Stairway to heaven | Yumthang Valley, North Sikkim

In early September 2017, I went road tripping through North Sikkim with a group of perfect strangers. I'd signed up for it with high hopes from the whole experience. Little did I realise I would end up discovering the stairway to heaven! Why don't you see for yourself? Here is the first of my many heavenly experiences from the trip.

5th Sept: I stood on top of the world

The sky above my head was an infinite blanket of the softest blue. White cotton-candy clouds hung low over grey-blue cliffs. A cow grazed nearby while its little one suckled up to it. A stream of sparkling clear water flowed in the distance, reflecting the blue of the sky. And I stood there, transfixed. I was at the centre of the most exquisite landscape I'd ever seen. To think of all those stories about the beauty of the Swiss Alps and the English countryside that pop culture has fed us for so long! I couldn't help but wonder - why did no one ever talk about THIS PLACE? Was it even real, what I stood before, or was I in a dream?

View of the valley from a height of 13000 feet.

I was on top of the world. Or so I felt, until a sudden shaking under my feet jerked me back to reality and I remembered where I was really perched - atop the luggage carrier of a Tata Sumo Victa. My hands were outstretched and my eyes darted in every direction. I was awestruck. The closest I'd ever come to this kind of awe was back in 1998, when I was a little girl of 7 and had just seen an escalator for the first time. My jaw probably hung loose for a little while on both occasions.

There was pristine beauty all around us, and my fellow travellers didn't waste a moment in whipping out their cameras and taking selfies that I knew were going on social media as soon as we had network reception and landscape shots that would adorn their desktops for months to come. An army truck was stranded ahead of us on the bend in the road, and we had stopped behind them to stretch out our legs and take in the surroundings.

It had only been a day and a half into the trip, but the song 'Bandook Meri Laila' had already become our trip anthem, thanks to these two really amazing guys from Bombay who made the trip a memory worth cherishing forever. So, there we were, in the middle of the road, taking pictures and chatting and giggling away in our little groups, when one of played that song out loud on the speaker. And all of a sudden, right there on top of our cars, all 14 of us broke out into a happy jig.

Several decades from now, I'll be found telling my grandchildren about the most thrilling dance I ever did, with a bunch of crazy strangers, on a winding Himalayan road in the middle of nowhere at the age of 26. I hope they will be awed, because I sure was.

Sikkim's Valley of Flowers: Gorgeous even in the Fall

I had read enough travel blogs to know the best time to visit Yumthang Valley is in the spring, when the valley is flush with beautiful blooms of rhododendron, the State Flower. But believe me, the journey uphill was an absolute treat even in the Fall. We drove on winding roads past gurgling streams, grassy rocks, exquisite landscapes, grazing yaks, and not a single human in sight for miles and miles. We eventually halted at Zero Point - a plain area by the side of a small stream at a height of over 15000 feet. The sun was up in the sky and the water was freezing. We balanced ourselves on a small wooden bridge across the water, and the daring ones out of us dipped their feet in, some even with shoes (not a good idea, in hindsight).

Isn't this landscape so reminiscent of Ladakh and Spiti Valley? A greener, more vibrant version.

Isn't this landscape so reminiscent of Ladakh and Spiti Valley? A greener, more vibrant version.

How can you be in the midst of such alpine beauty and not do a Shahrukh pose?

Do those cliffs remind anyone else of Mordor from LoTR?

Yumthang Valley is home to the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, which houses over 24 species of Sikkim's state flower. I plan to return here in the summer of 2018 to treat my family to this apparently amazing spectacle.

Yumthang Valley is home to the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, which houses over 24 species of Sikkim's state flower. I plan to return here in the summer of 2018 to treat my family to this apparently amazing spectacle.

Roaming around the landscape during one of our breaks in the Valley, I found this little Chorten tucked away in the lap of nature and surrounded by prayer flags. 'Chorten' is the Tibetan word for stupa, which is a mound-like structure that contains relics of the Buddha or Buddhist monks/nuns. Buddhists come here to meditate. Honestly, irrespective of their faith, who wouldn't want to meditate HERE?

The real deal: Travelling during off-season

We started downhill in the late afternoon so that we could reach our hotel before sunset, since it gets dark pretty quickly at higher altitudes. We stopped at a roadside joint on the way to fill our bellies with chai, wai-wai, and freshly-whipped omelettes. That little tin-roofed joint was the only one we could find in the area, thanks to our supposedly ill-timed visit. None of us minded though, because visiting during the off season meant that we had the entire place to ourselves, without crowds throwing around garbage, photo-bombing our shots, and conjuring up what could only be called a fish market.

