19th January | thenortheasttoday.com

India’s first organic state Sikkim found its place on The New York Times annual list of 52 Places to Go in 2017.

Ranked in 17th spot on the list, Sikkim is described to readers as ‘a haven for spiritual seekers, soon more accessible’.

Seth Sherwood of the New York Times said, “With its first airport opening this year and its first rail link in the works, the remote northeastern Indian state of Sikkim keeps getting closer. Adventurous souls can trek Khangchendzonga National Park, a Himalayan haven of forests, valleys and mountains — including the world’s third-highest peak — that earned Unesco World Heritage status this year. Spiritual seekers, meanwhile, can pursue nirvana around the historically Buddhist land, from centuries-old Buddhist monasteries like Tashiding and Pemayangtse to the museum-like Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. And load up on spices, fruits and vegetables. Sikkim became the first fully organic state in India last year.”

“Navigating the stunning, sprawling Taj Mahal will get easier when an orientation center opens this year, but 2017 also promises new reasons to venture beyond: Nearby streets have been repaved; the Agra Pavilion, a glass-walled dining complex, will host more than a dozen vendors and restaurants; and the Mughal Museum, a collaboration with the architect David Chipperfield and Studio Archohm, has broken ground. In addition, India’s fastest train and longest expressway now cut travel time from Delhi and Lucknow,” writes Ratha Tep of the New York Times.

New York Times has selected only two places in India i.e. Sikkim and Agra. Ranked in 3rd spot on the list, Agra is described to readers as ‘Beyond the Taj Mahal, new attractions beckon’.