The Rammon river separating Sikkim

Caught shots while in burial procession of Pramila Rai.

The Rammon river separating Sikkim Darjeeling district in far western corner of Sikkim, the utmost peaceful soil. Near to Sai Mandir arena the cemetery lies and there dead bodies buried and cremated. Almost all covering 4 acre land touches Gov't ring-rout bordering 2998 mitres below the bazaar line (Sancha barey bazaar).

It was named nearly half century earlier. This flattened land has been a boon to Daramdineans. It is surprising to note that the people whomsoever happened to come and settle they the can never leave this beautiful land. Wow my land of heaven!

The Gorkha

Chairman of Gurkha Everest Expedition 2017 Brigadier Ian Rigden writes

Written by The Gorkha::

It is with great humility and pride that we can confirm that 12 members of the expedition have now summitted Mt. Everest: 3 Gurkhas yesterday and 3 British officers (including the Team Leader Maj Dick Gale), one British SNCO and 6 Gurkhas today.

Put simmply, this is electrifying news. The aim of the expedition was to place a serving Gurkha on the summit of Mt. Everest for the first time. That the team has achieved this by placing 9 Gurkhas and 4 British team members on the summit is a magnificient achievement. They have made history. Their success is due to hard work, self belief, true teamwork and outstanding team leadership. I specially highlight Major Dick Gale and Major Andrew Todd, without whom this would not have been possible.

As we think of their success, we must remember that they are now in the process of extracting from the mountain. I ask you to keep them in your thoughts and prayers until they are safely home.

Jai Hos, Jai Gurkhali, Tapain haru kohi Chainna!!

– Brigadier Ian Rigden

Image source:-Google

Via-The Gorkha

Discovery of Yoga

Yogaday_21stJun
Discovery of Yoga

The  longest period of daylight as seen from a geographic pole, the Sun reaches its highest altitude of the year on the summer solstice. It can be solar noon only along that longitude, which at that moment lies in the direction of the Sun from the pole. The Surya Siddhanta defines Uttarāyaṇa or Uttarayan as the period between the Makara Sankranti and Karka Sankranti  thus indicating a semantic of the northward movement of the Earth on the celestial sphere.

Over 15,000 years ago, Adiyogi appeared in the upper regions of the Himalayas on this day. No one knew where he came from or what his origins were. He just came and went into intense ecstatic dance upon the mountains.

People saw that he was experiencing something that nobody had known before, something that they were unable to fathom. So they gathered around him wanting to know what it was. But no one had the courage to go near him because he was so intense, like a blazing flame of fire. So they waited, hoping something would happen. Some people waited for months and left and Only seven hardcore seekers stuck on. These seven were insistent that they must learn from him, but Shiva ignored them. They pleaded and begged him, “Please, we want to know what you know.”

At last after 84 years of intense sadhana,he decided to become a Guru. On a full moon day which is known as Guru Pournami because the Adiyogi transformed himself into the Adi Guru – the first Guru was born on that day. He took the seven disciples to Kantisarovar and started a systematic exposition of yoga in a scientific manner. He began propounding the whole mechanics of life to these seven people, not intellectually as a philosophy, but experientially. He explored every nut and bolt of creation with them. He brought forth yoga as a technology with which every human being can evolve himself.

The transmission went on for a long period of time. After many years, when it was complete and had produced seven fully enlightened beings, who are today celebrated as the Sapta Rishis, Adiyogi sent each one of them to different parts of the world. One went to Central Asia. Another went to North Africa and the Middle East, where certain schools exist even today. Another went to South America, and that is one culture that imbibed it in a deep way and made something big out of it. One went to East Asia.

