materialize to guide us along rickety wooden steps, through a neat and trim village, to the hidden Labrang Monastery. This is a true gem, parked on a green plateau, overlooking miles of nothing but snow-capped peaks and verdant hills that stretch to the very horizon. A young monk notes our approach, running away madly, returning out of breath minutes later. Smiling, he produces a key to the small temple.

At Labrang, like temples around Sikkim, there is no gate. There are also no ticket booths, tour buses, nor stands selling souvenirs. Inside Labrang temple, there isn't even an offering box. Thanks seems payment enough.

Nevertheless, the tourism machine is beginning to roll in Sikkim. A hint of what is on the way can be seen in Pelling, a mountain town wrapped in the mist of western Sikkim. New hotels clutter the outpost and cement pilings attest to a tourism boom on the horizon. "We want to do more promotion now that Sikkim is opening up," says Surendra Pradhan, managing director of Siniolchu Tours, and the general secretary of the Travel Agents Association of Sikkim. "The more business, the better."

Sikkimese are understandably anxious for development, and the world will doubtlessly comply. Expect wider roads for busloads of wide-eyed tourists who will book guided treks to remote monasteries, where they will swoon at the sight of unfettered Tibetan worship. In a way, it's ironic. Condemnation of China's takeover of Tibet has become a trendy global concern. Yet nobody gripes about assimilation in Sikkim, where hill children no longer speak their own tongues. Hindi and Nepalese are taught in school. And massive migration from Nepal and Bengal has reduced the native population, mainly Lepchas, to under 20 percent of Sikkim's population of 425,000 people. The Limbus and the Bhutias, other notable tribes, are actually of Tibetan descent. Perhaps most ironic of all, they escaped religious persecution back home, where Sikkim's Red Hat Sect was driven out by the Yellow Sect, the same Tibetan Buddhists now in vogue.

Sikkim itself simmers somewhat. "The immigrants from India take all the jobs," says a clothing vendor at Lal Bazar in Gangtok. "And the Nepalese bring all the trouble." But few regret joining India, a marked contrast from sentiment in Tibet. That's a consequence of self-determination. Over 95 percent of voters supported statehood and an end to centuries of rule by the Sikkimese monarchy.

Since then, India has poured scarce government funding into the region, mainly because of military concerns. China still does not recognize India's rule of Sikkim and the surrounding area is rife with autonomy chatter. Not in Sikkim, which enjoys tax-free status and some odd industries. Travel brochures tout Swiss mountains and alpine lakes, and Sikkim, like Switzerland, also produces timepieces.

These could be souvenirs for a new generation of tourists. Already lines can be seen in Gangtok for jeep tours to distant lakes along the border, where special group passes are needed. Still, nothing stops an intrepid traveler from hopping into one of the rickety land cruisers that pass for public transport around Sikkim. Expect to average 20-30 kilometers per hour - if there are no landslides.

Still, there's no need to rush. Sikkim is a place for studied slowness, with rewards often coming during the journey rather than at the stated
destination. That's the spirit that took us to Phodong one night, far from civilization with no means for returning to Gangtok.

But the engineer came to our rescue, and driving slowly back to Gangtok, we found our reward waiting on the winding mountain road.

After stopping at the sound of chanting, we joined the engineer and the monk on the mountain terrace, where we were served fragrant tea while savoring the incense and views. Only later did we learn the occasion. This was a typical Buddhist one-year ceremony, with elements of native spirituality blended in. A year before, another official had been traveling this same road, in a similar jeep. It plunged off the road where the monk sat. There were no survivors.

"They weren't lucky," the engineer tells us.

But, braving the long and winding roads in Sikkim, we were.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some tips for travelers:

Documents: Foreigners must have a permit stamped in their passport, which is free for the asking when you get your Indian visa. This 15-day permit can be extended at the Tourist Information Office in Gangtok, which also issues access permits for the latest parts of Sikkim opening up.

Transportation: There are no airports or railroads in Sikkim, and only one road connecting the state to the rest of India. Most visitors take trains or buses to either Siliguri or Darjeeling, and then take a jeep to Gangtok. Shared jeeps cost $3 to $4, or an entire jeep can be hired for $20 to $25 for the three- to four-hour ride. There are also flights from Calcutta and New Delhi direct to Bagdogra airport, outside Siliguri.

