My Journey to Gangtok, the Capital of Sikkim

It was a sultry evening when I decided to leave for Sikkim, a hilly Indian state on the eastern border with China.

It was my first visit, and I was quite excited about it. I never comprehended that my stay in Gangtok, the state capital of Sikkim, would change the course of my life.

I boarded a train from Delhi, and sat on a sleeper class reservation compartment.

Even though it was hot, I did not book my tickets on an air conditioned coach, as I thought I might fall short. I didn't stash enough money to splash on my journey.

Though, it was hot and humid, I was too excited to bother about the heat. I was completely at ease, and took every beatings of the heat without any difficulty.

What fascinated me was the rural fragrance that the train journey brought about. I could hear clatter of villagers when the train stopped at an empty station. It was a pure delight for me.

As I had stayed in the hustle bustle of New York for most of my childhood, I was completely bowled over by the simplicity of my motherland, India. I thought for a moment, why I didn't come here before.

India, I felt has turned out to be amazing. As I began to ponder lying back at my seat, I saw my co-passenger, a sober looking guy, turn around, he asked me "where are you heading for?"

I said "Gangtok", as I looked at him again.

He was slightly older than me, I assumed, "may be 35 years" I thought. He was five years older than what I was.

It was my first visit to Sikkim capital, Gangtok. And I thought, "Why shouldn't I ask the stranger about the place". If he could guide me, it would make my trip easier.

I tried to float a conversation with the guy.

"Do you reside at Sikkim" I asked him.

He looked pensive. He was not particularly interested in my query. And somehow, unwillingly, he answered "yeah".

He looked, as if he tried to avoid me. I decided not to pursue any further conversation.

"Where can I get a rickshaw" I asked a passerby at the station, as I stepped down from the train at New Jalpaiguri station.

I was a bit worried, as I looked at my watch. It was 2'O clock in the afternoon, and I needed to hire a taxi to reach my destination.

Sikkim was around 3 hours from the New Jalpaiguri town, and I was told by my parents to reach Sikkim before the nights crawl in.

I managed to reach Gangtok, the state capital, just as the sun had set in. The dusk had fallen down. It was serene.

I must say, it was a thrilling experience as I alighted from the taxi for the first time onto the land of hills. The surroundings were absolutely hilly. I saw a main road right on the center, though the place had by lanes, but no by lanes were big enough to be called a road.

Gangtok had truly fascinated me.

I checked in, at a hotel which was very near to where I landed. I had planned to stay for a long time.

My inn was located against the backdrop of Kanchenjunga, the second highest mountain peak in the world. I could view the valley where scores of wooden houses lie. I had never seen beauty that was so raw, yet so complete.

I was simply overwhelmed by the scenic rustic beauty.

Though, Gangtok was a place that you could call a city, but it had a rural ambiance imbibed all over the place. I spent the whole of my first evening inside the hotel. I took pictures, relaxed a bit, and as I sat by the window, engrossed in the enigmatic surroundings, I got curious to know about the valley that I could see through my hotel window.

I wanted to know about the people who stay there. What do they wear? What food they eat?

"May be, I should visit those areas tomorrow" I thought.

I slept, and woke up quite early. It was my first trip to Gangtok, and I was very curious about everything that I found new.

The hotel was kind enough to ask me how I slept, on the first morning. I had a light breakfast at my hotel, and thought "I must see what this place has in store for me".

I decided to walk down the street. It was 9'O clock in the morning.

"Is there a road that would take me to the valley?" I asked the gate man of the hotel pointing my finger towards the valley.

"You shouldn't go there" the gate man said.

"Why shouldn't I?" I inquired. "What's wrong with that place?"

"There's nothing wrong, it's perfectly safe. Still I thought you look new to this place, why do you have to visit an isolated area, when you have some more beautiful places to go."

I didn't want to annoy the gate man.

I walked further down the street and asked another gentleman by the roadside. He obliged, and showed me the way that would take me to the valley.

The place was perfect for a writer, I felt.

The by lane was quite steep downwards. It was not straight, it was a zigzag lane. There were houses on one side, and on the left, there was a steep valley. After walking down for hundred meters, I could view my hotel, which was far on the other side stationed on the hills.

"It's very beautiful," I murmured to myself. It was sheer beauty, which could make people view those places with awe.