One stayed right there with Adiyogi. Another one came to the lower regions of the Himalayas and started what is known as Kashmiri Shaivism. Another one went south into the Indian Peninsula. This one is very important for us because he is Agastya Muni. Of the seven Sapta Rishis, Agastya Muni has been the most effective in terms of bringing the spiritual process into practical life, not as a teaching, philosophy or a practice, but as life itself. It is the benefit of what he did that the Indian people are still enjoying because he produced hundreds of yogis who were like fireballs." and it goes on.
In the yogic culture, Shiva is not seen as a God. He was a being who walked this land and lived in the Himalayan region. As the very source of the yogic traditions, his contribution in the making of human consciousness is too phenomenal to be ignored. This predates all religion.

Purul is a beautiful village Manipur India

Villagers of Purul, young and old, all engage at the harvesting of their paddy field:

Purul is a beautiful village surrounded by paddy fields. A mountain that comes almost full circle gives the look of an arena, making the picturesque valley a scenic haven. It is one of the biggest villages of Poumai Naga tribe and situated 19 km from the National Highway 2 in Senapati District, Manipur.

The youngest lad from assam to summit Mount Saramati

The "feel" of being nearest to the top and to be  the youngest  lad from assam to summit Mount Saramati (12,553ft/3826m) was  exhilarating. 

The self-talk and the enlightening conversation with your soul is  so powerful that it radiates a pool of blistering energy of self-confidence, persistence and determination. The entire  18 hours trekking  from the #thanamirvillage  to the top of #mountsaramati was  all about  that interaction of the mind-soul-body and the nature. Every time you ascend a hill or rock cliff , the  penetrating sun rays through the woods rejuvenated you with a belief that you reached the summit. But what  it really keeps telling is - with every hill you ascend and descend alongside the clouds, you  lived a moment of glory of summiting the Mountain . All that mattered was one footstep at a time paced with determination and perseverance.

Mount Saramati is a another Valley of flowers. Let us explore  the unexplored, let the beauty of #northeastindia drive the wanderlusts of folks around the world.

Photo Credits : Limthure Yimchunger

Few interest facts about the Northeast India

🔵 *NORTH EAST INDIA*  🔵

Arunachal Pradesh Governor *P B Acharya* said, " Indians know more about the US than about the Northeast".
He made a valid point - very few of us know enough about the Northeast.

Here are some of the amazing facts about the Northeast :

1) There are *eight states* in Northeast: Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Sikkim, Nagaland.

2) There are nearly *220 languages* spoken in the Northeast, It is a mix of Tibetan, South-east Asian and East Indian Cultures.
3) Northeast is the only part of India that the *Mughal Empire could not conquer*.
4) The *Ahom Dynasty*, which ruled the Northeast for 600 years, is the longest unbroken Dynasty in Indian history.
5) The world's largest river island, the *Majuli* and the world's smallest river island, *Umananda* both are in the Northeast.
6) *Seven prominent National Parks* of India are located in Northeast.
7) *Shillong* is considered as the Rock Capital of India.
8) *Mawsynram* in Meghalaya holds the Guinness World Record for being the Wettest Place on Earth.
9) *Sualkuchi* in Assam is one of the World's largest weaving villages where the entire population is engaged in weaving Silk Fabrics.
10) *Muga*, the Golden Silk of Assam, is not produced anywhere else in the World.
11) It is the cleanest region in India. *Mawlynnong* in Meghalaya is the cleanest village in *entire Asia*.
12) 70% of the country's *Orchids* are found in Northeast.
13) Mizoram and Tripura are among the states with the highest *Literacy* rate in India.
14) There is *no Dowry* culture in entire Northeast.

*These are only a few interest facts about the Northeast*

Kindly spread this information to all your contacts to develop the *Tourism* in Northeast.

