Gangtok district

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Gangtok district
District of Sikkim
Changu Lake, Gangtok.jpg
Bird's eye view of Gangtok City from Ganeshtok.jpg
Nathang Pano 1.jpg
Changu Lake, view of Gangtok, Nathang Valley, Sikkim
Gangtok district
Gangtok district
Location in Sikkim
Coordinates: 27°19′N88°36′E / 27.317°N 88.600°E / 27.317; 88.600
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
State Flag of the Government of Sikkim.svg Sikkim
Headquarters Gangtok
Government
 •  District magistrate Shri Rahul K [1]
 •  Lok Sabha constituencies Sikkim Constituency
 •  Vidhan Sabha constituencies
Area
 • Total964 km2 (372 sq mi)
Elevation
610 m (2,000 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total283,583
 • Density290/km2 (760/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+05:30 (IST)
ISO 3166 code IN-SK
Vehicle registration SK-01, SK-08
Major Highways
Largest Stadium Paljor Stadium, Gangtok
Website gangtokdistrict.nic.in

Gangtok District [2] is an administrative district of the Indian state of Sikkim. It was renamed in 2021 as a result of administrative reorganisation of the state, which also saw three subdivisions of the East Sikkim district spawned off as a separate Pakyong district. [3]

Contents

The headquarters of the Gangtok district is Gangtok, which is also the state capital. Gangtok is the hub of all administrative activity in the state. The district is bounded by the Pakyong district in the south and southeast, Bhutan in the east, the People's Republic of China in the northeast, Mangan District in the north and Namchi District in the west.

The civilian region is administered by a district collector, appointed by the state government. A major general is assigned to administer military forces in the district. As of 2011 it is the most populous of the six districts of Sikkim. [4]

History

East Sikkim was part of the kingdom of Sikkim for most of its history. In the 19th century, the district was under the rule of the Bhutanese. After the Anglo Bhutan War, the territory was virtually under the command of the British forces. After India's independence in 1947, the area was part of the kingdom of Sikkim under the protection of India. During the Sino-Indian War of 1962, the Nathula Pass witnessed a few skirmishes between India and China. In 1975, the Sikkim formally became part of the Indian Union as India's 22nd state. The district was under the occupation of the Nepalese for 30 years in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Geography

View of Kanchenjunga from Gangtok Kanchengaga View from Gangtok.JPG
View of Kanchenjunga from Gangtok

The district occupies an area of 560 km2 (220 sq mi).

The two important Mountain Passes of East Sikkim are Nathula and Jelepla, both passes connects Sikkim with China.

Military-wise, the district is a very sensitive area with the Indian army having control over most areas east of Gangtok and near its borders with People's Republic of China and Bhutan. Visitors to this region are restricted and just a few areas are open to tourists in the areas east of Gangtok.

Popular tourist locales of East Sikkim and Pakyong districts are the Tsongmo Lake, Lake Menmecho, Dzuluk, Baba Mandir, Gnathang Valley, Elephant Lake Kupup, Lungthung View Point, Tukla Valley, Thambi View Point and the Nathu La pass. The pass was first opened during the 1904 Younghusband Expedition to Tibet. [5] It saw a tremendous boom in trade during 1950–1959 when the Chinese troops occupying Tibet were supplied through the pass. [6] The pass and Baba Mandir are open to Indian nationals only. To enter this region a special permit is required; the Inner Line Permit has to be obtained one day prior to departure. This permit is made through local tourist offices. Other tourist areas include the town of Gangtok, the Phodong Monastery north of Gangtok and the Rumtek Monastery.

Other special attractions in the Capital City Gangtok are M G Marg, Hanuman Tok, Ranka Monastery, Himalayan Zoological Park, Palzor Stadium, Tashi View Point, Pakyong Airport view Point. Zuluk And Gnathang Valley are famous attractions in East Sikkim.

Wildlife sanctuaries

Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary, and Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary two famous wildlife sanctuaries lies in the East Sikkim district.

