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

New Zealand is a lush, verdant country with so much to offer the holidaymaker in terms of culture, history, art and nature. It's an often overlooked country that really deserves to be visited. Its chief destination and major city is Wellington and it has so much to entice the casual holidaymaker that it's easy to spend time there exploring the sights and sounds. Visiting Wellington One of New Zealand's most vibrant places, this city offers a lot in terms of culture and exciting things to do. For anyone interested in food and drink, it has a wealth of tempting and interesting food tours that take in local markets, cafes and restaurants and are a perfect way to sample local delicacies, coffees and wines. Visitors to Wellington should really leave the diet book and calorie sheet at home. Nature and Culture For those interested in museums, history or art there are many places to whet the appetite. The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongewara is not o...

Childrens having work with their hairs infront of their newly made home.....Govt. aided sheets...!! Old women working with Carnberry beans....!! Old women working with Millet for preparation of Rice Beer......! Resting shed....!! Typical Kitchen of Bhasmey Village house....!! Women making Sel Roti... Final...time of Wheat....!! pics: Suresh Lama

Wheat field seen from Khani Khola Hanging Bridge....!! Clean & Perfect Village house...!! One of the house of Bhasmey Village....!! Stylist house captured...!! Typical house down to Bhasmey Village near Khani Khola river side....! pics: Suresh Lama

from News4u Gangtok : Having declared the year 2010 as the Year of Tourism, the Sikkim government has drawn up a plan incorporating as many as 13 local festivals in the list of popular events to be staged next year to woo tourists from across the country and abroad. Officials of the tourism department said that the celebration of the Year of Tourism will commence with the Sikkim Discover Festival to be held in March/April next year and conclude with the State Flower Show to be held at the state capital in March, 2011. In April 2010, a number of cultural events will be held at Rabong, Aritar and Temi-Tarku to delight the visitors. Apart from this, an international Rhododendron festival will be held at Shingba Lachung in North Sikkim and Varsey in West Sikkim during the first three weeks of May 2010.

NDTV is revealing the Seven Wonders of India though voting. Sikkim is known for its tourism hub in the entire world. Sikkim is placed along with other North Eastern States and finds three representatives. The three selected wonders from Sikkim include Changu Lake, Tashiding Monastery and our Mountain deity Mt. Kanchenjunga. So vote and lets help our Sikkim be the pride of India. VOTE FOR SIKKIM http://7wondersofindia.ndtv.com/vote.aspx?id=7 Mt Kanchenjunga It is located on the border of Nepal and Sikkim, just 46 miles northwest of Darjeeling. Kangchenjunga is known for picturesque views from the hill station of Darjeeling. On a clear day, it presents an image not as much of a mountain but of a white wall hanging from the sky. It is regarded as a holy mountain of Sikkim. Kangchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world (after Mount Everest and K2), with an altitude of 8,586 metres. Kangchenjunga translated means `The Five Treasures of Snows`, as it cont...

{ If there is heaven on earth then it could be none other than Kashmir wrote one of the noted poets of India but he might have mistakenly, he never visited Sikkim . Sikkim may never be as Kashmir but you need to set foot in this mystic land to discover the pleasure of a lifetime. Sikkim is home to adventure, trekking, and sightseeing. For the readers of Illumine here comes an opportunity to understand this very beautiful state } An Introduction of Sikkim State The small state of Sikkim in the Indian Union is known throughout the globe for its beautiful floras, majestic Mt Kanchenjunga, and path-breaking panoramic view of the green lush valley. Prior to its merger with India on May 16, 1975, this state was a small Himalayan kingdom ruled by the Namgyal Dynasty. The end of 300 years of the monarchial system led to the move of the democratic system in Sikkim with Lendup Dorji Khangserpa becoming the first Chief Minister of Sikkim . Today Sikkim is looked upon for a ...

