Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

An article published on the website of the National Informatics Centre, Sikkim under the topic of Mammals of Sikkim in 2009 mentioned the possibility of Gangetic Dolphin at the river belt of Singtam – Rangpo. The report read - Distribution in Sikkim: May exist at Singtam, Rangpo and Melli (the confluence of Teesta and Rangeet). Size: Generally 2 m in length.  Gangetic Dolphin will not exactly be out of its range if is found to exist in our state. It is a creature found in the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and their larger tributaries to the bases of the hills. Their migratory behaviour, however, makes their presence possible here, particularly during the summer months.   I do not exactly know the further development of that suggested research but the river Teesta does surprises you with its secrets deep within. Since the construction of dams in neighbouring states those fishes that used to migrate for freshwater to lay their eggs are no more to be found.  I do remem...

We have all seen the eight lucky signs of Buddhism in various Buddhist-related customs. But to see something like "Sernya," also known as the pair of golden fishes, in the middle of the Coronation Bridge near Sevoke was not expected by me, at least. The sculpted picture features a pair of fish forming a circle with a conch shell at its center. According to Buddhism, " A Pair of Golden Fishes symbolizes the resurrection of eternal life, rebirth, etc. The pair signifies the ability to swim with ease without obstruction in the ocean of this world. They may also be taken to symbolize the eye of perception as fish can see through muddy water. The fish couple suggests mutual aid and indispensability between male and female material life."  But it still finds me in mystery, well, what was that pair of fish doing there.....could be a way of honouring the marine life that f...

Multiple varieties of fish are one of the major attractions for which Sikkim is popular among ichthyologists, says PK Ghosh The Lepchas have named Sikkim as Nye-mae-el. The land provides tourists with a panorama of pleasant surprises. The state, bounded by Bhutan and West Bengal on the east, Nepal on the west, West Bengal on the south, and Tibet on the north, has a population of 5,50,000. Sikkim is blessed with beautiful and luxuriant natural resources both fauna and flora from water and jungle. Among all these fishes have been well documented for 150 years by the authors/taxonomists namely McClelland (1845) who had described three local species of fishes. Similarly, other ichthyologists like Gunther (1868), Day (1878), Hora (1923), Raj Tilak (1972), and Puspa Tamang (1992) of recent time have described and reported 48 species of fish from this Himalayan region. There is a variety of fishes found in the Himalayan belt that have encouraged many ichthyologists over the years to extend ...