The India You Don’t Know

I had gone to Sikkim to find absolute peace. But wherever we went, it looked like most of India had got there first. Gangtok, the capital, in summer was crowded with tourists. Heading up to Tsomgo Lake at 3660 metres, we actually encountered a traffic jam of jeeps and cars back to back, spewing exhaust fumes.

People had gone up to “play” in whatever was left of some very slushy snow. There were stalls taking advantage of the cold to peddle woollens, rent out heavily padded snow suits, sell hot noodles and offer yak rides. People were picnicking on every rock. Music blared. So much for the peace of the eastern Himalayas.
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