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Sikkim
is a State
in the north eastern part of India.
Sikkim is a small hilly state, bounded by vast stretches
of Tibetan Plateau in the North, the Chumbi Valley of
Tibet and the Kingdom of Bhutan in the East, the Kingdom
of Nepal in the West, and Darjeeling (West Bengal) in the
South. The State has a total area of 7,096 sq km, and is
stretched over 112 km from North to South, and 64 km from
East to West. It lies in the North-Eastern Himalayas
between 27 degree 00’46’’ to 28 degree 07’48’’
North Latitude, and 88 degree 00’58’’ to 88 degree
55’25’’ East Longitude.
The world’s
third highest mountain, Kanchenjunga, regarded as the
guardian deity of Sikkim, dominates the tiny Himalayan
State with its awe-inspiring beauty and majesty. Sikkim is
one of the 18 bio diversity hotspots in the world. The
Sikkim Himalayas show tremendous biological diversity.
More than 5000 species of angiosperms are found in the
State, which is nearly one third of the total species of
angiosperm found in the country. There are 4,000 species
of flowering plants, 300 species of ferns and allies, 450
to 500 species of orchids, 36 species of Rhododendrons, 40
species of oaks, 30 to 40 species of Primulas and bamboos,
144 species of mammals, 500 to 600 species of birds, over
400 species of butterflies and moths, and many species of
reptiles in the State. Rare Blue Sheep, Tibetan Mastiff,
Yaks and Red Pandas are found here.
This State has
Gangtok as its Capital. This State has a Population
of 540,851 as per 2001 census and is divided into 4 Districts.
There are 9 Towns, 8 Panchayat Blocks, and
156 Panchayat Villages in this State as per 2001
census figures.
Roads:
Gangtok is connected by roads with Darjeeling, Kalimpong,
Siliguri, and also with all the district headquarters
within Sikkim. The total road length of the state is 2,383
km, including 41 km of National Highway.
Railways and Aviation: The closest railway stations
are Siliguri (113) and New Jalpaiguri (125 km) connecting
Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Lucknow and other important
cities.
There is no
airport in Sikkim, although there is a helicopter service
between Gangtok and Bagdogra.
Sikkim is
famous for its lush green vegetation, forest, scenic
valleys and majestic mountains, and a range of rich and
magnificent cultural heritage and peace loving people,
which provide a safe haven for tourists. The State
Government supports eco-friendly and pilgrim tourism and
accordingly, has provided facilities to enable visitors to
enjoy a first-hand experience of the rich heritage and
lifestyle of Sikkim. Recognising the potential of
adventure tourism, the State government is setting up a
Himalayan Centre for Adventure Tourism at Chemchey Village
in South Sikkim.
The premier
monastery of Sikkim is Pemayantshe in Pelling. Apart from
this, there is Tashiding Monastery in West Sikkim, which
is considered the holiest of all the monasteries in
Sikkim. The most ancient monastery of Sikkim is in Yuksom,
called the Drubdi monastery. It was the personal hermitage
of Lhatsun Chenpo (Patron Saint of Sikkim), and was
possibly built in 1700 AD. Some of the other monasteries
are Phodong, Phensang, Rumtek, Ngadak, Tolung, Ahlay,
Tsuklakhand, Ralong, Lachen, Enchey and others. Of the
Hindu temples, the best known is the Thakurbari, in the
heart of Gangtok. There is also a holy cave in South
district, which has a Shiva Lingam that irradiates the
cave where no other light finds its way. There are some
important Gurdwaras and Mosques, chief among them being in
Gangtok and Ravangla.
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