All posts filed under: SIKKIM

“I Wanted to Capture the Special Bond Between the Old Farmer and His Faithful Buffalo – Spotted at Tharpu Village in West Sikkim” by Nityam Rai

Published by Vilina

“He is a farmer who works for his landlord. I met him at a field in Tharpu Village in West Sikkim, which is about 30 kms. away from my house. This was my second meeting with him, and I feel we are friends now. The first time I met him, I couldn’t take his picture as it was raining but I had a beautiful conversation with him. The conversation kept my mind awake the whole night. Apparently, he comes to the area regularly to work, along with his faithful friend – Kaley, the buffalo. I regretted not taking their photos, so I went to the same location the next day. Lucky for me, I met both of them, and I took a lot of pictures that day. I could see that he shared a special bond with his buffalo. For him, it was more than an animal; it was both a friend and a family for him. In the middle of our conversation, he cut off saying that his buffalo was thirsty; he pulled him towards the shade, dug a temporary …

Rootsandleisure_Pastry Chef_Lhaden_Sikkim

Young Pastry Chef – Lhaden Wangmu Bhutia from Gangtok, is an Artistic Genius with a Warm Heart

Published by Vilina

Coming from a small town armed with a heartful of ambition – and trying to make it work in a big city, can be daunting at times. But what keeps the spirit high are the daily progress we make towards achieving our dreams, and the crafts we hone with each passing day. For 24-year-old pastry chef Lhaden Wangmu Bhutia from Gangtok, her story is a true example of what it feels to be challenged every day only to be pushed closer to our ultimate goals. “Working in the hospitality industry can be quite challenging, but hardships are incomparable to the experience I gain daily, and the amount of creativity I can showcase through my work.” From baking to impress her dad to training under world-renowned chefs abroad, to now grinding it out as a pastry chef at The Oberoi, New Delhi, our lady has come a long way and her dreams have gotten bigger. We chat with Lhaden Wangmu Bhutia to know more about her journey so far, the influence of her roots on her art, and her ultimate …

The Lyrics of His Songs May be Plain But Strikes a Chord With His Listeners | Meet Saurav Moktan From Sikkim – an Engineer, and a Musician

Published by Vilina

From a small state in the Northeastern part of India – Sikkim, this 27-year-old singer/songwriter who is a man of few words found his way through music as a constant companion. Today, music has become a tool for him to spread hope to his listeners – to convey that music can heal – just like it healed him. Although a full-time engineer, not only is he singing and writing songs on the side, but also winning awards at rock festivals, and also releasing an album soon! Let’s have a chat with this singer/songwriter from Gangtok and find out more about him. We chat with Saurav Moktan from Sikkim about his passion and love for music, his future projects and more. Hi Saurav, please introduce yourself. My name is Saurav and I was born and raised in Gangtok, Sikkim. I am 27 years old, songwriter and vocalist for the band Perfect Stickfigure Illustrations (P.S.I.). I am an engineer by profession and currently working full-time with Tourism and Civil Aviation Department, Sikkim. How did it all start? …

“Watching my Neighbourhood Change Through a Sad Yet Memorable Photo” Smyrna Samten from Sikkim

Published by Vilina

“I grew up in this neighborhood “Daragaon” in Sikkim. Out here, it can get really hot during summers – and especially grueling, when you have to climb the many stairs along the way in this area. So I often used to take shade under the trees on the sides while climbing up the long stairs. Even when tired, the beautiful staircase with the greenery used to be really soothing and beautiful to look at. Especially a sight to admire when it rains, as the stairs are swept clean and the trees shine with health from the raindrops. I have actually taken tons of pictures of this beautiful walkway over the years (old photo at the bottom). So it was a really sad day when I took this particular picture below. I was walking home through the same walkway and I found trees chopped and the trunks laid aside like dead bodies so I clicked it. The man in the picture was loading them into his truck. Amidst my sadness, and as I walked up the steps, it …

Malinggo Homestay – A Home Away From Home in Sikkim

Published by Lisa

We have become much dependent on our environment but we have turned ignorant to them. Paul helps in bringing awareness and closeness to the nature with the concept of homestay. Here’s a quick conversation with the Founder of Malinggo Homestay in Sikkim who is in love with nature and its beauty of Gangtok. Tell us something about yourself My name is Paul Karna Rai and I live in the valley of Pastanga (East Sikkim). I used to be a Government Contractor and also worked with Voluntary Health Association of Sikkim (VHAS). Perhaps because I live in this valley, I have always felt close to nature, to the environment – the sound of the running river, the chirping of the birds, the cry of the crickets, the flowers of spring, the dew of the winter morning and mostly the first fall of sun’s rays on the mighty Mt. Kanchenjunga. Home is right here in the mountains amidst nature. How did you come up with an idea of a homestay? The concept of homestay first started in …

