ZULUK: THE OLD SILK ROUTE (Edited) At a altitude of 9400ft the small hamlet in East-Sikkiim in the destination of Old silk route and panaroic view of 26 peaks with 35 zig-zag pin turning with best overlooking the Mt. Kanchandzonga very close to nearby. The destination is habitant of Red panda. Zuluk derived its importance from its location on the historic Old Silk Route. The route started from Kalimpong and passed through Pedong, Aritar,Rongli, Zuluk and Jelep La to Chumbi valley in Tibet. After the Chinese aggression, however Nathula is the official corridor between India and China. There are about 60 families consisting of about 600 people living in Zuluk. They are largely immigrants from Nepal who came and settled here in the hope of a better future. They are honest, simple, hardworking and hospitable by nature. However, most of them are illiterate. Zuluk has an extreme climate. Winter is very severe with snowfalls and freezing temperature, while summer is wet and foggy. Due to poor quality of the soil and vagaries of weather, farming is well neigh impossible. Neither there is any scope for practicing cattle rearing as an occupation. Most of the land is fenced and military controlled making it unfit for grazing. The only source of livelihood there is employment in the construction and maintenance of border roads. People live in penury misery. However, there are immense tourism potentialities which need to be tapped properly. Zuluk is an abode of peace. It is an ideal destination for those who like serene ambience, far from the ‘madding crowd’s ignoble strife’. For a person who is long put up in a city and is tired of his humdrum existence, it is a welcome relief. Zuluk has a primitive appeal. There are no hotels worth its name. A visitor has to accept home stay and put up in small cottages, which have attached bathrooms. Bedrooms are made comfortable and warm at night by room heater or fire place, which locals call Bukhari. One has to get up at 4.30 am - 5 am to reach in time the Sunrise Point (10,600 ft) at Zuluk. The rising of the sun is a phenomenon, which is beyond description. The dark eastern horizon gradually turns reddish as the sun is about to appear. Then as the sun rises from behind the distant mountains, its glimmering rays first touch the snow clad tip of the kanchanzonga range on the West , which slowly turns crimson and then golden and finally silver. All this is a futile and crude attempt to describe a scene, which is breathtaking and awe-inspiring. One has to see it to believe it. After this exciting experience, the tourist may offer obeisance to the Nag God at the Nag Temple. The temple is a cave like structure in which the deity is the King Cobra or Nag, a Hindu mythology god. Here the image is a natural formation made through cracks in giant sized rocks. The local people worship with great reverence. The Thambi View Point at 11000ft. is a place from where one can have unhindered view of the Three Level Zigzag roads on the adjoining hills. This geometry of curves is really unique and unparalleled. Next is Lungthung at about 13000 ft. It is the habitat of rare species of:- 1. Monal Pheasant/Dhaphay 2. Blood Pheasant 3. Khaleez Pheasant 4. Snow Pheasant and 5. The Great Red Panda, which is the National Animal of Sikkim. (The entire the surrounding is covered by bamboos which is main food of Red panda) As good luck would have it, visitors may chance upon some of these species. After Lungthung comes Luxman Chowk full of dense mixed jungle of Rhododendrons, Lichens, mosses, ferns etc. The twittering of the birds and panoramic view of the majestic Khangchendzonga freshen the mind of the tourists. The Kalpokhari Lake falls on way to Adi Baba Mandir. Wild ducks swim in the transparent water oh the Lake which freezes during the winter. The Adi Baba Mandir is a memorial built in the honor of Sepoy Bhajan Singh (23 Punjab) who met with a tragic accident in this area and died. His Samadhi was constructed near Chhokhya Chho but was later shifted to the Watershed Memorial near LOG BR. Wreath lying ceremony is held at this site in the memory of all those Valliant soldiers who laid their lives at the Watershed defending their motherland. The road to Gnathang Valley is very often covered with snow. This area is being developed as a Ski point in Sikkim. Chinese Watch Towers on Jelep La are visible with naked eyes. The Tukla Valley (12500 ft.) is also snowy and chilly. There is a war memorial built to commemorate the death of British soldiers who died at the battle of Tukla. Kupup is only 16 km. from Tukla. En route, we come across Memenchule or Elephant Lake . Kupup is a part of the historical Silk route and traces of Lord Younghusband’s Track are visible. An Environmental Park is being developed here. There is also an Ice Hockey Field. The Yak Golf Course is the highest golf course in the world at 13025 ft. and is recognized by the Guniess Book of World Records. A cup of hot tea energize the travelers. Lhasa is about 520 kms. from Kupup. One can drive straight to Nathu La from Kupup. Nathu La is in Tibetian plateau at a height of 14200ft and has the highest motor able road in the world. Nathu La is at present the gateway of India and China. It is open for Indian nationals only on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The Tshangu Lake (12210 ft) is about 16 kms. from Nathu La. The Lake is 1km long, 50ft. deep and oval in shape. The Local people consider it a holy Lake. It is exclusively the home of Brahminic ducks apart from migratory birds. If visited in May and August, tourist may see a large variety of flowers in bloom like the Rhododendrons, Primulas, Blue and Yellow Poppies etc. It is also the habitat of the Red Pandas. Foreign tourists are allowed only in groups of two or more. The route start from NJP/Siliguri to Zuluk via Rangpo- Rorathang. Another route is via Kalimpong- Pedong- Reshi-Rhenock-Aritar-Lingtam-Phadamchen and finally Zuluk and another alternative route is from Gangtok-Pakyong- Rorarathang -Rongli Bazar –Lingtam and same as above. The sightseeing is as follows:- 1. BHASEUR SUN RISE POINT:- 7 KM FROM ZULUK,SUNRISE POINT,10,600FT. 2. LUNGTHUNG POINT:- 14 KM FROM ZULUK BEST VIEW OF MT.KANHANJUNGHA.11200 FT 3. ZIGZAG ROAD:-35 ZIGZAG TURNING AND BEST VIEW FROM THAMBI VIEW POINT. 4. THAMBI VIIEW POINT:-11200FT, BEST VIEW OF ALL SNOW PEAK RANGE. 5. BHULBHULIYA / ZIGZAG ROAD:-12200FT 6. LAXMAN CHOWK AND COUNTRY BORDER:-BHUTAN VIEW 7. GNATHANG VALLEY:-13000FT 8. TUKLA VALLEY:-13,800FT,VIEW OF KALA POKARI LAKE AND BATTLE AREA. 9. ZULAMUKHI VALLEY 10. KUPUK DEORALI:- CHINA BORDER & JALEPLA PASS 11. ELEPHANT LAKE & HIGHEST GOLF COURSE 12. YOUNG HUSBAND TREK:- LASA 520KM. 13. MAMEN CHU LAKE 14. BABA MANDIR AND TSHANGU LAKE For detail information please contact: Dilip Pradhan Proprietor Mangaldeep Resort and Travels. 9933873291, 9832352181 Mail: info@mangaldeepresort Web: wwwmangaldeepresort
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 07:00:14 +0000
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