Some call it India’s Shangri La, some refer to it as the amazing cousin of Bhutan. I have just one word for it, Sikkim. A delightful treasure trove of nature’s bounty and humanity’s simplest lot. In this land of lack, doors and hearts are thrown open to travellers, complete strangers, who turn up at the door in the middle of a night.
Knowing that no words of mine can do justice to Sikkim, I ventured into this land with my camera for company. A lifetime’s trip that had me befriending everyone from monks to goats and dogs to kids out for a football game in the Kanchedzonga Reserve and more. Here’s what my camera captured, here’s why you need to plan a trip to Sikkim ASAP!
those bridges to denser forests.
Watch the rain god romance the flowers.. and..
and the clouds and the Sun!
to find your waterfalls hidden in the woods!
to meet Yak, the king of all times!
long drives on jungle roads!
to discover life’s little delights by the roadside 🙂
to take a step forward and step over the clouds!
trekking up around the Kanchendzonga and finding not-listed-in-Lonely-Planet-monasteries!
taking a nap by or a dip in the magical, mystical Teesta…
and go back to the days of making a meal by the riverside. Call it back to school or simply Narnia.
play pirates and win a lakeside of your own!
get into a who-stares-for-longer competition with a Snow Leopard!
heady and high with Sikkim’s Chi Beer. Home-made, bamboo straw, teak tumbler!
live in your dream cottage for a change.
to take your first lessons in the Buddhism, or just stare at those merging of colours with folk tales…
Now, before you lose yourself to the happy, dizzy feeling that comes from these postcards from Sikkim, leave a comment below with your feedback. Would love to hear from you!
Till then, happy travelling.
Text & Photos by –
Shikha Gautam loves to play with steering wheels, roads, words, flute and guitar among other things. Not necessarily in that order! You can contact her on twitter @ShikhaGautam
All the photos are copyright reserved.
