 Sikkim,
the 22nd state of India has few peers as far as its
scenic beauty, lush-vegetation and continuous stretch
of fascinating forest are concerned. Sikkim is verily
the Eden Garden of India. It has mountains, 7,300
meters. and more in height and far greater in number
per square Kms than anywhere else on the globe. The
fabulous Kanchenjunga, with its dizzy heights of 8,597
meters, is the third highest in the world. Called
Khang-chen-=dzod-nga, "the house of five treasures"
represented by its five peaks, has forest on its slopes,
that rank amongst the finest. A little less than half
of Sikkim' s total area is covered with forest often
extending to the snow lime. This small Himalayan State
of Indian Union is bounded in the north by China and
Tibet, in the east by Bhutan, in the south by West
Bengal and in the west by Nepal. Once, a remote mountain
Kingdom, Sikkim is now open to tourist and proving
an enchanting new world with its varied and fantastic
flaura and fauna, ancient Buddhist monasteries, colourful-simple
hill-folk and breathtaking vistas. It has more than
4,000 species of plants, most of them rare. In the
subtropical zone upto the height of 5,000 ft,. above
sea level, there are ferns, tree ferns, figs, terminalia,
laurels, plantains, orchids, pandanus, sal and several
varieties of bamboo. The bamboo is considered here
as a wonder-tree and is used in making houses, weapans,
rafts, pots , mats, and musical instruments and its
tender shoots for preparing delicious dishes. In the
overall enchanting spectacle of colours and variety,
orchids and rhododenrons, Sikkim has over 35 species.
Again, there are varieties of primula and gentian
that can be seen richly carpeting the slopes in their
variety, shape, sizes, hues, quality and loveliness.
They splash even those places with colours where they
are least expected.
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