Gangtok 21st

Weaving traditional patterns on traditional looms.


We have taken a number of photos here, and in India generally we have taken photos of a number of interesting signs - usually interesting for the spelling, but here there was one that says "Plastic bags are illegal in Sikkim" and another that declares Sikkim to be an "organic" state - all produce here is grown organically, including tea. Part of our project here is to take photos of the same things that aunt Grace photographed many years ago - some of her photos date back to her journey through here en route to Tibet in 1930. There is an old photo of traditional archers, and while we walked over the other side of the top ridge, we came across the National archery championships. We were given seats under cover by the head of the National archery association, who we were told was also a former government minister - around here that spells important. He gave us tea and was very interested in the old photos, and knew some of the people in them. So Cathy took photos of modern archers using high tech American bows and arrows. The target was so far away as to be hardly visible, the larger circle 8 inches across, the bullseye 4 inches but they managed to hit it despite a slight cross wind. We later headed up a hill (wherever we go here it is either up a steep hill or down a steep hill) to a handicrafts institute to find a carved table like the one she has which aunt Grace brought back from Sikkim years ago. They didn't have any, but a senior person there said they would love to have a photo of it as so much of the old designs have now been lost. On our way out we went past an open door and noticed weavers inside, using looms identical to one in one of the photos we have. So Cathy took more photos there. Some of the old photos just cannot be taken again due to 6 storey buildings where open ground used to be, but some of the old shots are quite recognisable.
We are enjoying Gangtok. Darjeeling is 2000 feet higher up and was a bit of a shock after the heat of Kolkata - the climate here is a bit more agreeable, although, like Darjeeling it has rained every night bar one. Mornings are clear, clouds roll in, then thunder and rain. Today we meet an old man who said aunt Grace was his late sister's friend and colleague.