Rivers and lakes

Teesta river near Gangtok Teesta river near Gangtok.jpg
Teesta river near Gangtok
Tsongmo Lake Gangtok District Sikkim Tsongmo Lake or Changu Lake - East Sikkim.jpg
Tsongmo Lake Gangtok District Sikkim
Menmecho Lake Gangtok District Sikkim Lake Menmecho.jpg
Menmecho Lake Gangtok District Sikkim

Rivers

River Teesta, the largest river of state flows in East district from Dikchu to Singtam.

River Jaldhaka originates from Kupup and flows south east towards Bhutan, West Bengal and Bangladesh.

Other major rivers of east sikkim are Ranikhola, Ratey River, Roro River, Rangchang Khola etc.

Lakes

List of important lakes of Gangtok district and Pakyong District are:

Flora and fauna

Variety of plants and wildlife are found in the East Sikkim and Pakyong District. The important ones are Red panda the state animal, Blood pheasant, the state bird, Dendrobium nobile the state flower and Rhododendron the state tree are found in the wildlife sanctuaries of East sikkim. Other important wild animals include Snow Leopard, Himalayan black bear, Clouded leopard, Large Indian civet etc. [7] Forest Department, Government of Sikkim has also confirmed the presence of Royal Bengal Tiger in the Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary of Pakyong District in January 2019. [8]

Demographics

Shri Viswa Vinayaka Mandir temple in Rhenock, Pakyong District Viswa vinayaka.jpg
Shri Viswa Vinayaka Mandir temple in Rhenock, Pakyong District

According to the 2011 census East Sikkim district along with Pakyong District has a population of 283,583, [4] roughly equal to the nation of Barbados. [9] This gives it a ranking of 574th in India (out of a total of 640). [4] The district has a population density of 295 inhabitants per square kilometre (760/sq mi) . [4] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 14.79%. [4] East Sikkim has a sex ratio of 872 females for every 1000 males, [4] and a literacy rate of 84.67%. [4]

Religion in Gangtok district (2011) [10]
Hinduism
 
62.74%
Buddhism
 
25.55%
Christianity
 
8.25%
Islam
 
2.19%
Other or not stated
 
1.35%

Languages of Gangtok (2011)

   Nepali (65.59%)
   Hindi (8.63%)
   Sikkimese (8.16%)
   Lepcha (3.41%)
   Bhojpuri (2.25%)
   Bengali (1.68%)
   Limbu (1.55%)
   Tamang (1.49%)
   Sherpa (1.14%)
  Others (6.1%)

Hinduism is followed by majority of the people in the Gangtok district. Buddhism followed by a considerable minority, while Christianity is the third largest religion, 40% of its adherents live in Gangtok. Islam is the fourth-largest religion and is mainly found in migrants in urban centres, mainly Gangtok. [10]

Languages

At the time of the 2011 census, 65.59% of the population in the district spoke Nepali, 8.63% Hindi, 8.16% Sikkimese, 3.41% Lepcha, 2.25% Bhojpuri, 1.68% Bengali, 1.55% Limbu, 1.49% Tamang, 1.14% Sherpa, 0.75% Rai and 0.51% Tibetan as their first language. [11]

Assembly constituencies

The district is divided into 7 assembly constituencies.

Divisions

Administrative divisions

Subdivisions of the East Sikkim district East Sikkim Subdivisions All.png
Subdivisions of the East Sikkim district

East Sikkim is divided into three sub-divisions till June 2021. In June 2021, the two subdivisions of Pakyong and Rongli were constituted as Pakyong District: [12]

Important Towns and Cities

Gangtok at night Gangtok night amit mitra.jpg
Gangtok at night

The major towns and cities of Gangtok District are

Transport

Roadways

East Sikkim is connected with wide road network managed by Border Road Organization, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited and State PWD.

East Sikkim has the following National Highways:

Airways

Pakyong Airport lies on the town of Pakyong in Pakyong District is the nearest airport from East Sikkim. The airport has daily direct flight services from New Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata.

