Tea pickers already at work in the tea garden.

I guess few places kindle that profound soul-searching desire in you, create an intense hunger to introspect and take a peek into the deep recesses of your core being and make you almost one with the Divine, even if only for a short or temporary period.

This is exactly my state of mind as we set foot in Sikkim. It is as if the Omnipotent is right here, treading softly and serenely in this lap of nature, spreading radiantly that glow of sunshine which I feel is a veritable balm to soothe every aching and thirsting soul.
It is close to lunch as we check into Hotel Danzong Shangri La in Gangtok. Following a sumptuous repast, we hire a 4WD with Longfu as our chauffer and guide for our five-day tour of Sikkim. It is early June and Sikkim is draped in all grandeur — showing off its dense and luxuriant forests, crystal clear streams, stretches of exotic blossoms, untamed and magnificent mountains, virgin and pristine in all their glory. Clouds and mist envelop us in their caressing arms as much as they embrace the mountains over which they tantalisingly hang and swirl alternately. We begin our explorative sojourn of this oasis of natural beauty, ensconced in the lap of the towering Kangchendzonga, with its capital Gangtok.
Hundreds of pennants ripple and flutter in the gentle breeze as we coast past its winding roads. It is evident that religion forms an integral part of the routine of the Sikkimese people. Longfu informs us that there are at least 200 monasteries spread all over Sikkim. We visit the 200-year- old Enchey Monastery, built on the site believed to be blessed by Lama Druptob Karpo, a tantric master who was known for his power of flying!
The architectural splendour of the city with its pagoda-like wooden houses, the Chogyal Palden Thondup Memorial Park, the Orchid Garden, the Ridge, Lal Bazaar and M.G.Marg cast a magical spell on us with their sheer colour, unhurried pace and the smiling faces of the Sikkimese people. M.G. Marg with its bustling eateries and vibrant shops selling a medley of wares, from clothes to crockery, electronics and artifacts and souvenirs reminds me of Barcelona’s La Rambla and Dubai’s Skywalk.
The second day in Gangtok has us visiting the Tashi View Point, Ganesh Tok, Hanuman Tok, the Saramsa Garden, Changu Lake and the monastery at Lingdum, all of which abound in colour and offer panoramic views of the city. As we move into South Sikkim on the third day, we yet again traverse through diverse landscape that is interwoven with a deluge of gurgling mountain streams, enormous waterfalls, sweeping hills of paddy fields, terraced tea gardens, and placid lakes often hidden inside dense foliages. We drink in lungful of cool, fresh mountain air that carries with it the sweet scent of wild blossoms. We take in a mesmerising panoramic view of snow kissed mountains and vast stretches of expansive valley from Namchi, meaning ‘sky high’, 5,500 feet above sea level and the headquarters of south Sikkim. We skim past terraced tea gardens and the township of Ravangla before halting at Sanduptse, to see the remarkable statue of Guru Padmasambhava, a Boddhisatva and Patron Saint of Sikkim. The 135 feet statue, made from copper, cement and concrete, towers at a height of 151 feet from ground level and is located bang in the midst of emerald green thick forests.
On day four we are ready to proceed to western Sikkim, cruising at a leisurely pace, absorbing the mythical and mystical bounty of the State. Most of Sikkim’s peaks lie on its west and remain unscaled because of the local belief that they are sacred and will lose their sanctity if climbed! We visit Pelling, the Pemayanste & Tashiding Monasteries and the Fambrong and Kanchenjunga Waterfalls, each, alluring in its own unique way. Kechopari (meaning Wishing) Lake at an altitude of 6400 feet above sea level has us spellbound. A garden carpeted with an assortment of blossoms and ornamental plants at the entrance, leads us through an avenue of trees to the lake area, its immediate approach being a bridge-like structure made from logs. The lake with its crystal clear waters is held sacred by both Hindus and Buddhists. Its magical sanctity, we hear, is maintained even by the birds here, for they do not allow fallen leaves and sprigs to linger in its water for more than a few minutes!
The showers are a trifle heavy as we head North of Gangtok on the last day of our stay in Sikkim. The 4WD whirs and snarls to heave itself through winding roads that are slushy and strewn with loose rocks in places. We halt at the Kabi Longstok, a forested grove where stone markers stand testimony to the historic pact of blood brotherhood between the Bhutias and Lepchas of Sikkim.
We continue to navigate towards northeast Sikkim at a leisurely pace before coming upon the Seven Sisters Waterfall, to be delightfully drenched by its jet sprays.
We wind our visit to Sikkim with a drive to Rumtek, Sikkim’s largest Buddhist monastery, traversing through breathtakingly scenery. Longu defty maneuvers the vehicle through sharp hairpin bends on a road that is steeply sloped and meanders up the serpentine hill. Rumtek, perched on a hill facing Gangtok at 5,500 feet above sea level is set in sylvan surroundings. The entrance to the main temple is richly adorned with murals, typical of traditional Tibetan monastic painting style. Resplendent in vibrant hues, the interior of the Main Shrine Hall has an aesthetic appeal.
The rotund guy on the sky above obliges us with a weak glimpse of his glorious and fiery self before he retires behind the snow capped peaks, casting a pastel peace-pink on the horizon. I am engulfed in that joyous flush and my cup of fulfillment is brimming as I drink in for one last time the serene ambience of Sikkim before taking our flight back to our routine world of noise and buzz.