Lodging: Hotels can be booked upon arrival in any Sikkimese town. Information is readily available in Gangtok at the government tourist
office. In Gangtok, the top hotel is the Hotel Tashi Delek (Tel: (03592) 22991; Fax: 22362; rooms $60 and up), but scores of lodges and guesthouses dot every ridge road. One standout is the Hotel Sonam Delek (Tel: 22566, 24025; Fax: 23197), where rooms with arguably the best views in town go for $13.

Food: While the food is essentially the same as much of India, Sikkim also boasts the added delicacies of Tibetan, Nepalese and Bhutanese cuisine. In Gangtok, expect to pay no more than $10 to $15 for two in a variety of exotic eateries such as the Blue Sheep Restaurant (specialties include the sizzling platters). Hotel restaurants are also good value, particularly the Snow Lion at the Tibet Hotel (a meal of marvelous Indian and regional dishes runs about $10 for two), and the Oyster Restaurant at the Hotel Sonam Delek (all regional cuisines, plus Italian, for about $10 for two).


---------------------------------------------------------------------------Ron Gluckman is an American reporter who is based in Hong Kong, but who roams around Asia for a number of publications, including the Asian Wall Street Journal, which ran this piece .

‘Cool’ Sikkim touches foreigners - Singapore team to build library in rural school

Gangtok, May 4: Thirty-two students from a school in Singapore are currently visiting Gangtok, interacting with the students of a government school here for whom they will help set up a library.

The students from Fairfield Methodist School (secondary), Singapore, have also brought two-three storybooks each for the library that will be built at Panthang Government Junior High School, 12km from here.

Three teachers are escorting the foreign students who are here for a week-long international exposure trip. The annual trip is a part of the curriculum for the secondary students.

“The trip has been excellent with nice cool weather and the natural beauty of Sikkim which we can’t find in Singapore. Most of us have developed friendship with the students here and all of us are enjoying our stay here,” said Julian Tan, a 15-year-old student.

Today the students of both the schools played a football match on the Pangthang School playground.

The foreign students had arrived here on Sunday and had gone for a daylong trek in a nearby forest with their Sikkimese friends.

The batch is busy learning the Nepali language, playing and sharing their experiences with the 107 students of the government school that teaches students up to Class VIII.

“I can’t say that I know each one of them but at least I can say that I can speak to them openly without feeling awkward. Back there in Singapore there is too much stress among the students but here the students are relaxed and humble. I believe Singapore people have to learn to be humble from them,” said Tan.

The funds, given by the Singapore government and the parents of the school students, are being used to make bookshelves for the library in Panthang school.

“Our students are interacting well with the children. They have painted the walls of the school building and are helping the carpenters to build the bookshelves. It has been a pleasant experience so far and I am delighted to see our students interacting well with the students here,” said Jean Ho, one of the teachers who is escorting the foreign students.

The teacher added that such trips help to understand the cultures of different places. “We want our students to experience different cultures and share the Singapore culture with students from other nations. They also do services in whichever schools they go. Such trips promote understanding of different cultures and develop friendship with students from other nations,” Ho said.

A batch of students from the same school had also visited Panthang School last year. The group had helped to set up a dining hall in the building.

“Last year the students were a bit shy but this time they are more open and interacting well with our students,” said Ho.

The headmistress of Panthang School, Denkala Thendup, said: “They want their students to have an experience of a village-level school and they have also come here to make friends. As the students from Singapore school had also visited this school last year our students have become more interactive and they are easily mingling with them. Such bonding has also developed confidence among our students and their shyness has gone,” she said

Tshering Dorjee Lachungpa, the owner of Khangri Tours and Travels that has co-ordinated the trip along with Singapore-based Divine International Explore and Treks Agency, said students from Singapore had visited Sikkim earlier as well.

He said they mostly went Yuksom in West Sikkim. But for the past three years the students are coming to schools in and around Gangtok.

“We have been choosing Panthang School for the past two years considering the short period of the trips which are usually for 10 days including travelling. Panthang School is close to Gangtok but is located in a rural area with beautiful forests and quiet surroundings. Medical facilities and decent hotel accommodations are easily available in nearby Gangtok,” he said

The students will leave Gangtok on Saturday.

GANGTOK DARSHAN OF 5 TOURISM SPOTS BY SNT BUS SERVICE LAUNCHED

GANGTOK, 29 April: The Sikkim Nationalised Transport [SNT] has finalized plans to introduce buses services from Rangpo to Kakarivitta, Nepal, from Rangpo to Kolkata, Rangpo to Jaigaon, the border with Bhutan and Rangpo to Bodhgaya,Jharkhand in the coming days.