Railway

Rangpo Railway Station an under construction railway station of Northeast Frontier Railway zone is the nearest railway station that lies on Rangpo Town of Pakyong District.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikkim</span> State in northeastern India

Sikkim is a state in northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Koshi Province of Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siliguri Corridor, which borders Bangladesh. Sikkim is the least populous and second smallest among the Indian states. Situated in the Eastern Himalaya, Sikkim is notable for its biodiversity, including alpine and subtropical climates, as well as being a host to Kangchenjunga, the highest peak in India and third highest on Earth. Sikkim's capital and largest city is Gangtok. Almost 35% of the state is covered by Khangchendzonga National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teesta River</span> River that flows from the eastern Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal

Teesta River is a 414 km (257 mi) long river that rises in the Pauhunri Mountain of eastern Himalayas, flows through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal and subsequently enters Bangladesh through Rangpur division. In Bangladesh, it falls into Brahmaputra River which after meeting some other major rivers of the Bengal delta finally falls into the Bay of Bengal. It drains an area of 12,540 km2 (4,840 sq mi). In India, the Teesta flows through Mangan District, Gangtok District, Pakyong District, Kalimpong district, Darjeeling District, Jalpaiguri District, Cooch Behar districts and the cities of Rangpo, Jalpaiguri and Mekhliganj. In Bangladesh, it flows through Lalmonirhat District, Rangpur District, Kurigram District and Gaibandha District. It joins the Brahmaputra River at Phulchhari Upazila in Bangladesh. 305 km (190 mi) of the river lies in India and 109 km (68 mi) in Bangladesh. The Teesta is the largest river of Sikkim and second largest river of West Bengal after the Ganges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaldhaka River</span> River in *India *Bhutan *Bangladesh

The Jaldhaka River (Pron:/ˌdʒælˈdɑːkə/), also known as Dichu, a tributary of the Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river flowing through India, Bhutan and Bangladesh with a length of 233 kilometres. It originates from the Bitang Lake at Kupup, Gangtok District, Sikkim, near the Jelep La pass below Dongkya Mountain Range. It flows through Pakyong District of Sikkim, India and then passes through forests of Samtse District of Bhutan where it flows for around 40 kilometres and than re-enters India at Bindu, Kalimpong district. Further it passes through Neora Valley National Park, Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary & Gorumara National Park in West Bengal along with cities and towns like,Paren, Gairibas, Jhalong, Dhupguri, Falakata, Mathabhanga and flows through Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts in West Bengal, India before the river enters Bangladesh at Mogolhat, Lalmonirhat District of Rangpur Division. It is known as Dharla River in Bangladesh and flows through towns like Kolaghat, Phulbari and Kurigram City and Passes southwards until the Dharla debouches into the Brahmaputra River at Bagua Anantpur of Kurigram District. Due to the river's wandering over several international borders, only a small length of the river lies in Bangladesh and Bhutan and most of its path lies in India. In some places, this river is also known as Mansai river and Singhimari river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rangpo River</span> River in *Sikkim *West Bengal, India

River Rangpo is a river in the Indian state of Sikkim. A tributary of the Teesta River, it originates from Menmecho Lake near Dzuluk and flows through Rongli and Pakyong subdivision villages in Pakyong District towards Rorathang, Kumrek and Rangpo. The river demarcates the border between Pakyong District of Sikkim and Kalimpong district of West Bengal from Rorathang to Rangpo. At the town of Rangpo, the river joins river Teesta. The Rangpo is the third largest river of Sikkim after Teesta and Rangeet. Atal Setu Bridge the longest roadway bridge of Sikkim is over River Rangpo.

