When anyone thinks of the Top 5 destinations in India, I am sure Sikkim features in most, unless someone is completely averse to mountains. Over the years this state has catapulted into a major tourism destination.
I recollect May 1991, when just after our Class XII Board exams, we six friends embarked on a journey to this land, which was far lesser known and a lot less explored then. Six guys aged 18 didn’t need assured luxury and prior bookings and we ventured out to places which were hardly known and those are now popular tourist spots. I remember us taking a halt on the mountain road on our way from Khecheopalri Lake and the chauffeur telling us that the place was known as Pelling. Today’s Pelling does not have an iota of similarity with that serene open landscape.
The road less travelled
However, the quest for such solitude and unspoilt nature made me look at south Sikkim this time. It is Ravangla and Namchi that occurs to someone when thinking of south Sikkim.
Solitude and less traversed places are best cherished in a like-minded group and we are lucky to have a group of three families with an association of schooldays and, now, working life.
Having chosen Ravangla, the obvious choice was Mt Narsing Village Resort, one of the older and more renowned properties there. Going through their website, I chanced upon another property that came up in the last six years 20km further down from Rabong town.
More remote, more serene and a newer property was too much of a temptation, and we chose to go ahead and plan our stay at Borong instead.
On the right track
The first key attraction of travelling to north Bengal is the sheer joy of travelling by an overnight train to NJP. The early lights of dawn, the train running through lush green paddy fields and small hills appearing slowly, make it so exciting to gradually arrive at NJP. Standing at the door of the train, the first feel of mountain air sets the right mood for a vacation ahead.
Once in NJP, we split ourselves into two Innovas and were off to south Sikkim. On way, one mandatory activity is to stop over at Sevoke for a hearty breakfast. Aloo Paratha with curd and pickle and an omelette for those who are not worried about a drive in the hilly track, washed down with some lovely masala chai, is just the refreshment one needs to refuel.
Borong is roughly 140km and 3.5 hours away from NJP. However, one has to account for halts in between not only to savour meals but also some beautiful views. The last stretch of the journey from Ravangla to Borong through lovely green valleys has magnificent views too.
The beauty of Borong
Club 8000 The Brang Mountain Resort seems to the last point perched on a hill from where you get a stunning 360-degree view of the landscape. Nicely located cottages add to the aesthetic value of the place. Each cottage has two rooms with a lovely garden in the front and a walkway separating cottages from the reception-cum-sitting room and dining area.
It is always recommended to have your lunch ordered as you proceed from NJP. Places like these aren’t ones where you can get delectable items by ordering minutes before the meal.
It could be the feel and freshness of mountain air, or the mood of a vacation that augments one’s gastronomic abilities when travelling to such places. But for me, it has always been the fresh raw produce of such lesser known places along with the intense love and care of the cook and people serving that make such meals tastier than that at one’s home or a city restaurant. Beautifully cooked dal, with fried vegetables and sabzi from their own garden, made the chicken curry purely optional as items kept on vanishing from serving bowls like in Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne.
Evenings could be slightly boring but for the company of friends or relatives. The eerie silence at night coupled with a clear skyful of stars transports one to a very different world. One can’t help but feel melancholic. However, 8.30 is the maximum one can stretch to be with his favourite drink and favourite thoughts after which it is time for a hot dinner.
Morning glory
There is a vast majority of people who get terribly irritated at being woken up early when on vacations. But in the mountains, for nature lovers and photography addicts, the hour before and after sunrise presents the most memorable scenes one can view and treasure. Not only the sights, but the chirping of various birds makes the atmosphere heavenly. And the additional excitement in the Himalayas, of course, is: ‘Will the snow-clad range be visible?’
While clouds blocked our view of snow-clad mountains, that in turn presented other lovely sights, which can only be adored if one wants to savour nature in its myriad hues and not just wait eagerly to view the peaks. Very similar to many visiting jungles and missing the entire beauty and sights and sounds because they only were keen to spot the elusive big cat.
The tenure of soaking in the early morning beauty gets further prolonged when the hot cup of tea — of the Temi Tea Garden — arrives.
When there is no agenda, it is amusing to see how each traveller creates his own. One of us sat down to sketch, while another moved around with her camera to spot butterflies. Someone else attempted spotting birds. The kids, of course, played to their hearts’ content.
Post-lunch, some of us decided to take a walk down the empty road to Ravangla. Our footsteps were the only sound apart from the chirping of birds as we strolled down the road to soak ourselves in the serene, silent valley of Borong.
The hills are alive...
The next day, the ever courteous owner/ manager of Brang arranged vehicles for us to explore some of the nearby places. Ravangla being more of a town, we decided to spend time first at the Temi Tea Garden. Established in 1969, it is the only tea garden in Sikkim and is famous for the brand Temi Tea. It feels so uncomfortable to be in a tea garden and not to buy tea leaves. Golden Flowery Orange pekoe was the most tempting variety and hence we too bought a few packs.
We next halted at the Padmasambhava statue in Namchi. The statue made of copper and bronze stands tall at 45ft and is visible from far off.
Char Dham is the next obvious stop. While the 33m Shiva statue is surely going to captivate the visitor, the replicas of various temples and pagodas from different parts of the country are worth a detailed tour. However, the entire area needs to be covered in barefoot and that could be a disincentive for many since on a sunny day, the pathways may be too hot for kids to walk around.
The evening chill was far stronger than the previous night’s. The courteous staff lit up a bonfire, which created the right ambience for some songs and poetry ably supported by steaming hot pakoras for the evening. The bonfire, on the edge of the hill with endless darkness across, made it more of a fiction being lived through for all of us.
The next morning, we were packing our stuff to start descending to the plains with the shinning white vibrance of the Himalayas fresh in our minds. And lo and behold, the clouds gave way for the lovely snow-clad range to glitter in front of us.
Getting there
Nearest airport: Bagdogra
Nearest station:
New Jalpaiguri
Borong is about 117km from Siliguri and depending on road conditions, it will take you around 4 to 4.5 hours from Siliguri. One can take shared vehicles till Ravangla and then hire a dedicated vehicle to Borong. However, it is recommended to keep a vehicle for moving around.
Staying there:
You can stay at Club 8000 The Brang Mountain Resort. It is owned by the group which owns the famous Mt Narsing Resort in Ravangla. They have four nicely decorated cottages, each with two rooms. It is advisable to go for a package stay since it is unlikely to find food at any nearby place and also as the food cooked by them is not only tasty but served with a lot of warmth.
Visit www.mtnarsingresorts.com/club-8000-brang-mountain-resort.html
