Gangtok is the capital of the mountainous northern Indian state of Sikkim. Established as a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the 1840s, the city became capital of an independent monarchy after British rule ended, but joined India in 1975. Today, it remains a Tibetan Buddhist center and a base for hikers organizing permits and transport for treks through Sikkim’s Himalayan mountain ranges.[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmUpUr6pjinyGzBGZc361co2fZeDrujKYzR8rjWmQLuRAY/received_1964047803845808.jpeg][IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmcFYVMifCydoFp6syuTQgW619v3yaccGYB1iwrYYYqLko/received_1964047797179142.jpeg][IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmWJFYJSJr5er3bWTngtCQCqScChQMQRxfCUdEwR9boGti/received_1964047887179133.jpeg][IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmSLiWBny3DUpYeG2CNMVrfh2gYot4EYCRFsqYDyoJqQuS/received_1964047863845802.jpeg][IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmYcWCmo4AB3StHgtA8Enp9gW3gwKwhLykmUTXKVh88JQP/received_1964047823845806.jpeg][IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmNkCrQXjgmTMZ3CKsAyQPSx5BtxWMMJZyGMih3qfS6Vcd/received_1964047877179134.jpeg][IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ8w8tk6jjbdnWqoLzxTW1t1uAakYhenAyHmFDHEWEnP5/received_1964047880512467.jpeg][IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmRzAB1kjJPBsAAShMd66SdBynUiPnDZ2gF8xQGoy16q4u/received_1964047690512486.jpeg][IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmboYSsk1WAciLZVBzELQgywV1hBsyq8pjq3WbrXsUo1Y8/received_1964047837179138.jpeg][IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmfWTQZYQCKSovTgLcrs7c4YzKJvTC5vLrMSr3JFGSEVzV/received_1964047883845800.jpeg][IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmapQEWgjNfxVsPWC7ho6mDgDpi1xvX3nvUKfSpyF4YTXy/received_1964045957179326.jpeg]