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A Short Trip to Namchi, South Sikkim: Traveler’s Diary

May 26, 2014May 27, 2016Posted in SikkimTagged Chardham, India Travel, namchi, Namchi Sightseeing, Padmasambhava, Ravlong Monastery, Samdruptse, Sikkim, South Sikkim8 Comments

Namchi, Valley, Sikkim, South Sikkim — Namchi Valley

Namchi is the capital town of the district of South Sikkim. Nestled in the lap of Himalayan mountain range, at an altitude of 1315 meter, Namchi is known for its natural beauty. As we planned for a weekend short trip that summer we chose Namchi for its breathtaking scenic beauty and comparatively less crowd than other hill stations. We went off the beat by choosing Pipalay, an unspoilt mountain village located in proximity to the town of Namchi.

Where to Stay

River Ringit, Namchi, Sikkim, South Sikkim — River Ringit, Namchi

Not so known and not so developed Pipalay is a wonderful place to stay if you are fond of majestic mountains, rippling rivers and fountains and lush greenery. A small cottage surrounded by tall Shaal trees on the bank of gushing river Ringit was our abode during the short trip. The view of the mountains and the river right through the cottage window is simply amazing. The sound of the river amplified by the silence of the mountains all around makes you feel in harmony with nature. In the night flood light from Rothak Power station on the other side of Ringit created a magical aura.

Namchi, Rock Garden, Sikkim, Namchi Sightseeing — View from Namchi Rock Garden

As you search over internet you’ll find some standard hotels in Namchi. These hotels are mostly located in the township of Namchi. Though they do not promise high standard of service and wide range of amenities they surely offer cozy and comfortable accommodation. But for a completely unique experience I recommend Shephard’s Vacation Home (Ph: 09002503151) where we stayed for 3 days and 2 nights.

Shephard's Vacation Home, Namchi Hotel, Hotel in Namchi, South Sikkim — The cottage on the banks of River Ringit

How to Get There

We reached New Jalpaiguri early in the morning (7 am). Darjeeling Mail was right on time. However, there are other trains like Kanchanjanga Express, Testa Torsa Exp, etc.

We took breakfast in the railway canteen and then started for Namchi at about 9 o’clock. The hotel’s car was waiting outside the station. It took nearly 3 hours (by car) to reach Jorethang, the nearest commercial and transport hub. From Jorethang we took right turn towards Namchi.

It took 20 minutes more to reach to Rothak Power Station on Ringit. The hotel’s car could not go further as the only way to reach the cottage on the other side was a narrow, hanging bridge made of wooden boards some of which were missing along the way allowing through holes scary glimpse of the wild streams running some 40 feet below my feet.

The bridge on River Ringit, Namchi, Sikkim — The bridge on River Ringit will take you to the cottage

What to See

The scenic beauty of the place itself is a treat to the eyes. But there are some other things to see as well. Even though ours was a very short trip the owner of the hotel planned our itinerary in a way so that we don’t miss the main attractions of the place. The next morning of our arrival we started for Namchi sightseeing.

Samdruptse

Our first destination was the Buddhist shrine of Samdruptse. The awe inspiring 45m high statue of Guru Padmasambhava watching over the hills is a must see. Inside the temple below peace and quiet prevail all around. The place is dotted with manicured plants and blossoms to add to the beauty and serenity of the place.

Namchi Rock Garden

On our way back we stopped at the Namchi Rock Garden. It is actually a view-point from where you get awesome view of the surrounding mountain range. The blue-green mountain wearing a veil of mist – the spiral roads carved along the green slopes – smoke coming out from small cottages down the mountain village – all contribute to form a beautiful landscape to watch at from the Rock Garden.

Namchi Bazar

After spending half-an-hour enjoying the scenic beauty we started towards Namchi town. We made our way through the bustling Namchi Bazar (town’s market). Local men and women wearing multicolored costumes, hues of fresh vegetables, fruits and flowers in the market make it a vibrant place. We reached the plaza in the center of the town. The commercial hub of Namchi town is a well planned and nicely decorated plaza housing shopping arcade, eateries, restaurants and entertainment center and of course ATMs of leading banks. So you can shop freely if you have the debit card with you. From fashionable clothing, accessories and jewelry to a variety of dry fruits, handicrafts and trinkets – Namchi Bazar has a lot of things to offer.

It was nearly 4:30 in the afternoon. The golden rays of sun was telling us he was about to set and we need to hurry otherwise we’ll miss two man-made wonders of Namchi.

