Mangan - A Tete a Tete With The City :

Location : Northeastern India, North Sikkim

Best Time to Visit : February mid to May and September mid to December.

Places to See : YumthangValley,YumSamdong,Lachen,and Phensong Monastery

Souvenirs : Paintings on canvas, to bags of cloth, handmade paper products, religious Buddhist items, to wall hangings, the Tashi Tagey.

Mangan - The Tale of the City :

Situated in North Sikkim, Mangan, the district headquarters of North Sikkim, is witness to a lot of economic growth as it is a major tourist spot. History has it that Mangan is the town which was always the opening to the Tibetan Plateau. Mangan has been taking care of the other small towns of Lachung, Lachen and Chungthang for many years. Cardamom is grown here in plenty as it is an elevated level. Thus Mangan, the cardamom capital, is the most beautiful city in the district of North Sikkim. History has it that this small sleepy town grew into a tourism hub with the steady inflow of visitors who used to come to see the place for its scenic beauty. Also people liked to come here as the climate here is perennially pleasant.

Mangan - Down the Ages :

Down the ages, Mangan, the little flower hamlet in Sikkim is famous for its water wheels with bells. It has small, tiny, beautiful gardens that sort of ease the eye in spite of its primitivity. Today, Mangan is famous with its beautiful market place that is found on the highway in North Sikkim. The shops here sell most of the Sikkim handicrafts. The River Teesta separates Mangan from small villages like Lingdong, Hee -Gyathang, Barfok etc . These belong to the Dzongu area. The Mt. Siniolchu is seen from here and the picturesque beauty of the peak gives credence to the fact that this is a range of the Mt. Khangchendzonga. Mangan has the dubious distinction of having one of the main six Sikkim monasteries.

Mangan - A Rendezvous :

A rendezvous with Mangan reveals the way this city has quietly became a gateway to the north. The Kyang which is the wild ass from Tibet has been found in the northernmost tip of Mangan. Yumthang is a very famous spot amongst the other important legends and monasteries that surround Mangan. The outskirts of the city have a lot of interesting attraction points and these natural beauties and wonders enthrall the tourist completely. With its exquisitely done gardens and its primitive nature intact, Mangan is a feast for the tired tourist’s eye and refreshes his mind, body and soul. Mangan is a small serene tourist spot which certainly is a must visit when a person is on a Sikkim tour.

Mangan - Travel Kitty :

Any holiday requires us to take a lot of souvenirs back home to help us relive the lovely stay we enjoy. At Mangan, a tourist could just pick up whatever is available in the market. It could be anything from paintings on canvas, to bags of cloth, handmade paper products, religious Buddhist items, to wall hangings, the Tashi Tagey which is the eight lucky signs, to the Tibetan woolen carpets, Mangan would have most of the Sikkim specials. Added to this the Thankas which are so popular in Sikkim with their religious depictions of deities, and the horse saddles and bone trumpets fill the travel kitty. Mangan sometimes also has shops which could give jewellery made out of silver, gold , stones, etc. Besides one could carry cardamom and alpine cheese of the best variety from here. If one is lucky one could also get jams, and good liqueur here. Thus the travel kitty in any city in Sikkim is a traveler’s delight.

Mangan - Joie de Vivre in the City :

Mangan, the stunningly beautiful tourist spot is the main centre of sale of fruits like oranges, apple and cardamom. The forested Dzongu region has the Teesta and the Tolung rivers draining it. The Mt. Kanchenjunga and the Mt. Siniolchu in the background and the monastery at Tolung give the city its intriguing look. The joie de vivre in Mangan is to go back to history, relive it, and spend time wondering where the handicrafts in display came from. A person coming here would see the following:

Valleys and Other Places of Interest :

Yumthang Valley :

Situated in a flat region, this valley lies around 149km from the City of Gangtok. Known as the valley of flowers, a naturalist is bound to get captivated with the beauty around. The rhododendrons and the primulae are seen in full bloom here. Besides this the wildflowers give it the rustic look. The landscape is vibrant with the colors from the flora around and the valley also has its own hot spring Yume Samdong. Located at 3575m above the level of the sea, the snow peaks and the gurgling streams complete the magic here. The verdant expanse mesmerizes one, and the multi hued look that the valley gets due to the flowers blooming here is more enhanced in the months of April and May. The yak is a very common sight here and it is a real experience to see these beauties grazing in the meadows here.

Hot Springs :

Yume Samdong :

This hot spring is located in the Yumthang Valley. People come here to take a dip as the water here is said to have a lot of medicinal value.

Kabi Longstok :

It is said that Khey Bumsar was a chieftain here from Tibet. He signed a brotherhood with Te Kung Tek who was a Lepcha shaman. The spot where he signed this is commemorated with a stone which lies in a dense forest area. There is a statue here depicting unity and it lies in the Thakurbari temple in the city of Gangtok.

