India is a beautiful place — full of surprises. Like a gurudwara in the middle of Sikkim. The mesmerising Chung Thang Sahib is located some 95 kilometres from Gangtok at an elevation of almost 18,000 feet above sea level. Best part — it is run by the army.
We came across pictures of the gurudwara and the Guru Dongmar lake in Twinkle Hanspal’s Facebook post . She was chronicling her mother Kanwaljit Kaur’s experience at this historic place as part of a group of people, Guru Ram Das Kesri Jatha, who keep travelling to different parts of India wherever the Sikh history is found.
Gurudwara Dongmar Sahib, Sikkim. Beautiful stories, some new & some 500 years old. #indianArmy #respect #mummaGoingPlaces #quiteLiterally #someoneTakeMeThere
Posted by Twinkle Hanspal on Monday, 28 September 2015
The group had to get their tickets and security check done three months in advance:
Places she saw, & I missed. Gurudwara Dongmar sahib, 17,800 ft above sea level. #mummaGoingPlaces #quiteLiterally #nofilter #someoneTakeMeThere
Posted by Twinkle Hanspal on Monday, 28 September 2015
Guru Dongmar lake is situated at a height of 18,000 feet alongside a glacial peak known by the same name. The lake remains frozen for almost six months each year due to heavy snowfall.
Places she saw, & i missed. Gurudongmar lake, after being blessed by Guru Nanak Dev ji in the 15th century, remains…
Posted by Twinkle Hanspal on Monday, 28 September 2015
What a hard working lot the army people are:
Sewa at Chung Thang Sahib, where Guru Nanak Dev ji is referred to as ‘Nanak Lama’. He is believed to have vanquished two…
Posted by Twinkle Hanspal on Monday, 28 September 2015
The present Gurdwara structure was built by officers of the Assam Rifles and Army personnel with the help of the local lepcha tribe in the early eighties:
Places she saw, & i missed.
Our advice to Twinkle, who is feeling bad at having missed out on the adventure: Don’t wait for anyone to take you there. Go yourself!
Here’s hoping we get to visit soon, too!