Separated from the rest of the world by the mighty peaks, Sikkim is an ineffable world of its own. Once one enters, there is no turning back, not least in memory, from its insular serenity and eternally surly but enchanting mountain terrain.
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Once there was a time though when Sikkim was outright inaccessible. True enough, Sikkim was referred to as one of the Himalayan Shangrilas for its remoteness.
But signs of life are as profuse as can be here, for all the ubiquity of inhospitable altitudes. Ancient Buddhist monasteries even have a dominion here.
Behold because Sikkim’s geography is dominated by the Himalayas, of which the Khangchendzonga, the world's third highest mountain, stands the nearest. Pagan cultures worship it as the guardian deity to this land.
Surely Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, is where the journey starts. Gangtok, which means “hilltop”, is a favorable place to behold the entire Kanchenjunga Range. With the modern amenities it has acquired over the years, Gangtok has become something of a hill station resort for holidaying Bengalis. |
Notwithstanding the easiness of entry nowadays, one still needs a permit to enter Sikkim. Granted, the northern and eastern parts of Sikkim along the Tibetan border are still restricted areas.
That said, the penchant for delayed gratification is worth it. If one decides to scale Sikkim, he or she better obtain a road map of Sikkim this instant.
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