Chungthang :

This lies around 95km from the city of Gangtok. It lies on the way from Yumthang valley to Gangtok. The Lachen Chhu and the Lachung Chhu are the two rivers which meet here and Chungthang lies at the confluence of these two rivers. It is believed that Guru Padmasambhava set foot here and it has been commemorated in the form of a footprint on top of a rock.

Lachen :

Situated in North Sikkim, this city is so called as Lachen means “a big pass”. The Sikkim Government is encouraging tourists to come here as the town is slowly becoming a tourist hub. With the best view of the Himalayan ranges and located at a height of 2750m, this small nature zone is completely mesmerizing. A wildlife lover would like the place as there is abundance of wildlife here. This is where the Chopta valley ends and this is also the place where we find the Gurudongmar Lake. This lake is a sacred lake in the Himalayan region. Lachen is famous for Thangu, the yearly race for the yaks. This is held in the summer months here. One can reach Lachen by road as it is just around 120km from the city of Gangtok. The climate is perennially chilly here and the town is very attractive as it has very little population. One can visit this town between the months of June to November.

Lachung :

Situated in the northeastern part of Sikkim, and located near the China border, this town at a height of 3000m lies at the meeting point of the Lachen and the Lachung Rivers. These rivers are tributaries of the River Teesta. Lachung meaning “Small Mountain” is around 125 km from the city of Gangtok. With its virgin surroundings and beautiful scenery, Lachung is a perfect tourist spot with its waterfalls and ancient villages. It is like a Shangri-La in the planet and it is the perfect way one can understand Sikkim’s beautiful locales. The snow capped peaks and the dancing streams, makes this place very picturesque and can be certainly called as the most picturesque. Snow covers the gorge in winters and the town is dominated by the army cantonment besides the local Bhutias. It is the last Sikkim village in North Sikkim and is a nice halting place for tourists going to the Yumthang valley which lies just around 25 kms from here. The Lachung Monastery is popular amongst the tourists, besides the handicrafts and the other cultural glimpses. Trout fishing is common here and the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary is also a popular tourist venue here. In this manner Lachung is a visitor’s paradise.

Monasteries :

Phensong Monastery :

Sikkim has the best monasteries in the world and Phensong is one amongst them. When one travels from Phodong to Kabi then there is a place where the slope widens. This is where the monastery is located. Buses, jeeps or taxis take one to Phensong from Mangan. Built in the year 1721, Jigme Pawo got it constructed. The Nyingmapa Buddhist sect founded this monastery and today it is famous for its yearly festival where the mask dance Chaam is performed by all the monks here. This lama dance is so mesmerizing that one goes into a trance watching them. There are around 300 monks here. Destroyed by a fire in 1947, the monks have been successful in rebuilding it by the year 1948. With its spectacular mountain background and stupendous landscape, this is a monastery that is visited by most of the tourists and the pilgrims from across the world.

Phodong Monastery :

Situated around 38km from the city of Gangtok, the Phodong monastery is considered to be one of the six popular monasteries of the Buddhist sect in Sikkim. The Monastery is at an altitude of 4500 ft, and belongs to the Karmapa or the Kargyupa sect of Buddhism. As per the Kagyupa sect, this is the first of its monasteries. The monastery is on a hill around a kilometer away from the Phodong town. Jeeps or taxis can be taken to reach this monastery from Mangan. Built in the 18th century by Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal, the edifice had to be again built in the 20th century. With all its history, Phodong Monastery, is very serene and beautiful, and has around 250 monks. With the best kind of murals on the walls the monastery is famous for its annual festival the Chaam dance is sight to see with the monks dancing to religious tunes. It is built on the lines of the Rumtek and the Ralang monasteries.

Labrang Monastery :

This monastery is very special as this is the only monastery which has its original form. This was not damaged like the other monasteries which have got damaged in the past. The architecture is a little different from the way the other monasteries have been built as this has the monastery in its original form. Gyalshe Rigzing Chempa built this monastery in the year 1814.

Other Activities :

Trekking :

Sikkim is famous for its famous trekking delights. There are groups which meet here to experience the famous Green Lachen Lake trek. The three day trek also gives the best view of the Mt. Siniolchu which is situated at a height of 6687m. The Zemu Glacier lies here and offers the best view. Green Lake is the place where the expeditions begin. There are around 6000 peaks in this region and these are the tourist attractions. One trek route reaches a place called Golcha La and another leads to Dzongri La. Thangu is another trekking spot which is taken by experienced trekkers. This lies around 28 km from Lachen.

Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary :

This is the only such wildlife sanctuary in the northeastern part of India. This is the main tourist attraction here and the rhododendrons here add to the beauty. A variety of 40 species around in the park. Surrounded by valleys and mountains this is a mesmerizing sight and the view from this park is breathtaking. The River Yumthang Chhu flows through this area. The rhododendron tree, an extremely rare one is found here and is revered as the state tree. Situated around 137km from the city of Gangtok, Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, also has the goral, blood pheasant, serow and the common hill partridge.

Thus, Mangan is a city of history, beauty and grandeur mixed with a lot of tradition and culture.

As one leaves the city, one thinks, “ Here is where Mother Nature lives.”