“We want to increase our mileage and want to keep up with being the best transport service providers in the region. We want to make Rangpo our base and augment our fleet on a war footing,” informed chief engineer cum general manager, SNT Division, ND Rai while speaking to local media.

He added that SNT will also be initiating a new direct bus service from Gangtok to Kalimpong after the elections in West Bengal and also add 6 new buses for the “Gangtok- Darshan” circuit which will prove helpful to the tourists.

In addition, the SNT, in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, will also add direct deluxe bus services to tourist destinations in North Sikkim like Lachung and Lachen for the convenience of tourists during peak tourist season.

Keeping pace with the modernized mode of transportation, SNT has now increased its fleet of service buses to 107 which includes 2 air-conditioned, another 2 super-deluxe and 25 semi-deluxe buses under the JNNURM scheme which is being used basically for the urban populace. The SNT deploys the maximum number of buses from the North-East wing of the SNT division with 75 buses reaching out to the remotest of areas in these districts. Similarly, the South-West wing has a fleet of 27 buses followed by another 12 buses from the special Rangpo wing.

“We will also upgrade the existing fleet of buses to raise the comfort standards to be provided to the locals”, added the GM.

Another area where the SNT provides its services is to the Indian Army and GREF personnel for which 6 semi-deluxe buses are provided every-day on a regular basis. Similarly, SNT also provides the defense forces with transport trucks, oil tankers and load carriers. The SNT has through this service increased revenue by 12 % during this year’s tender process as compared to the prevailing rate of the previous year. The Indian Army is so appreciative of the services being provided by the SNT that it has proposed that new air-conditioned deluxe buses with additional comforts even for officers be added to the fleet provided to them. It is also informed that the army, keeping in view SNT’s efficient services which ply to inhospitable border areas like Zuluk and Zema, has also decided to pay the SNT revenue for two-way transportation [unlike earlier when the SNT was paid revenue for only one-way].

“We have systemized our way of functioning and considerably enhanced the quality of our services. We have backed our services by keeping reserve trucks and buses for the army if there is any breakdown along the difficult routes,” explained Mr. Rai.

Another area where the SNT, GM states that the division shall look into is the overloading of trucks that ply along NH-31A. With no weigh-bridges either at Rangpo or Melli check-posts, the chances of transporters to produce ‘forged and duplicate’ weigh-bills are significant . Thus to curb this illegal practice, the SNT will install weigh-bridges at both the border check-posts soon.

“We want to act as watch-dogs to discourage overloading which is also why our highways are crumbling away. We will ensure that the load which we define is followed by all transporters,” informed Mr. Rai.

Before concluding his conversation with NOW!, the general manager cum chief engineer, SNT informed about the new scheme which the transport division had initiated for the local unemployed youth of the state.

While mentioning that power project developers in Sikkim were using transporters from outside the state to act as load carriers for them, he explained that this was proving to be a big loss for the local transporters here as they were not being able to meet the required demand for transport vehicles.

According to him, his office had decided to purchase 60 new trucks under the Chief Minister’s Swarozgar Yojana for which the state government had also sanctioned 25 percent of the margin money, that the SNT was signing a tripartite agreement on 30 April, Saturday with the state government and the financers. The trucks will be given to beneficiaries who shall be paying the subsidized loan EMI for a certain period under the supervision of the SNT, after-which the trucks shall be owned by the beneficiaries themselves.

‘We are buying the trucks at one go and propose to take the number up-to a hundred trucks. We want our trucks to meet the demand of the power developers and generate income for our people. The first phase of the deal is over and now the implementation part remains. We will be monitoring the beneficiaries very closely and the trucks shall be under GPS surveillance”, informed Mr. Rai.

Visit “Gangtok at night”. Viewing bridge

GANGTOK,April20:A new touring point has been added in Gangtok for the visiting tourists on the way to Baluwakhani known as “Gangtok at night”. Viewing bridge which is about one and a half kilometer away from MG marg, the main market of capital towards Vajra Cinema hall will be added as the new destination for the tourist to hangout after sunset to get a spectacular view of the capital at night. Speaking to the media, Secretary, Tourism Department SBS Bhaduria informed that the view bridge which is at the final stage of completion will be the new point in the periphery of the capital for tourists.

