It’s holiday time! Is north-east India still unexplored? Extract a week from your hectic schedule and fly to the divine land of north east India. If you start from Delhi, the capital of India, the flight will first take you to Bagdogra airport, which is 110 km from Darjeeling.
Starting your exploration from Darjeeling – the Queen of India’s hill stations – you will come across several Victorian attractions that were first ‘discovered’ by the British. Surrounded by aromatic tea gardens, Darjeeling is one such destination where you can spend at least two days. Tiger Hill(offering magnificent views of Kanchenjunga, Mt. Everest & other eastern Himalayan peaks), Ghoom (a Tibetan village), Toy Train of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), Tibet Handicraft Centre, aromatic Tea gardens and Observatory Hill are some of the highly frequented places in Darjeeling.
Next, you can head towards Gangtok, situated in the lower Himalayas. This pilgrimage centre is a renowned place for Tibetan Buddhist culture. You can spend hours in exploring ancient monasteries & religious educational centres here. Nature lovers can also plan short visits to Tsongo Lake, which is considered extremely sacred by the local people. Moreover, Do Drul Chorten (two exquisite Stupas), Rumtek Monastery, Himalayan Zoological Park and Government Institute of Cottage Industries (GICI) are some other places to visit in Gangtok.
Located about 80 km from Gangtok is Kalimpong – that is again a sacred Buddhist place blessed with stunning backdrop of towering snow capped peaks. Thongsa Gompa (Bhutanese Monastery), Durpin Hill (famous for Tibetan wall paintings) and Tharpa Choeling Monastery are some of the highly frequented places here.
These above mentioned destinations are the perfect locations where one can find enough of Buddhist monasteries. One can also have a closer look to the lifestyle of local villagers here. People are very friendly and treat their guests as gods.
By: Sanjog KR
About the Author:
Sikkim, in north east India, has emerged as a wonderful tourist destination in terms of relaxing, adventure and spiritual holidays. Sikkim India tours take you the ancient holy Buddhist monasteries and learning centres where you can find actual peace of mind.
