All posts tagged: Gangtok

Rootsandleisure_Nitesh Chamling_Mu Kimchi

‘Mu Kimchi’ Restaurant in Gangtok, Sikkim is a Korean Food Lover’s Paradise | Chat with Owner Nitesh Chamling

Published by Roots & Leisure

  ‘Mu Kimchi’ is a super popular restaurant in Sikkim – serving authentic Korean cuisine. With its cozy welcoming ambiance, this place is a must-visit for all Korean food lovers for a fun night out with family and friends. Customers from all over the world – including Koreans, have been spotted in this happening spot in Gangtok. We recently chatted with the owner – Nitesh Chamling, a young entrepreneur from Gangtok, who has been running this restaurant for the past 6 years. A Civil engineering grad from Bangalore, he left his job in the city to pursue his dream of opening a restaurant in his hometown. Over a quick chat, Nitesh gives us a run-through of the top 5 Korean cuisines to try, his favorite leisure activities, and more. Nitesh Chamling – Owner of ‘Mu Kimchi’ restaurant, Sikkim Hi Nitesh, welcome to R&L! Please introduce yourself to our readers. Nitesh: My name is Nitesh Chamling, I come from a small town called Temi in South Sikkim now I reside in Gangtok. I did my schooling …

Rootsandleisure_Goragala North Sikkim

“Every Cliff You Climb, You’ll Find a Lake at The Bottom of It” – Shraddha Rai And Her Friends Go On A Girls Trip To Goragala in North Sikkim

Published by Shanmi

“This picture was taken one beautiful October afternoon in Goragala, North Sikkim, which is at the China-Beijing border. My friends and I had not met for a very long time, so we planned to catch up over this trip and have some quality time together. It was a wonderful experience …going on an adventure with my dear ones, and meeting new people and learning about the local culture!” “Goragala is a very spiritual and holy place. Every cliff you climb, you’ll find a lake at the bottom of it. That makes the place even more stunning! Tourists are generally not allowed to access this place, but we were fortunate enough to get the chance to visit through our local friends.”  Shraddha Rai (22) enjoying the stunning view in Goragala, North Sikkim. Shraddha Rai with her twin sister Shreya and close friends at Goragala, North Sikkim.

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Meet Devika Gurung from Sikkim Who Is Using Her Passion For Arts And Crafts To Empower The Underprivileged Women Of Her Hometown

Published by Vilina

Some of us go a whole lifetime before we know for sure what our true purpose, passion, and calling in life is. Devika Gurung, from Namthang, Sikkim, is one of the lucky ones who found hers in her 20s. She uses her skills in traditional knitting and weaving, which were passed down to her by her mother and grandmother, to empower underprivileged women in her home state. Let’s delve deeper into the story of this inspiring woman. We had the pleasure of speaking with Devika Gurung, founder of “Fidgety Fingers” – a project that empowers local women in Sikkim by teaching them traditional arts and crafts such as knitting and crochet. Devika shares with us her personal journey in discovering her life’s purpose and the challenges she faced along the way. Conversation with Devika Gurung, founder of ‘Fidgety Fingers’ – a project that empowers women in Sikkim to earn a living through art and crafts R&L: Hi Devika! Please introduce yourself, and tell us more about your journey that led to starting your own venture …

rootsandleisure_Twins

Vloggers “Twins and The Other Girl” from Sikkim Gives Us a Glimpse into Their Lives in Gangtok

Published by Vilina

Youtube stars behind the channel ‘Twins and the other girl’ – Pinky, Tinku, and Prakrithi, take us on a tour of the beautiful state of Sikkim, known for its shimmering waterfalls, lush green forests, the mighty Kanchenjunga mountain range – and their leisurely cafe culture.  22-year-old twins Pinky and Tinku, and their friend Prakrithi use their YouTube channel and social media to share fun yet simple snippets of their life in Gangtok, Sikkim. They make sure to stay super stylish and on-trend while doing all of that! The trio takes us around their favorite cafes in Gangtok and also gives us a glimpse of their everyday lives – interview and video below. YouTube stars of “Twins&theothergirl” – twins Shreya Rai (Pinky) and Shraddha Rai (Tinku) and their friend Prakrithi from Gangtok give us a peek into their everyday life in Sikkim and also take us around their favorite cafes. Read on to know more about them, their passions, inspirations, and much more.     Hi girls! Tell us a little bit about yourselves. We are Shreya (Pinkey) and Shraddha (Tinku) …

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 …

rootsandleisure_Saurav moktan

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? …

RootsandLeisure_homestay

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 …

RootsandLeisure_Pravesh2

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 …

RootsandLeisure_BibliothequeCafe

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 …