The sights of Gangtok

7 April 2018

River mist rising - from my bedroom window in Gangtok

I woke to slightly clearer air after a night time thunderstorm and enjoyed the sight of river mist rising from my room windows.

The hotel wanted another photo of me for their records – I joked that it was only for his personal album as I appeared in hundreds of Indian people’s travel photos!

With the help of tour operator Sudan, the previous afternoon, I had booked a day tour with a driver who might or not speak sufficient English for basic communication.

The entrance to Do Drul Chorten

He was there on time and without asking my name said he was my driver for the day!

First on my day’s sightseeing was Do Drul Chorten, one of the largest stupa in Sikkim located on a small hill with an approach through forest.  The sign advised me that it was built to mark the triumph of good over evil.  I tried circumambulating the chorten but the way was barred due to building work close by.  An unusual concession to occupational health and safety.  I spun some prayer wheels, again with thoughts of those of my friends in less than the best of health, and looked at the butter lamp house with its hundreds of gleaming brass dishes, many of which were lit and the flickering flames were most attractive. 

Do Drul Chorten

The sign had also advised me there there were 2 nearby lakhangs.  I followed a group of Bhutanese up some steps to a small area where they appeared to be waiting in turn to receive a specially folded khada to enter another room and make a formal presentation of it.  As this room  appeared to have some rituals in progress, I decided that this was something I would not intrude upon and returned. 

Next in the itinerary was the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology.  I looked at some simply gorgeous azaleas in the grounds and then realised I was too early to buy a ticket, so wandered over to my driver and told him, and he suggested tea or coffee.   A good option though neither was going to be of world class standard.

The institute has an excellent small museum but once again I was intrigued by the volume of voices when signs everywhere requested “Silence please”.  There were those who conversed, or translated interpretation signs sotto voce but there were also those who didn’t.  And the odd parents looking on indulgently as their kids ran around screaming. 

Prayer wheels to spin for those not in good health

In looking at the exhibits I once again was intrigued at how much study it would take to understand the “who’s who” of Buddhist saints and all their manifestations, lives and actions without even starting to understand the teachings and philosophies. 

Next on the schedule was Rumtek Monastery which was at some distance on the other side of the valley.  My driver had already asked if his younger brother (cousin -brother) could join us and I said I had no objections provided the young man neither smoked nor consumed pan.   He had a little more English than my driver, and we has a little conversation. 

Azalea

The road to Rumtek was a long one, passing by the waterfall I had visited the day before, and gradually getting rougher.  My driver stopped regularly for directions and was told that the road would get very difficult.  Let’s just say any more difficult and the small 2 wheel drive sedan would not have managed it!  There were boarder police / army camps and bases along the way, and just past one, which had a sort of check point with an armed guard looking over matters in a desultory way, there was a sign advising that the area was restricted, no entry.

My driver consulted with a nearby resident and proceeded.  The sign obviously ranked similarly with those advising silence in places of religious significance!

Yellow Datura

After quite some time we arrived at Rumtek and I was dropped at the gate of the monastery.  The gate had a checkpoint type office and an armed guard.  I had been told I would need to produce my passport, and I was also asked for my inner line permit – which was back in the car – but the person taking down my details did not seem overly concerned about that!

The entrance to Rumtek's courtyard

I wondered about the need for the armed guard.  Apparently it is because of fighting between the different Buddhist sects about the identify of the true Karmapa, there being two contesters to this title, one resident in Dharamsala and the other in the United States. This monastery was build for the Karmapa in the 1960s so is quite new.  However, neither contestant to the title has visited the place. The main prayer hall is a little odd, with a large portrait of a Karmapa in front of a large board, which totally obscured the Buddha statue behind.

The following day, on my way out of Gangtok, I passed by a place where people were sleeping in a semi open shelter and a sign advised that this was a hunger strike for permission for the Karampa to be allowed to return to Sikkim.

Armed guard on the entrance to Rumtek

The last destination for the day was the Botanical Gardens – this was really a bit underwhelming.  My driver asked how long I wanted to spend there and I said maybe an hour – little knowing that I could walk around it in 15 minutes!  There were some lovely azaleas in flower and a large orchid house – which was locked. 

There were some rather pretty amaryllis, which I had seen in various other places.

I followed a couple of paths, one of which seemed to be just going up into the forest and another which took me to some houses, so I turned back.  Nearby the houses though I did see a rather amazing bird, with a wonderful white crest.

While I was walking I could hear monastic ritual sounds close by and while at Rumtek I had met the English man I had talked with the previous day; he had mentioned visiting a much older monastery about half a kilometre along the road.  

A hint of something big and snowy

Gorgeous Amaryllis

We had passed gates that looked like monastery gates but there had been a sign for a restaurant, so on our return I asked to stop and investigated.  My taxi driver noted that the gates were closed but there is always a smaller gate within the big gates and this was unlocked so I went in.  Yes, there was a small temple and a young monk (or nun – the appearance is quite androgynous in the early teen years) said I could look.  I looked from the door as prayers were in progress and a very young monk was more intrigued by my presence than his master’s prayers, so I returned to the main entrance to put my shoes back on.  The same novice said I should go inside and sit at the back corner, so I did for a while and enjoyed the beauty of the temple and the prayers and thought again of those friends at home who are not in the best of health.

The art of folding towels

The return route was different, and although parts of the road were rough, they were nothing like the road that had taken us there.

There were many traffic jams as we reached the urban area and it was interesting to note the practice of turning off engines while not moving.  This certainly makes it a bit more pleasant to not be sitting inhaling the exhaust fumes of the vehicles in front.