The Sajek Valley form Karnafuli River

Origin of name
The name of Sajek Valley came from Sajek River that originates from Karnafuli river. Sajek river is works as a border between Bangladesh and India.[3]

Location
Sajek is a union located in north of Chittagong Hill Tracts.it From Khagrachhari town, it is situated 67 km north-east from Khagrachhari town and 95 km North-West from Rangamati city. The border of Bangladesh and Mizoram of India is 8 kilometer east from Sajek.[1]

Nature
Sajek valley is famous for its natural beauty. The valley is surrounded by mountains, dense forest, grasslands hilly tracks. Many small rivers flow through the mountains among which Kachalong and Machalong are notable. On the way to Sajek valley, one has to cross the Mayni range and Mayni river. The road to Sajek has high picks and falls.[1]

People and culture[edit]
The native people of Sajek valley are ethnic minorities. Among them Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Pankua, Lushai and Sagma are mentionable. Women seem to be more involved in economic activities here. Tea stalls, food joints and roadside marketplaces are dominated by women. People in general are gentle, welcoming and friendly. Picking fruits and vegetables early in the morning is a major trade here. They are not fluent in Bengali but the young population speak English confidently.[3]

Tourism
Sajek was unexplored for a long time and recently it emerged as a tourist spot for it’s outstanding natural beauty. The place does not have modern tourist facilities but tourists mostly enjoy the nature and culture of the place. Though the valley is in Rangamati but to tourists prefer the route from Kagrachari to Sajek valley through Dighinala Bazaar, Bagaihat Bazaar and Machalong Haat. Major transport is Chander Gari which is like a four-wheel jeep. Tourists can also go to Sajek from Rangamati by engine vessel. It takes 5–6 hours in that route.[1]

Caution
Some malaria cases have been reported in the valley. So, it is suggested to take mosquito repeller along.[1]

North east India most Beautiful place of tourism

The North-East India remains the most unexplored part of India. It is a lot more beautiful than many other touristy places & definitely worth exploring over & over again. This video offers merely glimpses of this wonderful region.

Places covered in this video - Guwahati, Kaziranga, Majuli, Bomdila, Tawang, Shillong, Cherapunjee, Dawki.
Special thanks to Awe Rides for their amazing car for this road trip! :)

#AwaraDiaries #AwaraInIndia Meghalaya Tourism Awesome Assam Arunachal Pradesh Incredible India

Monasteries of Sikkim

Sikkim was blessed by Guru Padmasambhava, the great Buddhist saint who visited Sikkim in the 8th century and consecrated the land, meditating at its four corners to rid it of all negativity. Here he is believed to have hidden many secret teachings, which he prophesized would be discovered in the future by those specially blessed by spiritual powers.

It was a realization of this prophecy when in the 17th century three learned lamas, Lhatsun Chenpo, Karthok Rikzin Chenpo and Ngadak Sempa Chenpo entered Sikkim from three different directions and met at Norbugang, Yuksom and decided to establish a Buddhist monarchy in the state. In 1642, the three monks crowned Phuntsog Namgyal the first monarch of Sikkim giving him the title of Chogyal [Dharma Raja].
While Phuntsog Namgyal worked on consolidating the kingdom, the three monks led by Lhatsun Chenpo concentrated on building monasteries and shrines all over Sikkim. The first monasteries built in Sikkim were the ones in Dubdi and Sanga Choling [both in West Sikkim], close to Yuksum. Soon nearly every village had its own monastery and these became not just places of worship but also educational centres.
Today Sikkim has nearly 200 monasteries and Lhakhangs and the influence of Buddhism is felt in nearly every corner of the state. From the fluttering prayer flags to the sacred caves, lakes and stupas, the images and symbols of Buddhism retain a freshness undimmed by the passage of time.

Monasteries of Sikkim:

Pemayangste

The jewels of India

“The jewels of India”, a term that truly describes the top 10 highest mountain peaks of India.

 These snow capped mountains attracts thousands of visitors from across the globe for various exploration and expedition projects. Since time immemorial the Himalayas have attracted millions of tourist because of its mountain peaks and snowy glaciers.

 The two major mountain ranges of North and North East India are Karakoram Range and Himalayan Range.

