Sikkim at Glance :

Area : 7,096 Sq. Km. (approx.)

Population : 4,06,457 (2001)

Rainfall : 3000 mm (approx.)

Language Spoken : Nepali, Hindi, English, Bhutia, Lepcha, Limboo

State Bird : Blood Pheasant resembling a partridge in both size and shape.

Places to See at Sikkim :

Do-Drul Chorten : One of the most important stupa of Sikkim, it was built by Trulshi Rimpoche, head of the Nyingmapa order of Tibetan Buddhism, in 1945. Inside the stupa, there are complete mandala sets of Dorjee Phurba (Bajra Kilaya), a set of Kan-gyur relics (holy books), Zung (mantras) and other religious objects. Around the chorten, there are 108 Mani Lhakor (prayer wheels). These prayer wheels are turned by the devout Buddhist while chanting '‘Hail to the jewel in the Lotus’, to invoke the Boddhisattava. The chorten is surrounded by Chorten Lhakhang and Guru Lhakhang, where there are two huge statues of Guru Rimpoche (Guru Padsambhava).

Enchey Monastery : An important seat of the Nyingmapa order, the Enchey Monastery is built on the site blessed by Lama Druptob Karpo, a tantric master known for his power of flying. This 200 year old monastery has in its premises images of gods, goddesses and other religious objects. Every year around January ‘Chaam’ or religious masked dances is performed here with great fanfare for two days.

Tashi View Point : About 8 km from Gangtok, this view point offers fascinating view of the majestic Mount. Kanchenjunga and Mount. Siniolchu.

Lal Bazaar : On Sunday, Gangtok’s Lal Bazaar is a melody of colour. Various ethnic groups from different villages gather to haggle, bargain, barter, gossip or just sell their wares.

Deer Park : A small Deer Park near the Secretariat building enshrines an icon of the Buddha and provides an excellent view of the green hills and valleys.

How to Reach at Sikkim :

By Air : The state does not have any airport in it. But the nearest Airport is Bagdogra (near Siliguri) in West Bengal, which lies only 125kms away from Gangtok the capital of Sikkim. Bagdogra is connected to cities like Delhi and Kolkata by regular flights.

By Rail : The state does not have any rail network in its boundary. The nearest Railways Station is New Jalpaiguri (near Siliguri), which is connected to Gangtok by road. New Jalpaiguri boasts of an extensive rail network with major Railway Stations in India, such as Kolkata, Delhi. It is also conveniently linked to the cities of Northeastern India like, Guwahati.

By Road : Although the state of Sikkim lies at the foothills of the Himalayas, it has a good network of roads. The state can be entered through northern areas of West Bengal. Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Siliguri are directly connected to Gangtok and other cities of the state. But during the monsoon seasons sometimes, landslides create temporary problems in road transport.