State of Sikkim Local Custom Tips by goutammitra Top 5 Page for this destination

Please Ask for Permission for Photographs!

Many of us get tempted to photographs of local babies and woman but sometimes these innocent people feel the photographs taken by the plain landers may not be auspicious for their babies. So please ask for permission before taking photographs of babies. They understand little bit of English but that sign language is universally understandable. In Sikkim, everybody understands Nepali, you may ask like " Bahini ( my sister), may I take your/ baby's picture"? "Bahini for young woman" or " Didi"for older woman and "Daju"for men are respectful words in Nepali or Bhutia language. If you use, there is a 100% chance that he or she will talk to you and become friend.

Look at this poor Road onstruction Labour woman, she was very shy to see the camera, but I was tempted to take picture of thebaby, he was so beautiful. So I asked her in broken & wrong Nepali, "Bahini baby ko lagi ekta photo khichaunus? " ( Sister may I take a photograph of the baby?). She obliged me more than I expected.

Drinking of Chaang or Tumba with the Bhutias.

In Sikkim and not tasted Channg??? Oh yeah, how can I allow that to happen? I did taste the famous drink twice at Lachung at Keysang hotel. It was really very refreshing and energetic drink. I was little bit down at Gurudongmar and on way so on my return at the suggestion of our driver Baichung Bhutia ( who also owns the hotel , his wife and mom in law runs it) I tried the famed drink. He poured the fermented millet in the pot added hot water and after 10mts it was ready. I was feeling warm again. Though, I thought it will be highly intoxicating and was drinking very carefully but I was wrong. It refreshed me and I was feeling well again. I also had sound sleep at Lachung. I had it again next day after returning from Yumthang.

Fermented alcoholic beverages have strong ritual importance among the various ethnic groups of people of the Sikkim Himalayas. The social activities in these regions require provision and consumption of appreciable amount of alcoholic beverages. Traditionally prepared alcoholic beverages are commonly served in main meals among the alcohol-drinker communities as a part of dietary culture. Jaanr/Chaang is a mild alcoholic and sweet-sour fermented cereal-based beverage. It is sipped from a bamboo receptacle using bamboo pipe. The receptacle which has millet in it is topped with warm water a couple of times until the millet loses its flavour. Chang can sometimes be strong and very intoxicating. Depending upon the substrates used, Jaanr/Chaang may be as follows:

Kodo ko jaanr fermented finger millet beverage
Bhaate Jaanr fermented rice beverage
Makai ko Jaanr fermented maize beverage
Gahun ko Jaanr fermented wheat beverage
Jahun ko Jaanr fermented barley beverage
Simal tarul ko Jaanr fermented cassava root beverage
Kodo ko Jaanr is consumed in a decorated bamboo vessel locally called "toongbaa". Fermented mass of finger millet is put into the "toongbaa", little amount of warm water is added upto the edge, after 10-12 min, liquor is sipped through a narrow bamboo straw called "pipsing" having a hole in a side near the bottom to avoid passing of grits. Jaanr is believed to be a tonic for ailing persons and postnatal women. After consumption, grits of finger millets are used as fodder for pigs and cattle.