|
Climate
Due
to the extreme altitude, there is an immense variation in
climate and vegetation. With a rainfall of about 140 inches in
Gangtok, the climate is tropical up to 5,000ft, temperate
between 5,000ft–13,000ft, alpine at 13,000ft, and snowbound at
16,000ft and above.
The best time to
visit Sikkim is between mid-March and June but especially,
April and May, when the rhododendrons and orchids are in
bloom. However, temperatures can be high, especially in the
valleys. During the monsoons, from the end of June until end
September, rivers and roads become impenetrable, though plants
nurtured by the incessant rain erupt again into bloom towards
the end of August. October, when orchids bloom once again and
November tend to have the clearest weather of all. As December
approaches, it gets bitterly cold at high altitudes, and
remains that way until early March, despite long periods of
clear weather.
The best time to
visit this zone is from mid September to mid December,
although it gets pretty cold by December. The high seasons
again starts from mid-march & continues till mid June. During
monsoon months ie; from June to September, the view of the
mountains gets obscured & rainfall is pretty heavy (270 cm
annually)
People & Religion
 Sikkim
is the least populated state in India. There are three
principal communities of Nepalese (75%), Lepchas (20%), and
smaller proportions of Bhutias and Limbus. The Bhutias are
Buddhist and so are most of the Lepchas. The Nepalese are
chiefly Hindus. Lepchas or the Rong appear to be the original
inhabitants of Sikkim as no legends of their migration are
available. In the 13th century, the Bhutias from Kham area of
Tibet came to the state. They believed in Buddhism of the
Mahayana sect. The Nepalis were the last to enter Sikkim, in
the mid 19th century.
All communities live
in perfect harmony sharing each other’s cultures, ethos and
traditions with the result that there is now a Sikkimese
culture, which is composite of all the three prominent
communities. Most of the people speak Nepali, which is also
the state language. It is the harmony of the place that
provides justification to the name of the state derived form
Sukhim, meaning “happy home, a place of peace.”
Though Hinduism is
equally followed, Buddhism is entrenched in the tradition of
the state. The people have faith in the Buddha, the dharma
(his teachings), and the sangha (assembly of monks) where
religious texts are studied, taught and preserved. Soaked in
the religious tradition, the land has a spiritual ambience
where prayer flags with inscriptions of Buddhist texts flutter
around the boundary of the village to ward off evil spirits,
prayer wheels rotate to the currents of water, and chortens
and lucky signs are common sights.
Entry
formalities
Foreigners require an Inner Line Permit (ILP) in addition to
normal Indian visa to enter Sikkim and can visit Gangtok,
Rumtek, Phodang and Pemayangtse. No permit is required to
enter & stay in Darjeeling & other parts of North Bengal
including Kalimpomg.
All foreigners
intending to visit Sikkim can avail of 15 days inner-line
permit with a further 15 days extension available in Gangtok.
Re-entry into Sikkim is not possible within 3 months of
leaving Sikkim. Restricted area permit for individuals &
groups for restricted areas i.e., Gangtok. Rumtek, Phodong,
Pemagyantse can be obtained in advance from all Indian
missions aboard, Sikkim tourism offices at Delhi, Calcutta,
Siliguri & Gangtok, after furnishing requisite documents. A
standard Permit allows one to visit Gangtok, Rumtek, Phodong
and Pemagyantse. The permits are checked and the visas stamped
while entering and leaving Sikkim.
Foreigners without a
valid passport and permit are not allowed to enter Sikkim. The
best and the easiest way to get the permit is when the
individual/group is getting their Indian visa stamp on their
passport. All they have to do is express their desire to visit
Sikkim & the Indian missions abroad endorses the permit while
granting the India visa.
Festivals
 The
people celebrate the anniversaries relating to birth,
enlightenment, and nirvana of the Buddha, besides the Buddhist
New Year and the harvest festivals. Several festivals are
celebrated in Gangtok and its adjoining areas. The Buddhist
festival of Bumchu is held in the Tashiding Gompa during
January. The festival of Chaam is held in Enchey Gompa during
January–February and is marked by dancing. Kagyat Dance is a
mask dance held every month at Gangtok, Pemayangtse and
Phodong. Losar marks the Tibetan New Year and is celebrated
during February–March at Pemayangtse and Rumtek. Tse Chu is a
Buddhist dance held in May at Rumtek. Saga Dawa (held in
Gangtok during May) and Drukpa Teshi (celebrated statewide
during July) mark Buddha's first teaching. Phang Lhabsol is a
mask dance celebrated statewide during August. Dasain, the
biggest Hindu festival is celebrated during October, is marked
by gift exchanges and animal sacrifices.
|
