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Preparations were made to welcome the tourists by laying a carpet of snow. The question of security was excluded! Finally, on Tuesday, the issue of travel permits to the Changu Valley in East Sikkim ended in excitement. On Wednesday, due to heavy snowfall, Bengal tourists thronged around the lake in the area near the China border.

Changu is a glacial lake located at an altitude of 12,400 feet in East Sikkim. Locally it is also known as Somgo Lake. The word Somgo in Bhutia means ‘source of water’. It is located about 40 km from Gangtok. The scenery along the journey is full of calm and scenic natural beauty. The curvy, bumpy road with hairpin bends by which tourists reached Changu Valley on Wednesday was white and snow-covered. Somewhere 7 feet! In some places, the two sides of the road are covered with a sheet of ice 4 feet thick. Changu Lake changes color every season. Usually, the lake water freezes in winter. Blooms in spring. Tourists have witnessed the opposite picture this spring. Much of the lake water froze on Wednesday.

Samaresh Chowdhury, a resident of Madhyamgram’s Badamtala area, said, “I never thought I would get so much snow in full spring.” Locals believe that the waters of the holy Changu Lake have healing properties. So every year on Guru Purnima the ceremony is held here. Although tourists do not have much headache about them. They rent snowboots, gumboots and traditional clothing and descend the snowy mountains. Many have enjoyed themselves by clinging to the yak’s back. Raj Basu, leader of Help Tourism, said, “Nature has shown itself. March-April usually does not receive such heavy snowfall. This time, the number of tourists is gradually increasing.”