The chilled wonderland-GANGTOK

The car moved up and up, invading the winding path and climbing the mountain steadily. With each hairpin loop, sometimes a slight nauseating feel, came up to my throat and sublimed. Yet I felt great, in-fact felt blessed. We were travelling towards Tsongmo Lake, popularly known as Changu Lake. A famous tourist attraction, 12400 feet above sea level.

“The mist surrounded us and the chill ran down our spine,

As we moved up the road, lined with cedar, fir and pine.

The yak moved around invading the snowy landscape,

A beauty so sublime, how much do I gape?"

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta

When we planed our trip to Gangtok in January, little did we expect that we will be able to see Changu Lake. Everyone who has been there said, January will be far too cold and the roads may be closed. But the situation was very different when we reached. It was cold but the bright sunny days made the weather far from torturous; infact the coldness in the air was pleasant and enjoyable. All roads to Changu and infact Nathula pass were open.

When we reached there, we saw the vast stretch of water partially frozen. The beauty was beyond explanation. The fir, cedar etched stretches of elevation, the white snow cloak and the majestic lake in between. It looked really heavenly.

A few pictures I have brought back for you to feel the chill and experience the chilled wonderland:

On the way to Changu lake

On the way to Changu lake

Near Baba Mandir

Changu lake, partially frozen

All of us

Changu lake