Of snows and Rhododendrons

When the whole of West Bengal is busy with the polls, mainly North Bengal preparing for the 18^th, a riot of colours in white background are sweeping the higher regions of Darjeeling Hills and Sikkim. As experts have commented, this year the Rhododendron flowering is a month earlier because of change in micro-climate, but we still see the snows kissing the mountains time and again at this time of the year. I jokingly said, ‘you know Sikkim is celebrating the Rhododendron Festival closing ceremony, and you need them flowering’.

A team that went on to find the trails of the Red Breasted Hill Partridge, a species which is in abundance in the Singalila Ridge dividing Nepal with India in the East Himalaya said that they were astonished to see all the celebrity species of the Pheasants in the fog filled Ridge. The last 10 years of reporting by nature lovers show that the general awareness about nature conservation among the people living in the Darjeeling Hills and Sikkim has increased and it is believed that ‘community based tourism’ has played the positive dynamics.

The exams in schools throughout the country are almost over and it was time for the domestic tourists to flood the area to enjoy the snows and all kinds of flowers (Red, White and Pink Rhododendrons, Primulas and many other wild Himalayan flowers). Every year I remember the tour leaders from Help Tourism lead ‘flower fanatics’ from UK, Netherlands, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore and Australia. Singalila National Park, Neora Valley National Park, Barshey Rhododendron Sanctuary, Khangchendzonga National Park and Singba Rhododendron Sanctuary are some of the places which house the Himalayan Flower Hubs.

Rhododendron is revered as one of the oldest flowering trees and the popular belief is that the Dove from Noah’s Ark had returned with a Rhododendron sprig. I know of the Help Tourism research team which keeps track of all the flowering areas of East Himalaya, specially the hidden secrets of Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh. I have seen 08 inches flowering plants to big flowering trees of Rhododendrons all flowering between March to June. The later flowering towards June is mainly in higher altitudes on the shrubs and is complimented with monsoons and leeches.

Rhododendrons always remind me of my days in Pelling and West Sikkim in the early nineties. The Sikkim Tourist Centre had just started and I spent months with Sanjib to set up the first community based tourism infrastructure for West Sikkim of which I hardly had any idea, but I travelled widely throughout the district to motivate people. This is when my mother often visited me to help training in the kitchen for food production in the Roof-Top Khangchendzonga restaurant. She had gone on a trek to Barshey and that was the first time I heard of the blue/purple rhododendron that she had seen.

                                                        - Pix: Heerak Nandy

International Rhododendron Festival Closing Ceremony

25th March to 22nd April, 2011 at Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary in West Sikkim

The International Rhododendron Festival that started last year in Sikkim will be closing this year with celebrations during the above mentioned period. The area of celebration will be the Singalila Ecotourism Promotion Zone in West Sikkim. The Singalila Ridge, which descends down from the summits of Mt.Khangchendzonga, separates the Nepal Himalaya with the East Himalaya. Hence, several species remain unique to both sides and cannot cross across, but some dominate the entire ridge. They are the Rhododendrons, Red Pandas and Himalayan Newts. The other things that dominate are the views of the snow-capped mountain ranges and the Limboo hospitality. The Indian side of the Singalila Ridge is known for the celebrity Protected Areas: Khangchendzonga National Park and Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary in Sikkim and the Singalila National Park in the Darjeeling Hills of West Bengal.

The Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary being dedicated to the Rhododendron habitat, the ‘closing ceremony’ of the International Rhododendron Festival has been decided around this place. The various activities which have been planned are as follows:

Culture and Traditional Food Festival with Yak and Horse Ride will be at Hilley and Daramdin between 25th to 27th March.

Local Food and Drinks Festival will be at Darap on 28th March.

Puncheybong to Hee Khola Wildlife Safari at Rinchenpong on 2nd April.

Helicopter Joy Ride at Dodok, Soreng on 4th April.

Paragliding at between Chakung, Chumbung and Jorethang between 3rd to 5th April.

Trekking and Mountain Biking from Hee Patal Red Panda Gate to Barsey Trekker’s Hut via Sammatar between 7th to 10th April.

12th to 22nd April Inauguration of new trekking routes and trekking in the conventional trekking routes will continue based out of Pelling, Yuksom, Uttarey, Hilley, Hee, Soreng and Buriakhop.

Note: The Kaleej Valley Heritage Festival 2011 to celebrate nature and invite the monsoons to the East Himalaya is also due between 10^th to 12^th May, 2010. The venue will range between Kaluk-Rinchenpong, Hee-Bermiok and Dentam-Uttarey.

There are several organizations who have been continuously trying to put this area into the International Tourism Map through these nature and adventure based festivals and the man who should be given the credit of initiating the events is Mr.N.K.Subba.

Suggested stay is at Barsey Jungle Camp, an authentic Limboo Homestay at Hee Patal, where the Red Panda Gate of Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary is situated. Treks, Mountain Biking, Camping and sightseeings are organized from here. The other places are Okharey, Ruchenbong (from Soreng), Kaluk and Uttarey are good bases to cover the festivals. For details contact Birendra Tamling at info@helptourism.com.

                                                                                                                              - Birendra Tamling, Hee.