Pakyong

Pakim is a town in the East Sikkim district of the Indian state of Sikkim, located in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is the headquarters of the Pakyong Administrative division and hosts many government offices. Pakyong was a small settlement until the central government approved a new greenfield airport, to be constructed by Punj Lloyd.[1]

Pakyong
village
Location in Sikkim, India Pakyong (India)
Coordinates: 27.2394°N 88.5961°E
Country	India
State	Sikkim
District	East Sikkim
Elevation	1,120 m (3,670 ft)
Languages
• Official	Nepali, Bhutia, Lepcha, Limbu, Newari, Rai, Gurung, Mangar, Sherpa, Tamang and Sunwar
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	737 106
Telephone code	03592
Vehicle registration	SK 07
Climate	Cwb

The town has a missionary run school called St. Xavier's,[2] which ranked as one of the top two schools in Sikkim during the 1990s. Notable among its alumni are the Padmashri awardee footballer Baichung Bhutia. The "National Research Centre for Orchids", (ICAR Institute) is located there.[3]

History

The existence of British bunkers at British Killa suggests the presence of armed bunkers sometime in the past.

The name Pakyong comes from the Lepcha words pa yong meaning "bamboo of the bow", as it was a common practise of the Lepchas to name a place after the essential items found at a place.

On September 24, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Pakyong Airport. Regular air service started on 4 October 2018.

Geography

Located in East Sikkim at an altitude of 1,700 metres (5,600 ft), it shares its borders with Bhutan and Tibet. Topography is hilly and a good agricultural area.

The villages surrounding the small town are Namcheypong, Ganchung, Kaputhang, Raigoan, Pachey, Samsing, Dikling, Tareythang, Pacheykhani, Pachak, Bering, Dugalakha, Linkey, Parkha, Machong, Daamlakha, Chalamthang, Barapathing, Changeysenti, Amba, Mamring, Baasilakha and Karthok.

Economy

The local economy is confined to the school and minor local businesses. Ginger is cultivated and floriculture is popular. The geography makes this viable. Goondruk, Kinema, Sinki are popular fermented foods sold in the local market. "Dalle Khorsani" (red chili) is popular among the local vegetable cultivators. Cow milk, curd, Chhurpi (residue of boiled buttermilk) are other means of earning income.

Transport

The town is well connected to all major parts of Sikkim and its neighbouring states. Taxi services access Gangtok, Kalimpong, Rhenock, Jorethang, Singtam, Namchi, Ranipool, Rangpo, Rongli, Jaigaon and Siliguri. Direct taxi service to Kalimpong and Siliguri is available. Taxis can be reserved to go to non-serviced towns such as Darjeeling, Kurseong and Changu.

Pakyong is connected to the rest of India by an all-weather metalled highway, NH-31A which runs from Siliguri to Gangtok. The NH-31A can be accessed from Pakyong at Ranipool (18 km) or at Rangpo (26 km).

The distance from Pakyong to Siliguri is 120 km.

Pakyong Greenfield Airport has two parking bays and a terminal building, which can handle about 100 passengers at a time. The airport is located on top of a hill above Pakyong village at 4,500 feet (1,400 m) above sea level and it is spread across over 201 acres. The entire airport, including the runway, has been built on land which was itself created by building an embankment wall as high as 263 ft in deep valleys.[4]

Demographics

Ethnic Nepalis, who settled in the region during British rule, comprise the majority of the population. Lepcha, native to the land, and Bhutias also constitute a sizable portion of the populace. Immigrant resident communities not native to the region include the Marwaris who form the backbone of the business community and own most of the shops; the Biharis who work in various trades, Bengalis involved in carpentry.

Thanks to the school, the town has attracted a cosmopolitan population with people from as far south as Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Culture

Nepali (Sikkimese) is the most widely spoken language. English and Hindi are understood in most parts of the state. Other languages include Bhutia (Sikkimese), Tibetan and Lepcha.

All major Indian festivals, such as Diwali, Holi, Christmas, Easter Id, and Makar Sankranti (the popular Hindu festivals) along with the Buddhist festivals like Losar, Loosong, Bhumchu, Saga Dawa, Lhabab Duechen and Drupka Teshi are celebrated, with most government offices and schools closing accordingly.

It is common to see school kids walking with guitars strung on their backs. Western Hip-Hop music is popular. Football and cricket are the two most popular sports and the St Xavier's School ground serves as the tournament venue, most notably the Independence Day Cup, which have in the past featured teams from as far as Calcutta, Nepal and Bhutan.

Local favourites like momo, thukpa, chowmein, gyathuk and wonton are available in restaurants. Momo is a popular snack, with vegetables, chicken, beef or pork filling, steamed and served with soup. The hills traditionally have a liberal attitude towards alcohol and in many of the local functions like marriages etc., it plays an important role. A common local beverage is raksi.

Attractions

Attractions include Dikling mane-lakhang, Shivalaya temple, Pacheykhani cave, Changey monastery, Pakyong Greenfield Airport, Devi Mandir, Karthok Monastery and a Monks’ Retreat Centre. Wednesday bazaar 'hart' is popular.

RDD complex is surrounded by pine trees and a small park. Trekking is available in Jhandi dara, located at the topmost part of Pakyong. Nearby Noab gaon is also called the virgin valley and is the hill whose top is the British killa.

Education

St. Xavier's School and JNV, Dikling Sr. Sec School educate students. Pakim Palatine College provides higher education to local students and students from towns such as Gangtok, Rhenock and Ranipool and from Bhutan. Puspanjali school is one of the best developing autonomous educational institutions. Schools educate children in village areas too. Government Senior Secondary School Mamring was established in 1952.

References

2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 March 2008. Retrieved 18 February 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) St Xavier's School
4. "Is this one of the most beautiful airports?". BBC News. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.