The view bridge is the first concept which has been carried out by the state government through the department of Tourism where the upper portion of the bridge will be used by the visiting tourist to view the capital at night. Adding further Mr. Bhaduria said that the upper portion of the bridge is fully furnished and will even have a small restaurant along with a readymade coffee house for the tourist.

The total cost of construction of the view bridge is approximately about Rs.50 lakhs. It is also facilitated with toilet and water pipeline considering the comfort of the tourists who will visit this point. Mr. Bhaduria adding further said that there is also a plan of constructing small children’s playing corner in the same place in days to come.

Interestingly Mr. Bhaduria informed that the constructed view bridge have been already leased out to a local unemployed youth and asserted that within few days the view bridge will also be equipped with telescope for attracting more tourists.

Pooja Pariyar wins beauty crown in Sikkim tourism fest

Gangtok, 15 April: The second day of the Lampokhari Paryatan Mahotsav saw Pooja Pariyar win the Miss Lamphokari beauty pageant while singer Prakash Sundas, an Indian Idol aspirant and winner of Namchi Mahotsav 2010, entertained the over 2,000-strong audience in a highly-anticipated late evening show yesterday. The show included a fashion show by models from Kolkata.


Area MLA Puran Gurung was present for the function accompanied by Dhiraj Pradhan, BDO Rongli, Tenzing T Kaleon, SDM Rongli, KB Chamling, SDF vice-president, Bimal Dawari, East Zilla Adhakshya, and members of the Lampokhari Paryatan 2011 Festival.

Chunki Bhutia and Preeti Tamang were the first and second runners-up respectively in the beauty pageant judged by PK Subba, Deputy Director [Agriculture], Passang Tamang of SSACS and Sonam Tshring Bhutia, DE Power.

The evening’s entertainment belonged to Prakash Sundas, a member of Singtam-based Spark NGO, who sang over a dozen popular Hindi and Nepali songs.

Meanwhile, Aarju Pariyar, representing Singtam’s ‘Basibiyalo Singtam’, performed a dance number which was followed by a performance by Modern Dance Academy, Rongli, choreographed and performed by Sajan Basnet and his young group.

[from SHITAL PRADHAN]

India ’s Most Progressive Tourism State to Sikkim

Gangtok: Mr. O.T Lepcha, MP, Rajya Sabha, and Minister for Tourism Mr. Bhim Dhungel along with the Secretary, Tourism, Mr. S.B.S Bhadauria called on the Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling at his official Mintokgang residence in the capital Friday, September 24, and handed over the award, “India ’s Most Progressive Tourism State ”, won by Sikkim.
The award was received by Mr. Lepcha on behalf of Sikkim Government on 22nd September 2010 from the Union Minister for Tourism Ms. Kumari Selja in a function organized by Today’s Traveler in New Delhi. Sikkim, which has become a leading state in tourism, has been well recognized at National and International level and with this award, the Government of Sikkim has received a record 19 awards in the Tourism sector alone.

Chief Minister requested the Minister and the Secretary Tourism to work on opportunity centric scheme in tourism and take it to all parts of the state to develop the sector as well as to give employment for the youths. To make tourism main livelihood of the people of Sikkim, each and every household and individual has to become a skilled force for tourism and the government is fully committed for enrichment of peace, tranquility, culture traditions, customs, art, natural resources and environment, and enhancement of quality of life and happiness index through tourism, Dr. Chamling said. (With IPR input)

Sikkim begs Most Progressive Tourism Award

The Gangtok Experience

My wife shook me up at five in the morning. The flight to Bagdogra was scheduled at ten, but to make her pine for that pine paradise longer, it got delayed by two-and-a-half hours. Bagdogra is the nearest airport, and it took a good five hours to reach the Mayfair resort in Gangtok from there. The roads coil and climb tiringly, cutting through the mighty mountains and offering a fairytale view in route. Mayfair strikes as a spectacular oasis after the journey uphill.


It is the first 5-star resort in North East, at an altitude of 3,500ft. We were welcomed warmly, our accommodation comfortable and luxurious enough to lure laziness. And so set the sun on the first day.

It was next morning that we ventured out, and learnt that an umbrella is your best friend if you visit Gangtok between June and September — you never know when it pours. The streets stock beautiful varieties — both with ethnic Sikkimese and modern abstract prints.

Walk under the umbrella to the Banjhakhari falls, which we loved. Surrounded by rhododendron and pine trees and gushing mountain streams, the place is home to sculptures and figurines of the ancient Jhakri culture.