Faces | Kids Playing Badminton on a Cold Snowy Morning in Lachen Village, North Sikkim

Published by RNL Writer

“This photograph was shot in Lachen*, North Sikkim. It was captured around 6:30 am on a cold January morning – just after Lachen had received its first snowfall (this winter). The Lachenpas woke up to see their village blanketed with snow. The two children in the photograph are little Lachenpa girls playing badminton early morning. Snowfall to these kids mean snowball fights, building snowman, running around and throwing snow at passers-by … fun times.I attempted to capture images of these raw expressions that a snowfall in Lachen usually brings. This was also a festive occasion because the community was engaged in celebrating cham dance at the gompa. So the general mood of the village was that of celebration and playfulness” ~ Mayalu Mesh (@thesikkimese) *Lachen is a picturesque tourist location in North Sikkim with just about 100-150 households. Temperatures in Winter months (Jan-Mar;Oct-Dec) fall below zero degrees, and the entire pine-clad village gets covered in snow. Lachen serves as the base for some wonderful treks in North Sikkim.

My Experimentations with Film Photography and Stop-Motion | Pravesh Hingmang from Gangtok, Sikkim

Published by Shweta Rao

It’s not very often that one comes across new age (digital) photographers who are deeply interested in film photography. According to a recent TIME article, companies synonymous with film cameras like Fujifilm and Kodak have been forging a comeback on observing a positive trend globally. It mentions how young and bold professional photographers who grew up with digital are falling in love with the magic of film photography. Our new talent discovery, Pravesh Hingmang from Gangtok, Sikkim is a professional photographer, and founder of “Hidden Frames” who has done some lovely experimentations with film photography. Today we chat with him to know more about him and his work Hi Pravesh, tell us a bit about yourself I am Pravesh Hingmang and am 28 years old. I’m from Gangtok, but I’m currently based out of New Delhi. I came to Delhi to pursue my higher education in 2009 and have been here even after I graduated from Hindu college. I pursue hobbies in a variety of areas. I love singing, performing magic, collecting old film cameras and of course photography. At …

Manga Artist and Animator | Dechen Tenzing from Sikkim

Published by Roots & Leisure

Has any one ever binge watched anime’s like Naruto, Full Metal Alchemist, Bleach, Death Note etc. ? Some of us in the Roots and Leisure team have 😉 There is something about these Japanese animation that is so captivating. For Dechen, it inspired her to write her own mangas and create animations which are based on tribal tales, fantasy and nature. D.P.Tenzing, 23, is a Manga Artist, Illustrator and Animator living in Delhi. She is originally from Mangan, Sikkim. Hi Dechen! Tell us something about your art. How did you begin in the first place? When I was a kid I always loved watching cartoons and anime but after a certain point my mother started getting worried about me. Thinking something was wrong with me because at my age people would start watching normal T.V shows. Back in my village, I was watching Animax for the first time and Inuyasha was being aired. I was like “WOW!”. I then took out a pen and I was like “HOW?” and the rest is history. What is …

Where the Love for Food and Books Meet | Bibliothequé Cafe, Sikkim

Published by Shiori Chan

The food culture in Sikkim, particularly in Gangtok is moving at an accelerating pace. New food joints have sprung up not only at the main market, M.G Marg but all around the capital town. Gone are the days when Sikkimese people stuck to momo, chow mein and chopsuey for their food outings. The palate has evolved for the food enthusiasts and today, the new restaurants offer a wide range of cuisine from Italian to Korean. Even the Chinese restaurants have broken away from the usual Chilli Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup to Lo Mein, Moo Shu and Mein Fun. One food joint/cafe that stands out for many reasons is the Bibliothèque Cafe at Tharo Line. Kunzang Chuki Denzongpa, fondly called ‘Pamu’ by her friends and family is an English Honors Graduate from Delhi University. She hopped from law school into the world of Beckett and Chaucer because her love for literature overpowered her comprehension of the judiciary. After returning from Delhi in 2015, she worked as a content editor in a corporate house, thinking that …

Sikkim: Colours and Culture in the Himalayan Chasm

Published by Shiori Chan

Sikkim became the 22nd State of India on 16th May 1975. Prior to the amalgamation, Sikkim was a monarchy, ruled by the Namgyal Dynasty and the monarch was called Chogyal. The world’s third highest peak, Mount Khangchendzonga is her guardian deity. Sikkim is home to fourteen ethnic communities. The inhabitants of Sikkim are broadly divided into Lepchas, Bhutias and the Nepalese. “Chaam is a ritualistic dance performed at monasteries on religious occasions. The old palace ground is daubed with incense and the mountain fog as lungtas (prayers flags) flutter on the occasion of Guru Rinpoche’s Trungkar Tsechu- the birth anniversary of the patron saint of Sikkim, Guru Padmasambhava (The Lotus-born)” ~ Karchoong Diyali