Sikkim

Trip Start Jul 08, 2008
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22
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Trip End Ongoing


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Flag of India  , Sikkim,
Wednesday, October 15, 2008

I caught a ride to Gangtok from the noisy jeep stand in Kalimpong. This involved the winding mountain roads I had grown accustomed to since Darjeeling. As we crossed into Sikkim we stopped briefly at a checkpoint where I showed my Sikkim permit and passport. As Tibet had historically considered Sikkim a vassal state China has never officially recognized India's claim to Sikkim.

We arrived in Sikkim's capital, Gangtok, and I was pleasantly surprised. I had heard Gangtok was a dirty, crowded city only worthy of a pass-through as a transport hub. Situated on a ridge the mountain views were among some of the best I had seen in India; less developed than those of Dharamsala and more forested than those of Ladakh.

I ended up staying in Gangtok for a few days, taking short trips west and east to see the Karmapa's official residence in Rumtek and Tsomgo Lake, respectively.

Rumtek was an hour ride west and the jeep dropped me at the base of a hill before continuing down the winding road. There was an arch marking the path which led up to the monastery complex. The monastery was built in the 1960s to replace the Tsurphu Monastery in Tibet which the Chinese had destroyed and was the residence of the 16th Karmapa. As the 17th Karmapa fled Tibet in 2000 the Indian government has prevented him from taking his official seat here in order to maintain their fragile relationship with China. The complex was fairly large, containing a school with many resident monks and was well-maintained awaiting the day when the Karmapa will finally arrive. There were signs of patience wearing thin as some posters around the complex proclaimed "We have waited long enough!". The black crown-like hat which the 16th Karmapa wore was locked inside a box at the time of his death and this box will remain locked until the current Karmapa is officially 'crowned'. After walking around the complex for a little while I made my way back down the path to the base of the hill where I hitched a ride back to Gangtok in another crowded jeep.
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