If you don’t want step out of your comforts, spend time in the pool, library or the several bar-lounges at the resort. The MG Marg market is another attraction. Pick Temi tea, Sikkim liquor, Dansberg beer, orchids, jams and preserves, if not fresh bamboo shoots, glass beads, semi-precious stones, hand-woven jackets and silver jewellery.

Spend a Sunday at Lal Market, if that’s not enough. For traditional designs, the Directorate of Handloom and Handicrafts does it. All that was bound to make us ravenous, so we settled for the customary momos and thukpa (soupy noodles with vegetables or meat).

The flavor is different from what you get in Delhi. Liquor is comparatively cheap, and if you are a little more adventurous, you should try the local drink, Chhang, made by fermenting millet. It is best sipped from a bamboo receptacle using a bamboo pipe.

After a hot, hearty meal, it was time to get pampered at Spa Pevonia at Mayfair. Set in a lush Thai ambience, it is the winner of Asia Spa’s ‘Best new resort spa in the country’ award. So it came as no surprise that the Swedish massage was one of the best we’ve ever experienced.

Day 3 saw us all thrilled, thanks to Nathula. The Nathula pass is situated at an altitude of 14,450ft, 56 kms from Gangtok, on the Indo-China border. Our permits were in place, but it was then that we came to know that it had rained heavily all night, and the roads were not clear.

The resort management requested visitors not to take risk, as land sliding is common in the rainy season. We were much better off in the resort itself, with its blend of vibrant Sikkimese spunk and Rajwada regality. On the day of departure, chants of Hanuman Chalisa bid us farewell, blending effortlessly with the piety of the prayer flags
How to reach

By air: The nearest airport for Sikkim is Bagdogra in North Bengal (123 kms from Gangtok)
By train: Two nearest railway station are Siliguri (114kms) and New Jalpaiguri (125kms)

Must visit:

Rumtek Monastery

Rhododendron and flower show

Banjhakhri falls

Tashi view point

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology

Enchey Monastery

Gangtok ropeway

Ganesh and Hanuman tok

M G Road market

Tsomgo Lake and Nathula pass

Where to stay

The place is bustling with hotels and guest houses. The Mayfair Resort, though, situated on the outskirts of Gangtok, offers a nice view of the valley. You can choose from villas, suites and rooms at this 33-acre forest property. Getting pampered at Spa Pevonia is another advantage

Singapore Tour Operators discuss strategies for Sikkim tourism promotion

GANGTOK, July 26: The three member team of Singapore Tour Operators on its final day of Sikkim visit met the members of Sikkim Association of Adventure Tour Operators (SAATO) in Gangtok on July 26 and discussed upon various aspects through which Sikkim tourism can be promoted in Singapore and vice versa.


The prime purpose of the visit by the Singapore team was to explore the potential of Sikkim in tourism and tourism potential areas and also to observe what Sikkim has to offer to the people of Singapore so that it can be marketed. This encounter of Singapore team and Sikkim tourism stakeholders will now bilaterally assist marketing of the tourism of both ends.
In the meeting with the SAATO members, SAATO Advisor PK Dong emphasizing on promotion of Sikkim tourism in Singapore informed that only 700 tourists from Singapore visit Sikkim annually. The total number of international tourists visiting India every year is 4 million while it is more than 10 million in case of Singapore.

One of the members of Singapore Tour Operators Teng Suet Heong Susan appreciating the hospitality of Sikkim said that Sikkim has many potential domains to offer to the people of Singapore as far as tourism is concerned like eco-tourism, homestays, pilgrimage tourism etc. However, she laid extra emphasis on promotion of tourism in Singapore saying only handful of Singapore people, who are inclined to pilgrimage tourism or Buddhism, know about Sikkim as it comes under the Buddhism circuit but generally the people of Singapore have not heard about Sikkim.

The Singapore team observed adventure and photography as marketing tools for Sikkim.

Sikkim continue to draws record Summer tourists

Photo: Tourist watching the panoramic view of Gangtok Town

GANGTOK,April 30 - Tourist arrivals in Sikkim record an increase due to its natural beauty and peaceful environment.


Around 2,80,000 tourists visited Sikkim in the first five months of 2009, which is nearly 35 percent more than the last year.

Some tourists even compare the scenic beauty of the State to some of the cities in Europe.We find Sikkim a very beautiful place. It is very neat, clean and lovely…. You can almost compare it with one of the cities in Europe,” said Arvind Dasyu, a tourist from Maharashtra.

