Here is Why Ravangla is The Latest Trend in Sikkim

Perched in the lap of the mountains, Ravangla, South Sikkim is a peaceful hamlet amidst the clouds. I happen to be lucky enough to have been posted there for about a year or so before getting into research. Once you are there you would feel that you are in one of the most tranquil places you could ever be.

A clear sunny view from 14th Mile in Ravangla

Best time to visit

November to March. Although the month of December and January faces chilling cold at the nights, the mornings would be clear and sunny. Other months of the year, Ravangla faces severe rainfall being on the windward side of Maenam Hill.

How to Reach Ravangla

Aboard your train and get down at New Jalpaiguri station. Therefrom get into a shared bolero or a reserved one (which would fare around 3000 INR) to Ravangla. There are two roadways you could reach Ravangla, one through Singtam (sometimes via Temi), the other being Namchi. 
 

Or if you opt for flight your destination would be preferably Bagdogra domestic airport (IXB) at Siliguri or Pakyong Airport (PYG) at Gangtok. Cars are available there itself. For budget travel (i.e. shared) (on or before 14:00 hrs IST) , however, go to SNT from Bagdogra or Gangtok from Pakyong and avail shared cars. Direct cars (10:00 hrs IST sharp) and bus service (13:00 hrs IST) to Ravangla are also available from SNT bus stand at Siliguri. 

 

Itinerary

Day 1: NJP (New Jalpaiguri)/ Siliguri- Singtam- Temi- Ravangla (6hrs), check in a hotel, go and visit the market place and Kunphenling Tibetan Settlement.

Day 2: Visit Ralong Monasteries- Buddha Park-Ravangla Gompa- drive towards Legship- visit Mt. Narsing resort only if it is a sunny day- Tashiding bridge- Kirateshwar Mandir- back to Ravangla. 

Day3: Visit Rayong Busty pine forest (if you wish to view sunrise leave this for the return journey)- Sunrise view point- Tareybhir- Namchi rock garden- Namchi central park- Chardham- Samdruptse- Return to Ravangla

Day4: (optional Trek Maenam)/Get on early morning bus to Siliguri (ticket cost-170/-)

 

Places to visit in Ravangla

Ravangla itself is an amazing rural land. Once you get on the road you would find even the roadside views charismatic. It is as if Mother Nature has painted the slopes with the best strokes of her brush. The mountain ranges visible are Mt. Siniolchu, Mt. Narsing, Mt. Pandim and Mt. Kabru i.e. the twin peaks of the Kanchenjunga range. The stepped farming is a frequent food to the eyes here. A horticulture farm is also here wherein various medicinal samples are also cultivated.

Tathagatha Tsal, commonly known as the Buddha Park, is the main attraction of Ravangla featuring a 130 ft of Buddha statue at the centre of the park. The entry fee is 50INR for common people and 10INR for students. Cars are available for aged persons for 200INR. As soon as one enters the premises of the park, one get to hear a faint humming of "Om Mani Padme Hum" which inherently refreshes the mind. The park also holds a souvenir shop, a cafe, a prayer hall and a restaurant wherein delicious momos are available.

Buddha Park with Mt Kabru in the Backdrop

In one frame

Beside the Buddha park is situated the old Rabong Gompa, a century old pilgrimage centre which later on extended to the present day Tathagatha Tsal. This is famous for celebration of Pang Lhabsol in the month of September.  [ Read on: Pang Lhabsol and the tale of the Blood Brotherhood]

 

Rabong Gompa

ProTip: Have your stay preferably at Mt. NarsingVillage resort. It is a quiet and unperturbed resort at the top of a hill. The view from the resort is breathtaking; the whole of the range is visible with a little more of the twin peaks. The car would not go up there, so one has to trek, a tad bit of it though. However, the awestruck destination would just subdue the tiresome journey, no doubt. Also there is a cafeteria alongside the main road, so if you are not up for the trek you can have a cup of coffee here.

Dorling Monastery is a small monastery down the Barfung road. Cars are available from the market at 150INR which would take you down to it. Beside the monastery a small lake is there which goes by the local name of Seven Sisters Lake (this should not be misinterpreted with the Seven sisters waterfall). .

Dorling Monastery

Pro Tip: While returning from the monastery one may have a detour through the Barfung Retreat which is another resort with a discreet surrounding.Another spectacular resort is Khachoe Residency which is situated just opposite to the National Institute of Technology Sikkim. It is a cluster of small huts and a perfect stay for couples.

