A Travel Log
(December, 2009)

Coming from Gangtok we reached Passingdang via Mangan after a four hour drive on mostly non existing roads ably manoeuvred by Tashi in his brand new Sumo. Passingdang is a small village comprising of about 40 houses, a monastery and a school, located in the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu in North Sikkim. A fairly steep and narrow path leads from the road down to Mayal Lyang Homestay, where we were welcomed by our host Gyatso Lepcha and his family. The view from Mayal Lyang down the river valley and across the mid range mountains and snow covered peaks is truly picturesque. Orange trees loaded with ripe oranges at arms’ length in front of the veranda are an additional attraction during the winter months adding colour to the vast expanse of green and sweetness to our taste buds.

During a detailed introduction into the history and culture of the Lepcha by our host, we warm ourselves by sipping "Lepcha beer", extracted from fermented millet with hot water and served in large bamboo glasses with thin bamboo straws. Surrounded by the immense natural beauty, it is not difficult for us to understand the passion that Gyatso and his friends expressed for their environment. Threatened by huge hydro power projects the fragile ecosystem with an amazing biodiversity could be lost for ever. Preservation of the ecosystem is a question of survival for the Lepcha and the passion with which they are defending it sets us thinking about our values in life.

We are integrated into the Mayal Lyang family, consisting of Gyatso, his wife, parents, grandmother, brother and sister-in-law, sister, and three little children, who are brought up and educated by the family, all living under the same roof. The common meeting place in the house is the spacious and spotless clean kitchen, where everyone, including three little dogs and three cats, assembles around the fire place - by far the cosiest spot, particularly in winter! Lively discussions continue, while the women of the house jointly prepare the meal. The food is delicious with vegetables coming straight from the garden onto the table - all organic of course!

Next morning we set of to a short hike to Kussong village. Our little troupe consists of Gyatso’s younger sister, our charming Dzongu guide Rinjong, Tashi and the three of us. We pass by tiny settlements and enjoy the marvellous view all along. We stop by at a remote monastery, where we are served a hot cup of tea and have a chat with the monks. We are amazed at the profound knowledge of the terrain and the flora by our Lepcha friends, who point out numerous plants and weeds on the way and explain their various uses as food or medicines. We hope that this wealth of knowledge will be passed on and preserved for generations to come! We are impressed by the ease with which the younger Lepcha combine the modern formal education with the traditional knowledge.

We are fortunate to spend New Year’s Eve at Mayal Lyang. Gyatso has arranged a "cultural programme" for us. Eighteen young children have been invited from surrounding villages to perform traditional dances for us. The setting in the court yard with the moon and the stars above is beautiful. The children are all dressed in their traditional costumes. The music and dance comprises essentially patriotic songs depicting the beauty of the Lepcha homeland Dzongu.

We are sad to leave the next day. Our stay at Mayal Lyang has been a rich experience and we have made wonderful friends!

- Margret, Deepak and Maya from Bangalore