Lingdum Monastery, also known as Ranka Monastery, is located approximately 20 kilometres (about 12 miles) from Gangtok, the capital city of Sikkim, India.  The nearest railway station to Gangtok is in New Jalpaiguri (NJP), West Bengal, which is a major railhead connecting various parts of the country. From NJP, you can hire a taxi or use other local transport to reach Gangtok, and subsequently, the Lingdum Monastery. The closest airport to Gangtok is the Bagdogra Airport, situated near Siliguri in West Bengal. It's about 125 kilometres (around 78 miles) from Gangtok. From Bagdogra Airport, you can hire a taxi or take a pre-booked cab to travel to Gangtok. There are also helicopter services available from Bagdogra Airport to Gangtok for those who prefer a quicker mode of transportation. Lingdum Monastery is renowned for its stunning architecture, intricate murals, and ornate interiors adorned with colourful paintings, statues, and thangkas (Tibetan Buddhist paintings on silk). Vis...

Sikkim has done it again. The State has been awarded the Best Tourism Performing State for the year 2006-07. Sikkim shares this honour with Madhya Pradesh. This recognition and honour have been bestowed on the basis of efforts made for overall tourism development and promotion by the State Government. The Award will be presented on February 27 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi by the Union Minister for External Affairs, Pranab Mukerjee and will be received by the State Tourism Minister, RB Subba along with Secretary, Tourism GP Upadhyaya. After thorough research and survey of all the States and Union Territories, the jury comprising of eminent personalities from the Ministry of Tourism and the Industry chose Sikkim and Madhya Pradesh as the States with outstanding contributions towards tourism promotion in the country.  The State has surpassed other States like Kerala, Rajasthan, and Goa, to receive this prestigious award. Tourism in the State has made consider...

The Centre has selected Sikkim the 'best performing state' in the country alongwith Madhya Pradesh for the year 2006-07 for promotion of tourism and building infrastructure in this regard. A jury comprising representatives of the Union Ministry of Tourism and Industry picked Sikkim and Madhya Pradesh for the award of best performing state in the sphere of tourism on the basis of research and survey of infrastructure development in tourism sector across the country, an official release said today. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee would present the award to Sikkim Tourism minister R.B. Subba at a ceremony in New Delhi on February 27 next, the release said. The Pawan Kumar Chamling government has improved road connectivity to various tourist places across the state which has lured a large number of visitors from the country and abroad. © Copyright PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of any PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expr...

At 17,800ft above sea level, dizziness and sudden blackouts due to lack of oxygen are not uncommon. The reward for all the hardship, however, is an extraordinary view of the tranquil, blue waters of Guru-Dongmar (North Sikkim) stretched out against the backdrop of snow-capped peaks that guard over the lake from three sides. The fourth side is completely barren and gusts of wind from that direction buffet the lake in the afternoons. Welcome to the highest tourist destination in the eastern Himalayas located on the India-China border, 187 km north of Gangtok. Foreigners are still not allowed to visit this restricted area, but with the Union government issuing permits to domestic tourists, thousands of them are now visiting the holy lake every season. “Earlier, we had to get special permission and since these permits were not guaranteed, we could not market Guru-Dongmar. However, the Sikkim government has worked hard to promote tourism and nowadays we can get permits f...

Bijoy Gurung  (The author is The Statesman’s Gangtok-based correspondent.) Far from the madding crowd, Rinchenpong is a tiny, seductive hamlet in West Sikkim, an ideal getaway from the bustling cosmopolitan life. Boasting an incomparable view of the mighty Kanchenjunga range and lush green forests promising memorable treks, Rinchenpong is still an unknown destination. The relative virginity of the hamlet makes it truly a hidden Shangri-la as it has remained untouched by the side effects of exposure to tourism. “Rinchenpong is the new destination for tourists in Sikkim. Village tourism is its main USP,” tour operator Lokendra Rasaily said. “It is all about eco-tourism and completely nature-based,” he added. Compared to the sight of Kanchenjunga when viewed from Darjeeling or Pelling, the view from Rinchenpong is more majestic because the entire range can be seen. Bird watching, lush green pastures, wild orchids and the freshness of the place make it most attractive. V...