Chardham

We drove to Chardham at Solofok, a sacred pilgrimage (which was under construction at the time of our visit in September, 2010) consisting of replicas of four famous Hindu pilgrimages – Rameshwaram Dham, Jagannath Dham, Dwaraka Dham, Badrinath Dham. There is also a beautiful temple featuring a huge statue of Lord Shiva sitting on top of the temple.

Assangthan Helipad

On the way back a surprise was waiting for us. The driver took us to Assangthan Helipad located on the top of a hill. It’s the perfect spot to get a 360 degree view of the valley below. We enjoyed awesome view of the setting sun from there.

Some other places that we missed in our Namchi trip are Temi Tea Garden and Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary. The lone tea estate in the entire state of Sikkim offers scenic beauty and lush greenery to behold. The wildlife sanctuary gives you an insight about the rich flora and fauna of the region. You’ll see some beautiful birds and can catch the glimpse of red pandas here. However, to cover all the places conveniently you need to extend your trip to a few more days.

What to Eat

We reached Pipalay in the afternoon at about 1:30 pm. We were too hungry to go outside and decided to take our lunch at the hotel’s restaurant which was not fully developed at that time – there was no menu card, no pricing list and no options to choose from. For a bowl of plain rice, daal, chicken and salad in lunch and rice and egg curry at dinner we were billed Rs 2000! And we took our lesson. When you are staying at a remote or underdeveloped area it is better you have your meals in the nearest town during sightseeing in day time and pack your food for dinner while getting back to the hotel in the night. There are restaurants in Jorthang where you can have Indian and Chinese at reasonable price. By the way, don’t forget to taste Momo at Namchi Bazar. You’ll relish it, I bet.

When to Visit

The best time to visit the place is from March to October. Though we found the weather little hot and humid during the day in September, nights were lot cooler. Mountain has a different charm in monsoon but that can be dangerous too with muddy and slippery roads and landslides. So if you are not so daring avoid visiting the place in June, July and August when Namchi sees huge rainfall.

Delhi gang rape case: It’s time to wake up … everyone

January 1, 2013April 10, 2015Posted in SocialTagged crime against women, Delhi gang rape, rape5 Comments

Another year has come with new message, new hope and new possibilities. But it is not the joy of New Year that impelled me to take up my pen. It’s the pathetic suffering and unfortunate death of ‘Nirbhaya’ or ‘Damini’ whatever you call the 23-year old Delhi paramedic has left me in deep thought. What a society we are living in?

I would not salute her “sacrifice” because she did not choose to be tortured. I salute her brave heart because she wanted to live and fight.

I can not describe the feeling after reading the horrific story in detail about what was happened to her – it was shock, it was pain, it was fear, it was hatred, it was despair! It feels so bad that we could not bring her back to life. But the only ray of hope in this case was the COLLECTIVE NON-VIOLENT YET STRONG PROTEST OF COMMON PEOPLE irrespective of gender, age, status, profession, language and religion. Hope this is the beginning of the much needed CHANGE.

Yes, a thorough socio-psychological REFORM is needed to reduce crime against women. Death penalty is not the only solution.

Whenever a sexual assault or similar kind of crime happens against women I have seen many so called “educated” people pointing at the woman’s character. WHY? This is because it’s easier to do than to judge, stand up and protest. My appeal to them is – please stop thinking just like a MAN or a WOMAN, think like a HUMAN. The moment you raise your finger at the woman – Why she? What was she doing there? What is her background? – you actually encourage the criminal. And if she is a divorcee, if she lives alone, if she goes to the bar, if she returns late at night … things become even easier ( like in Park Street Rape Case). As if men have right to rape or do anything they want with a woman with such lifestyle!

Instead of protesting against a crime you are criticizing the victim even though you know deep in your mind that a “CRIME” has been committed. If such criminals get away with what they have done there are chances they will repeat it. It can also encourage some other criminal minded people to try things like this. And this time it could be your dear one – your sister, your wife, your daughter.

Every time such heinous crime happens our “educated” and “respected” political leaders create controversies with comments that the way women dress up is the reason for such incidents and wash their hands off from any responsibilities. What the hell? My question is did “Nirbhaya” or other thousands of rape/molestation victims from ordinary middle class, poor families in city or in village dress scantily or provocatively? Or even if they do, does it justify such crime in an educated, advancing society? Then such incidents would be in highest number in Europe and America. But in concrete the scenario is actually opposite.

I know some people would restrict their daughters, sisters and wives to go outside or return late at night, or dressing up as they like. But that is never a solution. If it was, the TALIBAN REGIME would be the best place to live. They would have built up the most disciplined and safest society.