Kunphenling Tibetan Settlement is a bit of an offbeat tour attraction of Ravangla. Positioned on the top of the adjacent hills paving the road, visiting it requires a little bit of uphill walk. The settlement has a Carpet Centre, Workshop, Restaurant, two monasteries and a school.

Kunphenling Tibetan Settlement

The Carpet Centre

The woven Carpets

The gate to the Monastery

Pro Tip: Trek the Maenam hill which has an altitude of 10,500 feet. The trek starts from Ravangla (7000ft). So if anyone is up for viewing the sunrise they should start from the preceeding night. Otherwise, a day is enough; starting from 4 am and coming down by 5 pm in the evening will do. A monastery is there at the peak of Maenam. The trek is tiring but if you are determined enough you will enjoy it. Carry some chocolates, fruit juice and lots of water lest you run out of calories.

The trees at the Maenam Peak

Trekking to the Peak

Neighbouring Spots

Palchen Chosling Monastery or the new Ralong Monastery exemplifying Tibetan Architecture is located 6 km from Ravangla. Had you been to the Rumtek Monastery already, then this (Ralong) would seem a lot more familiar. The interior of the monastery has extensive collection of paintings and thangkas (Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton) and well maintained seats. One would often find young monks playing in the campus.

Interior of the Monastery

Monks playing in the premises

The old Ralong Monastery or Karma Rabtenling Monastery hosts the festival of Pang Lhabsol, when Mount Kanchendzonga is worshipped, usually in August-September, on the 15th day of the seventh month of the Buddhist calendar. This is celebrated with the performance of masked dancers.

The old Ralong Monastery

About 9 km away from Ravangla, on the way to Namchi is Rayong Sunrise view point. It is on the Ravangla-Damthang Road. If you are visiting Namchi from Ravangla get down at the Rayong Bustee; here a must visit is the pine forest, the trees are so tall that one would look puny underneath their shadow. As for the sunrise point, the place is not that well maintained. It’s all bushy and slippery. There are stairs, got hidden under the bushes, follow the trail and you would end up in front of a spooky resting place which is an unfinished monastery as it seemed. Had it been under maintenance it would have been indeed a notable place. The road from the busty to the point is a true delight to the camera lenses with the mountain peak and pine trees in the backdrop.

Rayong Road

The Pine Forest

Sunrise from Rayong Sunrise Point

Tareybhir is a steep sloped hill viewpoint at Sadam giving the panoramic view of the surrounding locales. One could see the Teesta Bridge given the weather is clear. The Namchi-Melli road is also visible from this viewpoint. The stairs would show all the way to the end, coming back is thus an uphill stairy journey.

Tareybhir Suicide Point

The Damthang road bifurcates into two- one towards Singtam another towards Namchi. The one to Singtam passes through the Temi tea garden. There is hardly anyone who haven't tasted the Temi tea. It is internationally famous tea with an aromatic flavour and is produced organically. The tea garden is on the gentle slopes of the Tendong hill and the road loops through it making it sublime to the eyes.

Temi Tea Garden

Towards Namchi, on the Namchi Damthang road, first comes the Samdruptse hill atop which is located the Samdrupste Monastery. It is the abode of 135ft Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) whom I personally named as the angry Buddha. It is about 2 km away from the main road; a little drive uphill would do.

Samdruptse Monastery

Namchi Central Park is the market place of Namchi from where the villages acquire their goods. The district hospital is also situated here.

Namchi Central Park

Thereon move on to Chardham; replicas of the four dhams- Badrinath, Jagannath, Dwarka dedicated to lord Vishnu and Rameshwar dedicated to lord Shiva is built surrounding a 161ft high Shiva statue.

Shiva Statue

The Char Dhams

Namchi rock garden has an exotic view of the Kanchendzonga range; also lately the Namchi ropeway has been built here. So it’s a must visit too.

Although this is on the opposite direction to Namchi from Ravangla (towards Geyzing), Legship too is a tourist spot accessible from Ravangla. The Tashiding Bridge is yet another suspension bridge besides the Singshore of Pelling.

Tashiding Bridge

Also the Kirateshwar Mahadev temple is the preferred Shiva temple for the localites of Ravangla.

Mahadev Temple

On a special note, speaking of the place and not mentioning the institution for which I could detail out Ravangla would be like an ode without the epode. National Institute of Technology Sikkim has its campus here, so engineering aspirants if you want to study and travel simultaneously then this is for you.

National Institute of Technology Sikkim

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