These two ranges are home to few of the India’s highest peaks which are also the part of top 100 highest peaks of the world

Facts about Northeast India

FACTS ABOUT NORTHEAST:

1) Arunachal Pradesh: Receives the first sunlight in India, hence called Land of Rising Sun. Just like sunset in Kanyakumari, Sunrise in Arunachal is wonderful. It shares international borders with China, Bhutan & Myanmar.

2) Assam: It has the largest river island in the world called Majuli. It is home to the largest density of endangered one horn rhino in the world. Also, birthplace of Indian oil industry in Digboi and provides largest tea production in India.

3) Tripura : Most literate state in India beating kerala.

4) Mizoram : Third most literate state in India after Kerala. The only place in India, where the tradition of 'Nghah lou dawr' meaning "Shops without attendants" are common along the highway in selling vegs and fruits.

5) Meghalaya : Have world's highest rainfall in Masynram, Cherrapunji, its beauty is called Scotland of the East. Shillong golflink is the 2nd largest natural golf course in Asia. Shillong - is rock capital of India just like Delhi "National capital" and Mumbai "Economic Capital". Mawlynnong was awarded the cleanest village in Asia.

6) Manipur : It has huge contribution to the nation in sports, produced world champions like M C Mary Kom, and many national players in different sports.  Keibul Lamjao National Park - the only floating park in the world.

7) Sikkim : It is blessed with natural beauties all year round with snow peaked mountains and green sceneries. Also, it has the world's highest altitude ATM.

8) Nagaland : Apart from its diverse culture, it has contributed largely in Defence to the Nation. Not to forget, the legendary footballer Dr.Talimeran Ao.

Still  Indians don't know what is Northeast. It's a total failure of our Indian Education system!

The Sela Pass Mountain Arunachal Pradesh

Sela Pass

Arunachal Pradesh in North East INDIA  has several high mountain passes, but the standout amongst them is the Sela Pass. 

At an altitude of more than 13,000 feet, the gorgeous mountain pass connects Tawang to other parts of the country.

 The pass is open round the year, although heavy snow during the winter season can shut it down every now and then. For some gorgeous views of the mountains and picturesque surroundings, you must take a hike to Sela Pass which is one of the adventure things to do in North East India.

Asia's biggest Baptist Church

Asia's biggest Baptist Church, Sumi Baptist Church, Zunheboto to be inaugurated on 22nd April 2017.

#WeTheNagas: Ten points to know about this Church:
1. The construction commenced on 07th May 2007.
2. It was completed on 31st March 2017 at the cost of Rs. 36 crore.

The 'Devil's Doorway

Dwar Ksuid, literally meaning the 'Devil's Doorway', is a beautiful pool alongside the Umroi-Bhoilymbong Road, in Khapmara, Bhoilymbong area of Umroi in Meghalaya. 

Popularly referred to as the 'Lover's Paradise', Dwar Ksuid is noted for its lotus-like rock formations and sand boulders. Mythology is that the Dwar Ksuid is the seat of evil spirits and is the spot where devils congregate.

The New York Times Declares Sikkim as Tourism Destination Place to go in 2017

GoodNews The New York Times Declares Sikkim as Tourism Destination Place to go in 2017

The New York Times, which is one of the world’s most read publications, have recommend readers to visit Sikkim on its annual list of 52 Places to Go in 2017.

North Sikkim Tourist Spots

North Sikkim Tourist Spots: 

North Sikkim District comprises the valleys of Lachen, Lachung, Dzongu and Tolung.

It has an area about 4,226 square kilometers and a population of 31,000. The region is famous for the Buddhist monasteries, Phensong and Phodong.

Major tourist attractions include the Phodong Monastery (one of the six main monasteries of Sikkim), Yumthang.

Khongjom Day valiant sons of Manipur

Khongjom Day. In memory of the sacrifices made by the valiant sons of Manipur. 