And can you guarantee that women are safe at home? NO, because… Dombivali rape case where father and brother arrested for raping a teenage girl is unfortunately nothing new.

And MEN if you ask your sister, your wife, your daughter or your female friends you’ll rarely find one who has not experienced stalking, teasing or minor sexual harassment especially in their teens.

So, it’s time to wake up. It’s time to stop blaming the victim when a ‘rape’ occurs. It’s time to stop make them feel that what happened to them was their fault. It’s time to teach our boys to take girls as human beings and not just a ‘woman’. And say NO to such perversion.

I am not sure if such evils can be completely eliminated from our society. From government’s part stricter law, prompt judicial action and harsher penalty in such cases is required.

But I believe education in grass root level, more coeducation schools, honest initiative from elders and teachers to stop discrimination between boys and girls, encourage friendly interactions between young boys and girls from the very beginning and of course teaching girls to protect themselves can reduce occurrence of atrocities against women. It is better to heal the wound from within than keep it covered for protection.

A Bunch of Flowers from the Hills of Sikkim

June 27, 2011December 16, 2014Posted in PhotographyTagged Flower, namchi, nature photography, Sikkim, Travel14 Comments

Flowers are perhaps the most beautiful creation of Nature. And you’ll find them aplenty on the hills. During our stay in Pipalay, a beautiful village in Namchi, South Sikkim I did try my hand on nature photography. There were wide variety of flowers and foliages. Some were known to me and some unknown. Some dazzled in vibrant colors while some were too small to go unnoticed, but when they blossom you can’t ignore their collective beauty.

There was this red Zinnia in the garden of Shepherd’s Vacation Home (the cottage where we stayed during our short trip). I zoomed in with my Sony Cybershot DSC-W190.

I found this tiny crimson beauty in the bush behind the cottage and the yellow one too…

The pink and blue ones bloomed at the feet of the Holy Statue of Samdruptse in South Sikkim. Can you tell me their names?

The monastery at Samdruptse has manicured gardens where purple and white cosmos were bountiful. They looked like small butterflies amidst the green blades of grass.

This ‘unidentified’ pink blossom along the garden fence also caught my eyes. And this time I badly felt the need of a DSLR…

On our way back to Pipalay (from Samdruptse) we stopped by Namchi Rock Garden that offers mind-blowing view of the mountains all around. Bonus was a variety of foliage that adorned the small garden. I thought this magenta one is worth sharing.

You might also love the following combination of red and green sprouted along the stairways of the Rock Garden.

Cobweb in the Woods of Sikkim: My Photography

June 21, 2011November 28, 2014Posted in PhotographyTagged cobweb, namchi, nature photography, photography, Sikkim, spiders web10 Comments

It’s been quite a long time since I have been to the hills of Sikkim. Have thought so many times of writing about our Namchi trip and have let it go every time, because so many things (about Namchi, Sikkim) are on my mind and I’m unable to sum it up! But then, today when I was reading this post How to Photograph a Spider’s Web on DPS it just kindled my memories.

We stayed in a cottage by the river Ringit. Ours was a beautiful small red-brick cottage that was surrounded by tall Sal (iron-wood) trees. And one fine morning I set out in the woods with my camera and captured this ‘Charlotte’s Web’ through my lenses.

This little arachnid seemed to be very smart to have woven its web high on the branch. And I only had Sony Cybershot DSC-W190 which doesn’t offer too much of optical zooming facility. 😦 Still I did as much as I could to capture this fine ‘work of art’ with my digi cam.

Hope you like it! Please don’t forget to leave your valuable comments, friend… 🙂

Varanasi: A Visit to the Cultural Capital of India – Part III

May 8, 2011August 24, 2025Posted in Uttar PradeshTagged cultural capital, ghats in Varanasi, Hindu Pilgrimage, India Travel, photography, Travel, Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi29 Comments

This is a continuation of my previous posts – Varanasi: A Visit to the Cultural Capital of India and Varanasi: A Visit to the Cultural Capital of India – Part II. Hope you enjoy reading…

The Last Day: Exploring the Ghats in Varanasi

On the next and the last day, I decided to explore the ghats on my own while my family went to Viswanath Temple for the second time. The main ghat was a 5-minute walk from the guest house. It was early morning and I roamed the ghats to ‘feel’ Varanasi for the last time. The river, the boats, the flowers in the floral shops, the sages in saffron and the people taking holy bath … all looked so different in the soft light of morning sun. I tried to capture some regular activities along the ghats.

