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Aritar is a small place situated in the Rongli Sub-Division of East Sikkim. It is situated at the footsteps of the Himalayan Mountain Range and is an ideal daytrip destination from Gangtok.
Aritar came into the limelight in 1904, when the Indo-Tibet Convention was signed. This convention was signed under the leadership of Lord Younghusband, who helped in establishing the trade mart at Yatung on the Tibetan side.
In 1886, the Tibetan military annexed Lingtu in the state of Sikkim, which lies near Jelepla Pass. In the same year, the Tibetans also attacked Gnathang which is located just below Jelepla Pass, but were defeated by the British. The Tibetans were further pushed back in September 1886 by the British from Lingtu. In 1904, Lord Younghusband went on an expedition to Lhasa through Jelepla Pass and defeated the Tibetan army.
After the defeat of the Tibetan army, a treaty was signed by Lord Younghusband which focused on securing the privileges related to monopoly-trading for British. This particular trade route starts from Kalimpong in Pedong, which comes under Darjeeling District. It extends up to Nathula Pass covering places like Rhenock, Jaluk and Aritar.
A police outpost was also established during the launch of this trade route by Sir James Claude White, who was the first British political officer of Sikkim. In due course of time, a rest house was also constructed near this police outpost, offering accommodation for night halts. Aritar is commercially more significant than Gangtok and still features various cemeteries of British officers.
This beautiful region is replete with lush green vegetation, dense forests, lakes and rivers. Aritar Lake and Lampokhari Lake are the two main lakes situated at this place that are suitable for picnics and boating. The popular Lampokhari Tourism Festival, which starts during the last week of March and continues till early April, attracts tourists from near and far. During the festival, tourists can attend a flower exhibition and traditional cultural show as well as taste the local cuisine.
Aritar is easily accessible from the state capital, Gangtok, by road. The destination can be reached by taxis and rented cars from Gangtok, which is situated at a distance of 63 km. It takes around four hours to drive from Gangtok to Aritar, which lies on the main route connecting Pakyong or Rangpo.
The closest airport and railhead is situated in Siliguri which is located at around 123 km from Aritar. Aritar can be visited all round the year, except for the rainy season, which is not suitable for outdoor activities.
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Aritar is located in the Rongli sub-division of Sikkim. Situated on the foot of the mountain ranges of the Himalayas and surrounded with lush green vegetation, Aritar is famous for rivers and lakes.
One of the major attractions of Aritar is the Lampokhari Lake which is also known as the Aritar Lake. It is renowned for beautiful surroundings and boating facility. The Phushrey Lake is another lake located a few kilometres away from the destination. Tourists can also visit the Kali Khola Falls and the Changey Waterfall. The Dak Bunglow which is also known as Ari-Bangla is another prominent attraction that was built during the British Raj.
The Parbateyswar Shivalaya Mandir is one of the famous temples of the destination and is visited by devotees during sawan season. Besides, tourists can visit Mankhim Temple which is famous for Sakewa Puja performed by the Rai community.
The Lungchok Valley and Rachela are some of the places in Aritar that are ideal for trekking. Along with this, tourists can visit to Love Dara.
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