In memory of their bravery and courage. April 23 is celebrated as the "Khongjom Day", marking the occasion of the battle of Khongjom. On 23 April 1891, British scouts encountered 400 Manipuri soldiers in Khongjom. 350 infantrymen, 44 cavalry and 2 guns mounted an assault on the remainder of the Kangleipak army. Hand-to-hand fighting ensued, 2 British soldiers were killed and 11 were severely injured, while the Manipuri lost over 128 men.

Traditional dance Shad Suk Mynsiem

Shad Suk Mynsiem also known as Weiking Dance is a rich traditional dance of the Khasis that happens annually during the month of April. 

literally hill people Meghalaya

The Garos are indigenous people in Meghalaya, India and neighboring areas of Bangladesh, who call themselves A·chik Mande (literally "hill people"). 

They are the second-largest tribe in Meghalaya after the Khasi and comprise about a third of the local population. The Garos are one of the few remaining matrilineal societies in the world.

The Garo language belongs to the Bodo–Garo branch of the Tibeto-Burman language family. The language was not traditionally written down; meaning, customs, traditions, and beliefs were handed down orally. It is also believed that the written language was lost in its transit to the present Garo Hills.

The Garo language has a few different dialects.

The unique Naga motif and patterns

A naga woman is seen weaving mekhla(traditional method) outside her residence in Kohima.

 Naga women are renowned for being excellent weavers and the unique Naga motif and patterns are a rave in the national and international market and fashion circuit. 

However, many women fear that the aged-old practice of traditional weaving may soon become a lost art with not much importance being given to preserve the dying art.

Mawbynna is the generic Khasi word

"Mawbynna" is the generic Khasi word for the many different types of monoliths erected by the Khasi or Hynniewtrep people of Meghalaya, which are the most visible of the stone monuments of the Ri Hynniewtrep area. 

These monoliths, "mawbynna" vary in size from less than a meter high to perhaps 7 to 8 meters in some cases, and can be found either in linear groups or singly.

 The horizontal table stones are considered female while the upright ones male.

Mawlyngbna is a keeper of many secrets and a birthplace

Mawlyngbna Traveller’s Nest sits atop a hill, nestled away into the Protected Community Forest. 

Mawlyngbna is a keeper of many secrets and a birthplace of legends lodged in its protected forest, plateaus, caves, rivers and streams.

The tomb of a great Mughal general Mir Jumlah lies at Monabari

The tomb of a great Mughal general Mir Jumlah lies at 'Monabari' in the South West Garo Hills District, near Assam-Meghalaya border. 

Mir Jumlah was instrumental in the Mughal expedition to the East/ North East during Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb' rule.

Mir Jumlah's Tomb is about 345 kilometers away from state capital, Shillong and is about 20 kilometers away from district headquarters, Ampati.

Temi Tea Garden in the state of Sikkim India

Temi Tea Garden is the only tea estate existing in the state of Sikkim, India.It was Established in 1960s by the Sikkim government under the last King, Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal with an estimated area of 435 acres. It employees a total number of 406 wokers and 43 staff members. It produces about 100 MT tea annually.The garden is just 18 km from Ravangla and can be visited on a day tour from Ravangla.

The trees - in Pink Colour is called "Mayum" in Local language. Feel the Mayum bloosom in Temi Tea Garden.

The oldest churches of Shillong

All Saints Cathedral is one of the oldest churches of Shillong, which was originally built on Kacheri road but was completely damaged in the year 1897 after an earthquake. Later, a new church was constructed in 1902.

Boasting of a colonial-style architecture, this church has a wooden structure and is located opposite to the State Central Library. Lady Hydari Park, the State Museum, Butterfly Museum and Crinoline Falls are the nearby attractions. 

Byrdaw Falls Pomshutia village, in the East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya.

Byrdaw Falls is located at Pomshutia village, in the East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya.

Byrdaw Falls is about 70 kilometers away from state capital, Shillong on the way to Dawki.