There was a small tea stall on the edge of the valley. I decided to sit and sip a cup of tea. I was scampering for breath after I walked on the crests and troughs.

As I sat, and began looking around the place with my binoculars, my hands stopped for a moment. I was gazing somebody few meters below the valley. She was a young lady.

"What she's doing?" I thought. She had a bag in her hand, and within a moment I saw her coming towards where I was.

I had been watching her movements on my binoculars. She was not aware that somebody had been following her.

She was moving towards the tea stall where I sat. As she came closer, I couldn't stop to marvel at her beauty.

I never saw such an innocent beauty ever in my entire life. I had seen woman who were very beautiful, but they always had that body language where they say "I know I am beautiful".

But this lady was different she had stunning beauty, and she was innocent. She had an absolute raw beauty, but I felt she was not aware that she was beautiful.

I gave her a stare; she didn't saw me at first. She called for the shopkeeper. She came to buy some sweets. As she waited to get her stuff, she looked around.

She saw me, stopped her gaze for a while, and immediately flickered away her eyes.

All I could do was watch from where I sat.

She collected her goods, and saw me again before she vanished away in the hills.

I was very impressed by her. I couldn't stop thinking about her. I slept late that night, and all the while I thought about her. She was there on my mind.

I became restless, and I woke up very early, the next morning. I had an early breakfast. My mind was working fast. I wanted to see her again. I decided to go back to the valley.

"I had to talk to her" I thought. "But how should I?"

It was 9 'O clock in the morning, and I was at the same tea stall again. I ordered for a cup of tea, and waited for the right moment, so that I would ask the shopkeeper about the lady.

As I stood up to pay the bill, I said "I am a historian, and I am looking for few people you would let me know about the history of this place." I waited for a moment, and looked at him. He was busy counting the money, and then I continued, "The girl who was here yesterday morning, while I sipped tea at your stall......the one who wore a white scarf." I hesitated for a while, "I suppose she is learned, and I am looking exactly for such kind of person, who would guide me to know more about the place."

Though, I lied, I lied with confidence.

"Could you please let me know, where she could be found", I spoke at one go, without a pause.

I waited for his response. I didn't want to make it obvious that I was looking only for that particular lady.

He looked at me, and smiled mischievously before saying "even I know a lot about this place, I could help you out".

I didn't expect this, but I was ready for any verbal confrontation.

I said, "why not, you would definitely be one of them, in fact I am looking for a series of people, few men and few women."

He obliged, and gave me directions that would lead me to the lady's house. I was thrilled, and excited as well, may be a bit nervous, too.

It took me 20 minutes to push through the curves, and there I was standing right in front of her house.

I knocked at the door. After a while, a known face appeared, I immediately recognized him. He was the same guy I met on my train journey.

"So, you reside here" I said.

He looked at me, and simply didn't appreciate my presence. I could make out; he was trying to figure out why I had been here.

"Good Morning" I said "I couldn't get your name, please".

My mind was working fast. I knew what he would ask me. I tried to figure out the answers I would hand him out.

"Can I sit for a while" I continued.

"How did you came to know where I stay" he opened his mouth for the first time.

It was then the same beautiful lady emerged from behind, she smiled at me.

"I am a historian, and I came to learn few things about this place. I thought you would know something about this place." I said.

"How did you know I stay here" he was a bit rude now.

"Your house is beautiful and I thought somebody from this house would certainly help me out."

"I am sorry to say, I don't know anything about this place" he continued, "I won't be able to help you out".

I was slightly disappointed with his reply. I knew what he meant.

As I left, I saw the lady staring at me. She didn't utter a word, but I felt she wanted me to come again.

I was moved by her caring looks. I went further down the hill, and sat on the roadside, thinking about her.

"How should I meet her?" I thought.

Just then I saw a figure moved in from behind the trees. It was she. I realized she had come to meet me.

I never thought she would be here. I stood up and greeted her. She looked stunning. She had a scarf around her hair. I noticed she was a bit hesitant.

"I came to your house to meet you" I said and immediately noticed she looked away from me. It was difficult to read her feelings at that moment. But I was certain; she had developed some sort of affection for me.

"Who are you?" her soft voice penetrated my ears.

"I am a tourist; we met on the tea stall yesterday. I am new to this place; I thought you are a wonderful woman, and I wanted to meet you again", I said.