“Just for natural beauty. The town is very much fresh and clean and the people are very much cooperative. So we had the intention to come here,” said Prosonjeet Sarkar, a tourist from West Bengal.

Photo: Domestic Tourists enjoying the snow falling at Tsomo lake area

According to the local tour operators, Sikkim came under the focus of tourism from 1992. Since then, tourist arrivals have been increasing at a rapid pace.

“Earlier Sikkim was not in focus but since 1992, Sikkim came under the focus of tourism because of its natural beauty. Sikkim has green forests, falls, rivers and streams, mountain peaks which tourists love to see and experience because nowadays people remain busy in their fast lives. So in order to attain peace, they come here,” said Deepak Kumar Rai, a local tour operator.

Sikkim has declared the year 2010 as the Year of Tourism and lined up as many as 13 festivals to woo the visitors and develop the tourism sector as its main source of revenue and employment.

Fifty eight million rupees have been injected by the central Government in nineteen projects for infrastructure development of North Sikkim during 2007-08.

The Centre has funded twelve projects as Centrally Sponsored Schemes from Ministry of Tourism; six projects have been funded as the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) while the State government, as per official reports, has funded one project.

Nestling in the Himalayas, Sikkim is the least populous State in India and the second smallest in area after Goa.

Mahindra Holidays opens a new resort in Sikkim

Gangtok,Nov28 : Club Mahindra Royal Demazong Resort at Gangtok marks the company’s first foray into the East. With the addition of Club Mahindra Royal Demazong the total resort count for Club Mahindra moves up to 26. The resorts are located in various picturesque destinations in India and abroad, says release of the company. Mahindra Holidays is among India’s leading leisure hospitality providers. The flagship brand Club Mahindra is India’s No: 1 holiday brand (according to Nielsen Winning Brands Model Research). The company’s expansion into new destinations has widened its tourism destination foot print in India, thanks to the large membership base, currently servicing over one lakh members. The 32 room Club Mahindra Royal Demazong Resort is situated between Gangtok Town and the sacred Tsomgo Lake. Every room offers magnificent views of the legendary Chola mountain range. Like all Mahindra Holidays Resorts, Royal Demazong too promises to keep the holidaying families entertained and engaged by offering day long activities for adults and children at the Holiday Activity Centre. The Orchid Restaurant serves delectable local cuisine as well as oft requested favourites.
According to Mr. Ramesh Ramanathan, Managing Director, Mahindra Holidays Resorts India Limited, “Family holidays are increasingly becoming about discovering new destinations. At Club Mahindra we are constantly expanding the destination bouquet, to ensure that our members experience unique and memorable holidays. Picturesque Gangtok has long been a part of our destination strategy and with Royal Demazong we have found the resort that is ideally suited to our cusotmers requirements. We are delighted to open our 26th resort in Gangtok.”

In Pictures - Vice President M.Hamid Ansari visits to Sikkim

Namchi Mahotsav for tourists from November 2 in Sikkim

Namchi,October30: Namchi is all set to host the annual Namchi Mahotsav from November 2nd,2009 .The three days tourist festival will take place at Bhaichung Stadium of Namchi.

Namchi, district headquarters of South Sikkim is the destination for thousands of tourists who come here in October each year for the annual Namchi Mahotsav, a unique festival showcasing the traditional culture of Sikkim.

Stalls of ethnic handloom and handicrafts are put up along with traditional houses of the three indigenous communities. Marriage rituals of the three are also enacted for the benefit of tourists. Food is the big draw at the Mahotsav with stalls serving authentic ethnic food of ten communities. Open air day programmes are held at the town square over the five afternoons with artists from the state and outside entertaining the audience with special performances. Evening programmes include fashion shows, music and dances.
This year,'Kutumba' a music band from Nepal which is purely based on instrumental will perform along with the local bands and artists.The Mahotsav will also feature performance of Darjeeling carnival with participations of locals as well. According to the organisers, Sikkim Heli Service will be roped in for the interested persons to have an aerial view of Samdruptse and Solophok from November 1 to 5. Rupees 1000/- per head will be charged for the same,it is informed.The arrangement for the heli-service from Gangtok to Bagdogra and back via Namchi will fly on these five days. Interestingly, 'Kite-Show' will also be held at Assangthang Helipad from 8.30am on November 3.The flower show especially on Chrysanthemum will be integral  part of the Namchi Mahotsav.The organisers also inormed that Lingey Ping will be additional attractive.