|  Gangtok
Sight Seeing
There are a number of scenic places in and
around Gangtok having historical and religious value. A brief
detail about those is given below.
Rumtek monastery
Tashi View Point: The viewpoint is
situated at a distance of 6 kilometers from Gangtok on the way
to North Sikkim. The views of the Mt. Kunchenjunga and Mt. Siniolchu
are very attracting from here. Tourists generally come here
in the early morning to experience the exotic scenes of the
mountains. The viewpoint is made by Tashi Namgyal, the King
of Sikkim.
Deer Park: Rustomji Park or Deer Park
is a newly built park where you can see the rare species of
animals of the Himalayas like red pandas, Himalayan bears etc.
The big statue of Lord Buddha at the entrance of the park and
the eternal butter lamp speaks about the noble truths of life.
The rich collections of the flora and faunas enhance the beauty
of the park. The views of the mountains surrounding the town
are the extra attractions for the tourists.
 Himalayan
Zoological Park: Spreaded over an area of 205 hectares,
the Himalayan Zoological Park is a nice place for watching the
Red pandas, barking and spotted dears. The place is also known
as Bulbulay.
Hanuman Tok: This is a Hindu Temple
where everyday a number of devotees come to offer their prayer.
The temple, situated at a distance of 11 kilometers from the
Gangtok town, offers the beautiful spectacles of the mountains
down the horizon in the sunny mornings. The place is also noted
for observing Sun rise over the mountains.
Ganesh Tok: This is also a place of
worship for the Hindus. The scene of the entire Gangtok town
is one of the main attractions of this temple. The temple is
situated at a distance of 8 kilometers from the town.
Saramsa Garden: This Park is situated
on the Ranipul River bank about 14 kilometers from Gangtok.
The Department of Forest looks after this garden, which is the
collection center of different types of orchids and rare plants
found in Sikkim. The garden is also known as a picnic spot and
a place of recreation.
 Namgyal
Research Institute of Tibetology (NRIT): This is probably
India's most famous and important center of study on Buddhism.
The statues and Thankas (Tapestries used in Buddhist liturgy),
which are stored here have a great importance both from the
religious and historic point of view. One can spot about 200
Buddhist icons and other prized objects of art. In this institute
there is a great collection of manuscripts on the philosophies
of Lepcha, Tibetan and Sanskrit.
Orchid sanctuary & Flower Exhibition
Center: In the Flower Show Venue the flower exhibition is
held round the year. This is situated near the White Hall Complex.
This is a 'must to visit' place for the orchid lovers. The center
has an astounding collection of more than 450 species of rare
and endangered orchids available in the Himalayas. The best
time to visit the sanctuary is April-May when the flowers are
in full bloom.
Enchey Monastery: Situated above the
Siniolchu Lodge above the town the Enchey Monastery is well
worth a visit. Lama Drupthob Karpo first built the monastery
200 years ago. The existing monastery was built during the reign
of the Sidyong Tulku in 1910. The shape of the monastery is
like a Chinese pagoda. There are about 90 monks in the monastery
and they follow the Nyingma Order. The Cham is an annual festival
of this monastery and it can be seen in the month of January.
To preserve the beauty of the monastery the Government has imposed
restrictions for any constructions near the monastery. |
