Food Friday | A weekend getaway guide to South Sikkim's quaint little hamlet — Namchi

Food Friday talks about some hidden gems in the country, some forgotten cuisines and some simple food with a twist. So, if you are a foodie and you relish what’s on your plate. This is the space to look out for. I moved to North Bengal from the comfort of my sheltered Mumbai life in December 2021, only to be at the receiving end of a cultural shock. ‘Food, language, public transport, everything is different here,’ I would tell my parents in the beginning. However, over time, we (I and my husband) have become accustomed to life here, and to a major extent, travel is something that helped us overcome our homesickness. Having covered a few tourist spots around Siliguri, we decided to travel to South Sikkim to celebrate my husband’s birthday. Namchi, a quaint town located at the rear of Sikkim, was our weekend getaway destination. Around 90 kilometres far from Siliguri and situated at an altitude of 1,675m above sea level, Namchi lives up to its name with ‘Nam’ meaning ‘sky’ and ‘Chi’ as ‘high’ in Sikkimese. Internet and locals mentioned that the city is quite a hotspot for trekking, bird watching, and for religious tourism. However, the other thing everyone warned us about was the ferocious rains and wild fog of the North East, but much to our surprise we survived and made it back in time to write this travel piece. Hence, here’s a bunch of stuff that we tried our best to accommodate on this mild adventurous weekend getaway. [caption id=“attachment_10756381” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Namchi, South Sikkim[/caption] To add abundance to our experience, was the wonderful homestay at Melli, a 40-min drive from Namchi. Away from the city chaos and social life, nestled in the laps of nature, it is a family-run villa named Villa Nerola. Furnished with locally available wood mostly teak, constructed akin to a colonial structure, a lush green frontyard complete with a tiny cactus garden, the villa provided a warm and inviting ambience. The top floor is attached to a small attic area, comforted with a collection of books. The best part of the homestay experience was being spoilt with homecooked meals. The family sources their vegetables from their own organic farm and serves warm and delicious meals always with big smiles and even bigger bowls. [caption id=“attachment_10756091” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] A collage of Villa Nerola, Namchi | Image by the author[/caption] We were treated to traditional Sikkim snacks in between our meals. One was Sael Roti which may look just like pretzels but is made using fermented rice. Even though the dish has its origins in Nepal and Tibet, it is quite popular in Sikkim cuisine. Another and my favourite was Khapse, a tea time cookie. Originated in Tibet, the sweet and (slightly) salty snack is widely popular in Darjeeling and Sikkim with many savouring it during Losar and weddings. Apart from tasting local dishes, we were offered vegetarian momos, buckwheat pancakes, and full-course organic meals. [caption id=“attachment_10756141” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Sael Roti[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_10756151” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Khapse[/caption]

Onward to visit local attractions, Trekking bores us (sorry, you all nature lovers), hence we were naturally inclined to go for the other said stuff. First up, on our list was Siddheshwara Dham. Situated on Solophok hilltop, the building structure replicates the four popular Hindu dhams - Jagannath, Badrinath, Rameshwaram, and Dwarka. It also houses the replicas of twelve jyotirlingas, a 109 feet Lord Shiva statue, and a statue of Kirateshvar Mahadev. Buzzed with families, and tourists of all walks of life, the spot is extremely well-maintained with a spacious vehicle parking space, vegetarian restaurants, souvenir shops and clean public restrooms. (Note: You may have to walk a little from the parking area to visit the temples). [caption id=“attachment_10756181” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Siddeshwara dham[/caption] On our way back, we made a stopover at a rose garden. It is located a few minutes away from the Siddeshwara Dham but slight perched at the top, almost easy to miss while passing by. One of my favourite parts of the trip, this rose garden is enveloped in lush greens and colourful blooms which overlook the Namchi landscape. Accommodating a wine and dine café, an art gallery and a beautiful oasis, it was definitely the most immersive experience of the trip for me. [caption id=“attachment_10756331” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Rose Garden[/caption] On our second day, we made our way to yet another pilgrim centre Guru Padmasambhava, Samdruptse. It is seven km from Namchi, two km off the Damthang–Ravangla road. A short distance uphill even from the car park area, you will notice a jaw-dropping 135ft high statue of Padamasambhava, painted in copper and gold, sitting on a lotus plinth atop the Samdruptse ridge. Gazing out upon the town and across the hills, the foundation stone was laid by the Dalai Lama in 1997. Padmasambhava (or lotus-born) is known as one of the founding fathers of Tibetan Buddhism. Within the complex is a hall with a permanent photo exhibition, exhibiting some archival images from Sikkim’s history. The views from Samdruptse Hill — known as ‘the wish-fulfilling hill’ — are spectacular with the Khangchendzonga massif visible from the right side.

After a soaring experience, we travelled to the famous Temi Tea Estate, located on the Tarku-Damthang Road. Established in 1969 by the Sikkim government, the 450-acre tea garden is one of its kind in Sikkim. The garden sprawls on a gentle slope originating from Tendong Hill and is a great stopover. The best experience of this layover was travelling to the estate, with long widening roads, surrounded by dense lushful trees on the sides.

Before returning home, we made a stopover to check the Namchi town and its local market. Although Namchi isn’t visited by tourists with the agenda of shopping, this hill station is no slouch when it comes to affordable fashion options. Check out the little nooks in Central Park (the main market hub) to find great choices in long dresses, pullovers, jackets and tie-dye T-shirts. We also had leisurely long-drawn lunches in local cafes, indulging in cheesecakes, some day drinking, and warm thupka.  

Back home with wonderful memories and probably a once-in-a-lifetime drive experience amidst dense fog, the travel is now a heroic tale for our upcoming parties. However, after six months of stay in Eastern India, all I can say is that be it the culture, the cuisine; the traditional lifestyles or the modernist attempts to attain the much-coveted ‘development’; the Northeast never fails to uphold their simplicity of being. All images by the author Read all the  _Latest News_ _,_  _Trending News_ _,_  _Cricket News_ _,_  _Bollywood News_ _,_  _India News_  and  _Entertainment News_  here. Follow us on  Facebook_,_  Twitter and  Instagram_._