Pilgrimage Tourism – Kirateshwar Mahadev, Buddha Park of Ravangla, Samdruptse, Solophok Chardham
Sikkim is not only blessed with the scenic beauty but also this northeastern state is reckoned as one of the famous spiritual destinations in India. Every year, hundreds of devotees flock to the holy state of Sikkim seeking inner peace. The tranquil environment and sacred pilgrimage places in Sikkim allow people to discover their spiritual self.
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Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple:
Located in the Legship on the banks of exquisite river Rangit, Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple is a very famous temple that is dedicated to Lord Shiva. A foot suspension bridge takes devotees to this beautiful place. According to belief, all those people worship here will get virtue of two lifetimes. This temple is also very popular for the festival called the Bala Chaturdashi which is held during the month of November and December every year.
Buddha Park:
Situated in Ravangla, Buddha park is one of the most popular pilgrimage places in Sikkim. The most vibrant factor about this park is that it holds a 130 feet high grandeur statue of Lord Buddha in the middle of the park. This famous tourist spot serves as a significant landmark to the Buddhists community. It was constructed on the account of the 2550th birth anniversary of Lord Gautama Buddha in 2006. The state government took a policy decision to observe the birth anniversary throughout the year.
Surrounded by the lush greenery and snow-capped mountains, this place is clearly visible from all the directions of southwest Sikkim. In addition to this, Cho Djo Lake is also located within the complex making it more attractive. The ideal time to visit this park is in the period of spring and to the onset of the winter season as during this season, this park looks beyond amazing.
Samdruptse:
The word Samdruptse means “wish-fulfilling hill”. Located at a distance of 75 Km from Gangtok, Samdruptse is situated near Namchi in the southern region of Sikkim. The epic hill is adorned with a gigantic and unique statue of Guru Padmasambhava. It is 135 feet high statue, overlooking the whole city and is embellished with gold that shines when the sunlight falls on it. It is the highest statue of Guru Padmasambhava in the whole world.
The ultimate plan is to make Samdruptse as an international pilgrimage centre on completion of medication huts, guest house, public amenities, ropeway library, and parking yard.
Solophok Chardham:
In order to promote the pilgrimage tourism in Sikkim, the newly developed pilgrimage cum cultural centre is built on the top of the Solophok hill in the southern region of the northeast state and covers an area of 7 acres. It has a huge statue of Lord Shiva which is 87 feet in height. The statue is in a seated posture at the Solophok hill that marks the location of the main temple.
According to mythology, Lord Shiva was born in the form of Kirateshwar in Indrakeel which today is known as Sikkim. Due to this reason, Lord Shiva worshipped as Lord Kirateshwar by the local people of Sikkim. The temple complex also has a unique statue of Lord Kirateshwar which is 16.5 feet in height.
Another major attraction of this center is the replicas of 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva along with Chardham i.e. Badrinath, Puri, Dwarka, and Rameswaram. The spectacular emulation of Chardham amidst the scenic beauty of Sikkim is certainly one of the best pilgrimage places in Sikkim.
Hanuman Tok:
Hanuman Tok, dedicated to Lord Hanuman, is the famous temple that is situated in Sikkim. Maintained by a division of Army department of India, this temple is located at a distance of 5 Km from the capital city of Sikkim. The legend says when then Lord Hanuman was hunting for Sanjeevani Booti in order to heal Lord Lakshman, he rested for some time at the same place. Perched at an elevation of 7200 feet, this temple offers the enthralling view of the beautiful hills. Also, it offers a breathtaking view of the third highest mountains in the world, Mt. Kanchenjunga. The royal cremation grounds of Lukshyama are situated in close vicinity to this temple where the mortal remains of family members of the former Namgyal dynasty were confined to flames.
Ganesh Tok:
Situated at a distance of 6 Km from Gangtok city near to the Tashi viewpoint, Ganesh Tok is indeed the most popular pilgrimage places in Sikkim. The view is set at a height of 6500 meters and offers beautiful sights of the whole city and even the magnificent view of mountain Kanchenjunga.
Embellished with colorful flags hoisted and tied across the roads, the way to this temple almost seems like a rainbow. There is a circular balcony around the Ganesh Tok and a viewing lounge to witness the scenic beauty of the hills. Even though this temple is so small in size that it can accommodate just one person at a time, it remains occupied all the time by tourists. Ganesh Tok is a must visited place for anyone planning to visit a Gangtok.