The Ranikhola is a river in Sikkim, India, that flows near the state capital Gangtok. It is a tributary of the Teesta River. The Mangar queen committed suicide on this river after the death of her husband at Mangarzong in 1642, so this river is named Ranikhola. The Ranikhola originates from the Himalayas and flows below Gangtok where it is joined by Ratey River and flows towards Ranipool where it is joined by another river called Roro River. The river then borders villages of Gangtok Subdivision in Gangtok District and Pakyong Subdivision of Pakyong District. National Highway 10 runs parallel to the Ranikhola from Ranipool to Singtam and then the river ultimately flows into River Teesta at Singtam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singtam</span> Town in Sikkim, India

Singtam is a town which lies mostly in Gangtok District and partly in Pakyong District in the Indian state of Sikkim about 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the state capital Gangtok. The town lies on the banking of the rivers Teesta and Ranikhola, which join together just below the town. NH10 and NH510 meet in Singtam. The Indreni Bridge and Sherwani Bridge over the river Teesta are in the town. Singtam District Hospital, the district hospital of Pakyong District, lies at Golitar, Singtam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sevoke</span> Town near Siliguri, West Bengal, India

Sevoke is a small town near Siliguri in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal state of India near the border with Sikkim state. Situated in Dooars, Sevoke lies on the bank of River Teesta and has two bridges − namely Coronation Bridge and Sevoke Railway Bridge over it. Indian Army and Border Security Force camps are located in the area. The Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in this area. National Highway NH10 passes through the town and connects Sevoke town to Gangtok and Siliguri. National Highway 17 originates from Sevoke near Coronation Bridge and terminates in Guwahati.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakyong</span> City in Sikkim, India

Pakyong is a city and district headquarters of Pakyong district in the Indian state of Sikkim, located in the foothills of the Himalayas. Pakyong Airport is the only airport of Sikkim. The "National Research Centre for Orchids" is also located here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhenock</span> Town in Sikkim, India

Rhenock is a town in the Pakyong District in Sikkim, India, located on the border with the Kalimpong district of West Bengal. It lies 63 kilometres east of Gangtok, and 47 kilometres north of Kalimpong on the way to Jelepla Pass at an altitude of 1,040 metres. The word Rhe-nock means Black Hill. Situated in the extreme east of Sikkim, Rhenock witnessed the establishment of the first police outpost in the state.

Ranipool is a small suburban town located in the bank of river Ranikhola at the junction of National Highway 10 and National Highway 717A in Gangtok District of the Indian state of Sikkim. It is 12 km before from Gangtok main town. It has three roads which lead to Singtam, Pakyong and Gangtok. It falls under the Gangtok Municipal Corporation. It is named after the Bridge which Connects the National highway to Gangtok and holds quite a significant role in traffic communications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Majitar</span> Urban Village Ward No.1 of Rangpo Municipality in East Sikkim. in India

Majitar is the fastest growing urban village in Pakyong District in the Indian state of Sikkim. The nearest towns are Rangpo and Singtam.

Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife reserve in the Pakyong District of the state of Sikkim in India. It is about 28 kilometres (17 mi) east of Rorathang and about 40 kilometres (25 mi) by road from Rangpo city. The total notified area of the park is around 124 square kilometres (48 sq mi) while inside the wildlife sanctuary there are a few hamlets: Aritar, Dakline Lingtam, Phadamchen, Dzuluk, Gnathang Monastery Kupup. This wildlife sanctuary is linked to the forests of Neora Valley National Park of West Bengal as well as forests of Samtse, Bhutan and Haa district Bhutan. The area that comes under this biosphere has been declared in 1999 as a wildlife sanctuary under biogeographic province category 2C.

National Highway 10 is a national highway in North East India that connects Indo/Bangladesh border via Siliguri to Gangtok. It passes through the Indian states of West Bengal and Sikkim.The highway is being maintained by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) from Rangpo to Ranipool in the state of Sikkim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dikchu</span> Town in Sikkim, India

Dikchu is a small town in the Gangtok District of the Indian state of Sikkim. The town lies at the confluence of the Dikchu River with the Teesta River and is the site of the 96 MW Dikchu River Hydroelectric Power Project as well as 510 MW Teesta V Hydroelectric Power Project. Dikchu is the last town of Gangtok District that lies on the North Sikkim Highway connecting Singtam to Chungthang, after crossing the town we enter Mangan District. Small market north of river Dikchu also lies on Mangan District.

