Valley Views in Gangtok

Do wake up at 4 in the morning to see the majestic Kanchenjunga, exclaimed my host. It can be seen from every window of the hotel she claimed.

I had missed watching the Teesta River, which flows through cities of Rangpo and Kalimpong on my way up to the Sikkim capital as we travelled at night and was eager not to miss one of the best sights of Gangtok.

At 4am, it is still pitch dark and what I could see was just a small ball in white, like the ice-cream over a cone but with every passing minute the mountain takes different hues from white to golden as the sun starts enveloping the peaks.

Hill stations are only for those unhurried travellers who want to soak in the atmosphere, who like to take a deep breath and enjoy the wild flowers along the roadside. The whole of Sikkim surprises you at every turn only if you are willing to stop a while.

I was told to look out for the casino and online gaming centres (Sikkim is the only state in the country to have legalised betting) for it is considered the Las Vegas of India.

The day lilies, azaleas, ferns jutting out of crevices of walls, wild flowers in purple, strawberry red and yellow, which you would not find in the best of nurseries is what I was more interested in.

Still unspoilt, the numerous waterfalls that cascade down from mountain sides from the melting snow give life to the variety of plants in the tiny state.

Mountains play a big part in the lives of the people in Sikkim and one can see the peaks almost from every angle.

There isn’t much one can do in Sikkim but for the people from the plains who are hardened by the rustle and bustle of modern day living, a trip to the mountains can do wonders.

People living on mountain slopes in mist filled valleys seem somehow content with life. There is an unhurried pace to whatever they do and a smile comes easily to these folks.

A must visit in Gangtok is M G Marg where one can pick up woollen sweaters, have authentic momos and walk through the cobbled streets.

But it is the greenery and the mountains during the day and at night is what is to be absorbed. If the hundreds of houses in bamboo and concrete structures hang on to the slopes precariously that makes you wonder how; when fully lit at night, the horizon takes your breath away.

Sandwiched by Nepal in the west, Tibet in the north and northeast and Bhutan in the east, one can find a mixture of Nepalese and Bhutanese influence.

Go to Gangtok if you want to run away from traffic snarls and fast pace of life. Rejuvenated you will come back. It is a guarantee.

How to get there?
There are flights to Bagdogra from Kolkota and Delhi. A five-hour road journey in a cab from Bagdogra along the Teesta River will take you to Gangtok.

The journey is bumpy in certain sections but lovers of nature should not mind the inconvenience. Pack woollens, you will need them for sure.