Moon, Varanasi, Ghat, photography, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh — My Photographer Avatar 🙂

Here are some for your eyes only… 🙂

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In spite of its zigzag narrow lanes, enough to give you the feel of labyrinths; dirty overcrowded ghats, polluted water, congested roads and no traffic rule at all, Varanasi has its own charm with its age-old edifices, temples and a laid back attitude towards life. It was really a wonderful trip to the holy city in late February when the weather is pleasant. I think this is the best time to visit the place if you want to avoid both the chilling winter and the scorching summer of Northern India.

Gradually our time in Benares came to an end. I chose the Travera of the guest house for extra comfort. Pickup and drop cost us a total of Rs. 1200 which could be cut down to Rs 300-400 if we took auto rickshaws. But I don’t mind that extra bucks for the comfort and convenience of my family.

N.B: If you need to dry your laundries out in the sun don’t forget to clip them tight. Otherwise, you may lose them forever… courtesy monkeys. They have a tendency to grab anything and everything that belongs to human species… 😉 . Take care and have a nice trip!

Varanasi: A Visit to the Cultural Capital of India – Part II

April 30, 2011April 1, 2015Posted in Uttar PradeshTagged Banaras Hindu University, BHU, Durga Mandir, India Travel, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Sarnath, Sightseeing in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi, Varanasi Sightseeing19 Comments

This is a continuation of my previous post Varanasi: A Visit to the Cultural Capital of India …

Second Day: Varanasi Sightseeing

The second day was reserved for sightseeing. In the morning we went to Kashi Viswanath temple for ‘puja’. It was a Monday and the alleys to the temple were stuffed with people, actually devotees, from all across India. Being a not-so-religious kind I chose to wait at a distance with all the mobile phones and cameras while my mother and aunt went inside. They don’t allow mobile phones and cameras inside. So, one way or the other I had to wait outside.

After lunch we set out for sightseeing in Varanasi. This time we didn’t take car from the hotel. We managed it with a local car rental agency and hired a Tata Sumo for the rest of the day at Rs. 800 (at the hotel desk, they asked for Rs. 2000). But I advise you should always start early for sightseeing.

Ram Nagar Fort

We started at 1:30 pm from the city and headed to Ram Nagar Fort, the palace of the ‘Maharaja’ (king) of Kashi (Benares).

Now the palace has been turned into a museum where you can see a historic collection of oriental and western artillery used in the 17th and 18th centuries; the cars and golden chariots used by the royal family; the silk robes and intricately designed silver dinnerware and decorative ceramics.

Ram Nagar Fort, Varanasi, Varanasi Sightseeing, Uttar Pradesh — Ram Nagar Fort

I liked the beautifully crafted chariot and was amazed by the size of a huge Cadillac. The ‘Rang Mahal’ (entertainment hall) has fascinating stained glass windows and doors to add more charm to its purpose, I guess.

Sarnath

From the fort we headed right to the holy shrine of ‘Sarnath’ where Lord Buddha is believed to preach his first sermon. Here, one thing I must mention that normally the sightseeing trips start with visiting temples in and around the city, then the university and then Ram Nagar fort to Sarnath which is about an hour journey from Varanasi. Since we started late we changed the itinerary starting with the distant fort and shrines and then coming back to the city.

Sarnath Temple was looking beautiful in the golden streaks of twilight sun.

The temple premises were clean and quiet with the typical characteristics of a Buddhist shrine. Serenity was prevalent in the atmosphere. But what disturbed my mind was the signboard right inside the temple “Rs 25 for Photography” while “photography prohibited’ was written outside. Commercialization has turned out to be an infectious disease!

Sarnath Temple, Lord Buddha, Varanasi Sightseeing, Uttar Pradesh — Lord Buddha believed to have preached his first sermon at Sarnath

Banaras Hindu University

Our next destination was BHU, Banaras Hindu University, one of the largests in India. The university has its own aerodrome, helipad and bus service. The buses start from the main gate and ply the sprawling 10 sq km campus dropping students at their respective department buildings. Unfortunately it was already dark and I couldn’t take pictures. You’ll like the beautiful Birla Temple situated inside the campus.

Durga Mandir

Back to the city, we visited temples of Gaudi (Durga Mandir), Hanuman Ji (Sankat mochan) and Annapurna.

The manager at car rental suggested for a day trip to Triveni Sangam, Allahabad which is about 3 hours drive from Varanasi. Unfortunately we were too short of time. Well… there is always a next time … :).

Continued… Part III: Exploring the Ghats