Gurudwara Nanak Lama Sahib
Important Places

Gurudwara Nanak Lama Sahib :: Chungthang, North Sikkim.

Chungthang, North Sikkim :: Chungthang is a historical pilgrimage place which has been blessed by the footsteps of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. It is located in the Northan part of Sikkim, India. It is situated at the confluence of two rivers: River Lachen and Lachung Chu, both tributaries of the “most scenic” River Teesta. Chungthang is located in this state at a distance of 95 kilometres from the capital Gangtok, at an elevation of 1,700 metres (5,600 ft). Guru Dongmar is a lake at a height of 18,000 feet alongside a glacial peak known by the same name. The lake remains frozen most of the year due to heavy snowfall for almost six months each year.

Gurudwara Nanak Lama SahibHistory  ::  Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji  had visited this place along with Bhai Mardana ji during his journey to Tibet & China. On reaching this ‘enchanted’ place, Guru Sahib called it “Changi Than” which in Punjabi means a beautiful place, henceforth the place came to be known as Chungthang. When the Guru Sahib reached here, a domaon stopped him ant out of jealously threw a large rock at upon him. But with a wave of his walking stick the Guru stopped therock. Guru Sahib and Mardana ji then climbed on the top of the rock and started singing Gurbani hymns. As soon as the demon heard the melodious Gurbani, ashamed at his deeds, he asked the Guru for forgiveness. The marks of the Guru’s feet and upon where he sat can be still be seen on this rock even today.
Rice cultivation was not possible in Chungthang. When the people of this rrgion pleaded before the Guru, He took a handful of rice grain from his bowl and threw it around the area and said from now on there shall be plentiful rice cultivation in this area. Even today, good cultivation of rice is done in and around Chungthang.

The Lama’s residing here are worshipers of the Guru and have made a small place of worship here for centuries. The water flowing from a small fountain within the large rock neither flows out of the rock nor diminishes. This holy water is regarded and consumed as the sacred ‘Amrit’. It is also belived that a few belongings of the Guru Sahib is still safely buried within this rock.

Around 50ft from this sacred rock, the Guru Sahib had buried his walking stick’Kundi’ which stands as a large tree today. The branches of this tree are in the same shape as a walking stick. Hence this tree is known as the ‘Khundi Sahib’.

From here Guru Sahib also visited Guramba [ Gurudongmar] lake situated at a height of 17,120 ft.

The Shepherds of the region gathered before the Guru and pleaded before him about the problem of non-availabity of drinking water in the region. Due to the extreme cold climate the water of the lake would freeze and the shepherds had to melt the ice for the drinking water. On hearing their plight, Guru Sahib took his walking stick ( Dang ) and he touched the frozen lake with it, the area melted into water and has not frozen lake ever since even the temperature in this area drops below -30 degree. After this miraculous event the lake came to be known as “Guru Dangmaar Lake”, which can be located under the same name in the map of the Indo-Tibet border. The Water of this Lake is considered holy ( Amrit ) even today.

How to Reach

To reach Chungthang, one must reach New Jalpaiguri station or Bagdogra Airport which is 14 kms from Siliguri. Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim is at a distance of 115 kms from here. Chungthang is around 100 kms from Gangtok. A small gurudwara is also located at Guru Dangmar Lake which is around 80 kms from Chungthang.

Nearest Railway Station :: New Jalpaiguri ( Siliguri )
Nearest Airport :: Bagdogra

Nearby cities :: Gangtok, Kalimpong Town, Thimphu
Coordinates: 27°36’15″N 88°38’45″E

Document requried for permit

To visit Chungthang, a permit from the concerned authorities at Gangtok is requried, for which an identity card and two passport photographs are necessary. Vechile Document ( in case of private ). Permit for Chungthang is to be obtained from the DC office at Mangan

Stay

Travelling to Guru Dangmar Sahib can rest and stay at Gurudwara Guru Nanak Lama Sahib, Chungthang which provides comfortable stay and Langar facilities . Kar Seva work, with the help of the Sangat and Local people is continuously going on at the Gurudwara.

Maintained by

The Gurudwara at present is being developed and maintained by Baba Harbans Singh ji, Baba Bachan Singh, Baba Surendra Singh from Dera kar Sewa, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Delhi.

 

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