Pelling―the secret treasure of the Himalayan Kingdom

The streaks of yellow and orange across the indigo in the diminishing twilight create a cauldron in full broth bustling and over pouring with each passing moment. As the light diminishes, the chill in the air takes away the aroma to the town of Pelling in this Himalayan kingdom of Sikkim. Tucked away in far west, Pelling, at an altitude of 2150 m, is a small town, about 115 km away from Gangtok and 135 km from Siliguri, which is the nearest rail head. The chillness in the air is much more palpable during the winter months of November-January, which is also the best time to enjoy the phantasmagoric beauty of this place. The huge massif of the guardian deity, Kanchenjunga and the eastern Himalayan range add to the splendour of this place. This place is developing a good amount of infrastructure in terms of number of hotels and restaurants to cater to the increasing inflow of tourists. With Gangtok getting chock-a-block with revellers, Pelling is turning out to be a hidden treasure providing the scenic beauty of the mountains equipped with all the facilities for travellers and tourists alike.