Rongli or Rangli is a town in the Pakyong District of the Indian state of Sikkim. It lies on the banks of Rangpo River around 69 kilometres (43 mi) by road south of the state capital Gangtok. Rongli is also the headquarter of Rongli Subdivision of Pakyong District. Rongli is one of the oldest market of Sikkim that lies on the trade route between Kalimpong and Tibet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rangpo railway station</span> Proposed railway station in Sikkim, India

Rangpo railway station is an under-construction railway station lying on Sevoke-Rangpo Railway Line in Pakyong District of Sikkim. Its code is RNGPO. It will serve Rangpo city, and three districts of Sikkim, which are Pakyong District, Gangtok District and Mangan District. It is 38 km (24 mi) from the state capital of Gangtok and 21 km (13 mi) from Pakyong Airport. The station will consist of three platforms and four lines after completion. It is expected to be completed by December 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State Bank of Sikkim</span> Publicly owned bank

State Bank of Sikkim (SBS) is a state owned banking institution headquartered at Gangtok, Sikkim, India. In addition to banking services, State Bank of Sikkim handles treasury functions of the Sikkim State Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dzuluk</span> Hamlet in Sikkim, India

Dzuluk or Zuluk or Jhuluk or Jaluk is a small hamlet located at a height of 9,400 feet (2,900 m) on the rugged terrain of the lower Himalayas in Rongli Subdivision of Pakyong District, which lies in the Indian state Sikkim. This place is relatively an emerging and offbeat destination in Sikkim. Today it is a tourist destination for the view of the eastern Himalayan mountain range including the Kanchenjunga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakyong district</span> District in Sikkim, India

Pakyongdistrict is a district in the Indian state of Sikkim, administered from Pakyong. The district was formed in 2021 from three former subdivisions of the East Sikkim district, viz., Pakyong Subdivision, Rangpo Subdivision and Rongli Subdivision. The remaining Gangtok Subdivision of the former district was named as the Gangtok district, which now bounds the Pakyong district in the northwest. In addition, the district is now bounded by the Kalimpong district of West Bengal, Bhutan, China and the Namchi district of Sikkim.

Makha is an important town lying on the bank of Teesta River in Gangtok district of Sikkim, India. Makha lies between Singtam and Dikchu.

References

  1. ↑ "District Collectors". sikkim.gov.in.
  2. ↑ "Sikkim Assembly passes bill to create two more districts". The Telegraph (Kolkata). 10 December 2021.
  3. ↑ "3 sub-divisions of East Sikkim to form Sikkim's newest district Pakyong". Eastmojo. 21 June 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in. 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  5. ↑ Waddell, L. Austin (1905), Lhasa and its Mysteries, London: John Murray, p. 106 – via archive.org
  6. ↑ Harris, Tina (2013), Geographical Diversions: Tibetan Trade, Global Transactions, University of Georgia Press, p. 39, ISBN   978-0-8203-4512-3
  7. ↑ Indian Ministry of Forests and Environment. "Protected areas: Sikkim". Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  8. ↑ Singh, Shiv Sahay (9 January 2019). "Caught on camera: Sikkim's Royal Bengal Tiger". The Hindu.
  9. ↑ US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on 13 June 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2011. Barbados 286,705 July 2011 est.
  10. 1 2 "East Sikkim District Religion Census 2011" . Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  11. ↑ 2011 Census of India, Population By Mother Tongue
  12. ↑ Sikkim Administrative Divisions (PDF) (Map). The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India, New Delhi, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  13. ↑ "Doklam effect: Sikkim to get new all-weather highway".
  14. ↑ "NHIDCL floats tender for road works in Sikkim - Construction Week India". 14 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "Rajnath Inaugurates Alternate Alignment on NH-310 in Sikkim | Nation". 25 October 2020.
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