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

Bael tree Bael fruit Since many centuries Bael ( Aegle marmelos )   fruit, commonly known as wood apple has been an integral part of Newari culture. Bael fruit is considered to be a sacred tree and also used for its medicinal purposes. In one of its kind rare rituals, young Newari girls between 4 to 11 years are married to a bael fruit. Here the bael fruit resembles lord Shiva. It is only after this bael biwaha or the ihi, she is allowed to marry to any person in her later years. It is a customary that the every newari girls should perform this ritual before her adolescence. Till the fruit remains un-cracked the girl shall never have to undergo widowhood even after his husband’s death.  

Discovering Sikkim that has its own rich heritage, culture, its legend and many mystical phenomenons had always been my passion and to learn that was something unknown to most people makes me a happy man. Some time back I was to a place called Pasting, a small village with 45 houses in the forest region when at that time the white chaamp flower was at its full bloom.   Footmarks like spot found at Pasting Busty I was born in Rongli three decades back but never could have gone beyond the place of Lingtam which is just a half an hour drive. I was then at Rongli along with my father to visit my grandfather’s cardamom field at Pasting. Since grandfather was staying at Pasting for a couple of weeks so we were four to visit him, kaka, nini , father, and myself. There was a drive till the small bridge near Lingtam. Thereafter there was the walk of my life making my way across the deep forest with leeches hanging around my shoes. While I could see Nini screaming out when one of the ...