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               GANGTOK TRAVEL GUIDE

Gangtok was a small hamlet until the construction of the Enchey Monastery in 1840
made it a pilgrimage center. It became a major stopover between Tibet and British
India at the end of the 19th century. Following India's independence in 1947, Sikkim
became a nation-state with Gangtok as its capital. In 1975, the monarchy was
abrogated and Sikkim became India's twenty-second state, with Gangtok remaining
as its capital.

The precise meaning of the name Gangtok is unclear, though it is generally held to
mean "lofty hill". Gangtok is also a centre of Tibetan Buddhist culture and learning
with numerous monasteries and religious educational institutions.

Not much is known about the early history of Gangtok. The earliest records date from
the construction of the hermitic Gangtok monastery in 1716. Gangtok remained a
small hamlet until the construction of the Enchey Monastery in 1840 made it a
pilgrimage center. After the defeat of the Tibetans by the British, Gangtok became a
major stopover in the trade between Tibet and British India at the end of the 19th
century. Most of the roads and the telegraph in the area were built during this time.

In 1894, Thutob Namgyal, the Sikkimese monarch under British rule, shifted the
capital from Tumlong to Gangtok, increasing its importance. A new grand palace
along with other state buildings was built in the new capital. Following India's
independence in 1947, Sikkim became a nation-state with Gangtok as its capital.
Sikkim became a suzerain of India, with the condition that it would retain its
independence, by the treaty signed between the Chogyal and the then Indian Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Trade between India and Tibet continued to flourish
through the Nathula and Jelepla passes, offshoots of the ancient Silk Road near
Gangtok. These border passes were sealed after the Sino-Indian War in 1962,
which deprived Gangtok of its trading business. In 1975, the monarchy was
abrogated and Sikkim became India's twenty-second state, with Gangtok as its
capital .


GENERAL INFORMATION


Time zone          IST (UTC+5:30)
Area                    25 kmē (10 sq mi)
Elevation            1,437 m (4,715 ft)
District(s)           East Sikkim
Population         29,162 (2001)
Density               2,000/kmē (5,180/sq mi)


PLACE TO VISIT


The scenery - there are beautiful views of the surrounding hills from the town
itself, but the best views - dominated by Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest
mountain - are from Enchey Monastery and Ganesh Tok, both high above the town.

Enchey Monastery - a two hundred year old monastery in the Nyingma
tradition of Tibetan Buddhism - located above the town.

Do-drul Chorten - a large and impressive stupa complex constructed in 1945.

Dodrupchen Monastery - A large monastery in the Nyingma tradition.
Famous for its large chorten. When in residence, Dodrupchen Rinpoche receives
devotees to offer blessings from around 8AM to 9:30AM.


HOW TO REACH


By air - Gangtok does not have an airport and the nearest one is Bagdogra (near
Siliguri). It takes roughly 4 hours to drive from Bagdogra to Gangtok.

By train - The nearest train station to Gangtok is New Jalpaiguri in Siliguri which
has direct connections to New Delhi, Kolkata, and other major cities in India. It is a
10-12 hour journey from Kolkata.

Once you arrive in New Jalpaiguri, you can either hire a taxi from the station itself or
take an auto-rickshaw to the Siliguri bus stand. From there, you have the option of
travelling to Gangtok by state bus, roughly a 5-6 hour journey.

Dozens of jeeps travel to Gangtok daily from Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and
other mountain locales.