Dzongu | Tholung Valley | Tholung Monastery | Tingvoong Home Stay  | Kamsel Ceremony | Points to Remember

PRIOR INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR THESE PLACES OF VISIT

Rugged and beautiful in northwestern Sikkim, it is the homeland of the Lepchaism, the original inhabitants of Sikkim.its rocky peaks and remote valleys are homes to rare fauna and flora that are endemic to the area. Dzongu is about 70 km north of Gangtok and takes 2 hours by jeep. Many of the village trails pass through gorgeous, pristine forest dripping with moss and orchids. Birds, waterfalls and dense pristine vegetation makes the place ideal for botanical excursions.

Dzongu (Homeland of the Lepchas)
And for a typical Lepcha experience, come to Dzongu in north-west Sikkim. Apart from exotic out-of-the-world natural beauty, this protected village offers you a number of attractions. Living in the homes of Lepchas and taking part in their daily activities – like farming-besides sharing their traditional food in itself is an enriching experience. There unique lifestyle manifest in their agricultural, religious and cultural traditions are not only fascinating, but also enriching.
While the Buddhist monasteries at Tingvong, Lunggthem and Hee-Gyathang are sure to give you an insight into the religious lives of the people, a cultural show, which can be put up on request, is sure to paint your stay with colours. Participate in the religious ceremonies performed by the Lepcha priests who are known as Mun (Female priest) and Pudim (Male Priest).Explore the cardamom fields and visit the cane-bamboo bridge at Possingdang, and gardens of medicinal plants, where you can even look for traditional remedies to some of your health problems.
The verdant landscape boasts of more than 67 species of birds – a sure delight for the bird-watchers. Angling on the Teesta and villages hikes will be particularly out of the ordinary. Dzongu is well connected by road and it is approximately 70 kms north of Gangtok, the capital, which is a three hour drive.

THOLUNG VALLEY
Tholung valley is the home of the Ethnic Lepcha people of Sikkim and is now a protected area. The Lepchas live in small villages amongst the dense forested slopes high above the Tholung valley.

THOLUNG MONASTERY
The Tholung monastery houses many relics and antiques collected from other monasteries for safe keeping. Many of these relics are displayed on a special day every three years. The trek up this beautifully forested valley leads to the higher alpine valleys where yaks graze below the snow capped mountains of the Khanchenjunga range.

Apart from the Dzongri trek in extreme Western Sikkim, trekking in sikkim, particularly to northern frontiers is still in its nascent stage owing to permit formalities or its proximity to the borders. But the hassles are there no more.
A trek up to Tholung via halts at Tingvoong homestay at Thingvoong is one of the best trekking areas following the northern fringes. The trek demands good fitness and medically sound body so as to meet the challenges like steep trek through thick forest as well as resistance to sleep in makeshift jungle houses, caves, cowsheds etc. When the night falls, local Lepchas, Bhutias and Nepalese gather at the homestay and entertain the guests with traditional folk songs and dances. Tingvoong is one of the happening villages in Dzongu, the Lepcha reserve.
We can see the intermingling of three communities here – where they live, work and merry make together. All the three enjoy Chang, a local drink made of brewed millet. The fermented millet is put in a slender Bamboo container and the water is taken with the help of bamboo straw. Chang is also a demanding drink among the foreign people.
There are interesting things we get to see as we proceed towards Sakyong Pentok, between Tingvoong and Tholung particularly the swinging cane bridge. A place where accessibility is nil, the Lepchas who are known for their ingenuity in weaving items from canes and bamboos have made bridges out of canes. Log bridges are also made so as to cross smaller rivers.

The Kamsel ceremony usually lasts for three days.The Kamsel Ceremony is something very special, as it is held only after a gap of three years. The ceremony refers to the airing and sunning of the belongings of, particularly the Thankas, and other personal effects of Lhatsun Chenpo, one of the three great lamas who met at Yuksom in West sikkim.

Tholung is not only known for this ceremony, but a number of sacred places like the holy water spring or Thulkhang, which the devout only after a good prayer performance flows or else abruptly stops make the place exceptional place to visit. This water can cure one from diseases like goiter.
The shape of the water body is something like a mother’s womb, there by dictating purity. The Thulkhang water as experimented by many people never turns dirty or changed like other water. Moreover, the water flow of Thulkhang stops if something bad is about to happen, devout believe.
Additionally, before reaching this spring, there is a sacred rock on which is seen a conch but surprisingly nobody has reached it to feel the touch of it. There is a waterfall nearby that would cure from headache. In another direction of the rock are the footprints of Guru Rimpoche, his rib parts, imprinted whole opening the tear (sacred relic box) and nearby a place to pray for wealth at a place called Sinje Badong..The waterfall produces a loud, scary sound, which if get a drop one would go to heaven after death. Nobody is, moreover prohibited to go in and the departments has developed network fencing and foothpath last year only to give a better view and protection.
On the other hand, opposite to Tholung, across Tholung river there’s Kang Chachut drinking hot water spring, the only one in Sikkim that has the power to cure a diabetic patient. Likewise, a cane bridge is also built here for the pilgrims in large. If only the cane bridge be renovated then there would be no danger for such a big crowed to pass through.
Phatuk, a kid of greyish white colour bird comes to drink this water in October and November. It is also known that the Lepcha priests pray for more of this kind of birds here. It is commendable work on the part of the department to plan proposals to revive these Lepcha prayers.

Before you jump into the idea, get the following points straight into your head.
Leave behind all your urban hang-ups. Don’t come here with the expectation of five-star facilities. The facilities are very basic. Villagers have come up with western toilets and trust them to put you in clean rooms and serve you healthy food. Come only if you are game to simple home cooked dal-chawal. There may be some places where there is no electricity supply even and bad roads should not come as a surprise or pain. You may even have to trek in some places.

Respect the sanctity of the villages. Alas, there is little government legislation to this effect but as a responsible citizen come only if you are bona fide eco tourist. Which mean you say no to the following
Plastic (don’t think it needs to be repeated why?)
Littering (the pristine villages are not to be used as dumping grounds for your beer cans and wafer packets)
Loud music (carry a walkman if the song of the bird is not enough to enthrall you)
Old polluting cars.