Delightful genesis

Tucked away in the mystical state of Sikkim, this place is a testament to nature's unwavering embrace, where every sunrise and sunset paints the sky with a palette of vivid colours; it seems as if the gods themselves were the artists.

Namchi is the district seat of South Sikkim and is located 78 kilometres from Gangtok. Tourists can appreciate breathtaking views of Mt. Khangchendzonga Peak and the Rangit Valley from this wonderful location, which inspires internal peace of mind, comfort, and calmness of the mind. Sumbuk and Kitam are two communities tucked away within a sanctuary. The air here is thick with the scent of rhododendron blossoms and the distant murmur of streams, their melodies woven into the very fabric of the land.

Known for

The Kitam Bird Sanctuary is a guarded sanctuary between Namchi and Melli and is one of the oldest and most renowned bird sanctuaries in Sikkim. This sanctuary is 1200 feet to 3200 feet over sea level and encompasses a huge area of 6 square kilometres with extensive vegetation of shrubs and sal.

Two rivers, Rangit and Manpur, flow through this sanctuary, and two villages, Sumbuk and Kitam, are nested. This is the sole low-elevation bird sanctuary in the area, making it appealing to bird enthusiasts. Kitam is famed for its brilliant flying butterflies and is home to over 200 different kinds of birds.

The declaration of Kitam Reserve Forest as Kitam Bird Sanctuary in 2006 was an important step in building the groundwork of Village Tourism and Ecotourism in Kitam. Some exercises were done in 2007, and the Department of Forest launched an organisational threshold approach in collaboration with WWF (World Wildlife Fund) India and the Tourism Department. Still, the initiative utilised time to grow, and Gram Panchayat intervened in 2014, formed a team of tourism enthusiasts, and benefited various agro-tourism organisations.

More information

Sikkim

Indulge in

unique activities

Engage in Sansari Puja

Sansari Puja is undertaken in the month of Baishak – the 1st month of the Nepali calendar – to invoke Sansari Mata – who is the Mother of all Creations – and to appeal to her for timely rain and to bless us with abundant produce in the year ahead. Sansari puja is a community celebration where people join the festivities irrespective of their religion. Elders from each village collect donations from the villages, including rice, vegetables, dal, fruits and a mandatory donation of Ghar ko Kukhra ko Eggs. Each village has to have an assigned location where they will perform Puja to the Forest Gods, and in this instance, this is where the people would go to worship Sansari Maa.

Witness the Indra Puja

The celebration is named after Lord Indra, the Hindu God of Rain and King of Heaven, and its primary goal is to ask for his blessings in the form of rainfall and showers. This exciting celebration features massive chariot processions supported by varied drum sounds, masked dance acts, and numerous classical ensembles. While it is primarily a Nepalese celebration, the Nepalese Newar Gutthi community in Sikkim celebrates it with passion and excitement. Every year during the pre-monsoon season, Kitam Indra Puja is also done in Manpur Khola (a tiny river) to pray for rain.

A trove of

fascinating facts

1-limboo-ethnic-traditional-houses-sikkim-rural-ff

A trove of

fascinating facts

Two old Limboo ethnic traditional houses are over 150 years old and display the style of architecture of a stone and timber residence interlocked with no nails.

A trove of

fascinating facts

A trove of

fascinating facts

The floristic and faunistic geographic distribution of an uncommon blend of land and aquatic species distinguishes this area as the lone designated conservation area in the tropical zone. Two rivers surround the community, the Greater Rangeet and the Manpur River, which serve as the village's lifeline.