Indeed, I can not emphasise enough: off season is the best time to discover the pulse of a place without any interference or distractions. I've been in Sikkim during both peak and off season, so take my word for it. The locals spend their time farming and relaxing during the off season, when there are very few tourists and almost no commerce to be done in the countryside. They subsist during these months on their savings from tourist season. I wish my travelogues from North Sikkim, and hopefully other travellers' as well, would encourage more people to visit here during the off-season. It'll help the local populace during hard times and expose the lucky travellers to whole new levels of beauty, serenity, and charm. 

*****

On the last night of the trip, our group went out for dinner and we sat discussing our favourite moments from the trip. Needless to say, mine was the roof-top dance at 14000 feet above sea level. It was nothing less than a personal epiphany.

So listen up, you, who are reading this right now - I know you love to travel. And I hope you will visit Sikkim. You'll find your epiphany, I promise.

Until then, stay tuned! Because many more adventures and pictures from my Sikkim travels await. Also follow me on Instagram and Facebook for a sneak peak into my life, travels, and experiences in real time.

It is never too late to learn.

I learned to cycle at the age of 24. Shocker, eh?

God knows what crazy looks I get every time I slip this little factoid into casual conversation. Apparently, most people around me had learned to cycle as little children, some even before they could say 'mamma' or 'papa'. Indeed, one had learned to cycle even while still inside the womb. I have rather interesting friends, don't I?

On the other hand, one of the funniest stories I've ever told is of the time I tried to learn to cycle as a kid but failed, only to give up completely. But a decade later, I received a letter that said my career, and indeed life thereon, depended on how well I could wield the two-wheeled monster. Isn't fate a cruel mistress?

I cannot but admit I was hesitant to learn at this age. I mean I could vividly remember all the pitiful glances I'd get on the streets when I was learning to drive, with a big red 'L' stuck to the front and back of my dad's old car. After much effort and embarrassment, and with the help of my lovely friend Sharmishtha, I gained confidence and started to drive on a one-kilometre stretch inside my university and park confidently without having to call for help. But one day, as I was driving back from class, I panicked on a narrow stretch of un-cemented road and ran full throttle into a tree. I also hit a guy returning on foot, to avoid whom I had originally swerved. All the confidence I'd gained over weeks went down the gutter in those few moments. I never tried my hand at driving again, partially due to fear and partially because I seldom had the chance thereafter (the poor old car was wrecked and I went away to study further).

It was in mid-2016, while I was pursuing my PG as a Young India Fellow, that I was told I'd have to learn to cycle to pass a fitness test for my first job in Bombay. I was angry, I was scared. I had lost all my bearings. Even so, I half-heartedly set about looking for help. For days, I'd approach anyone I met with only one question: Can you teach me how to cycle? A few of them agreed to help, but plans to start my lessons never materialised. When I finally did try my hand, the fear of letting my feet leave the ground and balance the bicycle on my own proved too much for me to conquer.

I was back again where I had been ten years ago - I had a cycle, I had people who wanted to help me learn, but I couldn't let go of my fear of falling and getting hurt. I was bound by my own demons.

It was a difficult time, those few weeks. I'd almost given up on ever being able to balance on two wheels. But then, one evening, my closest friends - Hargun, Nikita, and Malika - decided to take things into their hands and dragged me out to the cycle stand on campus. Hargun even called in the big guns, Ishan and Shravan - our beloved friends from the university program team. They began my lesson with a motivational talk on learning to trust and letting go of the ground. It was an ordeal for each one of them, I could see. The guys even had cuts and bruises on their hands by holding the bike handles and running with me - but I like to believe they needed the exercise as much I did.

I was in the company of loving, caring, and encouraging people who had made it their personal mission to help me conquer my fears. If I didn't succeed, I'd be letting each of them down. And I couldn't possibly have done that! Within the next twenty-five minutes, I was riding around like Fearless Nadia on a yellow bicycle, a wide grin on my face even as the wind hit me hard. I was told to take it slow, to be careful, but I kept cycling around campus as if I had just been freed from a cage.

I had never felt so free, so mobile, so... empowered.

I'd conquered my biggest and perhaps my only fear, and one that had plagued me since I was a little kid.

While I have my friends to thank - all five of them - for making me do this and bearing with me till the end, I also learned a big lesson through the entire ordeal: that it is never too late to learn new things. It is never too late to conquer your fears. And it is never too late to learn to let go.