I asked her to sit on the grass, at the edge of the valley. The environment was perfect, slight breeze blowing across. She sat alongside me. We sat for sometime without speaking to each other.

I looked at her. She had tears in her eyes. I became totally perplexed when I saw tears roll down her eyes.

"What happened to you? Has something gone wrong?" I said.

She was staring down the valley. She was quiet. After few moments, she looked again "You should stay away from this place", she said in her soft voice.

"But why", I replied back.

"My brother is not a good man, he is a smuggler".

That tough fellow was his brother. Now, it became clearer to me, and I realized that's the reason probably why he was rude to me.

"My brother thought you are from the police, and could be a spy" she said.

"But I came to your house to meet you" I told her.

She smiled shyly, and looked at me.

"Why you came to see me?" she replied back, she blushed, and eagerly waited for my answer.

"I felt you are a good woman, and I wanted to befriend you".

She was more at ease when she heard me say that. We sat there for about 2 hours. We hardly spoke, but there was a strange bond, I felt, developed between us in those 2 hours.

Even if fewer words were spoken, the unsaid communication was more powerful than words on those moments.

"Who are the other members in your house?" I asked her, as I wanted to know more about her.

"No one, except for me and my brother" she said, as she tried hard to cover her head with the scarp in the blowing wind. "My parents died few years ago".

"What do you do at home, normally?" I asked her.

"Nothing, just cook food and stay at home"

It was a very monotonous life she lived, very secluded, and different from those who lived in cities. She looked very suave, and I thought about her schooling. She probably anticipated what was going on my mind.

"I left my studies after I passed high school". She said.

She read me perfectly, I thought.

"Can we meet again, tomorrow" I asked her.

"If my brother won't be around, I would come again at the same time, tomorrow" she told me, as she decided to leave.

I went back to my hotel. I called my parents that night. I told them I had found a woman for me. I want to marry her.

My mother got very excited; she wanted to know every minute detail about the woman I was talking about.

I said "mom, hold on for a day, I haven't asked her name, yet".

That night was crucial for me, and I knew what I must do. I decided to open my heart, and let her know my feelings for her.

I reached the place where we were supposed to meet. As I sat, I saw her coming. She wore a red sari. A scarf was on her head, I thought "she could kill anyone with her looks".

"I am glad that you came" I told her, as I indicated her to sit on the grass.

"What should I call you" I asked her.

She became quite excited when I asked her name.

"Sara", her voice came out from the hush.

"I want to tell you something" I began, and then I stopped. Suddenly, I thought, "what if she gets angry".

"What do you want to tell me" she looked up to me, and I said "I love you Sara", will you come with me and stay with me forever".

There was complete silence for a minute, and then I said "will you marry me?"

"Are you serious?" she said, as if she could not believe her ears.

"I want to take you with me, my mom wants to see you, if your brother agree to our marriage, then we could get married tomorrow itself".

There was a hush silence for a while. I slowly dragged her towards me; I kissed her on the broad daylight. Fortunately, I couldn't find anyone present nearby.

"Would you always love me?" she asked me, as she lay on my arms.

"I promise you, I would never leave you".

We stayed on the valley for full five hours. We left before the night stepped in.

I decided to meet Sara's brother tomorrow. I was in high spirits that night. I had planned my way to her brother's heart.

It was 8'o clock in the morning. I knocked at her door. I was simply overjoyed when I saw Sara open the door and smile.

"Good Morning" she greeted me, and then she came closer to me and whispered, "My brother wants to speak to you".

I sat on the living room sofa. It was a long wait, and I saw Sara's brother enter the room. He was all smiles. I was pleasantly surprised, when I saw him greet me warmly, which was quite a contrast.

"So gentleman, you want to snatch my sister away from me" he said and burst into a warm smile.

I realized that Sara had informed her brother about my feelings. She turned out to be more intelligent than I expected her to be.

"I am not taking her away, she wants to come with me" I said.

"Good Morning" he continued. "What should I call you?"

"You can call me Sibbie" I said. "Though some call me Sham-by".

"My parents would be here tomorrow, and hopefully things would shape out perfectly" I continued.

My parents came the following day, and Sara and I got married on 3^rd march 1999.I would never forget that day. We are still together, very happy, along with our two kids.

Sara is still beautiful, and innocent, though she had become more fashionable now.