Gangtok, the land
of monasteries, is also the largest town of Sikkim. Situated in the
Shivalik Hills and lying at an altitude of 1437 m, it’s an important
Buddhist Pilgrimage Centre. Gangtok gained religious significance among
the Buddhists after the construction of the Enchey Monastery in the
latter part of the 19th century.
History of Gangtok
It
was an important trade centre between the British and Tibet during the
19th century. Gangtok was made the capital of Sikkim in 1894 by Thutob
Namgyal, who was a monarch under the British Rule. When India gained
independence in 1947, Sikkim chose to be an independent monarchy and
Gangtok continued to be its capital.
However, in 1975, after a
period of strife and struggle, Sikkim was finally made an Indian state
and Gangtok was made its official capital. The city suffered a major
setback in its trade relations with Tibet after the Nathu La Pass was
closed following the Sino-Indian war of 1962. However, the Pass has been
opened in 2006, and Gangtok has again started functioning as a major
trade point between India and Tibet.
People & Culture of Gangtok
The town has people from different ethnicities. The presence of
Buddhists, Chinese, Tibetans as well as Hindus gives Gangtok a colourful
ambience and every festival is celebrated here with the same fervour.
Some of the popularly celebrated festivals are Losum and Losar, among
others.
Most of the economy of Gangtok depends on tourism. A
large part of the population of the town is employed in the tourism
sector. Of late, eco-tourism has picked up in the region with tourists
being offered the opportunity of trekking, rafting as well as
mountaineering. Apart from the tourism industry, cottage industries form
the other major portion of Gangtok’s economy which deals in watch
making, handicrafts and local alcohol processing.
Things to do in Gangtok
Gangtok is full of gompas, stupas, parks and gardens. Some of the major attractions in and around Gangtok are the Rumtek Monastery, Pemayangtse Monastery, Tashiding Monastery, Tsomgo Lake, Nathu La Pass, Hanuman Tok
etc. Visitors who want to explore Gangtok and its surroundings but do
not want to do the planning themselves can opt for the several Gangtok holiday packages available.
Food & Shopping in Gangtok
Sikkimese
food is a mix of Nepalese, Tibetan and Indian cuisine with rice being
the staple. Some of the local delicacies of Gangtok are ningro (fern
rings), shisnu (nettle soup), phing (glass noodles) and churpi (yak
cheese) cooked with a lot of chillies. Apart from these, momos are
available round the corner. There are a lot of restaurants, eateries and
fast-food joints in Gangtok.
Gangtok is full of souvenir and
curio shops. One of the best areas for shopping is the road near Lal
Bazar which not only has many shops but prices are also cheaper by
30-40% than the shops on M.G. Road. The Sikkim Handloom and Handicraft
Emporium sells masks, wall hangings, carpets, leather goods and Tibetan,
Bhutia and Lepcha dresses. Other items that are popularly bought
include thankas, silk paintings, prayer wheels, Tibetan jewellery etc.
Travelling to Gangtok
Gangtok is connected to other parts of the country via an all-weather highway. The easiest way to reach Gangtok
is by shared jeep from Siliguri, in West Bengal, which takes around 4½ -
5 hours. Shared jeeps, the best way to move around in Gangtok, can also
be availed from New Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
Buses
run by the state carrier, Sikkim Nationalised Transport, terminate at
the SNT Bus Stand on Paljor Stadium Road. Non-SNT buses stop at the
Private Bus Stand, off NH-31A, below Deorali.
The nearest
airport to the place is the Bagdogra Airport (124 km away) in the town
of Siliguri, West Bengal. Bagdogra Airport is connected to Guwahati,
Kolkata and Delhi with Kolkata and Delhi airports having international
connections as well. Taxis are available from the airport to reach
Gangtok. These cost around INR2000.
There is a helicopter
service also which is run by the Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation
from Bagdogra to Gangtok, once a day. The cost for this is approximately
INR2200 but baggage allowance is limited to 10 kg.
Gangtok does
not have a railway station, the closest one being at New Jalpaiguri in
West Bengal, nearly 150 km away. The station has train services from all
parts of the country with some of the prominent ones being Bangalore,
Guwahati, Kolkata, Hyderabad, New Delhi etc.
Travelling within Gangtok
SNT
buses and private buses are available for travelling within Gangtok.
SNT buses can be boarded from the SNT bus stand located on Paljor
Stadium Road. For places such as Pelling, Yuksom and Tashiding, buses
depart at 7 am and 12:30 pm from the SNT bus stop. An hourly service is
also available for places like Ravangla, Namchi, Jorethang and Geyzing.
Taxis
and shared jeeps are also available, usually at MG Marg and Lal Market.
Taxis are not metered so it is best to negotiate the fare before
boarding.
Accommodation options in Gangtok
Accommodation
options in Gangtok range from budget hotels and mid-range hotels to
deluxe hotels and luxury hotels. Tourists looking for budget
accommodation can head towards Mall Road, Namnang Road and MG Marg.
Paljor Stadium Road is where most of the heritage hotels are located.
Those looking for Gangtok luxury hotels
can head towards places like MG Road, Paljor Stadium Road, P.S. Road,
MG Marg and NH-31 A. Mid-range accommodation options are available on
Church Road, MG Marg and Tibet Road.
The region enjoys mild
temperature conditions with the maximum temperature not going beyond
22-25° Celsius throughout the year. This is characterised by the
presence of temperate as well as deciduous forests of birch and oak in
the region.
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Where To Stay
What To See
Where To Eat
How To Get There
Where to Shop
When To Go