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This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

6 reasons why Sikkim should top your travel wishlist

2016 was a beautiful year for me, with a new job in a new city and lots of travel and exploring on my own. 2017 so far has been rough - lots of low points, dilemmas, tough decisions - and it has left me drained of all creative energy and desperate for a new beginning. I'm longing to travel again, to find a place that would remind me of all that's good and positive in this world - beauty, clean air, quiet moments spent in the lap of nature, cool wind in my face, and the sight of still water.

I long to go back to the Himalayas - to the home of my heart. And where in the Himalayan belt have I had my best times ever? Why, Sikkim, of course!

I travelled through South and East Sikkim at the end of last year. As luck would have it, both my SIM cards were out of order for the duration of the trip (for silly reasons), so connectivity was non-existent. But there were some times when I had Wi-Fi, and I made sure to put up pictures and stories on Instagram from all the gorgeous places I was seeing. Little did I know my pictures were inspiring many of my friends to plan their own trips to Sikkim. I was surprised at the beauty of Sikkim coming as such a 'revelation' to so many people. People clearly don't know enough about this tiny Himalayan paradise. So I decided to put together a list of 6 reasons why Sikkim should top your travel wishlist. 

1. Deep blue lakes against a rocky landscape

While people of my generation are busy obsessing over the surreal landscape of Ladakh, I've discovered that Sikkim has the same vistas to offer but without the throngs of tourists that don't let you breathe. I was there in December, when the lakes were just beginning to freeze over. At an altitude of 13,000 feet and set against the barren rocky terrain, it was a truly fascinating sight.

 

 

 

2. Unbelievable views of the Kanchenjunga mountains

Having seen the Pir Panjal, Shivalik and Dhauladhar ranges in the North, I believed I had seen a lot. But Sikkim threw such stunning views of the Kanchenjunga mountains at me, I was instantly humbled. I'm not an early riser, even on holiday, but catching the sun rise over the snowclad Eastern Himalayas was totally worth waking up at 4 am.

3. Buddhist monasteries and the spiritual aura

I've always maintained I will embrace Buddhism the day I feel the urge to turn to religion. Buddhist principles and prayer methods are simple, practical, and suited to my sensibilities. No wonder Sikkim, with its spiritual vibe, beautiful monasteries and high-altitude stupas, is a Buddhist wonderland. I even learned to chant the Buddhist mantra 'Namu Myoho Renge Kyo', which I guess is the only Japanese I can speak. Achievement, much?

4. The majestic Yak (Try petting it!)

You must have heard about the Yak rides offered as prime attractions on the banks of Lakes Tsomgo and Gurudongmar in Sikkim and Lake Pangong in Ladakh. It might sound like a fun thing to experience - it did to me when I went to Tsomgo lake. But I couldn't believe the cruelty with which these strong, majestic creatures were treated by their handlers and just how submissive their eyes looked. A few of the yaks even seemed irritable and surly. I strongly urge travellers not to encourage such abuse of the beautiful creatures for commercial purposes. Don't ride them. Click their pictures instead, or pet them if you are of the adventurous kind (do tell me how it was). Choose to be a responsible traveller. Always.

 

5. The famous Sikkim Flower Show in Gangtok

The Flower Exhibition Centre in Gangtok city is home to countless species of plants, flowering and otherwise. During March, when the orchids are in full bloom, it hosts the famous Sikkim Flower Show that should be on every nature-lover's travel wishlist. The indoor area where the show is held even has a pretty little water body with a bridge over it, and you can purchase any of the plants on display to take home.

6. A glimpse of China at Nathu-La

Nathu-La is a mountain pass that connects Sikkim with China via an open border. As you climb up the stairs that lead to the red-tiled outpost at 14,410 feet, breathing becomes a tad more difficult and you have to stop often. But once you're at the top, the knowledge that you're seeing China on the other side of the barbed wire makes the experience surreal. You can try striking up a conversation with the young Chinese soldier on the other side, but he won't entertain you. Trust me, I've tried. And then the Indian soldiers on your side will yell at you to get back. :D Photography isn't allowed at the border, but you can always sneak out your phone while no one's watching. Whether I managed to get pictures or not, I will not say (*wink wink*).

Mind you, none of my pictures are edited except for minor light adjustments. The skies in Sikkim are really that blue, the water really that clear, and the landscape really that stark. Isn't that reason enough why Sikkim should top your travel wishlist? I was as happy as a child in that little hill state, and so will you be. Give it a try, September and October in fact are perfect months to visit Sikkim.

P.S. I only saw a part of the state on the first trip. But I'm off to North Sikkim in September - so watch this space for my next travelogue! Meanwhile, check out more pictures and stories on my Instagram.

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Update: The first travelogue from my September trip to Sikkim is live. Check out - Stairway to Heaven | Yumthang Valley